Here’s what our customers have to say about us.

Daily Sightseeing Cruise, Hen Parties, Private & Corporate Charters

Wonderful Afternoon!: Thank you very much for the most fabulous afternoon tea experience on the Rita Ellen. Everything was just perfect. The service was fantastic, commentary was brilliant, the food was just so delicious and you made us all feel so special! My dad loved his birthday placard and his candle for his Cake! Thank you for this brilliant experience!
100 stars.

Mum’s 90th Birthday Surprise! February 2020. A perfect day. A complete surprise for mum on her 90th and it could not have gone better, not least because of the help from Fiona and her team – both with the planning and on the day. Just the right atmosphere, cruise length and food – exactly what we had hoped for.

What a lovely way to spend an hour!: A personal commentary allowed the opportunity to interact and ask questions of Fiona, who had plenty of interesting information to share and tales to tell. A real treasure of a find.

Lovely Cruise: We were warmly welcomed on board and we had a fantastic cream tea which was great value! Thoroughly recommend this cruise as special and family ran which adds to its character!

Unforgettable Trip: Lovely river trip… Fiona and her crew made it very special, not only for us but everybody on board. Thanks Fiona we will see you next time we are in Stratford…. Mike and Chris x

Sunday Afternoon Tea: Did a cruise with afternoon tea on a Sunday afternoon. We had a fabulous time – we were made to feel so welcome. The crew were all great, the talk was interesting but not overbearing and it’s such a lovely way to see Stratford Upon Avon.

Friendly, helpful, lovely boat, interesting trip and yummy cream tea! Fiona took our booking and was so friendly and helpful right from the start. Our rather large group included one wheelchair but that was no problem. On the day of our cruise, the weather was damp and drizzly but Fiona’s interesting/amusing talk as we meandered gently along the river made us all forget about how soggy we were! And the cream tea was to die for! I would definitely recommend Bancroft Cruisers

Footstep Tours – Coach Party fish & chips – July 2019: We having been bringing a coach party to Bancroft cruisers every year for at least 5 years. Start off with a delicious fish and chips lunch with a cup of tea with bread and butter. Fiona and her staff simply cannot do enough for you and offer an informative commentary whilst cruising along. I can not recommend this boat trip enough. We will be back next year. Thank you once again.

Super cruise operator. Superb trip at a very reasonable price with a good “afternoon tea” of scone, cream, jam and a cuppa. The talk was non-stop….amazing….very informative and highly amusing. A superb way to spend 1.5 hours whilst in Stratford. Loved It!! Martinside

…The best: Fiona arranged a fantastic special 1hr river boar tour for us, a very warm welcome, piping hot tea and biscuits, and red hot radiators on the boat that kept us warm and toasty on this October morning cruise that we all appreciated. Her shipmate Toby (mad max) piloted the cruiser with expert precision under the 2 bridges. His mobile phone is a thing of the past and if you ask after your cruise he no doubt will show it to you. We cruised seeing all the best sights including the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, where Will was buried and a host of modern sights, such as… Which house the current 007’s mother might live in, and other celebrity home owners live along the river. (Don’t worry she knows all the inside gossip). Her relaxed knowledge, skill and experience made for he best morning which helped create a great, memorable family adventure. The tour starts in Fiona’s private mooring area next to the Crowne Plaza away from all the hustle and bustle. She offers the only river cruise in Stratford that offers hot tea and coffee, the best biscuits and great commentary along the way in her warm and dry boat (which even has a full size flushing loo and wash basin). And if your joining her for an afternoon or evening jaunt up the river there is a full bar service should you require a cold drink or two…. Give her a go and you won’t be disappointed. A great river tour and experience that we won’t forget for a long time. P.s. make sure you ask her about the kinky dentist and the colour of the data pipe across the 15th century bridge???

