Frequently Asked Questions
What sort of boat will it be?
Where do I embark?
What route do the trips take?
What food will be served?
Can we bring our own food and wine?
What about the weather?
What about safety?
What should I wear / bring?
What payment methods are accepted?
What associations do you belong to?
Useful links
What sort of boat will it be?
Oxford River Cruises operates Edwardian Style River Launches on our scheduled trips and the majority of our private charters.
Our smaller boats, which are used for all our scheduled trips and for private charters for groups of 24 people or less, are electrically powered and so very quiet running. Electric boats were very popular on the Thames at the turn of the century but their numbers declined as diesel engines became more efficient. However they are now enjoying a renaissance as river users seek quieter and less polluting ways to cruise the waterways.
Boats used for larger charters (more than 24 people) are diesel powered and have indoor saloons as well as as outdoor deck space and awnings. On rare occasions more modern boats may be substituted in place of Edwardian craft for these larger charters only.
For details of vessels available for self skipper please click here.
Where do I embark?
Scheduled Trips
Scheduled trips usually depart from our moorings opposite Christchurch Meadows (off Folly Bridge) although some trips depart from Osney Island and others from Bossom's Boatyard on Port Meadow. All locations are within walking distance of Oxford City Centre. The departure point for your trip will be confirmed at the time of booking.
Small Charters (12 people or less)
Small group charters usually depart from our moorings at Bossom's Boatyard, a five-minute drive from the city where parking is available. We can also arrange departures from other locations in and around Oxford. Possibilities include Folly Bridge (for the City Centre), Osney Island (for Oxford Train Station), Iffley Village, Godstow (for the Trout Inn) and Sandford-on-Thames.
Larger Charters (more than 12 people)
Larger charters can depart from either Folly Bridge in Oxford City Centre, Donnigton Bridge (where parking is available) or the Thames Four Pillars Hotel at Sanford-on-Thames (for guests of the hotel). We can also organise departure from Abingdon, Goring, Henley-on-Thames and many other towns on the river. Full directions will be given at the time of booking.
Self Skipper
Self skipper boats depart from Bossom's Boatyard on Port Meadow, just to the north of Oxford City Centre. Directions are available by clicking here .
What route do the trips take?
Scheduled Trips
Scheduled trip routes can be found here.
Small Charters (12 people or less)
Small group charters can take any route of your choice and can be decided on the day of the trip in consultation with your skipper.
Longer trips offer guests the chance to take in the peace and tranquility of the water meadows north of Kings lock where Kingfishers can sometimes be seen.
Larger Charters (more than 12 people)
Larger charters departing from Oxford City Centre travel downstream through the heart of the Oxford University reach of the river. After progressing through Iffley Lock boats cruise through beautiful scenery on their way towards historic Abingdon.
Self Skipper
When hiring a vessel to skipper yourself you are free to decide your own itinerary. However, we will place some restrictions on the backwaters that you are permitted to navigate which will depend on the type of boat hired.
What food will be served?
A typical picnic menu served on our scheduled trips might include:
Asparagus Quiche, Gammon Ham, Pickle and Pork Ploughman’s Pie, Minted Cucumber and Tomato Salad, Potato Salad, Roasted Vegetables with Balsamic Dressing, Green Leaf Salad with Croutons, A variety of white, wholemeal and walnut breads, Fresh Summer Fruits Salad, Mature Farmhouse Cheddar and Biscuits.
Menus for private charters will be decided in consultation with the customer.
Can we bring our own food and drinks?
Food
A full gourmet picnic is included in the cost of our scheduled lunchtime and sunset picnic trips. If you have booked a private charter and have not asked us to provide catering you are welcome to bring your own food. We can usually provide crockery and cutlery for a small charge. We can also provide picnics aboard self skipper boats.
Drinks
Due to changes to licensing laws customers are no longer permitted to bring there own alcoholic drinks aboard most of our vessels. A wide range or wines, spirits and beers are available for purchase aboard. On smaller boats (for 24 people or less) you may bring your own drinks but a corkage fee will apply. There is no charge if you want to bring alcohol aboard our self skipper boats.
What about the weather?
On-board scheduled trip and charter boats canvas canopies offer protection from the elements, rather like a floating marquee!
On sunny days shade is provided by a half-length canopy. Boats used for large charters also have an indoor saloon area.
Self skipper vessels are open to the elements so please take note of the weather forecast and dress appropriately.
In the event of extremely inclement weather bookings will sometimes be cancelled and alternative dates offered. Should an alternative date not be possible for your booking we will offer a full refund.
What about safety?
Our boats comply with all modern boat safety standards and your skipper is a trained helmsman.
A safety briefing will be given at the start of each trip. Buoyancy aids are available for those that would like to wear them and are recommended for non-swimmers and children.
At all times we reserve the right to take any reasonable action to maintain safety. This includes the refusal of carriage to anyone who may pose a risk to the safety of the vessel or to the safety or enjoyment of other passengers.
What should I wear / bring?
Even on the sunniest days it’s a good idea to bring something warm to wear in case of a cold change.
This is particularly important in the evening when temperatures can drop substantially as the sun goes down.
On cooler days make sure you are dressed very warmly, the river is still a beautiful place but your enjoyment will be impaired if you are not comfortable.
Please avoid wearing very high healed shoes as these can cause a risk to your safety and damage decks.
Make sure to bring a camera. There are some truly stunning scenes to capture on our trips that you won’t want to miss. If you hope to photograph bird life on the river make sure you are using a fast film.
On particularly sunny days hats, sun glasses and sun cream are a good idea.
What payment options are available?
We accept all major credit cards (except Diners Club and AMEX), cash and cheques (with a bank card).
What trade associations do you belong to and which codes of conduct do you adhere to?
Oxford River Cruises is a member of The Passenger Boat Association and adheres to their code of conduct. We are also a member of Tourism South East.
Useful Links
Oxford Tourism Information
Alice in Wonderland and the River Trip to Godstow
Oxford Water Walks: Historic walking tours of Oxford and her waterways
The 5-day Weather Forecast
All links are to external sites, and open in a new browser window. Oxford River Cruises is not responsible for the content of external sites.
