Charter Houseboat

The houseboat is the most relaxed way to spend a holiday on the water. No sailing licence needed, a slow pace, plenty of space and direct contact with nature make houseboats ideal for families, friends and anyone who wants the sea without a sporting challenge.

Houseboat: A Relaxed Holiday on the Water

Houseboats are the cosiest members of the charter fleet. With their broad, stable hull, large living deck and shallow draft, they are ideal for inland waterways, sheltered coastal regions and archipelago areas. No wind to contend with, no heeling, just a leisurely cruise through calm canals and bays.

No Licence Required

The biggest argument for the houseboat: in most European cruising areas, no boat licence is required. A short briefing from the charter company is enough to handle the boat safely. Top speed is usually 10–12 km/h, and that is deliberate, because a houseboat holiday is not about speed.

Space and Comfort

For their length, houseboats offer a great deal of living space. A typical 12-metre houseboat has 3–4 sleeping cabins, a spacious kitchen with a stove and refrigerator, one or two bathrooms and a large terrace or sun deck. A barbecue grill, sun loungers and sometimes even a bicycle on board are not unusual.

Where Can You Charter Houseboats?

Classic houseboat regions in Europe are the Swedish lakes and the Stockholm archipelago, the Dutch canals, the Mecklenburg Lake District in Germany, the Broads in Britain and the rivers of France (Burgundy Canal, Lot). In Croatia and the Caribbean there are occasional houseboat offers in sheltered lagoons.