London · THAMES RIVER CRUISES

Thames River Cruises: 15 Boats Worth Boarding

55 tours  ·  from $14 a head

A boat is the easiest way to see half of London without walking it. These 15 range from a quick hop between piers to dinner on deck and a speedboat under Tower Bridge, all priced and timed.

London Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tour with Optional River Cruise - What the central route gives you
London Bus Tours, London Tours, Thames River Cruises, Tour Reviews, Tours

London Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tour with Optional River Cruise

1.London Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tour with Optional River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 10,803 reviews · 3 hours 35 minutes (approx.) · from $39Our pick

Ride Big Bus London’s double-decker routes past Westminster, St. Paul’s, the Tower, Kensington and more. Hop off to explore, listen to recorded commentary in seven languages, and use onboard Wi-Fi. A one-way Thames cruise comes with 24- and 48-hour tickets, while 48-hour options add walking tours.

“great way to see london. i do this tour everywhere I go. I will say it takes a very long time for bus to complete loop.”

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London: Westminster to Tower Bridge River Thames Cruise - The crew’s commentary is a big part of the value
London Tours, Thames River Cruises, Tour Reviews, Tower Bridge Tours, Westminster Tours

London: Westminster to Tower Bridge River Thames Cruise

2.Westminster to Tower Bridge River Thames Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 6,127 reviews · 30 minutes - 1 hour · from $18

Cruise from Westminster Pier to Butler’s Wharf Pier in about 25 to 30 minutes, passing landmarks such as St. Paul’s Cathedral, Tate Modern and Shakespeare’s Globe. A crew member provides live English commentary, and you can sit on the open deck or inside. Choose a one-way ride or a return trip that requires changing boats.

“A great river trip from Westminster to Tower Bridge, especially as we wanted to visit HMS Belfast. The crew gave a very entertaining “alternative “ commentary, and also recommended as it was exceptionally hot to move into the inside deck where the the view was just as good.”

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London: London Eye, River Cruise, & Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour - Follow the landmarks from Westminster to the City
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London: London Eye, River Cruise, & Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour

3.London Eye, River Cruise, & Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 5,332 reviews · 1 - 2 days · from $74

Pair a 24- or 48-hour Big Bus pass with a London Eye ride and a one-way Thames cruise between Westminster and Tower Pier. You can board at any Big Bus stop, use the app to track buses and choose from three routes. The 48-hour option also includes three guided walks, including Harry Potter and Jack the Ripper tours.

“Harry potter wslking tour with Lea was very informative and kids loved it. We got to see a lot of the city on this walk. Bus was good, but traffic slowed progress to a crawl at times. London eye and river cruise were very enjoyable.”

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London: Tootbus Hop-on Hop-off with optional River Cruise - From Westminster to the Tower by boat
London Bus Tours, London Tours, Thames River Cruises, Tour Reviews

London: Tootbus Hop-on Hop-off with optional River Cruise

4.Tootbus Hop-on Hop-off with optional River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 4,327 reviews · from $41

Ride Tootbus’s open-top buses across three London routes, hopping off at 45 stops for landmarks such as Big Ben, Tower Bridge and Buckingham Palace. Your 24-, 48- or 72-hour ticket includes multilingual audio, child-friendly English and French commentary, live tracking and four self-guided walks. Add a one-way City Cruises trip between Westminster and Tower Pier.

“I enjoyed it very much a good guide a small group and the sun came out I would highly recommend the tour 😀”

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High-Speed Thames River Speedboat in London - Tower Bridge, the Globe and the Docklands run
London Tours, Thames River Cruises, Tour Reviews

High-Speed Thames River Speedboat in London

5.High-Speed Thames River Speedboat in London

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,971 reviews · 50 minutes (approx.) · from $90Top rated

Board at the London Eye Pier for a 50-minute Thames ride with a skipper, lifejacket and guide. Hear London stories and British songs as you pass Big Ben, the Globe and Tower Bridge, then feel the boat reach up to 30 knots near Canary Wharf. Groups are capped at 12; guide names and departure times vary.

“This was great and totally worth the time and money. London from a different point of view, the wind in your hair and an entertaining and informative guide. Five stars all around. Brilliant!”

