SPECIAL EVENTS, FESTIVALS, WEDDINGS & DAYS OUT
FULLY SKIPPERED — PRIVATE BOAT CHARTER — UP TO 10 GUESTS
Henley Royal Regatta • Henley Festival • Henley Traditional Boat Festival • Swan Upping • Windsor Races • Royal Ascot • Wedding Celebrations • Other Occasions
Enjoy the best seats on the River for your special event!
From £300 (events priced individually)
Henley Royal Regatta • Henley Festival • Henley Traditional Boat Festival • Swan Upping • Windsor Races • Royal Ascot • Wedding Celebrations • Your Own Special Events • And Many Others
This part of the River Thames is blessed with any number of exciting events throughout the year. Make the most of all of them for up to 10 guests from your own private vintage charter!
Whether it’s your family and friends, or a corporate cruise with colleagues and customers, the river is the place to be for a special day.
All our cruises include —
Departure as required for the event
A welcome glass of wine or fizz
Tea, coffee & soft drinks throughout
Pick up location & timing depending on the event & your requirements
See our Food and Drink page for ideas on lunch and dinner
There really is no better way to make the most of events on or alongside the beautiful River Thames than by seeing them from your own private charter boat. And on one of our beautifully restored vintage boats, you’ll be more than just a spectator — you’ll attract just as much attention yourselves!
Contact us today to find out how we can help you make your special events truly special.
Henley Royal Regatta
Tuesday 1 July - Sunday 6 July, 2025
Henley Royal Regatta is one of the best known river regattas in the world and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year over the 6 days of events. It is the highlight of the summer sporting and social calendars.
And you have the opportunity to be right in the middle of it all — in a beautiful vintage boat on the river!
Cruise the Regatta course — view the racing and soak up the atmosphere
Private charter — you’ll have the boat to yourselves
Experienced Skipper — you’re in safe hands for a very busy day on the river
Complementary wine or fizz on arrival — get straight into the spirit of Henley
Your own picnic or our hamper lunch — bring your own wine and food or enjoy ours
Our cruises are all about you and your guests. Let us know your wishes and we’ll do our best to create a special day for you all to enjoy and remember.
Our Henley Regatta Cruise Options
Book early! Last season we were booked out every day!
Our cruises are all about you. Talk to us about your requirements and we’ll do our best to give you the best experience possible. To give you some ideas –
1 & 2 hour short cruises to sail the course - we offer these most days
Full and half-day ‘follow the action’ cruises with lunch onboard
Moor up at one of the venues along the river for a pub lunch
Whether it’s a day out with family and friends or a corporate event, we promise the best view of the Regatta from right on the river itself.
Henley Festival
Wednesday 9 July - Sunday 13 July, 2025
Henley Festival is one of the most exciting events of the season. Taking place over five days in July, it brings together the best of UK and International music, the arts, comedy and increasingly, fabulous cuisine – plus of course the fabulous nightly fireworks display!
A truly unique event, Its exciting programme ranges from pop to classical and jazz.
Henley is another opportunity to be right in the middle of the excitement — in a beautiful vintage boat on the river!
Daytime or evening cruises — soak up the atmosphere
Private charter — you’ll have the boat to yourselves
Experienced Skipper — safe hands for a very busy river
Complementary wine or fizz on arrival — straight into the spirit of Henley
Your own picnic or our hamper lunch — bring your own wine and food or enjoy ours
Our cruises are all about you and your guests. Let us know your wishes and we’ll do our best to create a special day for you all to enjoy and remember.
Our Henley Festival Cruise Options
Just as with the Regatta, we offer a range of cruise options to suit your needs – although of course the real action at the Festival is in the evenings! Please contact us about availability for any particular days and evenings. Let us know what you need and we promise you the best seats on the river.
1 & 2 hour short cruises to see the festival site - we offer these most days
Full, half-day and evening cruises with lunch or dinner onboard
Moor up at one of the pop-up festival venues along the river
You can choose to stay on the boat and listen to the music from the river or, if you have tickets, we can drop you at the Festival entrance. Whatever you choose it’s a great day out for your family or a spectacular corporate event.
