Norfolk Broads Direct Reviews 

2,642
TrustScore 4.5 out of 5

4.5

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Evaluating 180 reviews, reviewers overwhelmingly had a great experience with this company. Customers consistently praise the staff for being friendly, helpful, and welcoming, making interactions pleasant. Many people enjoy fantastic and relaxing holidays, often appreciating the well-equipped, clean, and comfortable boats, along with thoughtful welcome packs and early availability. However, some customers noted issues with the condition and cleanliness of certain accommodations, mentioning tatty furnishings, dirty areas, or mold. A few other people also felt that some boats were showing their age, needing updates or having uncomfortable beds. Specific functional problems, such as non-working appliances, faulty toilets, or missing items, were occasionally mentioned.

What people talk about most

Staff

Reviewers highlight positive aspects of staff, consistently praising their friendliness, helpfulness, and... See more

Product

Customers had ambiguous experiences with product, with some reviewers praising the boats as well-equipped,... See more

Quality

Users describe ambiguous interactions with quality, with many customers praising the cleanliness, comfort,... See more

Holidays

Clients share positive opinions on holidays, with many reviewers describing their experiences as wonderful,... See more

Facilities

People report ambiguous experiences with facilities, with some reviewers praising clean and well-stocked... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Friendly staff. Boat available early. Goody bag most welcome. Extra bedding and towels provided for our second week. Towels could be a little bigger. Boat was immaculately presented as always. Parking... See more

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

A beautiful maintained apartment, fresh and bright, everything you need for a pleasant holiday. Only comment is shower mat could be bigger, very small compared to shower cubicle, for older people a... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Excellent communications & information by email, during and after booking. Friendly, helpful staff, nothing is too much trouble. Modern, well designed and reliable boats. This latest Fair Regal b... See more

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Friendly, helpful staff. Good, basic training for the very inexperienced. Nice welcome pack, including some popular doggy treats. The four berth would have been very intimate for four adults, but gr... See more

Company replied


Company details

  1. Vacation Rental

Information provided by various external sources

With over 125 miles of stunning waterways and vast diverse wildlife to discover we know that a boating holiday has something for all of the family to enjoy. At Norfolk Broads Direct our visitors are our primary focus and we aim to ensure your visit to the Norfolk Broads lives long in the memory.


Contact info

4.5

Excellent

TrustScore 4.5 out of 5

3K reviews

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Asks customers to review

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Replied to 33% of negative reviews

Typically replies within 1 week

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4.5

All reviews

(2,642)

152 reviews in the last 12 months

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Rated 4 out of 5 stars

a great boating holiday

getting onboard and casting off all went very smoothly, having experience and being prior customers helped.
Our biggest issue was that the boats batteries had low voltage, our 50 minute journey to our first nights stop did little to charge them. the fridge wouldn't work at low voltage and our night stop-off didn't have shore power. as we didn't get to a shore power supply until the middle of the next day all our food in the fridge was spoiled. This made a big impact on meals for the next few days. once the batteries had been charged the boats engine kept them charged.
overall we had a fantastic holiday even with the indifferent weather we experienced.

August 1, 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

We both had a fantastic time as usual…

We both had a fantastic time as usual on the broads with the fair president which was extremely spacious for the two of us , we really liked the boat which was very easy to handle however we both thought the boat in places was looking a bit tired especially the window frames and the panoramic sun roof which looked like it hadn't been cleaned in a good while. Overall we have to say the service from NBD and the boat was very good and we will be back..

July 28, 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

NBD totally professional service

From the first contact with NBD (Becky) we were assured that the holiday would be managed by a competent, professional team. From Booking to arriving at the quay communication was excellent. The boat handover was easy and clear thanks to Dylans easy manner and precise instruction. The Broads delivered a delightful, peaceful weekend.

August 1, 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

End-to-end pretty good - very minor picking points

End-to-end, it was good and pretty easy.
Parking was easy. Signage could be better, but no big deal. Queues and waiting to get on the boat were short. The walk through the boat was simple and clear - with videos available beforehand. The boat was great. Bedrooms were very good. Showers and toilets very good and good.
Only fault was one less-than-helpful and terse boatyard person telling us "what we could NOT do" instead of telling us "what to do". But no-one is perfect.

