Vintage Private Boat Trips on the River Thames, Windsor
Enjoy a fully skippered personalised river cruise in style along the River Thames from Windsor on one of our beautifully restored vintage motor launches.
T: 07786 624817
FRIENDLY EXPERIENCED SKIPPERS
Check out our new cruise options for 2024
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No charge to bring your own food and drink
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Check out our new cruise options for 2024 〰️〰️ No charge to bring your own food and drink 〰️〰️
PRIVATE CHARTERS up to 10 GUESTS
Our Cruises
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Boat Trips & Day Cruises
2 & 4 Hr & All Day Cruises — from £300
Enjoy the beautiful sights and sounds of the river, starting with a glass of wine or fizz on arrival and complimentary tea, coffee and soft drinks throughout. Stay all day and bring your own picnic, let us cater for you, or stop off for lunch at one of the beautiful pubs and restaurants that face on to the river.
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Special Event Days
The best seats for your special event — from £300
Whether you’re visiting Henley Regatta or the famous Henley Festival, joining the punters at Ascot or Windsor races, or celebrating your own special event, we’ll make sure you have the best experience, and the best seats on the river, during your special day.
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Memorial Cruise & Ashes Scattering
1-1/2 Hr Private Cruise — from £280
A private Memorial Cruise on our beloved vintage launch, Christobel, is a dignified and private way for you and your guests to remember your loved one, and a memorable setting if you choose to scatter their ashes for the river to take where it will.
☆ What our Lovely Customers Say ☆
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![A beautiful view of Windsor Castle that can only be seen from the river. Enjoy this view and many more from our beautifully restored vintage launch, Christobel. .]()
☆☆☆☆☆ Beautiful boat, wonderful captain and an incredible experience
TRIPADVISOR ☆☆☆☆☆ (11 reviews)
October 2023I cannot express enough how lovely our experience was on this beautiful craft, with Andy as our captain and guide. The boat Christobel was immaculate. We had a smooth ride with a ton of education about the area, and some surprising fun facts. We had an intimate picnic, lovely company, and feel that we have made a new friend. Andy took extra time with us to ensure we saw the most beautiful sights on a perfect day on the river. We absolutely made the right choice by going with a private cruise instead of a big charter.
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![A group of very happy guests enjoying a cruise aboard the beautiful Christobel. The River Thames and Windsor are in the background.]()
☆☆☆☆☆ A life time memory
☆☆☆☆☆ TRIPADVISOR (11 reviews)
September 203Hugely appreciated by our guests and ourselves. We felt so pampered all afternoon with Prosecco, great cold lunch and creamed teas. Breathtaking views of the rural surroundings of Windsor and further on. Exciting going through the locks. And at last Christobel is such a beautiful boat. It’s a pure pleasure to to be a guest on board. A big thank you to Andy and Tim - you make life time memories.
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![A group of very happy guests enjoying a cruise aboard the beautiful Christobel. The River Thames and Windsor are in the background.]()
☆☆☆☆☆ 70th Birthday Trip - Absolutely brilliant!
TRIPADVISOR ☆☆☆☆☆ (11 reviews)
July 2023Booked the gorgeous Christobel boat trip as a surprise for my dad's 70th birthday and it was absolutely wonderful. We were a party of 10. Andy Golding the Skipper allowed us to bring our own Champagne and picnic. From booking to boarding was really well communicated. We were staying the Sir Christopher Wren hotel in Windsor and Andy managed moor the boat directly outside the hotel for us to board. Couldn't recommend Golding Bros highly enough, we had such a fun and lovely afternoon. Thank you so much again.
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![A group of very happy guests enjoying a cruise aboard the beautiful Christobel. The River Thames and Windsor are in the background.]()
☆☆☆☆☆ A really special birthday trip.
TRIPADVISOR ☆☆☆☆☆ (11 reviews)
June 20238 of us had a delightful trip on Golding Bros vintage craft 'Christobel' - a surprise celebration for my husband's birthday. Andy Golding has been responsible for the complete restoration of Christobel, and she is absolutely beautiful. Andy & his crew are quite rightly proud of her & clearly love to share her - offering very much a 'bespoke' service. We were made to feel at home straightaway - starting with a lovely glass of fizz. The section of the Thames we cruised - upstream & downstream from the starting point of our trip - is really scenic & full of variety, also passing iconic landmarks such Bray Film Studios, & a stunning view of Windsor Castle that is unique to the river.
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![A group of very happy guests enjoying a cruise aboard the beautiful Christobel. The River Thames and Windsor are in the background.]()
☆☆☆☆☆ Excellent day out, would 100% recommend!
TRIPADVISOR ☆☆☆☆☆ (11 reviews)
July 2022Anyone wishing to experience a traditional English boat show should highly consider booking a day out with the Golding Bros.
We had a lovely day, and it was great to see the Henley Regatta from the river rather than from the shore as usual.
The staff were very friendly, the views were great, and the food was excellent.
A brilliant day out for a group of friends or your family.
