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Viking / UK Boat Hire Performance / Cost

Fuzzy Canadian

By Fuzzy Canadian
in Holidays Afloat

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Fuzzy Canadian Gongoozler

Fuzzy Canadian

Posted
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Over the last 10 years we have hired a Viking boat three times, for 2-3 weeks per occurence, and were very satisfied. The last time was 4 years ago. We are now considering another trip to the UK, including hiring a boat for 4 weeks. I naturally looked at Viking boats, and made contact with them. Three issues immediately surfaced:

 

- their prices seem to be significantly higher than most other outfits.

- they have dropped the 5 star rating system, while most of the others still use it. This makes me believe that their fleet is aging, and they are trying to hide it.

- communicating with the UK Boat Hire order desk certainly is not as satisfactory as it used to be with Viking. They are clueless and somewhat rude.

 

While I don't mind paying a higher price - in return I expect a superior boat and decent service. However, I suspect that they've may have gone to the dogs big-time. But before totally ignoring them I thought I'd get some views from other people that have recently been customers.

 

Any comments?

 

Thanks, John

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Grace and Favour Veteran II

Grace and Favour

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John,

 

I too have used Viking, (and UK Boathire - and have to say that I always found them to be ectremely helpful and pleasant.

 

Whilst the 'Viking' part of their operation may possibly (I know not) operating only older boats - - you could always ask them directly (as I have before) which are their newest boats, and then booked one of those!

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sociable_hermit Experienced

sociable_hermit

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We hired from Anglo Welsh last year, arrived at the hire base to be told "You've picked an old one, haven't you?!".

 

69' boat, hull slightly banana shaped, shower leaked into the bunk bed in the next room.

 

On the Wednesday the front of the cutlery drawer fell off, to reveal about 20 layers of glue (I reckon every hire crew for the last 2 years had "fixed" this).

 

Interestingly the boat isn't in their brochures this year!

 

We split the costs across a large group, and we were geared up for a fairly simple, blokey holiday, so we didn't care much. But if we'd been with wives / girlfriends I suspect the lack of creature comforts and general condition of the boat would have caused a mutiny, and we'd have been demanding quite a lot of money back.

 

P.S. I agree Aqua Narrowboats are superb. Not cheap, but you get what you pay for.

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Guest

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Posted
Posted (edited)

Over the last 10 years we have hired a Viking boat three times, for 2-3 weeks per occurence, and were very satisfied. The last time was 4 years ago. We are now considering another trip to the UK, including hiring a boat for 4 weeks. I naturally looked at Viking boats, and made contact with them. Three issues immediately surfaced:

 

- their prices seem to be significantly higher than most other outfits.

- they have dropped the 5 star rating system, while most of the others still use it. This makes me believe that their fleet is aging, and they are trying to hide it.

- communicating with the UK Boat Hire order desk certainly is not as satisfactory as it used to be with Viking. They are clueless and somewhat rude.

 

While I don't mind paying a higher price - in return I expect a superior boat and decent service. However, I suspect that they've may have gone to the dogs big-time. But before totally ignoring them I thought I'd get some views from other people that have recently been customers.

 

Any comments?

 

Thanks, John

 

If you are concerned then I would say try another company - there are plenty of good ones out there, notably the already mentioned Aqua Narrowboats, Ashby Boat company and Valley cruisers.

 

 

edit to correct fat finger typo

Edited by MJG
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Proper Job Veteran

Proper Job

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If you want to hire a 'new' boat, try Oxfordshire hire boats.

 

They've certainly got a lot of new boats this year (about 10+ launched and fitted out over the winter).

 

They don't seem to keep them for to long. Dominic M is flogging the old ones off (Rugby Boats).

 

 

disclaimer - I have nothing to do with either of the above companies

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Tiny Rising Star

Tiny

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I found out oxford narrowboats don't supply fenders the other day because "they're not needed", which made me LOL.

 

I noticed that when the Middlewich boat was nicked it was found sporting fenders to prevent paint damage and strop scraping noises keeping the crew awake.

But the moment it was collected and moved to a place of safety the fenders had gone and the poor thing was tight on a concrete bank.

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Guest

Guest

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I can recommend Napton Narrowboats - used them a couple of times. Particularly their Edwardian Elite range.

