Windermere Lake Cruises (Head Office) — Local services in Great Britain

This is not an experience of the cruise, it is how we couldn't have an experience of it. I bet most of the people have a good time, but my holiday's first day was ruined. My husband decided he will surprise me and we went yesterday to Lakeside. We went to eat a breakfast, and after we went to the Aquarium, where we bought a combined ticket to the Aquarium and to the Boat/cruise. We even asked the person who was serving us, if this ticket is for return too from Bowness and she said yes, we can use the boat for 24 hours. We left the Aquarium at 11:20 and that was the time when the cruise left so the next one was supposed to come at 11:50, which is an extra one from 26th of May till September. It was even on the display. Of course that boat didn't come (or if came I don't know where it was because we were at the boarding area), so the next one was at 12:30. We were waiting for an hour in the queue and we were the 3rd group to get on. When the cruise arrived we went up or actually just tried to go up, but one of the crew member stopped us and said that receipt is not enough we have to exchange it for a ticket. I asked, how come nobody told us this before, he said, he doesn't know. Behind us there were about 100 people. At this point I already exploded and said I don't want to go anymore, but my husband said we should go to the aquarium to ask about our "ticket". We went there and the man (who was really nice) there said, we don't need to exchange it, so he called somebody and they said, we were right, we didn't have to exchange, we just should go to the boat and the lady will let us board. Why would I want to go up to the cruise where there is already 100 people on, I was waiting for 1 hour and I can't even sit down anymore where I wanted. So when we went there we said we don't want to go, then they said we can get a refund, but we have to go back to the aquarium. By this time I was very angry. We didn't even get a full refund for the inconvenience, we just got the difference from the aquarium (which is kind of okay, as we already visited that, but I work as a customer service assistant and we would do goodwill for our customers if something like this happens). (Were we the first people who ever bought a combined ticket there, nobody ever buy that? How do You train Your workers, if they don't know how things work?) We wanted to go to the Potter gallery and just have a nice day, but after this experience I would never go there again or recommend...

Greedy and Liars! 11 of us booked a walkers cruise, all paying nearly £11 each. On the return from Ferry House, the departure should have been 15.40 hours but they waited to try and fill the boat with people arriving late. It left at 15.43 hours. The delay meant that when we got to Bowness, they could not accommodate all of our group. That is why I say they were greedy, for filling up with extra passengers and making us late. Rather than wait for the next boat, we took the bus back at more expense. I submitted a contact form on their website but got no reply. I emailed directly and got a reply from 'Ian', the HR Manager, basically blaming us for not joining the queue and saying that a 156 capacity boat sailed with only 132. This is why I say liars. Either the staff member stopped 11 of us getting on, when there were 24 places left or there weren't 11 places left. Whichever one, someone has lied. I have read other feedback and they love their high star ratings and always thank people, but they do very little when they don't like comments. Now I know first hand why this is - because they lie! This didn't ruin our day but it cost us more and would have delayed our birthday schedule had we not taken the bus back. My honest view - they do not care about loyalty and repeat custom because like a lot of Lake District businesses, new people will come along the next day. Shame, because it was our 2nd walkers cruise and that is why I encouraged our group to go. I'll stick to local Ambleside walks in future and not hand over good money to people who could not care less. Also, Ian said this - I think it important to point out that we are a ‘pleasure cruise operator’ and not a commuter public transport service and accordingly, although vessels never leave early, we think it is important to offer a friendly flexible service and we therefore do not operate a policy of running services strictly ‘to the minute’. Our customers are generally on holiday or enjoying leisure time and although we always ensure ongoing connections are made, we do not consider that a 3 minute delay is significant. Well, that extra 3 greedy minutes cost us our connection and your comments here are generalised and not specific to...

The cruise we embarked on was truly a beautiful experience. From start to finish, it was evident that the vessel was meticulously maintained, and the staff on board were exceptionally courteous throughout our journey. If there's one thing we wished for, it was a longer cruise, as we were so enamored by the entire experience.

One of the remarkable aspects of this cruise service was the wide range of options available. On our way to Bowness, we chose to board an older vessel, which exuded a sense of nostalgia and charm. On our return journey, we opted for a newer, more modern cruise, and it brought its own unique charm to the table. Both experiences were memorable in their own right.

As a family, we had an absolute blast. Even our young kids were enthralled by the cruise. It provided a perfect setting for quality family time, with breathtaking views and a soothing ambiance that everyone enjoyed. The combination of serene waters and picturesque surroundings made for a truly magical outing.

In conclusion, our cruise experience was nothing short of delightful. The blend of a well-maintained vessel, courteous staff, a variety of cruise options, and the joy it brought to our family made it a memorable adventure. If we could, we'd gladly extend our journey, for it was a splendid escapade that we'll treasure for...