Christmas Canal Cruise

A Peaceful Winter Voyage

Escape the December rush and enjoy a serene winter journey along the historic Exeter Canal with our Christmas Canal Cruise. Departing during the festive season, this tranquil, one-way excursion glides from Exmouth past peaceful winter scenery and local wildlife right into Exeter’s historic Quayside. Operating at reduced passenger numbers to guarantee every guest a cosy seat in our warm, heated lower saloon, it includes a warm local mince pie and a festive drink for an exceptional, value-for-money winter day out.

🕒 Cruise Duration2hours 30mins (one way)

📍 Departure PointExmouth Marina or Exeter Quay

All Fares£15.00

🍷 Optional Extra: Homemade Mulled Wine & Mince Pie

Groups (15+ adults): £13.00 _{Click here for group bookings}

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Trip Description FAQs Recent Reviews Group Bookings

Trip Description

A Gentle, One-Way Winter Journey to Exeter Quay

For those seeking a calm, atmospheric day out during December, our Christmas Canal Cruise offers a wonderfully peaceful alternative to busy high streets. This unique one-way trip sails from Exmouth and navigates the quiet, reed-lined waters of the Exeter Canal, dropping you directly at Exeter’s historic Quayside. It is a fantastic, scenic way to travel into, or from, the city for some Christmas shopping or a festive lunch, with excellent public transport links available at the Quay for an easy return journey back to Exmouth or Exeter.

Guaranteed Indoor Comfort with Reduced Numbers

To ensure a completely relaxed and spacious experience for everyone on board, we operate our Christmas Canal Cruises at reduced passenger numbers. This means there is ample room and guaranteed seating for every single guest inside our warm, heated lower saloon. You can settle into total warmth, enjoy your food and drink, and take in the panoramic winter views through our full-length windows without feeling crowded. If you fancy the fresh winter air, you can wrap up warm on the upper deck to watch the world drift by.

Warm Mince Pies & Festive Drinks Included

To complement the gentle journey, every ticket includes a delicious, warm local mince pie alongside a choice of festive drink. You can sip on a steaming glass of mulled wine, a creamy hot chocolate, or a hot tea or coffee served with a friendly smile by our crew. Our fully licensed onboard bar is also open throughout the trip, serving local Bays Brewery ales, Sandford Orchards cider, wines, and soft drinks.

Why Choose Our Christmas Canal Cruise?

Guaranteed Indoor Seating: Reduced passenger capacity ensures plenty of space and a warm, indoor seat for everyone.
Unique One-Way Route: A scenic, relaxing way to travel from Exmouth straight into Exeter’s historic Quayside. Or choose to board in Exeter and to depart within Exmouth Marina.
Mince Pie & Festive Drink Included: Enjoy a warm local mince pie and mulled wine, hot chocolate, or tea/coffee with your ticket.
Tranquil Inland Waters: Experience the peaceful, mirror-like beauty of the Exeter Canal during the winter months.
Exceptional Value for Money: A complete, high-quality winter outing combining scenic canal cruising, seasonal treats, and drinks.

Our Christmas Canal Cruises sail on strictly limited dates throughout December and, due to reduced capacity for guest comfort, spaces fill up very quickly. We strongly recommend booking online in advance to secure your seats on board.

FAQs

The Canal Experience

Question: What makes the Christmas Canal Cruise unique? Answer: This cruise takes you through the historic Exeter Ship Canal, the oldest man-made ship canal in the country. You will experience the manual operation of the locks and enjoy the peaceful, scenic countryside between Exmouth and Exeter, all decorated with a festive touch.

Question: Is there a commentary during the cruise? Answer: Yes. Our skipper provides a live, informative commentary throughout the trip, sharing the fascinating history of the canal, the engineering of the locks, and the local wildlife of the River Exe Estuary.

Question: How long is the Christmas Canal Cruise? Answer: The cruise typically lasts approximately 2 hours 30 minutes. This allow's ample time to navigate the canal's lock system and soak in the tranquil winter scenery.