A lovely afternoon cruise: Whilst visiting Stratford we decided a cruise on the River Avon would be nice. Due to the time of year a lot of the boat trips weren’t running, a bit of internet searching brought us to Bancroft cruising. And what a find! It was fabulous! I received a prompt response to my email enquiry and was booked on the cruise with a cream tea in no time at all. About a week before we were due to go to Stratford, the River Avon broke it’s banks and I wasn’t hopeful that the cruise would go ahead. However, a couple of days before, I received a call from Fiona at Bancroft cruisers to say the water had subsided and the cruise would go ahead. When we arrived we were welcomed onto the boat by Fiona like old friends. The boat was warm and cosy inside. Decorated with flowers and fairy lights which in the overcast weather was enchanting. As a hostess you really couldn’t fault Fiona, she was really friendly, provided interesting facts as we sailed along and pointed out interesting landmarks. The cream tea was delicious with Fiona making sure our cups (or glasses as there was an option for Prosecco) were never empty. The cruise lasted for about an hour and was well worth the money. I would definitely recommend Bancroft cruisers and will book again when we next visit.

Afternoon Tea – December 2019: This was a father’s day gift from our daughter which was rearranged with Fiona’s help due to the high river levels that Stratford has experienced.
We were the only two guests on the boat so we felt really special while we had our delicious afternoon tea. The boats interior was lovely with fairy lights fresh flowers and candles which went well as the daylight faded creating a lovely ambiance. Fiona provided us with top ups of anything we wanted and gave us information of the local area. Would highly recommend this trip. It was excellent

A brilliant morning – December 2019: Three of us booked the cruise to celebrate a special birthday. What a wonderful time we had. Fiona looked after us SO well and pointed out lots of interesting places and shared lots of history with us. It really made our time in Stratford so special. We are keen to come back and perhaps have an afternoon tea experience. Would highly recommend this trip for anyone visiting Stratford as it will make your time here very special. Thank you so much Fiona we had a fab time.

Picture perfect cruise: We went for this cruise with Fiona based on recommendation.. was just amazing . The cream tea was perfect… loved the personalised touches and bits of information .My son’s felt very pampered and special !! Would definitely love to come back …

River Cruise with a difference – September 2019: We had a lovely afternoon cruise on the Rita Ellen with tea, coffee and biscuits. Some people had an afternoon tea on board which looked absolutely delightful. The boat doesn’t take too many people on each trip with tables of four set out and reserved seating. No clambering on board to try and get the best seats!!! Fiona was the main organiser on board and did so with a great deal of knowledge of the area and a great sense of humour. Josh, who helped out on board was also very good. Being just a small number makes it very personalised. One hitch which happened on our way back was that the boat broke down caused by a propellor becoming jammed with a log and a series of events followed because of it, including poor Troy (the boats driver) having to get into the water. Fiona’s character and sense of humour came to the fore during our enforced delay and everyone joined in cheerful chat throughout. The Rita Ellen eventually made a slow trip back. My husband and I actually walked back as we knew it would only take about 10 minutes and we then met them as they returned. Thank you Fiona and crew, you did so well throughout and if we are ever in Stratford again we will definitely do a repeat trip.

‘Blissful Bank Holiday Boat Trip. Tripadvisor Review August 2019: Was such a lovely experience & great cream tea too! Was nice to float away from the madness that is Stratford on a hot bank holiday. Our little boy loved it & was thoroughly entertained. Thanks to the crew for making it such a memorable day. Would highly recommend.

Birthday visit – July 2019: Charming river cruise with afternoon tea and Prosecco made my friends birthday extra special…Fiona went all out to make my friends day memorable and special..she’s a very warm and entertaining lady and offered laughter entertaining information and even got the whole boat singing happy birthday to my friend….I couldn’t have been more happier..the boat is lovely cozy and clean and the afternoon tea is a delight on tiered stands all adding to the romance of the perfect river ride. I was looking for a special gift for my friends birthday and Bancroft river boats provided just that.

Beautiful Trip. TripAdvisor Review August 2019: Really lovely cruise well worth visiting – Great to see Stratford from the River and Lana was superb telling us more about the History and landmarks we passed. Great refreshments served on board too by Lana and her friendly crew. Really special experience not to be missed – Highly recommended.

Wonderful experience: We took our dad here for his 60th birthday and it was fantastic from start to finish. Fabulous service, nothing was too much trouble and really lovely boat. Lovely food also. It was an all round lovely experience. Thank you Fiona and team!

