Nymphea

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Nymphea
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Name: Nymphea
Owner: European Waterways, LTD
Operator: European Waterways, LTD
Port of registry: Vermenton
Route: River Cher in the Loire Valley
Launched: 1921
Christened: Nymphea
Status: In service
General characteristics
Class and type: Commercial passenger vessel
Tonnage: 80 tons
Length: 24.5 m (80 ft)
Beam: 4.20 m (13.8 ft)
Height: 3.15 m (10.3 ft)
Draught: 1.0 m (3.3 ft)
Decks: 2
Installed power: 10kva Hawher Siddeley
Propulsion: DAF 615, 120 hp
Speed: Maximum 14 knots
Capacity: 6 passengers
Crew: 3 crew
Notes: Holds 3 tons of water, 1 tons of fuel

The Nymphea was built in 1921 to carry cargo along the canals of Europe and is a classic Dutch design with shallow draft. She presently serves as a luxury hotel barge, owned and operated by European Waterways.

History

She originally carried hops and barley to a brewery in the north of Holland from Rotterdam and returned with bottles and barrels of beer. One round trip per week. The owner had 7 children and lived in the bow cabin with his wife, and at maximum, 5 of them at a time.

She was first converted in 1978 to carry 20 scouts in hammocks. She was converted to a hotel barge in 1985.

The barge has traveled from Holland to Bordeaux on most of the French waterways. She pioneered barging on the southern Canal du Nivernais and the River Seille. She has also been to Barcelona and Monte Carlo by sea. When moved in 1990 to the River Cher, she was transported at 82 km/hr on an enormous trailer.

In 2005, part of the Rick Stein's French Odyssey for the BBC was filmed onboard.

She presently plies the River Cher.

The Barge Today, A Boutique Hotel Barge

Nymphea currently has 3 double cabins allowing her to carry up to 6 passengers. She also has separate crew quarters which house the crew of three. Deck plan The crew consists of the captain and pilot, chef, and tour guide.[1][2][3]

External links

References

  1. Steven B. Stern (2004). Stern's Guide to the Cruise Vacation 2005. Pelican Publishing Company. ISBN 978-1589802407. 
  2. Kay Showker; Bob Sehlinger (2007). The Unofficial Guide to Cruises. Wiley. ISBN 978-0470087916. 
  3. Shirley Slater; Harry Basch (1997). Fielding's Worldwide Cruises 1998. Fielding Worldwide. ISBN 978-1569521564.