These are: Fair Countess, Fair Viscount, Fair Ambassador, Fair Courier, Fair Regal and Fair Duke.

The offer applies to holidays with departure dates from Friday 16th March until Monday 30th April 2012.

To take advantage of this fantastic offer all holidays must be booked by Monday 2nd April, 2012. To make a booking either telephone our booking office on 01603 782207 or use our online booking facility.
Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer

All those passengers that used to laugh at the size of the original downstairs toilet cubicle will be amazed at how much space there is now! We have even included a baby changing unit.

Last Saturday evening the weather forecast was spot on and we currently have snow on the ground and the basin is covered in a thin layer of ice.  Despite this we currently have two parties out on hire cruisers, and yesterday we took the first coach party of the year out on the Belle of the Broads.

Next week is Half Term and we have a few cruisers booked out for the week.  We still have some availability, so if you fancy a week or short break on the Broads then get in touch.  Remember all of our cruisers have very good heaters and many of them have Playstations  or Xboxes on board so the kids can still have their fix!

As Broads Tours we are running river trips throughout Half Term, and to celebrate the school holidays we are inviting all children to go Free of Charge (maximum of 2 children per fare paying adult).   For families that prefer to navigate their own boat we will also be running our dayboats and day cruisers throughout the week.

We have just received our new look 2012 Broads Tours leaflet from the printers.   You can download the leaflet (here), or if you would like us to post you out a copy/ies  please telephone us on 01603 782207.  The leaflet gives details of our summer programme of evening music cruises.  This year we have got a Ceilidh band performing for two Thursday evenings, we are all looking forward to what promises to be some really fun events.  View our full programme of evening cruises here.

Thank you to all of our customers who have just paid the balances of their deposits.  We are looking forward to welcoming you later in the year.

We are still on schedule with our hire cruiser winter maintenance programme.  All cruisers coming out of the shed really are looking fabulous.  The staff from Jeckells in Wroxham are currently reupholstering boats as necessary, and we have just welcomed back three members of our housekeeping team who have just started the spring deep cleaning of the fleet.

The boat builders are making great progress with Fair Prince 2 and Fair Jubilee 1 will be started shortly.

In our December blog we mentioned that we were investigating fitting a wheelchair lift into one of our dayboats.  Well we have now bought a lift and Mick, our chief engineer is busy fitting it.  People wishing to hire this boat will be able to pre book.  We will let you know when it is ready!

Santa Cruises are in full swing.  Santa and his Pixies are hard at work making sure everybody has a Christmas treat to remember.  We have been delighted with the bookings this year.  We only have a few spaces left on Friday 23^rd December; all other dates are now full.  If you would like to book for this date please telephone us on 01603 782207 as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

News from the Boatsheds

Our refurbished boatshed over on the Penisular site is now fully operational.   We are able to lift and work on five cruisers at a time in this shed.  Every cruiser in the fleet will be lifted, the hulls will be checked, polished and a new coat of anti-foul applied to the waterline.    Some of the older boats will be having the interiors fully refurbished and of course boats will be reupholstered as necessary.

Having the Penisular shed up and running means that the main boatshed on the Norwich Road site is now just used for building new boats and for maintenance of the passenger trip boats .

The boat builders are working very hard on the new build programme for the 2012 season.   Last week we launched Fair Prince 1, the finishing touches to this boat are currently being completed on the water.  Fair Prince 2 has just been started, and last week we took delivery of the hull for Fair Jubilee 1.  Fair Jubilee is a new style of cruiser for us.  She will be a very spacious sedan style cruiser, the perfect cruiser for a couple.

Nick, one of our passenger boat skippers is currently working alongside the boat builders, sanding down and painting the outside of the Belle of the Broads.

In the dayboat shed Tim and Jon are hard at work sanding down and repainting all of the dayboats.  We are currently investigating fitting a lift into one of the day boats; this will enable wheelchair users to board and skipper their own boat.  We will keep you informed as to how this is goes.

We are also delighted to let you know that our four Wherryman’s Penthouses are all having new kitchens and bathrooms fitted.  Penthouse No 8 will be the first one to be completed just in time for the customers coming in for Christmas.