July 26, 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Unforgettable holiday!

We were treated very well from the start upon arrival. The boat was well prepared and clean. The preparation and handover was professional and we were able to leave the port with confidence. The holiday was wonderful and we had an unforgettable experience. One thing we did miss, however, were the gauges for fuel, water and grey water levels, leaving us to constantly guess where we were at. However, this did not spoil our holiday.

July 28, 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 4 out of 5 stars

The Marquess overall was a lovely boat

The Marquess overall was a lovely boat, with a few minor issues.
1. The bow thruster on the upper helm
worked intermittently.
2. The seating at both helms becomes
uncomfortable after a while owing to
the distance from the controls, and
the lack of a back rest.
3. The mattress was uncomfortable.

We would hire the boat again but are
looking for something that solves
some of these issues.

Thank you, yours, Eric.

July 26, 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

We’ve been coming to wroxham for 30…

We’ve been coming to wroxham for 30 plus years and we’ve never had any problems

July 19, 2025
Unprompted review
Norfolk Broads Direct logo

Reply from Norfolk Broads Direct

Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review and for your incredible 30 years of visit to Wroxham. We were delighted to read you found this experience to be problem-free and we hope to see you again next year for another fantastic holiday.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Great place

The accomadation was lovely and very clean and comfortable great place too stay in a beautiful place

July 25, 2025
Unprompted review
Norfolk Broads Direct logo

Reply from Norfolk Broads Direct

Thank you for taking the time to leave us feedback. We were pleased to read you found your accommodation to be lovely and clean - and that you thought Wroxham was a beautiful place to stay (we agree!). We hope to see you again soon.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

15 minute lesson to be in control of a great white shark

We arrived approximately 2.00pm checked in and were contacted approximately 3.40pm to go to boat
Given it was our first time I think the test drive was short and not all that informative given we were away to drive a 50 foot cruiser. We also encountered a few problems outwith our control and called engineer to rectify. Given the cost of hire I would have expected a descent shower and more towels.

July 18, 2025
Unprompted review
Norfolk Broads Direct logo

Reply from Norfolk Broads Direct

Thank you for taking the time to leave us feedback on your recent experience. We value all comments, as they help us to continue improving the service we provide.

We were sorry to read that you felt the handover was a little short, especially as a first-time cruiser. Our handover process is usually highly recommended by our guests, and we provide detailed pre-arrival information to help prepare for your time on board. That said, we absolutely understand that everyone learns differently, and our team are always happy to spend more time during handover or repeat any part of the instruction to ensure guests feel confident before setting off. We’d always encourage anyone who needs a little more time or guidance to let us know, our team will gladly help.

Thank you also for your comments regarding the shower and towels, we’ll take that on board as we continue to review the onboard facilities and inclusions.

We hope, despite the issues raised, that you were able to enjoy your time on the water and we’d love to welcome you back in future to give us another chance to set the hire standard.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Was a great trip

Was a great trip, the Fair President is well appointed and easy to use. The Broads are a great place to visit and just chill out for a few days.

July 25, 2025
Unprompted review
Norfolk Broads Direct logo

Reply from Norfolk Broads Direct

Thank you for taking the time to let us know about your great trip aboard Fair President. We were delighted to read you found the Broads a great place to visit and chill out for a few days. We hope to welcome you back for a longer experience in the future.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Great company would definitely recommend

Fair Regeant 3 for a week - Super communication from start to finish. Run well from moment we got there. From pleasant staff to texting letting us know what was happening. The whole procedure was effortless and flowed superbly well. Great company that includes everything with no hidden extras. Boat was excellent and in a very clean condition and good state. If I was going be picky did find the bed very hard but it’s not a proper bed mattress your on a boat it is what it is you adapt and make do. Boat was perfect for two people, good size spacious airy with lots of windows and a sliding canopy good facilities on board the boat and had everything you need. Loved the welcome pack and bottle of Prosecco. Would definitely recommend and use again a really great company and boat was a brilliant weeks holiday on the broads. Good value for money for the week.