One of the best examples of customer service I’ve ever experienced! 5 of 5! Reviewed 20 February 2017 I had arranged this riverboat cruise for my girlfriend as a late valentines gift, having booked and confirmed all the details (I booked for the cream team with Prosecco, very well priced might I add). I realised that my hotel was rather far away and because of the alcohol would need to get a taxi. The taxi was around £16 – Fiona not only recommended a good taxi company (Along with a list of places and things to see), she called back and OFFERED US A LIFT. She wouldn’t except petrol money from us either. She then went onto offer us a lift back which we politely declined, but it didn’t end there she went onto adding a few extra bits to our cream tea and scones (some sandwiches) because she knew it was a surprise for my girlfriend. The cruise was great, learning a lot about Statford, the tour guide was really engaging despite having a hen party on board, keeping everyone really engaged in it all. There are other companies that do what Fiona does, however this is by far the most professional, easy going and engaging tour of them all and I honestly can’t praise it enough, I’ll be coming back in the summer for another trip! Watto1989

Brilliant Birthday Dinner and cruise. TripAdvisor Review July 2017: Fiona – you’re a star !! You helped me put together the most fantastic event for Kenny’s 40th Birthday. We were all looking forward to a fun evening with food and drink – but everything truly exceeded our expectations. You are the perfect host! Warm, friendly and welcoming. How you juggle topping up the glasses, serving the delicious buffet dinner, seeing the boat through the locks, keeping the galley clean and tidy, as well as entertaining the guests is incredible ! Where do you get your energy? I need a bottle of it! The boat is charming, the scenery stunning, and the food was fantastic – it was simply a delightful evening. Thank you so much for all your hard hard work. Tim

Just Wonderful!! TripAdvisor July 2017:  I wanted to arrange a special day out in Stratford upon Avon for my friend’s 30th birthday. Living in Yorkshire I was organising the day ‘blind’ from a distance but couldn’t have chosen better – The Marina and Bancroft Cruises made the perfect pairing. I could not recommend Bancroft enough. Fiona and Bob are so genuine and friendly and clearly love what they do and meeting people on their boat. The trip wasn’t at all touristy and felt really personal. We learnt interesting and quirky facts about Stratford while also relaxing and chatting as we floated along. I’d brought along a birthday cake which was ready for us and we enjoyed with a bottle of Prosecco….just wonderful

First Class. Reviewed February 2017. A very professional and well organised company. Booked for a party of 12, 6 adults and 6 children for my husband’s 65th birthday. Received a phone call from Fiona the day before explaining that river levels were high due to the amount of rain we had experienced and that the cruise may not take place. Contacted again later the same evening to say levels were slowly going down and may be able to cruise. Another phone call the following morning to say all was well and cruising would take place. How wonderful to be kept up to date with any changes. Thank you Fiona for that. Day of cruise – we were met at the boat by Fiona who showed us on board. How lovely clean, warm and welcoming it was. The boat was full and everyone enjoyed the same welcome. Here’s a good part – the boat has a bar and drinks were served. You can also order different food. We had good entertainment and commentary from Romeo who was very knowledgeable regarding Stratford.
Thank you everyone for a wonderful cruise and for helping to make my husband’s 65th birthday a very special occasion. Fully recommend this cruise to anyone. Barbg51

Best boat trip we’ve ever had! Reviewed 6 January 2017. It was fabulous, New Year’s Eve boat trip down the river Avon. Beautiful craft, set out cafe style inside, an array of drinks offered soft drinks, warm drinks, alcoholic drinks. Festive mince pies were of course also available… Two adults, two children for under twenty pounds, reasonable for 45 minutes cruise. The captain was very good, we didn’t sink. The tour guide and host kept us entertained, informed and more importantly kept our attention so he must have been good!! The communication with the owner, was informative, helpful and prompt with replies. It’s nice and easy to find, follow the signs if you are on foot, plenty of parking nearby, no excuses not to go and have a look although I would recommend booking/purchasing tickets in advance. All in all, I would highly recommend this as a leisurely and fun way to spend your time in Stratford on the Avon. Laura C

