Sail on London River Cruises
Boat by the London Eye on Thames Sightseeing or Dining River Cruise
A London river cruise is a great way of seeing the River Thames, the London Eye or St Paul's, with dozens available including lunchtime and evening dinner cruises.
London river cruises are one of the best and most popular ways of seeing the city, and the River Thames. There are dozens of options available, for excursion tours as well as passenger trips. Some of the best views of London are from the water, passing under the city's historic bridges and past landmarks including Tower Bridge, London Bridge, the London Eye, the Tower of London, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and St Paul's Cathedral.
There are daytime and evening river cruises available, including romantic dinner cruises. Seeing the London skyline from the River Thames at night is a magical experience, which is the highlight of a London vacation for many visitors to England.
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LONDON RIVER CRUISES: WHEN TO GO
Cruises up and down the River Thames are available all year round. The summer is definitely the best time, when there's more hope of the sun shining to make for some memorable photos, and visitors taking a romantic evening dinner cruise can watch the sun go down and cast a golden glow on the riverside buildings. Spring and fall/autumn can be good times too, if the weather cooperates, while winter on the river will mean wrapping up warm. If given a choice, choose a summer evening cruise.
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LONDON RIVER CRUISE OPTIONS
Be sure to check what you're getting before booking your Thames river cruise (see the website link below for a list of river cruise operators.) There are lots of options to choose from, short or long, and going up or down the river, or both. London visitors should take the longest cruise they possibly can, as the riverside scenes change constantly.
Some cruises go downriver as far as the Thames Barrier, passing the Isle of Dogs with the impressive Canary Wharf Tower and regenerated docklands along the way.
Going upriver there are views of Westminster Bridge, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. Some boats go upstream to Hammersmith, past Battersea Power Station to Putney, Richmond and all the way to Hampton Court Palace. The only company which goes to Hampton Court Palace on the river is the Westminster Passenger Service Association which only operates from Easter until October.
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LONDON RIVER DINING CRUISES
One of the leading operators here, with online booking facilities, is Bateaux London. They offer lunchtime cruises, which is an inexpensive way to have a good lunch while also doing some London sightseeing. On Sundays there is a jazz lunch river cruise, and in the evenings a full dinner cruise is available.
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SOME LONDON RIVER CRUISE COMPANIES
Check the excellent official Transport for London website for a full list of London river cruise operators. Note that some of these are charter operators only, with the boats available for private bookings not public cruises.
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