Following are our most popular tips to assist you in planning a hassle free and enjoyable holiday!

A HOUSEBOAT HOLIDAY IS EASY!

A houseboat holiday can be a lot of fun for people of all ages.  Following are a list of ideas to assist you in planning your next holiday to ensure that it's fun, hassle free and to ensure that you don't forget anything!

CHOOSING YOUR GROUP & BOAT

Our boats can sleep anywhere from between 2-12 people so the number of people you're planning to have join you on your holiday combined with the facilities you'd like onboard helps decide which boat in our fleet suits you best.  Please note that the maximum number of passengers allowed onboard is 12 so a second boat would be required in the event that your group is larger than 12.

PLANNING YOUR HOLIDAY

Planning your trip involves a commitment from everybody in your group.  You need to organise the deposit to confirm the booking, plan what food to bring, organise any additional activities such as winery tours, night eco tours and water toys such as ski boats, dinghies or canoes.

We suggest that you look at the following suggestion to ensure that you have covered all aspects of the holiday.

1.  Choosing your date

The first thing you need to organise once you have chosen your group is to decide on a date for which you would like to travel.  Depending on the requirements of those in your group, we suggest that you get an idea of what time of the year best suits your group and decide for how long you would like to travel.  Once you have done this we suggest that you contact us to let us know what size boat you would prefer and approximate travel dates and from there we can give you the availability of the boats that suit your requirements for the time you'd like to go.  

From there you can then go back to your group and discuss the available options and decide which date best suits your group.  As soon as you have decided on a date we suggest that you make a reservation to ensure that you don't miss out.  It's best to have a second and third option decided in case your first choice is not available. 

2.  Arranging your payment

Once you have decided on a date and confirmed with us that this is available then we can make a tentative booking with you to hold the booking.  We would then require a deposit of (generally $600) to confirm the booking which is payable within 3 days of making the booking.  

We strongly suggest that you get a financial contribution from everyone in the group which not only makes it easier for you to plan the booking but also tends to ensure that they will be less likely to change their mind down the track.  If someone in your group hasn't paid a deposit and backs out it puts more pressure on the rest of the group travelling and it's best to cover all aspects and make them put their money where their mouth is so to speak.  This way you know who definitely wants to join you on the trip.

As mentioned previously, you'll be required to pay a deposit within 3 days of making a booking and your final balance is due no later than 8 weeks prior to your trip.  To ensure the final payment can be paid on time, it is best to give your group plenty of notice as to when the payment is due and how much money you need to collect from each person. The final balance needs to be paid as one amount so it is up to the hirer to collect the monies and forward payment to Unforgettable Houseboats by the due date.

We accept cheques, money orders or credit cards so your method of payment is up to you  depending on what is easiest for you.

3.  Planning your water toys

If you or someone in your group has a ski boat, fishing boat or dinghy then it's definitely worth considering bringing it along with you on your houseboat holiday.  Each boat is equipped with a side towing arm which means you can simply hook your boat up to the side of the houseboat and this can be towed safely alongside the houseboat as you travel.

If you don't have a boat then you may like to consider hiring one from us.  We have ski boats and dinghies for hire at very reasonable prices.  Under South Australian Law, a motor boat licence is required to drive these boats due to their potential speed so if you don't have one then contact us and we can send you the relevant information you need to study to sit the test.  It's that easy!

Water activities are a very popular activity whilst on your houseboat.  Whether it be water skiing, jet skiing or canoeing, it's definitely an option worth considering to heighten your river holiday.  For further information on prices and options, click here.

4.  Planning your food

There are many options for planning your food depending on your group and what they would prefer.  We strongly suggest that you purchase all of your food and drinks prior to boarding the houseboat as you are limited with availability once you head off up the river.  There are many towns along the way with general stores but they are fairly restricted in the goods they offer having basic grocery lines but not enough to rely on for purchasing each day's requirements.

Most groups will sit down together and work out a suggested menu and have one particular group purchase the necessary food in one go.  This way the cost is just divided up between the number of people on the houseboat and you're not doubling up on everyday items.

Another option is for each couple or family to be assigned a particular meal/s for the duration of the trip.  This can be quite effective because it spreads the work around and allows everyone the opportunity to participate in mealtimes.   

We also offer a very handy service whereby your meat order can be ordered with the local Mannum butcher, Male's Meats, and have it delivered down to your houseboat prior to boarding free of charge.  To download and view their order form, click here. (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader).

Looking for something different?  How about a five star chef to meet your boat and prepare you a meal to remember?  For further information, click here. 

For a completely hassle free start to your holiday, why not use The Floating Gourmet houseboat catering service. Angie will stock your houseboat with all your pre-ordered food and drinks to make your holiday truly Unforgettable! Click here for further information about The Floating Gourmet.

5.  Planning your drinks

Another very important aspect to consider with planning your holiday is the purchasing of your drinks.  

Generally most people will organise and purchase their own alcoholic drinks as tastes can vary so much.  Common drinks such as milk, juices and soft drink will be included in the grocery shopping which will be split out amongst the group.

A very popular option that we offer to assist you in planning your drink requirements is a hassle free ordering facility with Mannum's Pretoria Hotel.  We provide an order form whereby you can order your required drinks, have them delivered free to your houseboat nice and icy cold and they even give you a 5% discount!  If they do not have any particular drinks on their order form they will order them in for you. For further information on the Pretoria Hotel, click here.

Your drinks will be stored in your ice boxes which are located on the boat (generally 2-3 per boat).  We will pack ice into your ice boxes for you depending on your requirements and this cost will be deducted from your security bond at the end of the trip.  This leaves the fridge space free for all of your food because it doesn't take long to fill up the fridges with all the food you'll be bringing on for an indulgent holiday!