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The third summer
that David and I have been at the tiller of
Excellence Afloat at Valley Cruises has almost
arrived. We’ve been spending a lot of time
listening to our customers. We have taken note
of which boats become fully booked early on in
the season. We have been asking our guests what
they liked about their boat - and what they
didn’t like. Based on this information, we have
added two new boats to the Valley Cruises’ fleet
this year. They are both quite different,
reflecting our guests’ diverse requirements and
incorporating all their favourite bits!
Spring Valley was launched at
Alvechurch marina on a cold, damp day in April.
Built by our good friends John and Liz Barber at
Grand Waterways Voyages at their workshop in
Bromsgrove, she had to be introduced to the
water via lorry and crane. About twenty of us,
variously connected to the boat in one way or
another, watched the ‘never fails to be amazing’
sight of eighteen tonnes of boat swinging
through the air. John and Liz then cruised her
to Springwood Haven where she arrived just in
time for her first hire! Spring Valley is a 60
foot, cruiser stern with GWV trade mark modern,
light and airy feel. She offers very spacious
accommodation for two couples, or a family of
four. Her two separate cabins have Valley
Cruises’ usual flexible berth arrangement and
plenty of storage room. The large galley and
saloon enjoy clean, simple lines and lots of
cleaver touches. By popular demand, the shower
is vast!
Hope Valley is being built here at Springwood
Haven by woodworking virtuoso Steve (above at
work) and his
lovely assistant Lewis and is due to be finished
within the next couple of weeks. Steve builds
his boats on the water, in our marina, so
launching them is a less spectacular affair! At
46 foot, she has a cosier feel to her. Modelled
on our ever popular Dee Valley, Hope has a semi
traditional stern, double or twin master bedroom
and free standing furniture including a comfy
sofa bed. Roses and Castles maintain the
traditional feel whilst attractive granite and
marble, luxurious soft furnishings and her very
own big shower add a contemporary twist. She is
a joy for couples, the ultimate Honeymoon boat,
with enough room for the family to expand a bit!
Our original fleet of eight has
now increased by fifty percent since we took
over and, although we are expanding fast, we
remain a small family business aiming to be the
best. We will keep listening to what our
customers tell us and continue to strive to
provide both a fleet and a service that are
second to none.
David and Elaine
Bottom right - The Brand New Spring Valley and the
Valley Cruises Instruction Team |
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