July 21, 2025
Unprompted review
Norfolk Broads Direct logo

Reply from Norfolk Broads Direct

Thank you for your review and recommendation. We were delighted to hear you found our communication to be excellent from start to finish. We're sorry to hear you found the mattress on your cruiser a little firm, we do our best to choose mattresses that will suit as many people as possible, though comfort is always a personal preference. We'll certainly take your feedback into account when the mattresses aboard your cruiser are next due for replacement. We hope to welcome you back for another visit soon.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Good people,good boats but ours was…

Good people,good boats but ours was just beginning to show a bit of age for a premium boat that cost over£2000 for a long weekend! So I can’t give it 5 stars,sorry.
Our double(at stern end) was tiny and incredibly hard.
Bathroom sink very difficult to wash/shave in as under the edge of the boat. Shower ok though.
Mid ship double very hot and cramped as its bed is half under the mid deck. Bow bedroom, two singles probably best room.
But generally well equipped and steers well.
Ludham bridge exciting!!

July 25, 2025
Unprompted review
Norfolk Broads Direct logo

Reply from Norfolk Broads Direct

Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review. We're really pleased to hear you found our team welcoming and that the boat was generally well equipped and handled well.

We're sorry to hear that some aspects of the cruiser didn’t quite meet your expectations, particularly in terms of space and comfort in the sleeping areas. While we strive to maintain all of our cruisers to a high standard, we understand that layout and comfort can vary from boat to boat. Thank you for your comprehensive feedback — we’re always reviewing guest comments, and yours will help guide future updates and refits across the fleet.

We’re glad you enjoyed your stay and we hope to welcome you aboard for a 5 star experience next time.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

A really great boatyard

A really great boatyard. The staff here are amazing - always make you feel really welcome and relaxed, and big smiles all round. The boat selection are great (although not yet managed to get Regal!) and the whole experience exceptional. best boatyard on the Broads

July 19, 2025
Unprompted review
Norfolk Broads Direct logo

Reply from Norfolk Broads Direct

Thank your for your review and for your kind comments on our team and selection of cruisers. We do understand it can be challenging to find availability for our Fair Regal cruisers - they are our most popular cruisers - and they book well in advance. We hope to welcome you aboard again soon.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Excellent boat and service

We had Majesty 1 for four nights, boat was lovely and clean, beds made up and towels provided (although if you are used to larger bath sheets - bring your own), as well as washing up liquid, sponge,J-cloth and tea towels and all kitchen/cooking equipment needed, but we brought our own non-stick pan as we knew from experience, they are not provided. Very efficient check in and out, goody bag was an unexpected bonus, with prosecco, tea, coffee, milk sachets, sugar, biscuits and crisps, also bags of dog treats if taking your dogs. Staff were very friendly and helpful. Only negative comment is that you don’t get reimbursed for fuel you don’t use, which other providers do, we didn’t use much fuel at all so having a refund on the full tank would have given NBD 5 stars!

July 21, 2025
Unprompted review
Norfolk Broads Direct logo

Reply from Norfolk Broads Direct

Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review. We were delighted to read you found both the cruiser and our service to be excellent. We were also pleased to read you enjoyed your welcome pack. We appreciate your feedback regarding the inclusivity of fuel in our holiday price - and how this differs from other operators on the Broads. Our belief is that price you see advertised should be the price you pay, with no hidden costs on the items you will need to enjoy a cruiser holiday such as parking, fuel and damage waiver added at the checkout. We will pass this feedback onto our management team for consideration as we're always looking for the best way to set the hire standard and achieve that 5th star! We hope to welcome you back aboard soon.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

Staff and assistants very nice

Staff and assistants very nice, polite, helpful, knowledgeable.
Unfortunately the boat we had fair empress was less impressive.
I did not like anything about it, visibility in wet weather poor, cleanliness of the boat was not great, cooker, toilets and outside area not very clean.
Mop was dirty.
It cost over £1800 which is quite expensive for 4 days, I don't think this boat was worth it.
It's also quite old and tired.
I

July 21, 2025
Unprompted review
Norfolk Broads Direct logo

Reply from Norfolk Broads Direct

Thank you for taking the time to leave us your feedback. We're really pleased to hear that you found our staff polite, helpful, and knowledgeable, we’ll make sure your kind comments are shared with the team.

