Frequently Asked Questions

This will depend on how much notice you have given us when cancelling your booking.

Option 1 – If you cancel with more than 24 hours notice we will offer you either a credit note for the full value (use within 12 months) or a 70% refund.

Option 2 – If you cancel with less than 24 hours you will not be eligible for a refund or reschedule.

COVID-19 – If anyone in your party receives a positive COVID-19 test result you are eligible for a full refund or reschedule (if the new time & date is more expensive then the difference will be due) as long as you meet the following criteria:

1. You must alert us by 9 am on the day of your booking.
2. You must provide proof of a positive PCR test result or positive LFT result which has been uploaded to the NHS website.

For more information see the COVID-19 page.

Please contact us as soon as possible if you are going to be late.

Shared tours can be held for a maximum of 5 minutes. If you are more than 5 minutes late you will miss your departure and will need to repay to book onto a later tour (subject to availability).

If you arrive within 25 minutes of your private punting departure time we can still get you out on the river for a shorter tour time. Please note the boats will need to be back in time to be ready for the next scheduled departure.

Whilst you can just turn up for both shared and private tours we strongly recommend booking in advance online or over the phone with our friendly office team. Our on-the-day rates charged at our river location are significantly higher than our discounted online rates. Additionally, at peak times, there can be a considerable wait time for the next available tour..

If your group is larger than 24 people or you have specific requirements please do contact us to book via invoice or phone.

Once you have completed your booking via our website you will receive an email booking confirmation. Please either bring this with you on a smartphone or printed to show to our cashier on the day. If you have entered a working mobile phone number at the booking stage you will also receive a text message 5 minutes before your booking departure time. You can show this to the cashier on arrival instead of your booking confirmation.

Your booking confirmation will include all of our booking details alongside information on how to find us, parking and a link to our complimentary Cambridge City Guide.

We take bookings over the phone between 9 am and 5 pm 7 days a week. Please call us on 01223 651 659 and press option 2 to speak with our office team. Additionally, invoices can be raised and emailed, facilitating payment to be made via bank transfer or card.

You are very welcome to bring your own food and drinks (including alcohol) onboard. For health and safety reasons please bring plastic glasses/flutes as opposed to glass. If booking a seat on a shared tour, please be considerate of those around you when consuming any refreshments. All rubbish should be taken with you at the end of your tour and disposed of responsibly.

For private chauffeured tours we can provide a selection of delicious picnics (Deli, Brunch, Afternoon Tea and Sushi). We also cater for larger events and can provide bespoke catering quotes on request. Champagne, Prosecco, Alcohol-free Prosecco and Water are available to pre-order on private tours. Additionally, we offer a selection of beers, ciders and soft drinks available for events. For more information on the picnics and drinks which we offer please see our picnics page.

We have no objection to you decorating your boat with balloons/flowers but please be aware that the boat is unlikely to be available before your tour time so any decoration will be within your tour time. Additionally you must remove all decorations at the end of the tour so the boat is ready for the next departure.

Punting is an incredibly safe activity and children of all ages are welcome on our punting tours. That being said we usually advise parents/carers with young children to position the children in the middle of the punts and make sure they are not putting their hands on or over the edge of the punt. The punts are very stable and will not tip over, we have a limited number of children’s life jackets available. Please contact us in advance if you will require children’s life jackets so we can ensure they are available for you.

Punting is extremely safe but we do have a limited supply of children’s life jackets available. If you require a life jacket please contact us in advance so we can ensure we have a life jacket available for you.

You are welcome to leave prams and other bulky items at our punt station. Please note any items will be left at your own risk and we recommend removing any bags/valuables. Alternatively, there is usually space for you to fold up prams/buggies and take them on the boat with you.

There is no minimum age to join one of our punting tours. We do ask that all under 16s are accompanied by an adult. Children under the age of one are not included in the headcount and are very welcome to join our tours.

If online private or shared tour tickets are unavailable for your selected date it will be because tickets have sold out. We have a set number of reduced-price tickets available per day. If online tickets have sold out please do come down to our check-in on the corner of Jesus Green where our cashier will assist you in booking on to the next available departure.

When booking your shared tour ticket you will be asked to select a time and date. If you have booked via a third-party site and have not been given a time please contact us at the office (info@letsgopunting.co.uk) to get booked onto a specific departure to avoid a long wait on arrival.

When booking via a third party you are not given the option to select a departure time. Once you have purchased your ticket please contact us directly (info@letsgopunting.co.uk) to arrange your departure time.

This is entirely up to you, if you feel the service you received from your chauffeur warrants a tip please feel free to do so.

In order to get into our punts you need to be able to step down 5 steps and then down again into the boat (we do have a step which can be installed so it is 2 small steps into the boat if needed). Our punts are fitted with low-raised seating for added comfort. Our chauffeurs and auxiliary staff are on hand to assist customers into the boats as required. See our accessibility guide for more information.

Due to the historic nature of the city council landing staff unfortunately we do not have step-free access. There are 5 steps down to our landing stage. More information can be found in our accessibility guide. Our staff are on hand to help customers who require assistance onto the boats. Please call ahead of time to discuss your requirements.

Unfortunately at this time, we don’t offer self-hire punting, all of our services are guided tours along the River Cam. If conditions allow it is possible for customers to have a go at punting on Private Tours.

On private tours if time and conditions allow you will be able to try punting yourself if you would like to near the end of your tour once the boat is back at Quayside. This is done at your own risk, is only available on private chauffeured tours and is at your chauffeurs’ discretion.

Note: If any social distancing regulations are brought back in then customers will not be allowed to have a go during this time.

At this time we do not offer chauffeured tours to Grantchester. All of our tours are return trips along the college backs.

You can book online up to 20 minutes before the departure time. Please ensure you allow enough time to reach us. Late arrival will result in a missed tour (or a shorter tour in the case of private tours that arrive up to 25 minutes late).

During busier times our online tours will sell out in advance. If you have a specific time in mind we recommend booking early to avoid disappointment.

Dogs are very welcome on private tours. If joining a shared tour we ask that you book a section for up to 6 people if you would like to bring a dog onboard.

The price depends on whether you are booking a private or shared punting tour and the time you are looking to depart. More information can be found on our pricing page but essentially tours are most heavily discounted before 11am when we are at our quietest. We also charge a peak rate during the weekends and school holidays.