Go Barging Tees Off With a New Season of Luxury Golf Cruises Through Ireland

February 21, 2007 – Beginning this spring, golfers have a chance to perfect their swing on Go Barging’s exclusive golf barging vacations. Six night/seven day cruises aboard the sleek Shannon Princess II, the largest luxury hotel barge cruising the Shannon River, run April through September.

The breathtaking river route travels through the soul of Ireland from Killaloe to Athlone. Golfers can look forward to playing o’ the green on five celebrated courses. Lahinch Golf Course, more than a century old, is a classic links ranked among the world’s top 100. The prestigious Portumna Golf Club, a traditional parkland course, is considered a hidden gem of Irish golfing. The Atlantic Ocean is a dramatic backdrop and natural water hazard of the Galway Bay Golf Course. The Athlone Golf Club commands spectacular lake views of Lough Ree. Its tree-lined holes put golfers to the test. A round at the Christy O’ Conner-designed Glasson Golf and Country Club completes the week with its many challenges and rewards.

Between all the golf, Go Barging guests cruise in style, pampered by an attentive crew that is known for its high level of service, eye for detail and, of course, Irish hospitality. Dining aboard the Shannon Princess II is a culinary adventure owing to the ship’s masterful chef, a graduate of the renowned Ballymaloe Cookery School in County Cork. Signature dishes such as wild salmon, roast spring lamb and shellfish stew are among the native delicacies. In the “Colleen” saloon, guests can relax with an Irish coffee, a pint of Murphy's on tap or a selection from the barge’s extensive wine cellar.

A Journey Par Excellence
Go Barging’s Shannon Princess II golf cruises also go beyond the game by offering guests a memorable cultural voyage. The waterways of the Irish Midlands are home to some of Europe’s richest landscapes – much of it unchanged in more than a thousand years. Historic sheltered harbors, ancient bridges and Victorian locks are just a few of the highlights only true insiders ever get a chance to experience. The full-length sundeck of the Shannon Princess II is the ideal spot to take it all in.

The Shannon Princess II is a recently refurbished 10-passenger hotel barge that has been specifically adapted to navigate the Shannon River. The spacious and elegantly designed vessel has played host to celebrities, politicians and captains of industry. Private staterooms are handsomely appointed and configured for optimal lakeside views.

Cruise prices are all-inclusive and start at $38,200 for an 8-passenger golf charter. The Shannon Princess II also offers non-golfing cruises, where guests can book individual cabins and join with other like-minded travelers to enjoy a scenic and cultural tour of the Shannon region. The entire vessel can also be chartered for family gatherings or one-of-a-kind business outings.

“The finest golf courses in the world await those who have a true passion for the sport,” said Derek Banks, CEO of Go Barging, a subsidiary of European Waterways. “Ireland’s dramatic terrain and ever-changing scenery makes it a natural choice for golf vacations. Cruising in luxury and gourmet dining between courses ensures the journey is as wonderful and relaxing as the destination.”

About Go Barging
Go Barging is a subsidiary of European Waterways, the largest luxury barging vacation company in Europe, offering vacations in nine countries and carrying approximately 1,700 passengers a year. Founded over 30 years ago, the company designs, builds, owns and operates a private fleet of luxury barges with exclusive cruises in France, Scotland, England, Ireland, Holland, Italy, the Czech Republic, Belgium, and Germany. Pioneers in barging, they were the first company to put a barge on the upper Nivernais, and the “real” Loire Valley.

They are also the only company with a barge in Scotland and on the Venetian lagoon, as well as the first company to offer an Avignon-to-Amsterdam 6-week trans-Europe cruise, a thousand mile journey along Western Europe’s inland waterways. Prices start at $2,150 per person, charters start at $11,450. For more information, pricing and cruise schedules, contact European Waterways at 1-800-394-8630 or on the web at www.gobarging.com.

SOURCE Go Barging