Father Christmas boat trips

Christmas Down the Chichester Canal

Join friends and family to share the magic of friendship with newfound friends as you celebrate Christmas together on the Chichester Canal.

Children will meet Father Christmas and receive festive treats and new cuddly friends to take home for Christmas Day.

Family Christmas Boat Trips

Our Kingfisher and Richmond Boat Trips will take 1 hour and 15 minutes and depart from the Canal Basin.

Kingfisher 

Father Christmas will board Kingfisher with his crew to say hello and give gifts to the children, then return to his grotto. Children will receive a wrapped, named gift from Father Christmas, and other gifts will be given out during the journey and when the family departs. We will be providing light refreshments for our customers, and our Cabin Crew will be aboard to involve children in activities around the theme of Friendship.

Kingfisher – Adult or Child
Max 20 people on board – £17 per person

Richmond

On our Richmond boat, Father Christmas will also board the boat from his grotto but will stay on board and travel back to the Canal Basin with your family and friends. Children will receive a wrapped, named gift from Father Christmas, and other gifts will be given out during the journey and when the family departs. We will provide light refreshments for our customers, and our Cabin Crew will be on board to involve children in activities around the theme of Friendship.

Richmond – Adult or Child
Max 32 people on board – £17 per person

Adult Festive Boat Trips

Looking for something different this Christmas? Gather your friends, colleagues or adult group and enjoy a festive private boat cruise along the Chichester Canal.
Our Kingfisher and Richmond boats are available for private hire, with Mulled Wine and Mince Pies served aboard your festive cruise.

Kingfisher – Private Festive Cruise / Up to 20 guests

Departure times: 12:30 or 14:30
Cruise duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Private hire: £300
Includes: Mulled Wine and Mince Pies

Richmond – Private Festive Cruise / Up to 32 guests

Special Festive Fish & Chips Cruise
Departure times: 12:30 or 14:30
Cruise duration: 1 hour 50 minutes
Private hire: £360 + £20 per person for Fish & Chips

Includes:
One Fish & Chips meal
One complimentary alcoholic drink
Mulled Wine and Mince Pies

A Special Visit from Father Christmas

A complimentary visit from Father Christmas can be arranged for your group.
To receive a Father Christmas visit, your group must provide named presents for each member of your party. Father Christmas will board your boat and return to the Canal Basin with you.

Booking

These private festive cruises must be booked in advance.
Call us on 01243 771363, from 09:30–16:30, 7 days a week.

Please note: These trips are exclusively for adults and are not suitable for children.

Customers are reminded that:

• Chichester Ship Canal Policies. Read More
• We welcome diversity and as far as possible provide equality of opportunity for customers, volunteers and staff.
• The MCA regulates our vessels and crew to ensure we operate to the highest water safety standards. Typically, our boats can take a maximum of two wheelchairs on Richmond and one on Kingfisher. Therefore, if your party requires more than this facility, please contact us by phone or email so that we can jointly plan an experience that will fully benefit your party.
• Both boats have lifts for passengers with impaired mobility or requiring wheelchair access. There is a ramp to the pontoon.
• When booking, please advise us of any special requirements for your trip.
• Toilet facilities are available on-site before you board the boat. Both boats have toilet facilities on board; the facility on Kingfisher is accessible to wheelchair users.
• We regret that dogs are not allowed on our boat trips; the only exceptions are Guide or Assistance dogs.