European Waterways announced that it has sold out all of this year’s cruises on the Magna Carta hotel barge that feature a tour of England’s Highclere Castle, the real-life setting for the popular period drama, Downton Abbey.
The company notes a resurgence of interest ahead of the premiere of the movie in September 2019. The tour takes guests through many of the rooms seen on the show and lets them explore the estate’s expansive 1,000 acre parkland. It is part of the classic cruise aboard the deluxe 8-passenger vessel, which cruises the River Thames. European Waterways is now accepting cabin bookings for 2020, starting at €3,950 per person, based on double occupancy. Space is limited due to the popularity of the cruise.
“Highclere Castle looks magnificent on TV, but it’s even more impressive in person, with the splendour of its rooms and the castle’s beautiful parkland bringing the magnificence of the drama to life,” said Derek Banks, managing director of European Waterways. “Magna Carta’s excursion there shows how England’s aristocracy lived, but our guests will also receive the ‘royal treatment’ while on the barge throughout the entire cruise.”
Guests who want to share their passion for the drama with friends and family can also charter the entire vessel for 2020, starting at €29,600, for up to eight passengers. Chartered cruises offer the possibility of an exclusive tour of Highclere Castle that includes meeting real members of the household and, possibly, Lady Carnarvon herself, the 8th Countess of Carnarvon and current resident.
Windsor Castle, where the recent royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was held, is one of the many excursions on the Magna Carta. Guests will also visit Hampton Court Palace, a sprawling estate of red-brick buildings and formal gardens alongside the river. The former residence of Henry VIII, it was built by William the Conqueror in 1066 and was home for over 900 years to the Royal Family.
Other cruise highlights include the exploration of ancient villages at Henley-on-Thames, with mooring at the famous Henley Regatta Rowing Course. This is followed by a drive to Oxford for a tour of its oldest college, Christ Church, where Lewis Carroll wrote Alice in Wonderland.
For more information, call toll free from Australia 1800 828 050 or visit europeanwaterways.com.
SOURCE: European Waterways