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London: Thames River Cruise with Optional London Eye Ticket - From Parliament to St Paul’s
London Eye Tickets, London Tours, Thames River Cruises, Tickets, Tour Reviews

London: Thames River Cruise with Optional London Eye Ticket

6.Thames River Cruise with Optional London Eye Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3,900 reviews · 45 minutes - 1.5 hours · from $20

Set off from London Eye Pier for a roughly 40-minute return cruise toward Tower Bridge, passing Big Ben, St Paul’s Cathedral, Shakespeare’s Globe and the Tower of London. An English-speaking guide shares facts and jokes, with names such as Mitch, George and Josh earning special praise. Choose the cruise alone or add a London Eye ticket, subject to availability.

“George was great !! So funny and learnt so many things about London!”

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London: Big Bus Hop-on, Hop-off with Optional River Cruise - Make landmark stops count
London Bus Tours, London Tours, Thames River Cruises, Tour Reviews

London: Big Bus Hop-on, Hop-off with Optional River Cruise

7.Big Bus Hop-on, Hop-off with Optional River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 3,875 reviews · 1 - 2 days · from $35

Tour London by hop-on hop-off bus across three routes and more than 50 stops, with multilingual audio commentary. The 24- and 48-hour options include a one-way Thames cruise; 48-hour tickets add guided walks, and an optional evening tour shows the city after dark.

“Loved it… we were able to experience all the sights and sounds of London. Very informative and touched on all the key points”

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London Tootbus Hop on Hop off Bus Tour and Thames River Cruise - The Thames cruise is a worthwhile change of pace
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London Tootbus Hop on Hop off Bus Tour and Thames River Cruise

8.London Tootbus Hop on Hop off Bus Tour and Thames River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 3,834 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $53

Ride Tootbus’s double-decker buses on three London routes, hopping off near Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, St Paul’s, museums, and more. Your pass includes adult and children’s audio commentary, app-based bus tracking, and a Thames sightseeing cruise valid for the same period as your bus pass. Choose a one, two, or three-day option.

“Three lines available to ensure you don’t miss the best bits of London. Yellow is definitely the best line of the three, though! Clean and comfortable buses, friendly and knowledgeable staff - highly recommend!”

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London: Afternoon Tea Cruise on the River Thames - A round trip past the city’s riverside landmarks
London Afternoon Tea, Thames River Cruises, Tour Reviews

London: Afternoon Tea Cruise on the River Thames

9.Afternoon Tea Cruise on the River Thames

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 3,274 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $53

Board a City Cruises riverboat at Tower Pier for a 90-minute round trip toward the Houses of Parliament and back. Enjoy sandwiches, scones with cream and jam, cakes, unlimited tea and coffee, plus live or recorded commentary. Panoramic windows frame the sights, while an onboard bar sells extra drinks.

“had a nice time: staff were attentive and personable. boat tour was smooth. food and tea were tasty.”

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Ghost, Ghouls and Gallows Tour : Guided Tour with Boat Ride - The Thames cruise: a change of scene, not a ghost ship
Guided, London Ghost Tours, London Tours, Thames River Cruises, Tour Reviews, Tours

Ghost, Ghouls and Gallows Tour : Guided Tour with Boat Ride

10.Ghost, Ghouls and Gallows Tour : Guided Tour with Boat Ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3,212 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $29

Meet near Green Park for a 2.5-hour evening walk through ghostly London, from Berkeley Square and the Royal Parks to stories near St. James’s Palace. A Thames boat ride adds nighttime views of landmarks such as the Tower of London. Guides including Marvin, Arne, Murray and Eddie have been praised for lively storytelling, though the mood and ghost content can vary.

“Eddie was amazing! Punctual, knowledgeable, and hysterical. Highly recommend this tour. The mix of walking and a boat ride was nice.”

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London: River Thames Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Cruise - Westminster to the London Eye
London Bus Tours, London City Tours, London Tours, Thames River Cruises, Tour Reviews

London: River Thames Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Cruise

11.River Thames Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 3,112 reviews · 1 day · from $33

See London from an all-weather, wheelchair-friendly boat, with live crew commentary and a bar selling drinks and snacks. Your 24-hour ticket lets you hop on and off at Westminster, the London Eye, Tower Pier and Greenwich. Highlights include Big Ben, Tower Bridge and the Cutty Sark. Sailings run daily except Christmas Day, with times subject to river conditions.