Henley Festival Tickets and Experience
For a truly spectacular Festival experience, may we recommend our friends at Humphrey’s of Henley. The wonderful Sam Evans and her team offer a range of packages for Henley Festival and many other special events. They can even arrange for you to arrive in style or cruise the festival stretch of the Thames on our very own beautiful Christobel.
Celebrate your Wedding in Vintage Style
What better way to celebrate your wedding than arriving or departing in a beautiful vintage boat along the River Thames. Or just take your special guests on a short cruise as part of your day.
If you’re getting married or holding your wedding breakfast at one of the many beautiful riverside venues near Windsor, we can drop you off and collect you in style. Or you and your special guests can enjoy a morning picnic before heading off for the rest of your special day.
The perfect way to enjoy a wonderful boat trip on the river.
A welcome glass of wine or fizz
Tea, coffee and soft drinks throughout
Bring your own food, let us cater for you or stop off at one of the many beautiful pubs and restaurants that face on to the river.
Please see our Food and Drink page for options on lunch and snacks.
Kind words from some of our special wedding guests!
★★★★★ Veronika Gill
We hired Christobel on our wedding day and it was absolutely amazing! The crew could not be any more helpful and friendly. All our guests loved it. Everyone had the best time. It was simply perfect. Thank you so much.
★★★★★ Unique and unforgettable experience!
We were part of a small wedding party that hired Golding Bros for a private tour of Windsor. The wonderful crew couldn’t accommodate us more and took the time to talk to our young daughters making them part of the full experience. If you are looking for a unique and truly an unforgettable experience, this is definitely the trip for you. [Edited from a longer review]
Celebrate your special day in style
Please just contact us to enquire about availability for any particular dates and events. Let us know what you’re looking for and we’ll be pleased to help in any way we can.
Swan Upping — Follow the Swan Uppers through Windsor
Monday 14 July - Wednesday 16 July, 2025 (still to be confirmed)
Follow this 500 year old tradition as the Swan Uppers travel through this section of the river from Runnymede to Maidenhead. This is always in July with dates to be confirmed nearer the time.
Morning and afternoon cruises — a great way to watch this fascinating ceremony
Private charter — you’ll have the boat to yourselves
Experienced Skipper — safe hands for a very busy river
Complementary wine or fizz on arrival — straight into the spirit of Henley
Your own picnic or our hamper lunch — bring your own wine and food or enjoy ours
Our cruises are all about you and your guests. Let us know your wishes and we’ll do our best to create a special day for you all to enjoy and remember.
About Swan Upping
This event is now an important part of swan wildlife conservation. The annual census involves a flotilla of traditional rowing skiffs, crewed by the Swan Uppers in their bright red livery, and led by The King’s Swan Marker, easily recognised by a hat with a white swan’s feather.
The crews lift the young cygnets individually into their boats, measuring them and checking their health, while looking for signs of injury or entanglements with fishing lines and hooks, which are sadly so common. Each bird is ringed with an identification number before being carefully returned to the river.
Our Swan Upping Cruise Options
Our cruise options for 2025 will be released shortly. In the meantime please just contact us to enquire about availability for any particular dates and events. We look forward to seeing you in 2025.
Thames Traditional Boat Festival — Henley
Friday 18th - Sunday 20th July, 2025
Join us for the 46th year of the Thames Traditional Boat Festival at Fawley Meadows, Henley-upon-Thames. If there was ever a place to spend the day on a beautiful vintage launch like Christobel, it’s the TTBF!
The perfect way to enjoy and be part of this wonderful flotilla of vintage craft.
A welcome glass of wine or fizz
Tea, coffee and soft drinks throughout
Bring your own food, let us cater for you or stop off at one of the many beautiful pubs and restaurants that face on to the river.
Please see our Food and Drink page for options on lunch and snacks.
Our TTBF Cruise Options
Our cruise options for 2025 will be released shortly. In the meantime please just contact us to enquire about availability for any particular dates and events. We look forward to seeing you in 2025.
Riverside Pubs & Restaurants
The Thames riverside is blessed with plenty of places to stop off for a delightful pub lunch or an award winning meal. Check out our Food and Drink page for a list of our favourites.