We’re very sorry to hear that Fair Empress didn’t meet your expectations. The experience you've described falls short of the standards we set for our fleet, particularly around cleanliness and presentation, and we want to sincerely apologise for that. If any concerns had been raised at the time, our team would have been more than happy to put things right there and then to ensure you were comfortable. Your comments have also been passed on to our turnaround and maintenance teams for review, and we’ll be taking a closer look at the condition of this cruiser to ensure we meet the hire standard we expect of a Norfolk Broads Direct experience.

We understand how important it is to feel that your holiday offers good value for money, and we're sorry this wasn't the case for you on this occasion. We hope this experience won’t deter you from returning to the Broads in the future - we’d love the opportunity to help you select a boat that’s better suited to your preferences and to set the hire standard we are known for.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

More training

More training especially for beginners and what to do if trying to navigate in the boatyard during a storm with minimum visibility. Also a map with public moorings shown.

July 19, 2025
Unprompted review
Norfolk Broads Direct logo

Reply from Norfolk Broads Direct

Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review, we really value all feedback as it helps us to improve our service.

We're sorry to hear that you felt you needed more training. Our handover process is usually highly rated, and our team are always happy to take extra time or repeat any part of the handover to ensure guests feel confident before setting off.

We were also surprised to read your comments regarding the map. Every guest should receive a printed map during check-in, which includes information on mooring locations. In addition, our free mobile app offers a dedicated moorings section to help plan your journey with ease.

Thank you again for your comments. We'll look at how we can better signpost the availability of additional time during the handover and the resources we provide, to ensure future guests have the best possible experience.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

We have really enjoyed our holiday with…

We have really enjoyed our holiday with you it was fantastic everyone so friendly we had a boat it was a lovely experience even my little dog enjoyed himself cotman cottage was really nice but l think you could do with putting a slip mat in the bath because it was slippery when you’re having a shower but all in all wonderful holiday thank you so much

July 12, 2025
Unprompted review
Norfolk Broads Direct logo

Reply from Norfolk Broads Direct

Thank you for taking the time to leave us your feedback. It was wonderful to read both you and your little dog enjoyed your stay with us in Cotman cottage. We hope to see you both again soon.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

This is the third time I have used NBD

This is the third time I have used NBD, and, as experienced previously, their service was first-class. From the time I arrived, I was warmly greeted, despite being two hours early due to travelling from overseas.
After being checked in, I was surprised that I could drive through the barrier to unload my luggage and then wait for the text to say the boat was ready. I had Fair Chancellor for three weeks. Everything was perfect with the boat. Spotless, neatly arranged, with extra towels and linens provided in a plastic bag for later use. As returning customers, the transfer was smooth and swift, and we were quickly on our way.

July 22, 2025
Unprompted review
Norfolk Broads Direct logo

Reply from Norfolk Broads Direct

Thank you for taking the time to leave us feedback and for travelling from overseas to visit the Broads! We're delighted to have delivered another first class experience for you and we hope to welcome you back again soon.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

Fair Jubilee 2

Likes - good handover and secure parking whilst away
Dislikes - this is our fifth broads boating holiday in two years and the first with NBD. Unfortunately the Fair Jubilee 2 left a lot to be desired regarding its cleanliness, dirt in door-runners, stained toilet and musty wet smell throughout the boat. Not the Premier Cruiser it was badged as on their website. Real shame.

July 19, 2025
Unprompted review
Norfolk Broads Direct logo

Reply from Norfolk Broads Direct

Thank you for taking the time to leave us your feedback. We were pleased to read you found the handover to be good and that you felt reassured by having a secure place to park during your holiday.

We were sorry to read your feedback regarding the cleanliness of your cruiser during your stay. We usually receive very positive feedback regarding the cleanliness of our cruisers. The experience you described does not match our high standards. We always encourage customers to raise any issues during the handover of the boat so our team can address them there and then.

Please be assured your comments have been shared with our management and team to ensure any issues are investigated and addressed. We hope you had a good holiday, and we would love the opportunity to welcome you back and set the hire standard that we are known for.

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