Last Updated on 02/11/26 by Rose Palmer
All wedding anniversaries are special, but those ending in a “0” are doubly so. So, when my husband and I were looking for an extraordinary way to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary, another luxury barge cruise with European Waterways quickly came to mind.
After three other cruises with European Waterways in France and Italy, we knew there was no more indulgent way to celebrate this memorable event. For a week, we would be wined and dined like royalty. And since we were doing a barge cruise on the River Thames in England, the royal treatment was quite appropriate.
The UK has about 3000 miles of canals and rivers, all of which are popular for boating and barging. Narrowboat holidays are a favorite way to explore these waterways in total comfort.
But, for those who want to let someone else do all the driving (and cooking, and tour guiding), a holiday on the Magna Carta is the perfect alternative.
My European Waterways Magna Carta barge review
Sunday – Day 1 on the Magna Carta – at Henley-on-Thames
The 5-star experience began at the Stafford Hotel in London, where Sarah Jayne, our European Waterways guide, met us at 3 PM. The very English nature of this trip quickly became apparent as we began with a traditional—and very delicious—afternoon tea at the Stafford Hotel.
The Stafford offered a large selection of teas blended specially just for them. This time, I veered away from my usual Earl Grey and had the Rooibos Orange and Cactus Fig tea and didn’t regret my choice.
The finger sandwiches included some of my favorites: coronation chicken, truffled egg salad, and smoked salmon. The desserts, however, really “topped the cake.” The mango, passion fruit, coconut tart, and the vanilla and blueberry white mouse (yes, mouse, not mousse) were real standouts. The Stafford’s signature sweet is a cute little white mouse whose flavors change with the seasons.
I’ve had many afternoon teas in London, and this one at the Stafford is now my favorite.
A warm Magna Carta welcome
A little over an hour drive took us into the countryside and the docked Magna Carta. We were starting our cruise near the village of Henley-on-Thames and ended at Hampton Court at the end of the week (the reverse itinerary runs every other week).
The crew welcomed us with broad smiles and open arms. There were 5 crew on board for four guests, so I knew we would be well taken care of. The welcome included champagne and a selection of tasty hors d’oeuvres (in case we were hungry again).
The shared spaces on the Magna Carta
The cabin and the shared spaces were warm, inviting, and very comfortable. The living space had plush leather sofas and bookcases with books and DVDs for our use.
We enjoyed relaxing here during the brief periods of rain during our week (because it’s England and it rains in England).
One corner was outfitted as a fully stocked bar with a large selection of top-shelf alcohol, including a variety of local gins – because when you are in England, you have to have some G&Ts.
The dining space was anchored by a beautiful, custom-made, English-oak and blue-epoxy river table. Each evening for dinner, the table was always set with a different, creative napkin fold.
Outside on the sun deck, a table with more seating made it a very pleasant spot to take in the scenery while cruising. There was also a hot tub and bicycles for guests’ use.
Our cabin on the Magna Carta
The first order of business after coming aboard was to get settled into our cabin. Considering the size of the boat, I was pleased at how roomy the space was. There was more than enough storage space on shelves, in small hanging closets, and in a separate dresser.
Outlets by each bed made it easy to charge electronics. Heating and AC were available, but since it was September, we were fine with just opening the porthole windows for cool, fresh air. I appreciated the blinds on the windows, which ensured privacy and made the room nice and dark for sleeping.
The bathroom was also comfortable and was certainly large enough for one person. The warmth of the underfloor heating in the bathroom and the heated towel rack felt very indulgent. There were also bathrobes for our use, which is always a nice touch.
I thought the overall decor in our cabin and in the shared spaces was timeless. I really liked the marine blue and white color scheme in our room, partnered with the gleaming oak.
After settling into our cabins, Captain Hugo introduced us to his team. Sarah Jane was our driver and guide throughout the week. Hostesses Denisa and Rowan took care of all our daily needs, and Chef Thomas outdid himself with his culinary prowess.
We had our first taste of Chef Tom’s skill at dinner that night. Since it was Sunday, he presented us with a traditional “Sunday roast and two veg” menu, which included cheesy cauliflower, steamed broccolini, carrots steamed over salt, and roasted potatoes. Dessert was a light take on baked Alaska filled with lemon curd parfait and Italian meringue.
Dinner menu:
Main course: Roast sirloin of beef, Yorkshire pudding, cauliflower cheese, salt-baked carrots
Dessert: Lemon baked Alaska
Wines: Max Ferdinand Richter, Germany, Weisbergunder; Collezione di Paopo Chianti , Italy, Sangiovesi/Colorino
Monday – Day 2 on the Magna Carta – Henley-on-Thames to Hurley
Still battling jet lag, I was up early enough to catch the sunrise cutting through a misty morning fog. Though it felt early for me, the river was already abuzz with activity. Swans were busy looking for food, and quite a few rowers were on the river getting their daily workout.