So welcoming and understanding. Reviewed December 2017. We recently went to scatter the ashes of a loved one (21/12/2016). The staff on the boat was amazing, so understanding and had great knowledge of our Sikh Faith in order to help guide us through the whole ceremony. The complimentary Tea and Coffee was much appreciated. Highly recommended should any one need to use. 13Suraj

Amazing Trip to end a terrific weekend in Stratford. March 2017. My friend and I were on the 12 noon sailing on the Bancroft Avon Cruise from the Crown Plaza Hotel jetty on Sunday 19th March and what an amazing way to spend an hour. The Maitre’d (Sorry I cant remember her name) was very attentive and provided excellent customer service. Romeo (yes we know its Stratford) was an excellent tour guide and everyone on the cruise thoroughly enjoyed his sense of humour and his extensive knowledge of Stratford and Shakespeare. I am planning a mature “ladies who lunch” hen weekend next year for a few of my friends and without doubt this trip is top of my agenda. A couple of tables had an organised tea with prosecco and the selection of cakes and sandwiches looked absolutely perfect. I work in the top end of the hospitality industry and rarely do I find such value, quality and customer service all rolled into one. Well done Bancroft River Cruises …… I will be back. T&GBerkshire

Fantastic Crew. Reviewed December 2016. If you only do one sight seeing trip in Stratford-upon-Avon make sure its this one.
As we approached the boat the schedule of the days cruises was on display and beside the 2pm sail it was noted ‘with Molly Malone’ (our 13 year old Shih-Tzu)…it’s that kind of attention to detail from host Fiona that sets this company apart from the rest. The 45 minute cruise was pure entertainment from start to finish. While Romeo steered the boat along the Avon the Liverpudlian Scally’ of a Captain amazed us with information on Stratford and the Bard himself, not all of it was factual but it was extremely entertaining. The ‘Rita Ellen’ is beautiful AND heated which was a bonus in early October, the cherry on the cake was a reasonably priced onboard bar….all this for a bargain price of £5.50 each! We could have sailed up and down the river all day long and not got bored (but maybe a little drunk). Book in advance xx JohnF

Sikh Ashes Scattering  – TripAdvisor December 2015 review. Booked to scatter ashes in a Sikh ceremony. Can’t fault in any way at all. Friendly, great boat, great value, and made a sad occasion as nice as could be. Everything we may have wanted was already thought of and catered for on this lovely clean boat with genuine nice staff. I even gave a tip after I was so impressed and happy and I don’t normally tip! Will see you next year for a cruise to remember my mum. Totally recommend cheers Jaz and family x

Tripadvisor: Reviewed 3^rd August – Me, my husband and little child came a few days ago and we loved it. Although I wear the veil I didn’t feel like I was getting stared at or anything. Andy’s commentary was really amusing and kept us entertained, well worth it for £5 (it’s cheaper if you book at the visitors centre) P.S you can’t take a pram on board but they place it at the front for you so it was no problem. Thanks for the lovely trip. Bedoun I

Highly recommend, great value for money!! Tripadvisor – Reviewed 4 August 2015 -Planned a surprise cruise with cream tea for my parents 40th anniversary. There were 8 adults and 4 kids in our group and pre booking part was very easy with John and Fiona – they catered for all of our needs and even suggested other ideas to make it a real occasion. When arriving at the boat, the tables had been laid out beautifully with a balloon decoration (we pre ordered) and the cream teas plus champers glasses. The kids had J20s and muffins. The cream tea was delicious, really much nicer than we had thought for something like this. And then the boat trip itself – just fantastic. We were lucky enough to be at the front of the boat and had superb views – the river is just lovely. You go through the busy Stratford town then onto quieter parts and past amazing houses. It is very relaxing and picturesque. The highlight of the trip was our guide. A very unassuming young man (Andy) who seriously know his stuff about the town, the river and of course Shakespeare. He was funny, put his own twist and views on things and was seriously interesting! The trip was a great length of time and such a pleasure to be on. Thank you to everyone! Would highly recommend!