Vintage Style — Classic Service
Golding Brothers boats have been delighting passengers on this beautiful part of the River Thames since the 1930’s. Our friendly Skipper and crew welcome you aboard one of our beautifully restored vintage motor boats as we travel up past Bray and Maidenhead towards Henley-on-Thames or downstream past Old Windsor towards historic Runnymede and beyond.
Our river cruises are all about you and good old-fashioned service. You don’t just turn up for a scheduled sailing. We make sure you and your guests are well looked after and enjoy the best experience possible from the moment you contact us. Need special timings or a particular pick up point? Just ask us. Need a picnic hamper? No problem. That’s why you won’t find an online ‘book now’ button! It’s good to talk.
CHRISTOBEL
A 30’ EDWARDIAN GENTLEMAN’S LAUNCH
RESTORATION PROJECTS
FIND OUT ABOUT RESTORATION SERVICES
ANDY GOLDING
I am proud to be the third generation of brothers at the helm of the Golding Brothers vintage boat charter business on the River Thames in Windsor. I look forward to welcoming you aboard soon.
— Andy Golding, Chief Skipper & Owner, Golding Bros.
GOLDING BROS.
LUXURY VINTAGE PRIVATE CHARTERS WINDSOR
It’s time to sit back and relax as we cruise along the River Thames at a stately 5 mph with only the occasional lock to slow our progress. You and your party will enjoy some of the most interesting and beautiful scenery and wildlife you’ll see anywhere — upstream or down.
Pricing for 2024
All prices include VAT. Prices shown cover your chosen cruise and collection from our normal embarkation point at Windsor Leisure Centre or an agreed alternative. Lunch options supplied by us are in addition by agreement. Please see our full terms and conditions and cancellation policy before booking.
Morning or afternoon cruise (2 hrs) — £300
Morning or afternoon cruise (4 hrs) — £550
All day cruise with time for lunch (6 hrs) — £950
Special events cruise (various) — from £300
Memorial cruise (1½ hrs) — from £280
Booking Enquiry.
To check availability please fill out the form here, email us or call us. We’re always happy to speak to you. We will normally respond within 24 hours.
Our cruises are always popular, never more so than during special times such as Easter and the school holidays. We encourage you to book early to secure the date to suit you.
Why choose Golding Bros?
Private charter — you have the boat to yourselves
Flexible timings — our cruises are tailored for your needs
Experienced skippers — sit back, relax and enjoy your cruise
Food options — bring your own picnic or ask us about hampers
Beautiful views — all our cruises give you a unique view of Windsor Castle
No payment information required
We will never sell or share your information
Your privacy is important to us. We will only use your information to discuss your cruise booking. We will never sell or pass on your data to anyone else. Please check out our full Privacy Policy.
Our Fleet - now and in the future
FAQ
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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We operate 7 days a week, normally from the end of March to the end of September. Normal sailing times are from 8am until dusk and we are happy to accommodate your requests for specific departure times.
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Currently our largest vessel, Christobel is licensed up to 12 passengers and 1 crew. We normally limit bookings to 10 passengers and have a crew of 2. When booking please let us know how many children are in your party.
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The safety of our passengers and crew is paramount. Very occasionally we are unable to sail due to adverse river conditions. We follow guidance from the Environment Agency and will inform you as soon as we have any indication that your trip may not proceed.
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Your safety is our prime concern. Our boats have a commercial Safety Certificate and we carry lifejackets for every person. Please ensure that you tell us about children and babies so that we have the correct equipment on the day. Our skippers are all highly experienced and will take every care for your safety. Please follow any instructions given to you by the Skipper or a crew member. We have full commercial liability insurance.
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Our cruises are bespoke to your needs - you don’t just turn up for a scheduled sailing. Need to arrange the start or end time? No problem. Need picking up along the river? Just ask us. Need a picnic hamper? It’s our pleasure! We really do need to speak to you about your individual cruise so please call or email us today.
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Sadly we cannot take pets aboard as a safety measure due to the low side rails on our vintage boats.
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We operate on an individual private charter basis. Whether you are booking a romantic cruise for 2 people or a party for 8 you will have the boat for your exclusive use.
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We provide a complimentary glass of wine or fizz on arrival plus soft drinks, coffee and tea throughout your cruise. You are welcome to bring your own food and drink or we offer other options. Please see our Food & Drink page for details.
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Sadly accessibility was not considered when our boats were built and there is little we can do given the narrow confines and passageways of our boats. Passengers will need to be able to step down into the boat with our help. Please do talk to us when you are considering booking and we will of course do our best to help.
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We carry a bluetooth speaker onboard which you are welcome to use for background music. Christobel has a full stereo sound system which you are welcome to connect to. We are required to stop playing music around the areas of the locks.
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The speed limit on this part of the River Thames is 8 km/h or approximately 5 mph or 4.2 knots. It is set to avoid the wash from the stern of the boat eroding the river banks and disturbing wildlife. Even then it’s only polite to slow down when passing fishermen, moored boats and other river users.
