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Grand Victoria Barge Cruise Charter
By Heidi Sarna
We love when travelers want to tell us all about their latest small-ship quirky cruises.
Here, Ron Maxwell shares details on his recent charter of the luxury 6-pax Grand Victoria.
Author and a friend aboard the Grand Victoria. * Photo: Ronald Maxwell
QuirkyCruise: When did you cruise on Grand Victoria?
Ron: Our cruise on the Grand Victoria was from Sunday, May 29 to Saturday, June 4, 2022.
QuirkyCruise: Were you on a private charter with family or friends?
Ron: We (my partner and I) were on a private charter with four other friends from our home city of Little Rock, Arkansas.
A great holidays with friends aboard the Grand Victoria. * Photo: Ronald Maxwell
QuirkyCruise: Was the Grand Victoria your first barge cruise?
Ron: The Grand Victoria was our first barge cruise. I believe a couple of our friends on the cruise had done larger barge cruises before, but this was a first for us.
QuirkyCruise: Why did you choose the Grand Victoria?
Ron: We chose the Grand Victoria based on information we received from the Barge Lady travel agents. One of our group had gotten in touch with them and they forwarded several possibilities for us to see.
We looked at each website and decided that the Grand Victoria was just right for us, size-wise (1), and the itinerary (2) was just what we wanted in the Burgundy wine country.
The photos of the barge provided on their website convinced us all that this was truly a nice luxury (3) cruise barge and so we decided to book it.
Ronald’s group enjoying the views along the way. * Photo: Ronald Mawell
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QuirkyCruise: What were your favorite aspects of your Grand Victoria barge cruise charter?
Ron: I think, for me, one favorite aspect of this particular cruise was simply sitting on the deck just watching the beautiful Burgundy countryside pass by.
Enjoying the scenery and a cocktail. * Photo: Ronald Maxwell
I also enjoyed watching the precision with which the barge crew maneuvered through the canal locks. (4)
VIDEO: A quick look at one of the many lock transits along the way, below.
I would also have to say that I enjoyed our interaction with the delightful crew, especially our Captain, Edward, and his partner, Cindy (5). We enjoyed having cocktails with them every evening on the deck and exchanging stories.
And, of course, the food at every meal was exceptional (6) with Edward giving an explanation of every wine served and the French chef giving details of each dish he prepared for us.
QuirkyCruise: Why would you recommend a Grand Victoria barge cruise charter?
Ron: I would highly recommend the Grand Victoria experience to anyone. Edward and Cindy worked very hard to make us all feel welcome and part of the family.
They went out of their way to explain what we were seeing, what food and wine we were having, ensuring the cleanliness of the barge and our staterooms, and making sure the level of service we received from the crew was first class.
The crew and Ronald’s group aboard the Grand Victoria. * Photo: Ronald Maxwell
The beautiful furnishing on this luxury river yacht, as Edward described it, were also noteworthy. The whole experience really made us feel special.
Also, the excellent daily excursions (7), lead by a very knowledgeable Edward as tour guide, were all very interesting and fun. We were squired around in a new Mercedes van, which was nice.
SPECIAL OFFER: Owner-operators Edward & Cindy are extending special savings of $4,000 to $4,500 off Grand Victoria barge cruise charters.
Hope you enjoyed these 7 reasons to consider a Grand Victoria barge cruise charter!
RELATED: Read another review about the Grand Victoria, here.
The luxury 6-pax Grand Victoria. * Photo: Ronald Maxwell
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HEIDI SARNA
