A Family Shannon Cruise

In July we headed off on a self-drive boat cruise along the river Shannon with Emerald Star operated by Le Boat. I have always wanted to do a Shannon Cruise and was inspired when family friends of ours had made a trip at the beginning of lock down with a young family, raving about the fun they had and the ease of which it was to travel with the kids.

Many of you may have seen our trip in our stories last Summer and this trip generated the largest number of enquiries and questions we ever received so I will aim to answer as many of these in this post as possible. The most common question we were asked was “what activities there were for children”. Well on this trip while we did do one or two, they need no distraction or means to be occupied as the journey becomes the adventure and the water becomes their playground.

When we first arrived at the pick-up point to check in to our boat we were stunned at the size of the boat as the pictures did not prepare us for the life size version. Emerald Star have a base in Portumna which is an excellent starting point with its large array of shops and restaurants and it’s the perfect spot to stock up for the trip with a great Supervalu in the centre of town. Portumna Castle is open for tours and there is a gorgeous cafe there that you have to visit. The playground is just around the corner and if you are staying the night make sure to check out Modena Restaurant which is a delicious Indian Restaurant that also does takeaway. This is our second visit to Modena as the food is truly delicious.

Our boat was the Elegance model which was spacious and modern easily sleeping up to six. It was sleek and attractive from the outside while well laid out and comfortable on the inside. With three bedrooms, two had twin beds and one a single and small double. Each had storage space, individual climate controls and very roomy en suites with superb shower pressure and temperature controls.

Towels, linen and blankets are provided, and the beds so comfortable, we slept like babies which is testament not only to the gently rocking from the water but comfortable surroundings.

Our generous living area was divided into a kitchenette and a large seating area. The kitchen was decked out in all mod cons with a gas cooker, oven, microwave and fridge. There was always plenty of hot water so no excuses not to wash the wear and most importantly it was spotlessly clean. It was clear, these boats are very well kept and at no time did they feel anyway gritty or unclean. Tea towels, cloths, cutlery and wash up liquid were provided. I made some soup and a shepherd’s pie which I stored in the adequate freezer so I was not fulltime cook and bottle washer for the few days on board. These came in handy as I was surprised at how much they ate out on the water.

The spacious lounge was divided in two with comfortable sofa seating and dining on both sides. The boat also provides WIFI access (at an extra charge) and television with the normal free to air channels.

The large sundeck on top became our main hangout, while Saoirse took full advantage of the vessel’s flat construction with the sun deck spanning the full width of the boat and her own private sun bathing spot to the front. This area was furnished with seating and for an extra charge you can rent cushions and a small BBQ. I would highly recommend the BBQ as each morning I thoroughly enjoyed cooking breakfast while watching the world drift by and keeping up with what’s happening.

Emerald Star operated by Le Boat has a range of different sized boats for different sized groups, ours was the Elegance model which can sleep up to six adults. There are options to suit various budgets too, ours was the mid-range and we were extremely impressed so I can’t imagine what top of the range would be. I did spot a number of the budget ranges along the route and these were perfectly adequate too but may be slightly older. I can’t stress enough that on a trip like this, you spend very little time inside the vessel, life revolves around the outside area and the harbours where you dock.

At the height of the Summer, Lough Derg is the main playing ground for families with many family orientated activities but we chose to travel up the River Shannon first so we could experience a lock. After setting off, our first encounter was Victoria Lock, also known as Meelick Lock. This area is a lively spot with many boats stopping to take in a walk and locals jumping into the water.

As we navigated our first lock with the kids at the helm guided by the lock keeper on how to handle their ropes, I did not realise that this was setting the scene for the holiday to come. The novelty of navigation never waned throughout this trip and the kids bounded out of bed each morning running upstairs to get going out on the water. They spent hours mapping our course, checking for buoys through the binoculars and taking turns to man the steering wheel under Craig’s watchful eye. We spent hours each day chatting idly while taking in the stunning surroundings that makes the River Shannon so famous with foreign and Irish tourists alike.

I think this was one of the rare times that we could include the word peaceful as a word to describe our family holiday. It was relaxed and each crew member had to work together so it was great for the older two, Saoirse (14) and Thomas (12). There was no rush to be anywhere and the kids did not need anything to occupy them but the open water. In fact you almost needed something to alure them back to shore as they would of spent all day navigating and sailing. Once we docked all they wanted was a place to jump into the sea meeting many other kids to splash around with and a playground for the little one which is available at most harbours we chose.

Dromineer is located on the east side of Lough Derg north of Garrykennedy and is a classic holiday village which is a popular spot for boat tourist as it is easy to explore on foot. During the summer months it is a hive of tourist activity as people come to enjoy its marina and relax by the small beach. There is an 11th century tower house which overlooks the harbour and makes for a beautiful sight when approaching. For children, there is a large well equipped playground but it is the large Inflatable Waterpark, Aqua Splash that makes Dromineer a great destination for families on Lough Derg. This aqua park is one of the largest we have seen which was good for kids as there was little pushing and shoving. Aqua Splash also offer a number of other activities such as paddle boats and kayaking.