Booking & Suitability

Question: Where does this cruise depart from? Answer: Our Christmas Canal Cruises are "one-way" trips that can depart from either Exmouth Marina or Exeter Quayside. Please check your booking confirmation carefully to confirm your specific departure point and time.

Question: Is a return journey included? Answer: No. These are one-way cruises. Most passengers enjoy a scenic train journey back to their starting point via the Avocet Line, which runs regularly between Exeter and Exmouth and offers lovely views of the estuary and ensures plenty of time to explore before or after the cruise.

Question: Is this cruise suitable for children and seniors? Answer: Yes. This is a very steady, relaxed cruise that is popular with all generations. It is an excellent choice for families and history enthusiasts looking for a calm festive outing. This is also an ideal cruise for groups and coach operators.

Comfort & Facilities

Question: What festive treats are included with my ticket? Answer: Every adult ticket includes a glass of warm mulled wine and a tasty mince pie. Children are provided with an alternative and a mince pie to enjoy during the journey.

Question: Will I be warm on the boat? Answer: Yes. Our vessels feature large, undercover heated lower decks with panoramic windows. You can stay warm and dry while watching the canal banks go by, no matter the winter weather.

Question: Can I pay by card at the bar? Answer: Yes, we accept card payments. However, as signal can be intermittent along certain stretches of the canal, we strongly recommend bringing some cash as a backup to ensure you can be served at the bar without delay.

Question: Are dogs allowed on the Christmas Canal Cruise? Answer: Yes. Well-behaved dogs on leads are very welcome on board our canal cruises free of charge.

Recent Reviews

Stuart Line Cruises

4.8

Based on 560 reviews

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Patricia M.

2 months ago

This is a brilliant experience. I have booked a few outings with the Stuart line in all weathers and it's always great. The staff are amazing and the coastline/river is so different when seen from the water. And when the weather isn't cooperating properly, the boats facilities are fantastic. We always have our dog with us as well, who is made just as welcome. Highly recommend

Bob H.

2 months ago

Always try to have a trip with them, have done the jurassic coast trip, river Exe trip and did the Torquay and Brixham yesterday 28/05/26. Cant fault any of these for the money charged, we paid £16 each yesterday for a trip that lasted from 11am through to 18:30 in the evening, with 2 hours on shore in Brixham, plus the bonus of seeing dolphins on the way back, hence the later than expected arrival back in Exmouth. Crew really helpfull and knowledgeable about the area. Definitely will go again as relaxing day out.

Roo

6 months ago

Such a great day! Went on the winter birds cruise today and it was brilliant. The person doing the commentary on the birds (sorry I forgot their name) was super knowledgeable and the trip was all round fantastic, the small bar is also very reasonably priced! Saw a peregrine falcon chasing a flock of avocets - absolutely majestical! Cant recommend highly enough, the work they are doing for nature and conservation of the river mouth is really awesome. Hats off.

Mark

8 months ago

Had another fabulous BirdWatching Cruise on 02/12/25 with a day of clear blue skies and a fabulous array of wonderful wildlife on the Exe. As per previous trips the crew and guide were excellent and made for 3 hours of a thoroughly enjoyable and enriching experience. The hot chocolate and pasty was most welcome and I can’t recommend these cruises enough and they offer terrific value as well.

Mel P.

8 months ago

We had a fabulous guided bird watching trip today. The weather was superb as was The Pride of Exmouth, all the staff and our bird guider for the trip. Stuart Lines really do think of everything to make sure everyone has a great experience . 5 stars from us. Thank you

Derek M.

9 months ago

I attended an excellent Stuart Line guided bird watching cruise from Exmouth to Topsham and back. The Pride of Exmouth was in superb condition, the ornithologist's commentary and interaction with visitors was great, the crew members were helpful and friendly, the range of refreshments was excellent and the bathroom facilities were better than any I've seen on similar boats. Exmouth and the River Exe are beautiful places to visit at any time, but the thousands of migratory birds (and a few seals) are an added attraction always worth seeing over the winter. The cruise was not expensive and better than good value for money.

