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Take in the best of London’s waterside viewpoints with our Thames River sightseeing cruise, from Tower Bridge Quay to Westminster. We pride ourselves on being a family-run business, ensuring every guest feels welcome the minute they step aboard our boats. Starting in 1999 with just one boat in operation, our fleet has grown exponentially to 20 high-speed Thames river boats, offering services from all major London piers every minutes. Our services cater for everyone from early morning commuters to night-time passengers. There are countless reasons to choose a London River Bus over any other form of transport – choose a Thames river cruise next time you need to travel through London.
Other Unique Thames Cruises
In this post, you’ll learn the differences between cruise offerings and hopefully find the one that’s perfect for your upcoming London trip. No matter how you think about the Thames, it’s an important part of London and its history. Goods are still shipped up and down the river at all hours of the day and night, and passengers board boats to journey along its lengths too. In this post, I’ll cover the latter – since you may be considering a Thames cruise during your own London itinerary. Explore London's iconic landmarks from the serene Thames on a river cruise! Unravel the city's intricate history as you traverse from Roman origins to a modern metropolis, connecting its fragmented beauty aboard the delightful Clipper Riverboat.
Sightseeing Cruises
Sign up for our email to enjoy London without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush). The river's path weaves through historic towns -- including Oxford, Windsor and Eton -- before passing through London and to the coast. All our boats are wheelchair, mobility scooter and pram accessible by ramp. All boats, except Star, Storm and Sky Clipper, have accessible toilets and larger boats have baby changing tables. Travelling by river is a great way for families to explore London differently. Save time and money, download the Thames Clippers Tickets app.
Tate Boat
You can combine a visit to the Royal Arsenal development with a cross-river ride on the free Woolwich Ferry. If the ferry isn’t running, there’s another unique way to cross. Today, many of the buildings and spaces are being repurposed as part of an ambitious urban redevelopment project. I love exploring this site, with its historic buildings, waterfront, and (to my surprise) an installation of Antony Gormley’s art. Bonfire Night, or Guy Fawkes Day, is officially on November 5, but the actual lighting of fireworks is no longer confined to one night. Some companies offer special Bonfire Night cruises to see the fireworks at Battersea Park.
After Richmond, you’ll spot several historic houses, including Ham House, Marble Hill House, and Orleans House. The hidden remnants of Alexander Pope’s Grotto are just past Eel Pie Island. From here upstream are some of the best views of old riverside London, not yet concealed and altered by modern developments. Thames River Sightseeing is one company offering a boat tour to the Thames Barrier.
The distinction between the River Bus and other boats can be confusing. The River Bus is part of the Transport for London system and accepts Oyster cards. Boats that don’t accept Oyster cards to board may still let you pay for a paper ticket using an Oyster card. I have always found the people working at the piers to be very helpful. You can use riverboats within the Transport for London River Bus system as part of your tourist day. The Westminster Pier to the Tower of London is a nice ride.
You can also take one of the many transit cruises locals use to commute every day from different parts of the city. Bateaux dinner cruise is no ordinary cruise; it’s an experience. Bateaux combines Thames river sightseeing with elegant, unforgettable dinners and lunches. They offer exclusive seasonal voyages year-round and customized experiences for special occasions, such as Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Easter.
Refreshments are available at our onboard café bar from hot drinks to alcoholic beverages and snacks. Please select a cruise below and the discount will automatically be applied for group bookings of at least 15 people. Take a single cruise along the River Thames and see London from a different perspective. Depart from multiple piers, Westminster, Tower, and Greenwich. After the Richmond Lock, the boat may also stop at Richmond. The White Cross pub just before the bridge has a special high-tide door for when the regular door is underwater.
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Viscount Cruises operates a long-established 2-hour Sunday evening cruise starting and ending at Greenwich. It runs from May through September and offers a chance to see Maritime Greenwich, a UNESCO World Heritage site, from the water. These dinner cruises advertise tempting menus served with a view. Visit London and Transport for London are good starting points for up-to-date information.
Upgrade your journey into work and enjoy taking in the views with a freshly brewed coffee from the onboard café bar. You can travel back to the days when England’s sailors ruled the waves of every ocean aboard the Lady Daphne. Built in 1923, the Lady Daphne is one of London’s historic wooden vessels still sailing. While you obviously can see London’s waterfront, the tour is mainly devoted to learning about English coastal trade and was like spending a day on a boat. Their high-speed catamarans have become one of the best ways to get across London.
While boats continuously traverse both the tidal and non-tidal waters of the Thames River, unlike mainland Europe's buzzy waterways, it is not often on the itinerary for river cruise ships. The majority of cruises available on the Thames River are day cruises on larger boats taking in London's historic sights. River enthusiasts can find overnight cruises up to a week in length on luxury barges like European Waterways' eight-passenger, 117-foot Magna Carta. The London Eye River Cruise allows you to look at London, not from one but two vantage points. Their tour includes a 40-minute circular sightseeing tour to the heart of London along the Thames and a standard entry to the London Eye.
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The Transport for London site has multiple pages about river travel, including The River Experience, with details of how to get to a number of popular attractions by boat. Thames River cruises operate regularly from the London Eye near the center of the city to the Royal Borough of Greenwich in South East London. Between the two ends are some of London’s best-known landmarks.
Let me know in the comments, or join the conversation in my London Travel Tips Facebook group. Many landmarks are right on the banks of the river, and that’s why a cruise offers a vantage point to see these iconic buildings. As you’ll read in a minute, you’ll see that cruises are also an excellent opportunity to avoid crowds at the tube. Keep on reading to find out the best Thames River Cruises. Enjoy two full days of sightseeing through London as you cruise along the River Thames and discover the city's landmarks and buildings from a completely unparalleled perspective. From the best River Thames cruises to the lines sailing them, discover everything you need to know about London river cruises below.
Magna Carta's cosy deckplan features four cabins each measuring about 200 square feet, with shower-only bathrooms. There's a saloon-bar, dining areas and sun deck with loungers and a hot tub. Optional excursions, including hot air balloon rides and golf, are extra. Most online searches for a London River cruise will turn up results for short sightseeing voyages on the section of the Thames from Greenwich to Westminster, or vice versa.
The good news is that you can book your entry times for the London Eye whenever you’re ready since the tickets are valid for 90 days from the day you go on the River Cruise. There’s nothing like taking in the beauty of London as you meander along the Thames. Below, you’ll find two sightseeing cruises that show you London’s iconic landmark aboard their boats. A good river cruise for those who want a spot of grub while taking in the sights along the Thames – Bateaux offer a full range of different dining cruises. There’s the lunch, afternoon tea and dinner cruise – or you could really pull the stops out and enjoy their three-course lunch with a live jazz band playing assorted swingin’ classics. It's time to ditch dry land and hop aboard a Thames river boat tour.
However, the Thames River actually meanders 215 miles through eight counties -- from its Gloucestershire source to its mouth in the seaside town of Southend-On-Sea. River Thames cruises are possible on much of the waterway, with the exception of about 25 miles -- between Lechlade Bridge and the Thames Head. For the most up to date information on our services please follow @thamesclippers on X (formerly known as Twitter). You can also find live departure information at the piers or on the Thames Clippers Tickets app.
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