Due to high demand, luxury hotel barge operator European Waterways is now offering two additional 'Downton Abbey' cruises along the River Thames in 2014 aboard the 8 passenger hotel barge Magna Carta.

There are already three departures scheduled for this Spring - April 13, April 20, May 4 - and now the cruises departing August 10 and August 17 will also include a rare opportunity to visit Highclere Castle, setting/location for the renowned period drama series, "Downton Abbey", the iconic home of the fictional Crawley family on the TV show.

"We introduced the tour of Highclere Castle into our shore excursion programme last year and our clients on Magna Carta enjoyed it so much, we decided to bring it back for 2014, initially for selected Spring departures, but now for some Summer ones too" says Derek Banks, Managing Director of European Waterways.

Rates for Magna Carta's 6-night, August 10 and 17, 2014 departures start at £3,170 per person, and include all meals, wines, an open bar, daily escorted excursions and local transfers and admissions. Rates are based on double occupancy. Whole boat charters are also available.

Full details: www.gobarging.com: Tel: +44(0) 1753 598555

For press information: Jill Faulds, JF Associates, + 44 (0) 1795 536446; jill@jfapr.co.uk

Or:  Chris Gant, European Waterways, + 44 (0) 1753 598555; chris@gobarging.com

About European Waterways: The hotel barging experience is different from large vessel river cruising. It offers a slower paced, "gentle voyage of discovery" along the more intimate canals and waterways of Europe, allowing a small number of guests to become more fully immersed in the culture, history and gastronomy of the region. European Waterways is Europe's largest all-inclusive luxury hotel barging group, offering vacations in nine countries and carrying over 2,000 passengers a year. Founded 40 years ago, they own and operate a fleet of luxury barges and market cruises in France, Italy, Scotland, Ireland, England, Germany, Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg.  Pioneers in hotel barging, they were the first company to operate a hotel barge on the Upper Nivernais in Burgundy, and the "real" Loire Valley. It is also the only cruise company offering barge cruises in Scotland and in the Venetian lagoon and River Po valley. Please visit www.gobarging.com for more information. 

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