Travel Agents

As the Barge Lady, I have been working with travel agents since 1985 and welcome your inquiry. In fact, I was a retail agent for seven years before going into European canal barging. This experience will help me understand your needs better than anyone else on the net!

Here are exclusive Barge Lady services which will help you and your client select and book that PERFECT barge cruise:

INSTANT AVAILABILITY AND FOLLOW UP

We are headquartered in downtown Chicago, Illinois - ideally positioned to respond instantly to e-mail at ellen@bargelady.com and calls to 800-880-0071.Our hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Central Standard Time. (We sometimes stay even later and are often in on Saturday, too.)

WE MAIL BROCHURES PROMPTLY

We understand that many of your clients do not want to buy from a web site! They like to hold a brochure in their hands and peruse, either by themselves or with a group of friends or family with whom they want to travel. So, based on you qualifying your clients, we will identify the right barges and will mail brochures the day we hear from you.

KNOWLEDGE AND OPINIONS

As your consultant, I offer the knowledge and opinions of a travel PROFESSIONAL with thirty years experience! My staff and I visit the barges regularly - in fact I have traveled to France at least thirty times - as well as to barges in England, Ireland, Holland, Germany and Scotland. When you pull up any individual barge, note the date last visited. We are completely unbiased. We do not own shares in any barge nor does any barge pay us to recommend them. Over the years we have dropped vessels that do not meet our standards - and introduced many hotel barges that do.

OUR RATING SYSTEM

We created the barge rating system now in widespread use - particularly by our competitors. The ratings of Ultra-Deluxe, Deluxe, First Class and Casual are clearly explained on our site. This strategic system will help you to qualify your clients, and even more importantly, will assure that they get the barge cruise that they are EXPECTING.

COMPLETING THE BOOKING

We accept Visa, Mastercard and American Express. We will immediately provide information to give to your clients on what to wear and what to expect. We are always here to consult on any detail. We send very detailed boarding documents to arrive no later than four weeks before departure and after your customers return, a follow up questionnaire.

WE HOPE TO WORK WITH YOU OVER AND OVER

Many of our agents have been working with us for years - and that is how we like it!

SATISFIED AGENTS ARE THE BEST ADVERTISEMENT!

"I do hope that we can do more business together. Always a pleasure to work with a professional that knows her market!"

"It was such a pleasure to have Ellen's help with my client's barge cruise in Ireland. She knew all the details that would have been difficult and time-consuming to research on my own. I also appreciated how she responded to all our requests, including the detailed brochures and materials she sent."

"No one knows the barges, itineraries and owners better than The Barge Lady. She is the expert at finding the right barge for your clients"

"My clients just returned from their cruise and raved about the trip, the accomodations, the food, and the company. Thanks again for steering me in the right direction for my valued clients."

Call me and find out why…"Barge cruising is better with The Barge Lady!”

Yours,