“Great experience good value for money and the guys on board running it was excellent very informative and amusing much better than an audio recording”

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Westminster to Greenwich Sightseeing Thames Cruise in London - Greenwich deserves more than a quick look
Greenwich Tours, London City Tours, London Tours, Thames River Cruises, Tour Reviews, Westminster Tours

Westminster to Greenwich Sightseeing Thames Cruise in London

12.Westminster to Greenwich Sightseeing Thames Cruise in London

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,969 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $22

Sail east from Westminster Pier to Greenwich on a roughly one-hour Thames cruise, with live commentary and Wi-Fi audio in six languages. Look for Big Ben, St Paul’s, Shakespeare’s Globe and Tower Bridge, then explore Greenwich on foot. You can book a return cruise, too. Local attractions are not included in the fare.

“Good value for money. But don’t expect much from the food/beverage bar, other than plain coffee. Wine is barely drinkable.”

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London: River Thames Evening Cruise with Bubbly and Canapés - What the two-hour route gives you
London Night Tours, London Tours, Thames River Cruises, Tour Reviews

London: River Thames Evening Cruise with Bubbly and Canapés

13.River Thames Evening Cruise with Bubbly and Canapés

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 2,493 reviews · 2 hours · from $37

Board at Tower Millennium Pier for a two-hour Thames cruise past riverside landmarks, including Tower Bridge and the London Eye. You can watch from the open-air deck or the saloon, with canapés, one sparkling wine or soft drink, and live music. It is a scenic ride, not a guided history tour.

“Fabulous experience. The river was calm, the boat was not too crowded, Music was pleasant, canapés were delicious, and the view spectacular.”

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London: River Thames Dinner Cruise - Dinner underway, with London passing outside
Dining Experiences, Dinner Experiences, London Tours, Thames River Cruises, Tour Reviews

London: River Thames Dinner Cruise

14.River Thames Dinner Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 2,159 reviews · 3 hours · from $94

Spend three hours aboard a dinner boat sailing from Westminster to the Thames Barrier and back. You’ll get a welcome glass of sparkling wine, a three-course British dinner, tea and coffee, and live music with optional dancing. The route pairs central London landmarks with modern sights such as Canary Wharf and the O2 Arena. Singers vary, and vegetarian meals need advance notice.

“Amazing experience! really enjoyed it… the food was delicious and the whole atmosphere was classy. The staff was really good too”

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London River Thames Lunch Cruise - The river route and its headline sights
London Tours, Lunch Experiences, Thames River Cruises, Tour Reviews

London River Thames Lunch Cruise

15.London River Thames Lunch Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,817 reviews · from $55

Board at Tower Pier for a 105-minute Thames cruise past Tower Bridge, the Shard, the London Eye and the Houses of Parliament. Your fare includes a two-course lunch, tea or coffee, and audio commentary. You’ll have an assigned table in a refurbished vessel with panoramic windows, plus a bar for other drinks.

“The whole cruise was great, lunch was lovely. Had a great time”

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New in Thames River Cruises

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★ 4.5The Original Harry Potter Film Locations Tour : with Boat RideFrom $37246 reviews
★ 3.5London Eye Ticket, Big Bus Hop-on Hop-Off Tour & River CruiseFrom $82275 reviews
★ 5.0Speedboat Sightseeing: Embankment OR Westminster Pier -45 MinutesFrom $79288 reviews
★ 4.0London Vintage Bus Tour Including River Thames Cruise with Optional LunchFrom $85286 reviews
★ 4.5VIP Early Access Opening Ceremony Tower of London & River CruiseFrom $164282 reviews
★ 4.870-Minute Thames Barrier Speedboat TourFrom $99308 reviews
★ 4.5Tower of London: Guided Tour with Thames River CruiseFrom $69360 reviews
★ 4.5Harry Potter Walking Tour with Thames River CruiseFrom $36370 reviews
★ 5.0Hot Tub Boat Tour in London – London’s most unique tourFrom $62388 reviews
★ 5.0Speedboat Tour Through Heart of the CityFrom $66387 reviews
★ 4.2Uber Boat Single Trip and London Cable CarFrom $29374 reviews

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