Each morning started with a lovely breakfast. The table was set with a basket filled with freshly baked breads, croissants, and pastries, along with jams and preserves, yogurt and yogurt parfaits, and a plate of mixed fresh fruits.
Chef Thomas was also available for hot, made-to-order entrees. Everything from bacon and eggs and omelets to typical English kedgeree or a full English breakfast was available. On my first morning, I indulged in Eggs Benedict, which were divine. A variety of coffee drinks or teas were also offered by our hostesses.
Our days quickly established a regular rhythm. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner were on board the Magna Carta. In the morning and afternoon, we alternated between an excursion or leisurely cruising down the river. With the staff taking care of all our needs, the days were relaxing, and the river cruising was very soothing.
On this day, we started the morning with a short drive to Oxford, where we toured the famous Christ Church College at the University of Oxford. Our driver and guide, Sarah Jane, set us up with audio guides that provided all the background history of the buildings we were touring.
I was particularly interested in the dining hall, which served as the model for the Great Hall in the Harry Potter film franchise. The Bodley staircase leading up to the dining hall also served as a filming location in the movies, as did the church cloisters.
After we finished touring Christ Church, Sarah Jane led our small group on a short walking tour around other nearby areas of the university.
Back on board the Magna Carta, Chef Thomas indulged us with another great meal.
Lunch menu:
Entrée: Chicken Supreme with peas and broad beans, pea puree, and wild mushrooms
Dessert: Orange posset, Cointreau jelly, Mango Sorbet, and crispy orange
Wines: Visionario from Italy, a blend of Friulano/Gewurtztraminer/Sauvignon/Chardonnay; Cool Coast from Chile, Pinot Noir
After lunch, we had our first cruise on the Thames. It took us a few hours to reach the docking point near the Hurley lock. Along the way, we also had our first glimpses of some of the grand estates that lined the river.
We ended the day with a tour of the small village of Hurley. It was a short walk from the boat to Ye Old Belle. Established as an inn in 1135, this is one of the oldest public houses in England. With its exposed beams and open fireplaces, it was a cozy spot to share a pint with the locals.
We also visited the historic Hurley Abbey, once part of a Benedictine monastery founded in 1086. While most of the monastery is in ruins, the Church of St. Mary Virgin is still actively used by parishioners today.
It had been raining on and off for most of the afternoon, but when we came back to the boat, the rain stopped and the sun came out, creating a spectacular rainbow over the Magna Carta and the River Thames.
The day finished with another delicious meal accompanied by good wines.
Dinner:
Starter: Heritage tomato salad with Bloody Mary sorbet and feta
Entrée: Rack of lamb with ratatouille, courgetti puree, gnocchi, and kale
Dessert: Chocolate Brulee with cherry compote and yogurt sorbet
Wines: Queen Bee from South Africa, Viognier; and HJ Fabre from Argentina, Malbec
Tuesday – Day 3 – Hurley to Cliveden
The overnight rains and cool air created another misty morning. Surrounded by trees and a slight fog, the Magna Carta looked like something out of the Arthurian story “Mists of Avalon.” Once the sun rose higher in the sky, the fog quickly burned off.
For breakfast this morning, Chef Thomas offered us the chance to try kedgeree, a traditional British breakfast dish. It’s made with smoked, flaked fish, rice, hard-boiled egg, and flavored with curry powder.
After breakfast, Dominic, Magna Carta’s owner, walked us across the river to the nearby Peter Freebody’s boatyard. This family business has been building handcrafted wooden boats for 300 years. Discerning customers from all over Europe order custom-built boats or bring their older boats here to be refurbished. We saw quite a few of their trademark slipper boats docked along the Thames as we cruised.
We spent the rest of the morning and into the early afternoon cruising from Hurley to Clivedon. The next town downstream from Hurley was quaint Marlow, the setting for one of my recent favorite British mystery series, “The Marlow Murder Club”.
As we cruised, we went through a few locks and sailed past many posh houses that had boat houses, guest houses, staff houses, boats, tennis courts, and beautifully landscaped gardens and backyards. There was no doubt that there was some serious money here.
Interspersed there was also occasional farmland. The river itself was a thriving ecosystem with lots of birds: we saw many swans, ducks, cormorants, and a few herons.
In the midst of the cruise, Thomas served us more good food.
