"Crystal Symphony Docks at JAXPORT Cruise Terminal for Port of Call" by JAXPORT via Flickr Creative Commons

Recommended Canal and River Cruising Books

Berlitz Worldwide Guide to River Cruises by Douglas Ward
This guide covers river and barge cruising around the world for first timers and the experienced. Includes reviews and descriptions, shore excursions, pictures and maps.
Canal and River Cruising: The I.W.A.Manual by Sheila Davenport
A practical guide about the aspects of cruising canals and rivers in Britain.
Inland Boat Owners Book by Andy Burnett
A guide to inland boating and boat ownership with information on costs, purchasing, maintenance, construction, shared ownership, safety standards and residential boating.
Honey, Let’s Get a Boat: A Cruising Adventure of America’s Great Loop by Ron and Eva Stob
The ultimate book about “loopers” in the USA who navigate the waterways year-round.

Other useful guides for touring British waterways include First Mate Guides, Pearson’s Canal Companions, Nicholson’s Ordnance Survey Guides and Waterways Guides.

Narrow Boating Magazine (http://www.narrowboatmagazine.com)
Magazine that you can order and see partially online looking at aspects of narrow boating on inland waterways in the UK.
Britain’s Waterways - A Unique Insight by GEOprojects
A directory of Britain’s navigable waterways, including those no longer navigable with full color maps and photographs.
A Boaters Guide to Boating by Chris Deuchar
This book includes practical tips from the author’s 30 years of handling boats combing a mixture of old and new waterway techniques.

Useful Canal and River Cruising Websites

General

Gott-a-Travel (http://www.gott-a-travel.com)
Advice on canal boating and ocean cruising, booking services and networking clubs and organizations.
World Canals (http://www.worldcanals.com)
Introduction to waterways country by country, with maps based on those published by Euromapping.
Canals (http://www.canals.com)
Canal Boating in the UK and Europe with some North American information.
Inland Waterways International (http://www.inlandwaterwaysinternational.org)
International organization linking people with waterways interests worldwide.
Boating for Beginners (http://www.boatingforbeginners.co.uk)
A starting point for newcomers to boating on inland waterways.

North America

American Canal Society (http://www.americancanals.org)
A society to support the use of the many American canals and waterways.
Canal Society of New York State (http://www.canalsnys.org)
Brings together canal enthusiasts from across the state, to learn about the history, development and ongoing activities associated with the Erie and other historic canals.
The Trent-Severn Waterway (http://www.thewaterway.ca)
A cruising guide for the beautiful Trent-Severn Waterway, in Ontario, Canada, which is part of North America’s ‘Great Loop’ circle route.

Australia

Australian Canal Society (http://www.auscanal.org.au)
A society of people with an enthusiasm for canals and other inland waterways at home and around the world, particularly those of the UK and Europe.

Europe

Voies Navigables de France (http://www.vnf.fr)
Manages about two thirds of the 5,282 miles of waterways throughout France, and is preparing new Seine-Nord waterway.
European Waterways (http://www.waterways.cc)
A useful portal to all European Waterways developed by an experienced inland navigator and barge-owner.

British

Waterscape (http://www.waterscape.com)
A huge selection of boating vacations and narrow-boat specialists to choose from.
Canal Mate (http://www.canalmate.co.uk)
Features updates and information about the First Mate travel guides to British waterways.
British Waterways (http://www.britishwaterways.co.uk)
The website of British Waterways, which manages two thirds of the UK’s inland canals and rivers.
Canal Junction (http://www.canaljunction.com)
Canal vacation guide and canal leisure directory of British waterways. Canal maps, canal vacation info, advice plus hundreds of links.

Click here for the Top 10 Canal or River Cruise Vacations around the world