England · BOAT TOURS IN LONDON
The shortlist you would send a friend: 15 boat tours in London worth the money, each with its price, its traveller verdict and the one thing to know before you commit.
Hop-on hop-off London Big Bus with Thames cruise option. Double-decker views, 7-language audio, onboard Wi-Fi, and flexible stops.
“Worth every penny saw so much of London drivers so friendly and helpful. The busses were frequent with no waiting”
Flexible London sightseeing by double-decker with real-time tracking, three landmark routes, and a hop-on hop-off Thames cruise add-on.
“Was a fabulous day with my daughter, all the bus crew were friendly and helpful. The river cruise interesting.”
A spooky 2.5-hour London night tour with Berkeley Square tales and a Thames River cruise view of Tower of London at night.
“Marvin was so great! His storytelling style was marvelous. Very generous and had lots of information about each stop on our tour. If I could give more than 5 stars, I would!”
Westminster to Greenwich Thames cruise with live narration, phone audio in 6 languages, and flexible time to explore Cutty Sark and more.
“Very interesting. But i booked for 3 but my daughter was seek She could not come. It’s very pity. 😞”
Hop-on Hop-off double-decker bus with Wi-Fi and 12-language audio, plus optional Thames boat ride for the 24-hour ticket.
“Two drivers declined to honor my Viator digital ticket. I had to contact the bus company to get a ticket emailed that the driver accepted. I also thought the map of their stops should be more prominent. I didn’t have that at first and struggled to find the pick up spot closest to my hotel. The ride and commentary was fine. It was the challenges to getting started that frustrated.”
Enjoy a 3-hour London Thames dinner cruise with sparkling wine, a 3-course set menu, live music, and night views of Tower Bridge and St Paul’s.
“Please save your money and do not book this. Practically every aspect of this experience was not enjoyable — bad food, cramped tables shared with strangers, bright lights ruining the ambiance and making it difficult to see outside, bad music (the singer was good but the song choices were awful), and poor waitstaff. In particular, one waiter spilled an entire tray of drinks on my wife early into the night, breaking glasses and cutting her hand. He then stood by while his co-worker cleaned up the mess and bandaged my wife’s finger. The manager didn’t even come to our table to apologize on the staff’s behalf. We were offered a…”
One guided day to hit Buckingham Palace, St. Paul’s and the Tower, plus a Thames cruise and optional London Eye at 6:30pm.
“If you only have one day to see everything in London, this tour is perfect. Time flies, and attractions close early — so you have to move fast! I saw a few reviews saying it was hard to find the boat, but our guide clearly explained where to go. The tour guide doesn’t go on the boat with you, but gives clear directions beforehand. Some people still seemed confused, but only if you really need someone to walk you there. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and made sure we had a great experience. Unfortunately, our driver needed his help a few times, which took a bit of time away from…”
One-way Uber Boat Thames Clippers ride from Battersea to Barking Riverside, hop on and off at piers to see London landmarks.
“Didn't get to get on the boat, waited at two individual piers but wait time was 2hours so was recommended to go to a different pier and was told the same. And refusing to give a refund even though I didn't receive the service”
40-minute Thames cruise from London Eye Waterloo Pier with live commentary. See Big Ben, St Paul’s, Tower Bridge and Tate Modern.
“Very nice guide Jordan, told lots of interesting and funny thing about buidlings near the Thames. Boat was great and tour lasted just long enough - 40 min.”
A Thames river cruise plus London Eye ticket in one value-packed plan, with onboard commentary and big panoramic views across key landmarks.
“Loved the river cruise and was very happy with the fast track on the eye. All staff were very professional”
Ride a flexible Thames river cruise with hop-on access at key piers, onboard commentary, and great views of London’s top sights.
“Loved the hop on hop off cruise. Not only was it a great way to avoid a lot of the busy traffic around town but it was a fun way to learn a lot about many of the building a fun facts about the city. The team was funny and told the stories in a way that entertained and kept your attention. Highly recommend.”
Thames lunch cruise from Tower Pier with a 2-course meal and scenic stops for Tower Bridge, Westminster, Big Ben, and London Eye views.
“Not much to really see during the 1 1/2 hour cruise. Food was mediocre at best no choice of what to eat , everyone was served the chicken. The side of some sort of potatoes was dried out. Meal not super hot. Not a good policy to not offer options. Chicken had a mushroom sauce. No coffee was proposed with desert. However, Service was excellent. For the price I recommend do a regular boat cruise and go eat lunch.”
Cozy Thames cruise with afternoon tea, unlimited tea or coffee, and big-window views of Tower of London, Shakespeare’s Globe, and Westminster.
“An amazing experience. Just so relaxing to have tea with more food than you can imagine eating. And then when the sun sets and you’re seeing these amazing views out the window, you realize just how wonderful London really is. Highly recommend!”
Speedboat RIB tour on the Thames with life jackets, guided commentary, and Bond-style music, running from Embankment or Westminster Pier.
“Fabulous trip. Gavin and other guy were great. Very memorable and exciting trip. The two teenagers loved it as did I. Thank you”
High-speed Thames RIB trip from Tower Bridge. Guided 45 minutes of London landmarks, small group up to 12, carbon-offset ride.
“The high-speed boat ride was incredibly exciting. The staff was friendly and had a great sense of humor. It was an extraordinary experience for us, and I highly recommend it. For those who prefer a less jolting ride, I suggest sitting in the back rows of the boat.”
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