Lunch
Starter: Skate and Haddock chowder
Cheese trolley: Colston Bassett, Epoisses, Rosary Ash, Black Bomber, Chaource; served with a selection of breads, crackers, chips, and pickled veggies.
Wines: Oastbrook, England, Pinot Gris; Tenuta Fenice, Italy, Nero d’Avola
After docking on the grounds of the Cliveden estate, Sarah Jayne picked us up for another tour, which started with the Stanley Spencer Gallery in Coolham.
Then we walked around the impressive gardens of the Cliveden estate. Cliveden was once the home of the famous Astor family. Today, the property is managed by the National Trust, but the house is used as a very expensive hotel, and only guests are allowed to enter inside.
Dinner was one more memorable meal.
Dinner
Starter: Twice-baked cheese soufflé with cheese sauce and red pepper tapenade
Entrée: Duck breast with Savoy cabbage, potato terrine, and squash puree
Dessert: Banana bread with coconut sorbet and rum pineapple
Wines: Lucido, Italy, Lucido; Baron de Barbon, Spain, Tempranillo
Wednesday – Day 4 – Clivedon to Windsor
It was another leisurely morning as we cruised down the River Thames, passing more grand homes and through cute villages. Going through the locks was fun. There seemed to be an informal competition between lockkeepers to see who could create the most beautiful garden around their house.
Lunch
Entree: Salmon with tartar sauce and Parmentier potatoes
Dessert: Scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam
Wines: V on Yay, Australia, Viognier; Gabel Pfaltz, Germany, Pinot Noir
After lunch, Sarah Jayne picked us up once again and drove us to nearby Dorney Court. This well-preserved Tudor home, which has been owned by the Palmer family for more than 450 years, is used regularly as a film location. (No photos inside). We had a private tour inside the house, where we were introduced to the many tales of its illustrious inhabitants over the centuries.
The St. James the Less church at Dorney Court is equally historic. Though this church dates from the 12th century, it is still the local parish church and holds regular services for the community. The font is the original Norman design, and the chancel is still from the first 12th-century building.
The Gerrard Chapel holds the interesting Gerrard Memorial, which shows William Gerrard, his wife, and all 15 children. William Gerrard purchased Dorney Court in 1542. Through his daughter Martha, her descendants still own and live in this house today.
We continued cruising past the impressive waterside houses of Bray. As our boat pulled into the town of Windsor, we also had our first glimpse of Windsor Castle.
Before dinner, Hugo and Dominic took us to the nearby Windsor and Eton Brewery, where we had a first-hand tour of the brewing process, followed by a pint of their craft beer.
Once again, it rained as we arrived in Windsor, but when the clouds cleared and the sun came out, we had another beautiful rainbow, complete with a bevy of swans.
Dinner:
Starter: Potato salad, salad crème, and quail’s egg
Entrée: Cod with crushed peas, gem lettuce, and bacon
Dessert: Eton Mess with Basil sorbet
Wines: Villa Broglia Gavi di Gavi, Italy, Cortese; Belle Roche, France, Cabernet Sauvignon
Thursday – Day 5 – Windsor to Shepperton
After breakfast, it was a brief walk through town to Windsor Castle, where we toured the public staterooms (no photos allowed inside) and St. George’s Chapel. It started as a rainy morning, so spending it inside was a welcome option.
Walking through the elaborately decorated rooms that have welcomed foreign dignitaries from all over the world was interesting. It was good to see that there was no evidence of the 1992 fire that devastated much of this building.
Back on board, Chef Thomas and the crew awaited us with a wonderful cheese and salad lunch.
Lunch
Cheese trolley: Winslade served with Picalilly, Kidderton Ash served with fig and shallot jam, Shropshire Blue served with Membrino Paste, Wookey Hole served with red onion marmalade, and a Petite Basque served with Ploughman’s Chutney
Accompanied by: smoked salmon quiche and a heritage tomato and cucumber salad
Wines: Domaines de Paris Cotes de Provence Rose, France, Grenache/Syrah/Cinsault/Carignan; and Le Prince de Courthezone, France, Grenache/ Syrah/Mourvedre
We continued our cruise on the Thames, enjoying the warmth of a nice, sunny afternoon. I was excited to pass by the historic site of Runnymede and Magna Carta Island, where in 1215 King John signed the famous document. For such a historically significant location, it was interesting to see that the site was maintained as a natural parkland with no tourist trappings.
In the late afternoon, we docked at the boat’s private spot in Shepperton, where we were entertained by the area’s flock of swans, including an elegant pair of black swans. Sundowners on the deck before dinner were also a pleasant treat on this warm and sunny late afternoon.