Private Party Charter – January 2015…Dear Fiona, I just wanted to say a huge thank you to you for the cruise on Saturday, it really was a highlight of the entire weekend and believe me there were plenty!  You really made it very special for us and everything you did was enormously appreciated, I was particularly grateful to you when we were unsure during the week that you went to such an effort to ensure we were still able to cruise upstream.  And Romeo made a big hit with the girls and several of the boys too!  You were all a complete pleasure to deal with so thank you once again. Alec

Corporate Cruise September 2014…On a glorious afternoon, 10 September, a group of work colleagues and myself joined the Rita Ellen cruise boat moored alongside the Holiday Inn hotel. We were warmly greeted by a lovely lady called Fiona, who welcomed us all aboard, and we then proceeded to cruise up the river Avon whilst enjoying our wine and cream tea…a delightful, relaxing experience! Then Andy, our guide, entertained us with a lot of very interesting information regarding Stratford upon Avon, its beautiful river and, of course, William Shakespeare. So a huge “thank you” to everyone aboard yesterday. I LOVED this cruise and cannot recommend it highly enough. Hamlet25

Tripadvisor September 2014…The perfect romantic surprise! The crew helped me surprise my girlfriend with a cream tea and champagne trip along the River Avon, we were booked into the private bow area and allowed on first which made everything even more special. The staff were extremely helpful and kind, both before and during the trip and the guided talk is funny and informative without being too intrusive. I fully recommend this cruise to anyone, especially to couples and small groups 🙂
If you have any special requirements or questions just email them, they are so amenable and very friendly! BirdyWings

Living Social September 2014…Brilliant day out on the river in Stratford along with a scrummy cream tea. Great views and wonderful commentary from our host on the boat. Fantastic day…would definitely do it again! Thank you Bancroft!!!

Living Social September 2014…Absolutely fab, we loved it and even the kids loved it. We also bought tea and drinks for the kids which were great value too. Would like to thank livingsocial as we would not have tried it if we hadn’t seen the offer and now we know they are there we will definitely go back. Lesley

Living Social September 2014…It was great and I’ve recommended Bancroft Cruises to alot of my friends. Very well organised, super people on board, lovely tea and scones and great trip up the river. Patricia

Living Social August 2014…It’s a great deal. The boat is lovely, clean and spacious. The cream tea was delicious and the commentary was light hearted and amusing. I’d definitely recommend.

Living Social August 2014…It was epic. We would recommend it to anyone. Lovely people, very entertaining. Very informative. Excellent. Thank you.

Living Social August 2014…A great cruise on a hot July afternoon. This perfectly complements the bus tours which cover different attractions. The guide was friendly and entertaining and worked hard to ensure all were safe, happy and served with food and hot/cold beverages. The Holiday Inn is the perfect venue for drinks if just missed a boat and waiting for the next cruise.

Living Social August 2014…I was very pleased with the boat trip. Great service and very entertaining. I had originally booked a family of 4 ticket but unfortunately 2 of the party could not make it. My daughter and I were offered a free drink in compensation which I thought was very nice. Many thanks Bancroft Cruisers

Tripadvisor August 2014…Actually, although the river running through Stratford-upon-Avon is very picturesque, there is not a huge about to see from the river. The theatre, the church and some lovely homes however it was our tour guide that made this 45 minute cruise an absolute joy!!

Tripadvisor August 2014…A comic genius, Romeo entertained the whole boatload of tourists with his humour, anecdotes and interesting historical facts! There are many river boat cruises on offer and we were so pleased we chose this one!! Great value and good fun!!…

Tripadvisor August 2014…Fiona, you are a star. Ultra charming and efficient! Romeo, great guide! Could do with a bit more time…that is how enjoyable it was!

Tripadvisor August 2014…Top marks!…..Great value for money, cream tea was very enjoyable, the scenery stunning, the tour guide, Andrew was both informative and humorous, a very pleasant way to spend an hour and see some historic sights from the river, the boat was both clean and comfortable and enclosed for the days when the weather is not quite so nice but with windows that open fully for when the sun make and appearance, highly recommended….