 

Yes - I should have added them to my list too - nice company and the Elite range are first class. A good location giving a fair few cruising options.

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alan_fincher Veteran II

alan_fincher

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One thing that has mystified me is why when hire companies are all part of the same large group, some fleets seem to retain much older boats than other ones.

 

For example the Black Prince ones seem to get sold off after only a very few years, but it is not unusual to see Alvechurch ones, (so effectively now the same company), still in the fleet after very much greater lengths of time.

 

Is that reflected in hire charges, I don't know ?

 

Not that an old boat is a bad boat. Many of the Wyvern Shipping fleet, for example are now seriously old, (some still have wooden cabins!), but, externally at least, all seem immaculately presented.

 

For sheer scruffiness, the now (I believe) disbanded fleet from Lee Valley must have taken some beating - some looled not to have seen a paint brush in 10 years......

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deletedaccount Experienced

deletedaccount

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It seems to me they sell them on before they lose too much value (black prince and oxford). As they have them bulk built I imagine they sell them for at least break even prices (59,950 for 57 footer!) having got two or three years use out of them.

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Tiny Rising Star

Tiny

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That's not really a problem on the K&A, whereas banging all night against a concrete visitor mooring is.

 

They do look like nice boats though.

 

Actually it is! We (alone) were joined by a boat that was 'going from one end to the other and back in 10 days and we are behind' which arrived with large wash out of no-where and, after the guy at the front indicated they were mooring, had the steerer crash his way in through the gate we were opening for him. Due too this openingwe did not manage to get our fenders (the flat ones set for us going alone) up on both sides. The one set left down were flattened and ground sideways by the entrance which, and luckily, the front gate was not damaged when hit at speed. With the other crew slamming gates and winding paddles ignoring us we soon found that lock bowed in when half full narrowing the chamber even more. Such was the flow of water that, having imparted the news of their planned trip which, he added the yard had advised them against, Captain Bligh went back back to yelling orders to get the gate open and we are off. Then without a word about who goes first he applied full power and was gone a quick as he came - leaving us to open our gate and shut both and proving that some locks on the K&A are narrower than others. Meanwhile the final grinding had turned our flat fenders round. As we were not in a hurry we moored above. We saw Bligh heading back a few days later having 'proved the yard wrong.

 

Thanks for all the responses. While no one has directly answered my question I think I can conclude that, yes, Viking / UK Hire has gone to the dogs, and that I should consider other better run outfits.

 

Thanks, John

ABC own them.

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RichardH Rising Star

RichardH

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We have a boat which was rated at 5 star by Visit Britain last year and we offer excellent multi week discounts.

 

However, this year, we too have decided to come out of the ratings system. There are many reasons, not least the cost and constant changing goalposts imposed by the ratings people.

 

Also, be careful what people advertise. One clear instruction of a 5 star boat is no make up beds yet....there are hire companies advertising 5 stars with make up beds.

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RichardH Rising Star

RichardH

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I found out oxford narrowboats don't supply fenders the other day because "they're not needed", which made me LOL.

 

Well they aren't 'needed' but they are certainly nice to have.

 

Problem is, as someone has stated is that there is the risk of a guest forgetting to life them on entry into a narrow lock.

 

We provide and despite asking guests to lift when cruising, they still disappear with a costly regularity

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muddywaters Rising Star

muddywaters

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It seems to me they sell them on before they lose too much value (black prince and oxford). As they have them bulk built I imagine they sell them for at least break even prices (59,950 for 57 footer!) having got two or three years use out of them.

Black Prince use a boat for noo more than 5 years before selling and replacing with a new boat.

We had Angeline out from Stoke Prior in 2006 and have noticed it is being sold this year.

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  • 3 weeks later...
Darren72 Rising Star

Darren72

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It seems to me they sell them on before they lose too much value (black prince and oxford). As they have them bulk built I imagine they sell them for at least break even prices (59,950 for 57 footer!) having got two or three years use out of them.

 

 

Black Prince 2005 52ft £48000, for an extra £500 you get an extra 6ft, includes all the boat inventory

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RichardH Rising Star

RichardH

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I think that's a lot of money for a six year old boat that's been used heavily every single day of those six years.

 

On the flipside, it has been used and is that not better than one which has sat in a marina for 6 years only having had the engine run now and again ?

 

We bought an ex-BP and couldn't fault it.

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