Cambridge University Student-Guided Punting Tour

Amazing experience. The captain of the boat was absolutely awesome.

Poorly organized agent at the meeting point has to keep checking who's there has to just remember online booking guests long wait in open sun past scheduled departure. Having a knee injury I asked if I could get a head start walking to the river - No, I'll walk slowly. When we finally did move he took off like a jack rabbit and our group we didn't know each other got strung out in the holiday crowds as he disappeared from sight. The marshalling point was in a field covered with cow patties, in open sun, and once again tickets and party sizes were checked. We were the next to last punt to board from the eroded and steep river bank, and crammed like sardines. Our chauffeur was good, with interesting banter for the mostly disinterested passengers. Despite his skill, the Backs were like dodgems and he couldn't avoid hitting/ being hit by other boats. He helped rescue poles for other drivers, and the whole trip was chaotic. Being a very hot Bank Holiday weekend, and overrun with tourists, my fiancée second visit to England cut short our Cambridge visit after this experience. I recommend to the Alumni group choosing a better meeting point away from crowds, with seats and shade, issue a colour-coded voucher once guests have checked in the first time, and can someone build a better boarding area? simple boardwalk or pier would help. Maybe the Backs need capacity controls and/ or a one-way system - drive on the right or on the left, not dodgem style. Note to ladies: wear jeans dark colour, flat shoes, a wide-brimmed hat, and don't worry about the cow dung. Not suitable for the mobility challenged or other than skinny people.

This was an awful experience. The river was jammed with boats, many by novices flailing around. We were rammed twice, one time the boat skipping the top and hitting me. My son is 6'5 and I am 6'. Despite our size, we were squeezed onto a bench with another man and were cramping in pain half way through. Our guide spoke so softly when he wasn't flirting with the ladies at the front of the boat that we could not hear what little he shared in terms of the sights. It was truly a painful experience that I will never do again.

Having such a short stay in Cambridge made our visit a challenge. This lovely punt tour really made the difference in our experience there. Our captain Jake made all the difference, sharing all of his interesting stories and history of the colleges. So thank you Jake! I highly recommend this boat tour to anyone visiting the Cambridge campus for the first time. Well worth the money.

It was a fun experience. We had 2 seniors/concessions, 2 adults and 2 children age 13 and 9 and I think it was great for everyone. I would recommend a portable mike for the punter- he was lovely and entertaining but so hard to hear and no one in the back could hear him at all. I also thought it would go further down the river, it was semi-crowded and it seemed we just broke free from the crowds and turned back. But it was a great time, pleasant and entertaining.

This trip was fantastic. Rob, the guy who did the punting, was very intelligent, had a great sense of humor and gave us information that you would not commonly find in a guide book. It was probably the most enjoyable 50 minutes of our trip to Cambridge. It was peaceful on the water, the weather lovely. Worth it. Can only recommend.

the local operator herded the visitors for this tour as cattle onto one Punt!..where it should accommodate 4 ppl facing each other, 12 people we were huddled into that tiny Punt, leaving us with crick in our necks....no room to even turn your head as you are stuck so tight ... Punting was to be fun and memorable but it became a sore back and neck and stiff body nightmare..when asked why cant we be accommodated like other Punts in batches of 4, answer was they have lot of people to pack for this slot so they can't....well this isn't a free service and we all paid for it and yet this is how it was organised! i hope viator does some serious talking with them...all my Viator bookings this time were a sad story!!!!

This trip was not organised, I booked and confirmed all on line. I got to the meeting point on time, but they did not have my record. I need to wait for another 1.5 hrs to join another group, which was not nice at all? When we got to the river, again, waited for another 20mins or so then could get on!!!! The Punter named Rob, he was very very good, humorous, explained and told the college stories which was interesting. We felt relaxed even it was only a short boat trip. Apart from not being organised, others should be a credit.

Check in was disorganized, with a group of guides standing around and no apparent interest in us. The guide was great, very knowledgeable and personable. It was a drizzly day and very cold, the blankets were wet, and seat so wet I was soaked through by the time the trip had finished. All that being said I would recommend a trip on a punt to anyone visiting Cambridge, preferably on a dry. warm day.

Fabulous trip! The weather was amazing the day we went so this really made the punting that more incredible. The guide was knowledgeable and friendly.