Hen Party Reviewed 7 July 2014… Our group of 10 hired the Rita Ellen for a private cruise for a Hen do. We had a three & a half hour cruise, travelling both up and down the river and even through a lock. The tables were decorated with fresh flowers & balloons. We were served with Prosecco on arrival along with a very good selection of canapés.There were 2 main courses (we had been supplied with a list of about 8 and asked to select 2) and these were served with rice, new potatoes, garlic bread & salad. From the list of deserts we had selected chocolate fudge cake and cheese & biscuits. All the food was absolutely delicious – the only problem we had with it was there was far too much for us to eat! None of us wanted the coffee & tea that was offered as there was a generous supply of wine! All the crew made every effort to ensure we had an enjoyable trip; there were even packs of toilet rolls ready so we could make a toilet paper wedding dress for the hen if we wanted (this proved to be great fun). We had the added bonus of mooring up to watch the illuminated boat parade & firework display for the river festival. I would thoroughly recommend booking a cruise like this with Bancroft to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, hen weekends etc.

““Review 22nd May 2014…The tour guide was especially entertaining which made you feel at ease. The tour along the river was beautiful and was assisted by the vast knowledge the guide bestowed upon us. We had also booked a clotted cream tea which was delicious. This trip was planned for my Mother-in-Law who has been unwell of late. I’m glad to say that she left the trip feeling much happier and relaxed than we’d imagined. We’re already planning our next visit! Thank you Bancroft Cruisers for a wonderful 45 mins! “

“I booked the 2-hour afternoon tea boat cruise with Bancroft Cruisers. At £17.50 for the trip including a Champagne reception, decorations and a scone and unlimited tea/coffee it was brilliant. We’d chosen the hottest day of the year and cruising down the Avon with the breeze flowing through the boat was unforgettable. Fiona & crew  of Bancroft Cruisers, were really friendly and made sure we had everything we wanted. They decorated the boat and let us blast my iPod with the carefully selected playlist for the whole trip.”

“Reviews from Living Social – May 2014….Just to say we were treated really well on the River Cruise, very enjoyable, and the Cream Tea was superb. Thank you. Mr and Mrs Mayo….   Excellent value for money…the guide on the boat was brilliant the cream tea was lovely ,had a relaxing 45 mins taking in all the views and listening to the history of Stratford…   Fantastic day out and lovely cream tea. Vicky….. Very much enjoyed the trip. Easy to find, easy access to boat, very helpful crew and the scones were fabulous too – Sandra……Nice scones on cream tea and lively banter with informative commentary – Ian “

Just a quick note to say a very big ‘Thank You’ for making my husbands 80th birthday such a memorable occasion. Everyone has written to me, and have raved about the evening – it was great fun and we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The food was delicious, the wine flowed and the décor was lovely. The weather was kind too – what more can one ask for! Please pass our thanks on to other members of the crew for their contribution to a perfect evening.

Thank you for putting on such a fabulous office Christmas party for us all at Cognition. We highly enjoyed our time sailing along the river Avon, tucking into the delicious and beautifully assembled canapés and enjoying the wide array of drinks on offer. It was a truly unique experience, and such a refreshing change from the standard corporate party. It’s not often you can say you partied on a boat, spotted a heron and danced till you dropped… all in the same night! Please thank all your members of staff for their helpful, friendly service and for making our evening an unforgettable experience.

The staff on this boat were absolutely brilliant. Nothing was too much trouble. Everything clean and attractive and served drinks and snacks…lovely afternoon cream tea. And a lovely cruise up the river too. There is a wheelchair lift into boat and they couldnt be more helpful. (Toilet also suitable for disabled visitors. My friend was made to feel like a milliion dollars instead of a second class citizen as she is in a chair…..So a big thank you from us.

Great Tripadvisor Review! A very pleasant  tour with much laughter and informative dialogue. Toby and Andy could not have been more hospitable or kind! Will definitely go again. November 2013.

