Overview

Accommodations

Amenities

• Fine cuisine featuring regional specialties
• Excellent European wines with lunch and dinner
• Open bar
• Split-level sundeck with dining table, steamer chairs, recliners, and Jacuzzi
• Air conditioning and underfloor heating
• Bicycles

Sample Itinerary

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MAGNA CARTA

CRUISING BETWEEN HAMPTON COURT PALACE TO HENLEY-ON-THAMES

Sunday - London - Hampton Court Palace
Meet the Captain or a crew member at the Stafford Hotel in London at 3 pm for afternoon English Cream Tea, before being transferred to the Magna Carta.  Champagne reception and welcome moored outside Hampton Court, former Tudor Palace of Henry VIII, which is where you will be moored overnight. Dinner aboard.

Monday - Hampton Court Palace - Shepperton                                                                                                                This morning you'll have ample time to really explore Hampton Court Palace, the most fabulous Tudor home, once belonging to Cardinal Wolsey until acquired by Henry VIII.  Walk through Henry's great hall and haunted gallery and see his chapel, still used for worship today and with the finest Tudor ceiling in existence. There is much more to see including the stunning privy gardens, the oldest growing grape vine and the famous maze.  After lunch enjoy your first cruise, up through Molesey Lock and following the meandering path of the river to Shepperton.  Dinner aboard.             
Tuesday - Shepperton - Runnymede                                                                                                                             After breakfast, cruise to Runnymede and moor at Bell Weir Lock adjacent to a luxury spa hotel where after lunch you have the option to use the spa facilities including pool, sauna and steam room. Beauty therapies, massages and other treatments are available but are best booked in advance.  In the afternoon,  take a short drive to Savill Gardens. These beautiful gardens have something to offer all year round and form part of Windsor Great Park.  The stunning new visitor centre was built using sustainable timber from the royal estates and makes a unique architectural statement with its grid shell design inspired by leaf form.  Dinner aboard.                                                                                           
Wednesday - Runnymede - Windsor                                                                                                                               This morning you'll cruise to Windsor before enjoying lunch on board. Your river journey takes you through Runnymede where King John faced the barons in 1215 and was forced to put his seal on the Magna Carta, the document which was the very first Bill of Rights and from which our vessel takes its name. From the boat we see the Magna Carta memorial and Magna Carta Island where the sealing took place.  Your afternoon excursion is to the exquisite Windsor Castle, built by William the Conqueror in 1066 and lived in for over 900 years by the Royal Family. This is the largest inhabited castle in the world. Explore the State Apartments, see Queen Mary's Dolls House and St George's Chapel.  Enjoy the far-reaching views from its elevated fortress position. Dinner aboard followed by an optional pub night (all pubs are now non-smoking) with live entertainment from Stephen Carroll. Steve is a very talented Irish musician who has appeared at the Vienna folk festival. He plays a selection of Irish and American folk music along with many of his own songs and has a fantastic wit and sense of humor.                                                                                                             
Thursday - Windsor - Cookham                                                                                                                                      The new itinerary includes a special private visit to a country house which  will be either Dorney Court or Milton Manor.  Leaving Royal Windsor behind, cruise up to Boveney Lock and take a walk to Dorney Court. This very special home has been owned by the Palmer family for more than 450 years, passing from father to son through thirteen generations. King Henry VIII has stayed here and the manor is regularly used for filming including "Poirot" and most recently "The other Boleyn girl"  Continue your cruise past the fabulous waterside homes of Bray, through the spectacular Clivedon reach and open English countryside.  Moor in Cookham, once described as 'Heaven on Earth' by artist Sir Stanley Spencer, one of England's greatest and most eccentric painters. Visit his newly renovated gallery and take a walk around the village he loved so much and painted so frequently. Dinner aboard.

Friday - Cookham - Henley-On-Thames                                                                                                                              A morning cruise to the village of Hurley where you'll wander through Peter Freebody's boatyard and watch in wonder at the traditional craftsman at work, building and restoring wooden boats as they have been done for generations. We have time to explore the ancient 11^th  century village including Ye Olde Belle, reputed to be the oldest inn in the country.  Cruise on to Henley on Thames, with the final approach being along the famous Henley Regatta Course.  You can visit the award winning River and Rowing museum, after which there is plenty of time to explore the 18^thcentury town. For your final night enjoy the festive  Captains Farewell Dinner aboard.                                                                   
Saturday - Henley-On-Thames - London                                                                                                                     Following a satisfying breakfast, disembark at 10 am and return to the Stafford Hotel in London.