London · CRUISES & BOAT TOURS
The 15 best cruises & boat tours you can book today, with what each costs, how long it runs and who it suits. Number one is top for a reason; start there.
Cruise from Westminster Pier to Greenwich in about an hour, passing Parliament, the London Eye, Tate Modern, The Shard, Tower Bridge, and the Tower of London. Choose one way or return, sit on the open deck or inside, and follow live English commentary or a smartphone audio guide in six languages.
“It was a green way to see the city from the water.”
Use a 24-hour or 48-hour Big Bus pass to reach London highlights from Buckingham Palace and Tower Bridge to Notting Hill and the British Museum. Recorded commentary comes in seven languages, with Wi-Fi onboard. The 48-hour option adds walking tours and an evening panoramic ride.
“This was a great quick way to see lots of parts of the city. I like the recorded info they have for you on the bus.”
Board at Westminster Pier for a 25 to 30 minute Thames cruise past Parliament, St. Paul’s, Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe, The Shard, and Tower Bridge. Expect live English commentary, an open deck, onboard drinks, and a return option that requires changing boats at Butler’s Wharf.
“The tour guide announcer during the cruise was very useful and informative”
Pair three classic London views in one ticket: ride an open-top Big Bus, board a Thames cruise between Westminster and Tower Pier, and reserve a London Eye time. The 48-hour option also adds Royal Walk, Jack the Ripper, and Harry Potter walking tours.
“It was my grandsons first time in London and this package gave him the chance to see the city sights by air, land and water. I booked the Eye for as it was going dark....light on the way up and dark coming so we got the best of both worlds”
Use a 24, 48, or 72-hour Tootbus pass to see London from an open-top bus, then hop off for the Tower, Westminster, Soho, or Borough Market. Three routes, 45 stops, multilingual audio, child commentary, live tracking, and an optional one-way Thames cruise make this a flexible first look at the city.
“Great!! Fun and educational way of seeing the main parts of the city”
Cruise from the London Eye Pier to Tower Bridge and back in about 40 minutes, passing Big Ben, St Paul’s, Shakespeare’s Globe, and the Tower of London. Expect live English commentary, comfortable covered seating, an open sun deck, and guides such as Mitch, George, Ben, and Josh. Add a London Eye ticket if desired.
“Despite the bitter cold of a British winter evening, we had such a great time on this river cruise. We chose an evening slot so we could experience the cruise at night when London is lit up and extra magical. Emma our tour guide was so lovely, extremely informative, and very funny - although I think some of her jokes went over the heads of non-British tourists, nevermind as they had us cackling! Overall great experience and we would definitely recommend.”
Use a one or two-day Big Bus ticket to see London from three routes and more than 50 stops. Add a 40-minute Thames cruise, guided Royal, Harry Potter, or Jack the Ripper walks, and a two-hour evening tour. Live and recorded commentary keep the city’s story moving.
“Our guide Rob, was wonderful! He was full of information and a great driver. The van was very comfortable. It was a wonderful day in a beautiful country.”
Use a one, two, or three-day Tootbus pass across three London routes, with stops at Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, St Paul’s, museums, and Covent Garden. Add the Thames cruise for river views, and use the app to track buses and find nearby stops.
“Beautiful way to see the city! The signing up on Viator picks the bus line you are on. I didn’t get the one I wanted….that was in the photo. But there are over 8 bus line to choose from. They all go to basically the same places. We had fun & accomplished our purpose. I also will go on hop on hop off in Dublin, Belfast & Edinburgh🚐🚍🚌”
Use a 24, 48, or 72-hour Tootbus pass to see London from an open-top bus and a City Cruises boat. Ride past Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, and St. Paul’s, then hop off to explore. The app adds GPS bus tracking, audio commentary, tickets, and four self-guided walks.
“A great way to see sections of the city which would take hours and hours to walk. Lucked out with the best weather in London to see the sites!”
Meet near Green Park for a 2.5-hour evening walk through Berkeley Square, Royal Parks, and St. James’s Palace, then take a 25-minute Thames cruise to Tower Hill. Guides such as Marvin, Arne, Murray, and Eddie are praised for lively storytelling, though the ghost content can feel more historical than frightening.
“Fun and informative A good night out in London The boat trip at night gives you a different outlook to London”
Cruise the Thames between Westminster, the London Eye, Tower Pier, and Greenwich on a 24-hour hop-on hop-off ticket. Expect open-deck views, all-weather seating, an onboard bar, and lively live commentary. Some sailings feature crew members such as Dom, praised for mixing facts with British humor.
“Another good way of sight seeing London. Really t enjoyed would do it again. The commentary was awesome educational with a bit of bunter.”
Sail east from Westminster Pier to Greenwich in about an hour, passing Big Ben, St Paul’s, Shakespeare’s Globe, the Tower of London, and Tower Bridge. Choose open-air or indoor seating, listen to live commentary, then explore Greenwich before returning by boat if you book the round-trip option.
“Hop on and off is super easy and accessible. Excellent value, lovely way to spend the day. Humorous narration. I would definitely recommend.”
Set off from Tower Millennium Pier for a two-hour Thames cruise with one glass of sparkling wine or a soft drink, canapés, and live chill-out pop. See Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, Canary Wharf, the London Eye, and possibly the Houses of Parliament from the indoor saloon or open-air deck.
“Scenic views and a smooth ride! Be warned however, if you were looking for a history tour this is not it. No sort of captain banter or tidbits- just a lovely ride up and down the river. I’d suggest you start on the roof too to enjoy the sights of the tower bridge and Big Ben, then move down to the interior after you pass back under the tower bridge.”
Enjoy a three-hour evening cruise from Westminster Pier to the Thames Barrier and back, with sparkling wine, a three-course British dinner, live singing, and optional dancing. You pass Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf, the O2 Arena, City Hall, and other illuminated London sights.
“Boat was beautiful. Dinner consisted of a four course meal…each item was delicious! Emma was the live singer and she was happy to take requests. As she sang she walked around the boat to interact with everyone. Weather was beautiful, so we were able to go upstairs and watch the sun setting over London. All in all, a relaxing and fun evening.”
Use Golden Tours Gray Line buses to see London’s major sights on flexible 4-hour, 1-day, or 24-hour tickets. Expect audio in 12 languages, children’s commentary, Wi-Fi, and selected live guides. The 24-hour ticket includes a one-way Thames cruise between Westminster and Tower Millennium Pier.
“From where we were staying in central London, we could not find a bus stop to get on the first day. A refund was requested because we never got on a bus and the refund was rejected. So much easier to book in London with other companies right on the street.”
Pick a landmark, a river boat or a day out west.