Speaking of Christmas, the workshop will be closed from Thursday 22^nd December until Tuesday 3^rd January 2012.  The office however will be open right up until Christmas Eve; the girls will be back on Wednesday 28^th until 31^st December and then will be back on Tuesday 3^rd December.

Finally all of us here at Norfolk Broads Direct would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Choosing to holiday with us will ensure you enjoy the Broads from a unique perspective, either leisurely exploring over 125 miles of Britain’s magical waterland on board one of our excellent hire cruisers, or relaxing in one of our splendid waterside holiday homes.

At Norfolk Broads Direct we apply the Visit England quality grading system to all of our cruisers; this external standards assessment serves to assure our clients of the high quality of the facilities we provide.  And we are delighted to now hold Green Tourism Silver certification for our commitment to environmental sustainability, a further assurance that we are ‘setting the hire standard’ and doing our best to safeguard the Broads for future generations.

In keeping with this mission statement, we are constantly upgrading our fleet and for the 2012 season two five-star cruisers, Fair Jubilee and Fair Prince, will take to the water for the first time.  Both these premier class cruisers provide such luxurious accommodation and facilities that you may not want to go home!

This year we are offering an EARLY BOOKING BONUS for bookings made before 31st October 2011 as follows:

1. Holiday cruisers, book your 2012 holiday before 31st October 2011 and pay the 2011 price for the equivalent period.
2. Holiday homes, book your 2012 holiday before 31st October 2011 and enjoy a free standard river trip for each person in your party.  Available for holidays booked from April to the end October 2012.

We only require a £25 non-refundable deposit per week for 2012 holidays booked before 31st October 2011.  The balance of the deposit will be required by 1st February 2012, and the balance of the holiday costs will be due 10 weeks prior to the holiday start date.

It is easier than ever to choose your perfect holiday on the Norfolk Broads with our online booking system at www.norfolkbroadsdirect.co.uk but if you need further information or assistance then please do not hesitate to contact us personally on 01603 782207.

The Broads has more than lived up to its brand image of Britain’s Magical Waterland.

That’s the verdict of Visit England Chief Executive James Berresford after his first holiday on the Broads at the helm of a 44ft luxury motor cruiser.

Mr Berresford, who spent a long weekend aboard Norfolk Broads Direct’s Fair Majesty  with his wife Dawn and friends Adele and Barry Eyre, declared they had had “a fantastic time” and would be back to explore the Southern Broads.

(Left to right) Dawn and James Berresford and Barry and Adele Eyre aboard Norfolk Broads Direct’s Fair Majesty.

“I think it exceeds the brand,” enthused Mr Berresford. “It’s not a one trick pony. There are so many different experiences, from the welcome at reception to the moorings, where everyone is so helpful, to the food at the pubs.“

He describes the cruiser as “luxury afloat” and said the Broads Authority does a “fantastic job”.

“Everything is well maintained and the visitor centres are great,” he said. “It’s difficult managing a special, protected area but the Broads Authority has hit the balance right and there isn’t an over presence of people. The ranger launches provide that little bit of reassurance when they pass by.

“Everything slows down and you just go at your own pace. You end up not wanting to rush and half the joy is just mooring and sitting. I haven’t read a Sunday paper in such a relaxed manner for years. It’s just luxury. At night, when you look up, there are carpets of stars because there is no ambient light.

“People say you have to go abroad to relax on holiday but you don’t. You absolutely don’t. I will recommend this to everyone.”

Both Dawn Berresford and Adele Eyre admitted to being terrified of handling the boat to start with but they soon began to relax and enjoy the trip.

“It has been brilliant,” said Adele Eyre. “I can’t endorse it enough.

And Dawn Berresford added:” I wish we could have stayed all week.”

Mr Berresford’s party cruised from Wroxham to South Walsham Broad where they dined at the Ship Inn, and the following day explored the River Ant as far as Wayford Bridge. On the way back they stopped off at How Hill National Nature Reserve where they took a trip into the secret dykes aboard the Electric Eel and walked the nature trail.

“Our guide, Robin Jeffries, was just so knowledgeable” said Mr Berresford.

The party spent the night at Salhouse Broad where they hired canoes and dined at the Fur and Feather Inn at Woodbastwick.

“We just woke up to this beautiful, peaceful morning,” added Mr Berresford. “I feel ashamed we haven’t been before.”