Would definitely recommend Bancroft Cruisers – lovely cruise and good commentary – cream tea great too – was especially impressed because they were running late due to circumstances beyond their control but dealt with us pleasantly and even paid to extend our parking – an excellent deal

It was a lovely trip, with professional crew and very funny people. I would like to thank you for such a lovely trip with them. Thank you a lot P.S A cream tea was delicious 🙂

We had a really good time and were made very welcome by the skipper of the boat. We were served with a delicious cream tea with choice of drinks. The tour guide was very entertaining and knowledgeable on both on the history of the area and local stories. We would highly recommend this trip and we will definitely be going again

Fabulous day on the Avon with this company. The people could not have been nicer and they all made the day special. Would really recommend them.

Absolutely loved this experience. Had a wonderful time cruising along the river, the cream tea was just what we needed to put the cherry on the top. The staff on the boat were extremely helpful, friendly and accommodating. They made us feel very relaxed and very much added to our experience. We are planning our next visit already!

I just wanted to say a massive THANK YOU to Fiona & the team, who made all my guests on the ‘Rita Ellen’ feel so welcome on Friday. The food was faultless and the guests really enjoyed themselves. I cannot wait to return. It was the perfect way to wine & dine our team after a day’s training. The ultimate chill out & relax!  Thanks once again.

We had a lovely cruise along the Avon River aboard one of the long boats. We were able to even have afternoon cream tea aboard – delicious scones! The commentary was given by a young fellow – very funny and informative! He gave us some of the “lesser-known” history of this famous town. He interacted with the passengers. This ride was truly a pleasure! Well worth the small difference in price fro the other main boat ride company.

In the lovely sunshine we waited for the boat along with a pair of swans and their 5 cygnets. The cob got really excited on the arrival of the boat and was tame enough to be stroked whilst being fed from the hands of the captain.
All aboard, we we treated to a very pleasant jaunt up the river, whilst eating an excellent cream tea. The departure point is a little out of the way of the main drag, this boat company deserves your custom as they do look after their customers very well. (Departures by the Holiday Inn Hotel)

Just to say what a wonderful time we had on Saturday! My folks were blown away and I have to say your crew were brilliant! Romeo was just the best! Once again thank you for a lovely experience that our family will remember for a long time.

Fantastic trip with very friendly staff good location very central and a cream tea to die for. Very very good value couldn’t have improved on it.

I can’t thank Bancroft Cruisers enough for the amount of time, effort and thought they put into our wedding boats. They did everything possible to make sure we had our dream wedding. The decorations were beautiful and the canapés utterly delicious, especially washed down with a few glasses of bubbly! The boats really did make the day so special. Our guests absolutely loved sailing down the river, and I lost count of how many commented on how much fun they had.

As my fiancée and I were visiting Stratford for Valentine’s, I wanted to plan something different rather than just a meal…The boat was decorated for the occasion, and the crew were welcoming. However, the highlight of the whole evening was John, who was not only informative on Stratford’s history, including Shakespeare, but was very funny and an excellent magician. It was most certainly worth the visit to Stratford alone. We will most certainly be visiting again to partake in another cruise and a walk!

Thank you all at Bancroft Cruisers for making today a wonderful day for my mother and father-in-law’s 65th wedding anniversary. Nothing was too much trouble for any of your staff, and they loved it, as did my wife and I. You are all truly dedicated to making your customers happy and went way beyond professional.

Brilliant cruise and commentary…If you go to Stratford-upon-Avon do take a trip on the river with Bancroft Cruisers. We took some friends with us and they were bowled over by the friendly staff and the superb, amusing commentary that was given as we cruised down the river. Well worth the £5.50.

Came to Stratford-upon-Avon for the day and we took a boat trip with Bancroft Cruisers. It was brilliant – the compère was hilarious and also informative.

Private Charters

Thank you very much for making our wedding day extra special. Our guests had a wonderful time onboard and loved the canapés. The decorations and children’s area were fantastic – a big thank you for looking after us.

We enjoyed the cup of tea, and the cheeky chappy doing the commentary was very, very knowledgeable indeed…Well done!

Great cream tea cruise! The staff are very friendly and helpful – nothing was too much trouble!

A must-do when in beautiful Stratford-upon-Avon.