• Travel Tips
• Travel Insurance
• Booking Conditions

Your experience will include two seas, one river, three canals, eight lakes and 66 locks. The shipping line is a member of the Stromma Group, a company oriented towards unique travel experiences and with a long tradition in the preservation and operation of historic vessels. You have a wide range of choices when planning your journey on the Gota Canal this summer. Enjoy a cruise with the Gota Canal Steamship Company on the most spectacular waterway in Sweden and one of the foremost civil engineering achievements in the world - the Gota Canal.

Our sailing list contains 2, 4 and 6-day cruises, as well as air-inclusive packages, all of which will give you memories to cherish for many years to come. Between Gothenburg and Stockholm you can choose from four or six days cruise. The traditional cruise in either direction between Gothenburg and Stockholm has been on the schedule almost every year since the shipping line was established in 1869. On the shorter cruises, the ship usually travels on during the night while you are asleep; only one night is spent in harbor. The longer cruises allow time for more stops and shore excursions along the way. The choice of stops is determined by the direction in which you are traveling. Between Motala and Soderkoping you can enjoy the beautiful eastern section of the Gota Canal from the deck of M/S Diana on a two day cruise. The cruise takes you from Motala on Lake Vattern to the idyllic town of Soderkoping, or vice versa. On the way, you pass Borensberg with its well known Gota Canal Hotel, two aqueducts, Lake Roxen and Lake Asplangen, and Berg with an impressive flight of 11 locks.

Boarding is done at the earliest one hour and no later than 15 minutes before departure. The ship guide welcomes you at the gangway, after which the crew will assist you with your luggage to your cabin.

The ship's guide holds daily information meetings in three languages (Swedish, English and German) to let you know what is going to happen during the day, tell you the history of the canal and the local sites, as well as provide practical information. The guide is available throughout the cruise and even leads some of the shore excursions on the four and six day cruises.

Seating for meals will be arranged by the crew. Please go to the dining room to check out your placement as soon as possible after boarding.

The menu at lunch and dinner is fixed, with two courses for lunch and three for dinner. Though the kitchen has high ambitions, space on board makes it impossible to offer an a la Carte menu. A generous breakfast buffet is served every morning except on departure day.

Dietary and special food is available, for example vegetarian or diabetic, if you notify us at least three weeks in advance.

The dining room, saloon and bar are on the shelter deck, the bar and the saloon being one. There is neither radio nor TV on board. The ship's library and kiosk are found in the ship's saloon. The library contains varied non-fiction in Swedish, English and German, including information on the canal and its surroundings. We try to supply the library with Swedish dailies along the travel route. There is a small onboard kiosk with maps, books, postcards, souvenirs, clothing, film, candy and ice cream.

The cabins are charming, but small. With the exception of the cabins on the main deck of M/S Diana (and a few other cabins), they are fitted with bunk beds and are about the size of a sleeping compartment on a train. The cabins have a washbasin with hot and cold water. There are showers on all decks, except for shelter deck on M/S Diana, and toilets on all. Due to the limited space, we recommend that you only bring a travel wardrobe and a medium sized bag to push under the berth. Large suitcases can be stored in a luggage room on board. As the berths vary in length, we ask that you tell us ahead of time if you are above medium height.

The ships have 220V outlets in all cabins.

Clothing chosen for daytime wear should be comfortable as much of the time is spent outdoors. Do bring warm and a windproof jacket, but also your summer wardrobe. We recommend walking shoes for the excursions. Tradition has it that the guests change to something a bit more formal for dinner, but there is no need to bring a suit.

The guided excursions are most often on foot and require that you can manage a normal walking pace.

Walking, jogging and cycling along the old towpaths beside the Gota Canal are popular activities. You can borrow one of the ship's bicycles for an exploration along the waterway.

Paying on board for such things as mealtime drinks, kiosk purchases and bar expenses are charged on the cabin. The bill is then cleared on the last day either in cash (SEK) or using the most common credit cards (VISA, American Express, EuroCard, Master Card and Diners Club).

Safety instructions are supplied at the information meeting on the first day of the cruise.

Children must be at least seven years old and sleep in a separate berth. There are no child discounts.

Physical barriers on board that might affect physically-challenged persons include high thresholds, steep stairways and the fact that most shore excursions are made on foot. For this reason physically-challenged individuals should indicate this when booking and bring along a personal companion.

Smoking is only permitted outdoors at the places so marked. Safety prohibits smoking in the cabins, dining room and saloon.

Cell phones use should be avoided on board, for everyone's pleasure and relaxation. There is time enough ashore when the ship docks.

Special needs and any complaints should be brought to the ship's guide at once. Problems can often be solved!

Long-term parking is not available at the quay in either Gothenburg or Stockholm. However, the shipping company can provide information about parking possibilities.

Discount for two-way travel: 20% discount is given on the return journey when booking a two way cruise (only 4-day cruises). Note that the cost for overnight hotel accommodation in Gothenburg or Stockholm is additional.

Arrival times are approximate, as weather and traffic conditions can cause some delays. For that reason you should arrange to have a good time margin for continued travel on the day of arrival. The shipping company can not be held responsible for any additional costs in conjunction with delays that are beyond the company's control.

If you are in need of a taxi when the ship arrives, contact the ship's guide on the day before docking. There is no taxi station at the quay in either Stockholm or Gothenburg, for which reason it can be difficult to flag a taxi in the vicinity.

The Gothenburg quay is located at Packhuskajen 10 (near Casino Cosmopol) and the Stockholm quay at Skeppsbrokajen 103 (opposite First Hotel Reisen).

Hotel rooms can be arranged in centrally located first-class hotels in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Motala and Soderkoping.

A warm welcome to an unforgettable cruise on the Göta Canal!