Tonight’s dinner was theme night. Chef Thomas asked us to pick a theme for the meal, and he would surprise us with his interpretation. We challenged him with a combination of Mediterranean and Southeast Asian. He certainly delivered! For me, this was the best meal of the whole week.
Dinner
Entrees: lobster, Lebanese slaw, chicken kebabs, lamb tagine, couscous, flatbreads, prawn pad Thai
Dessert: Thai rice pudding, hibiscus ice cream
Wines: Cascata Vinho Verde, Portugal, Loureiro/Trajadura/Avesso; Tbilvino Qvevris, Georgia, Saperavi
The evening ended with a fun Whiskey tasting presented by Captain Hugo, dressed appropriately in full Scottish regalia.
Friday – Day 6 – Shepperton to Hampton Court and back
Since it was such a beautiful morning, I enjoyed my breakfast outside on the sundeck. It was a treat to have a few more hours of cruising on the river, going through locks, and just enjoying the peace as we glided through the water. Interestingly, the houses on this part of the Thames River were a little more modest in size, though still very well-maintained and still quite photogenic.
Our leisurely morning cruise took us past Hampton Court Palace. I have been to Hampton Court twice before, but this was the first time I had seen it from the river.
This was the perspective King Henry VIII would have had as he approached the palace coming from London. Though ours was not a royal barge like the king would have used, I certainly had been treated like royalty on my weeklong cruise on the River Thames.
Normally, the Magna Carta docks near Hampton Court on the last night; however, due to a special event on the river, this was not possible on this particular day. Instead, we cruised back to the private (and very quiet) dock at Shepperton, where we indulged in one last lunch.
Lunch
Entree: Fish pie, pickled cucumber, creamed potato, and parsley butter
Dessert: summer berry crumble, vanilla ice cream, and honey tuille
Wines: Excelsior Calcrete, South Africa, Chardonnay; and Laroze de Drouhin Bourgogne, France, Pinot Noir
After lunch, Sarah Jane picked us up and drove us back to Hampton Court Palace for the afternoon. She gave us a personal guided tour of Henry VIII’s Tudor palace and gardens. Part of the palace had been renovated by monarchs William and Mary in the 1690s, but we were focusing only on the original Tudor architecture on our tour.
Sarah Jayne gave us a very interesting tour, presenting the palace through the perspective of each of Henry’s six wives and the impact they each had on the building and its decor. We also toured the gardens that were once part of the original Tudor design.
Back on the barge, we shared in the Captain’s farewell dinner. Chef Thomas’s sendoff was memorable, delicious, and worthy of this special evening. In honor of this celebration, our hostesses also went all out with the table decorations.
Captain’s Dinner
Soup: Cauliflower and white chocolate soup
Starter: Scallops with hazelnut dressing
Entree: Beef Wellington, roasted potatoes, and broccolini
Dessert: Sticky toffee pudding
Wines: Domaine Michel Thomas Sancerre, France, Sauvignon Blanc; Pillastro Selezione d’Oro, Italy, Primitivo/Nero d’Avola
Back in our cabin, the crew surprised us with some lovely decorations in honor of our anniversary. This was such a thoughtful gesture.
Saturday – Day 7 – a sad goodbye
After a most amazing week cruising on the Thames, it was time to say goodbye. We had one last breakfast on board, appropriately, a full English breakfast.
Sarah Jane then drove us back to London. For those with flights leaving today, she made a stop at Heathrow. Then she drove back into central London and the Stafford Hotel, ending this trip back at the spot where we started.
Goodbye to a wonderful week on the Magna Carta
A huge thank you to the wonderful crew for an unforgettable week on the Magna Carta. We delighted in their jovial banter, which helped to make us feel like family rather than guests. We could not have celebrated our special anniversary in a better way.
Please note that my cruise on the Magna Carta was hosted by European Waterways. All opinions and content are my own.
Links to all my cruising content, including all my other European Waterways cruises, can be found on my Experience – Cruising page.
Other stories I’ve written about the Magna Carta cruise:
“Set jetting” in Style on a 40th Anniversary Cruise with the Magna Carta – European Waterways blog
Barge Cruising England’s Scenic Thames River – Quiltripping Travel With Rose podcast
Celebrating Our 40th Anniversary With a Luxury EnglishBarge Cruise – BigBlendRadioandTV.com
Other stories about my previous European Waterways cruises:
Cruising in Italy: European Waterways La Bella Vita Cruise Review – Discovering Italy on a Luxury Barge Cruise
Cruising in France on the Burgundy Canal: My France Cana Cruise – Quiet Luxury in the French Countryside
Cruising in the Loire Valley in France: An Intimate European Waterways Loire Valley Barge Cruise on the Renaissance
Thanks for visiting.
Rose