I have no hesitation in recommending a trip with Stuart Line Cruises if you want to enjoy a relaxing experience in beautiful surroundings.

Michael C.

9 months ago

Had a wonderful cruise down the river Exe today on the Pride Of Exmouth which is run by Stuart Line Cruises.
Very lucky to find something to do that's open or still operating in the winter. Adult price was less than £10 absolute bargain. The cruise itself was around one and half hours.
On board there is a heated cabin and an open air deck above. Toilets are also on board as is a little gift section by the cafe which has a licenced bar.
As its winter we indulged in a hot mince pie and mulled wine. A big thankyou to all the great staff and the captain. All in all great value for money with an outstanding professional company.

Henry J.

10 months ago

Stuart Line were absolutely fantastic! From the moment we contacted the office to the actual event, the team could not have done any more for us. Amanda in the office is an absolute gem to work with.
On the day, the boats arrived for our wedding on time, they were clean and the staff were impeccable! They were playing the music we'd requested and the whole journey was seamless. Our guests had a fabulous time and very much enjoyed the prosecco we purchased through Stuart Line.
The bees knees of wedding transport! I would give more stars if I could!

Elaine H.

10 months ago

We booked a short trip on the Tudor Rose to scatter my husband's ashes at sea, and his mum's ashes too. We were well looked after by Will and Kev who made sure we knew what we were doing and were so friendly. We had 4 small children with us, who loved the trip and it was so much nicer than an ordinary funeral. We scattered the ashes with petals and roses and the children blew bubbles - a lovely way for them to say goodbye to their grandad who loved the sea and boats and especially Budleigh Salterton. We then raised a glass to Geoff and Buddy and the children had ice-cream. We were lucky with the weather too, a great tribute and fitting way to remember them both.
Thank you Will and Kev, and Amanda who helped us to make the arrangements. I can't recommend Stuart Line Cruises highly enough.

David P.

11 months ago

Had a wonderful cruise along the coast complete with cream tea. Scones were already loaded with cream and jam yes, but I can,t see how you could do it yourself on bouncing boat at sea. Very informative commentary. All crew were very happy and helpful. Can,t wait to visit again for another trip. Thanks for a lovely afternoon! I even got a September sun tan

Georgina C.

11 months ago

Second time we did a trip and it was as good as the first.
Very easy to book and very organised. The captain gave us a good commentary on the way out. The facilities on board are good. There is a bar serving hot and cold drinks and snacks (crisps/choc bars). You can go and get them yourselves or wait for someone to come and take your order.
We were on the upper deck which was outside and were given blankets and umbrellas as the weather was a bit changeable. You could also go inside where it was dry and warmer.
I really recommend them for a lovely day out.

Joanne R.

1 year ago

We booked a private Cruise for the Exetraordinary Women WI Summer Party and had the most amazing evening. The booking process with Amanda was so smooth and professional and nothing was too much trouble. The catering options were very good and we went for the BBQ. It was all cooked fresh on the boat and was excellent with great quality burger, sausage and salad. There were even leftovers so people could have seconds. The vegetarian option was just as good and everyone was so pleased for the price. The bar staff were very efficient and the bottles of wine came out chilled all night - perfect.
Overall we had an amazing night and are looking to book next year as it was such a success and would certainly recommend them for a great evening cruise.

Group Bookings

Stuart Line Cruises would like to extend a very warm welcome to group organisers, tour operators and couriers. Allow us to share with you some fantastic excursion ideas, which are specially designed for groups of 15 people or more with suggested itineraries at special discounted rates.

Stuart Line Cruises is an award-winning, family-run business, operating on the River Exe and along the East Coast and South Devon coastlines, from the traditional seaside town of Exmouth, in Devon.

Now running over 50 years, we passionately believe that the River Exe and nearby coastlines of the Jurassic Coast and English Riviera are unrivaled in terms of history, beauty and wildlife and cannot wait to share them with you.

If you are interested in taking this cruise as part of a group, please contact us. We look forward to welcoming you.