London


RIVER & CANAL CRUISES

15 Best London Cruises

Reviewed, compared and ranked by the people aboard.

The 15 most popular london cruises, compared side by side. What you see from the water, how long you are aboard, what it costs and which operator to book, so you can pick your boat in a couple of minutes.

15 Best London Cruises

London Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tour with Optional River Cruise - Hop-On Hop-Off Routes That Hit the Best of Central London
Cruises & Boat Tours, London, 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

London’s best quick overview from a hop-on hop-off double-decker, plus an optional Thames cruise, free Wi‑Fi, and multilingual audio.

Most Popular★ 3.5

“We booked this to make it easier for my partner to see everything as he has cancer. Initially, the first bus took off 10 minutes late from the first stop (a terminal). I downloaded yet another app to ensure I could keep track of where buses were. The bus skipped the stop we were waiting…”

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London: Tootbus Hop-on Hop-off (Optional River Cruise) - Getting the Most From the Yellow Route Landmarks
Cruises & Boat Tours, London, Tour Reviews

London: Tootbus Hop-on Hop-off (Optional River Cruise)

2.London: Tootbus Hop-on Hop-off (Optional River Cruise)

Hop on Tootbus around London on an open-top bus, with GPS app tracking, multi-language audio, themed walks, and optional Thames river cruise.

★ 3.9

“We used the bus on the yellow route which took us through many iconic London sights. We chose to stay on the bus for the duration. The audio guide was very interesting and informative. Would recommend this bus tour.”

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London: London Eye, River Cruise, & Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour - Open-top hop-on hop-off: how to use the Big Bus efficiently
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London: London Eye, River Cruise, & Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour

London: Tootbus Hop-on Hop-off with optional River Cruise - Open-top views plus real-time stop-finding
Cruises & Boat Tours, London, Tour Reviews

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

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

Hop-on hop-off open-top bus in London with live tracking, 10-language audio, and optional Thames cruise from Westminster to Tower.

★ 3.9

“Really enjoyable couple of hours spent on the yellow line. It covers lots of the must see sights. The audio guide and also the app worked well and was an enjoyable listen. I spent a long time waiting on a green line bus to get me into city to join up with yellow line. I…”

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London: Thames River Cruise with Optional London Eye Ticket - What You Actually See: Parliament, St Paul’s, the Tower, and Tower Bridge
Best City River Cruises in Europe, Cruises & Boat Tours, London, London Thames Cruises, Tickets, Tour Reviews

London: Thames River Cruise with Optional London Eye Ticket

London: Big Bus Hop-on, Hop-off with Optional River Cruise - The Red Route for Westminster icons and the London Eye skyline
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London: Big Bus Hop-on, Hop-off with Optional River Cruise

London Tootbus Hop on Hop off Bus Tour and Thames River Cruise - Thames River cruise: the calm payoff after the city rush
Best City River Cruises in Europe, Cruises & Boat Tours, London, London Thames Cruises, Tour Reviews, Tours

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

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

London hop-on hop-off double-decker bus plus Thames River cruise. Use app tracking, hop anytime across three routes, then cruise the Thames.

★ 4.0

“We found the audio guide to be informative, used the printed map all the time. The app opened very slowly so we were constantly being delayed in getting on at stops to show our tickets. Overall, we enjoyed the experience. HOWEVER...We did oversee one concerning situation. At one stop, another hop on hop off bus…”

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London In One Day Tour with River Cruise & London Eye Option - Buckingham Palace and the Changing of the Guard schedule reality
1-Day Tours, Cruises & Boat Tours, London, Tour Reviews, Tours

London In One Day Tour with River Cruise & London Eye Option

8.London In One Day Tour with River Cruise & London Eye Option

London in One Day blends guided sights, St. Paul’s fast-track, Tower of London entry, a Thames cruise, and an optional London Eye.

★ 4.5

“This tour is a great way to see and do it all. There was just the right mixture of riding and walking.. Ursula was great a great guide, and a wonder at making her large, bilingual group be well informed and feel included.”

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London Eye River Cruise - Your 40-Minute Thames Loop: What You See and Why It Matters
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London Eye River Cruise

9.London Eye River Cruise

A 40-minute Thames cruise from the London Eye Pier with live commentary and classic sights like Big Ben, St Paul’s, the Tower, and Tate Modern.

★ 4.5

“Very informative and funny. Tour guide has a good sense of humour. You see parts of London you would not get to see on foot. The interesting fact about the different types of bridges and why they are colour coded.”

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London Eye River Cruise and London Eye Ticket Option - Getting from the cruise back to the London Eye (without losing your place)
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London Eye River Cruise and London Eye Ticket Option

10.London Eye River Cruise and London Eye Ticket Option

Thames cruise plus London Eye ticket combo. Live commentary, quick views of top sights, and a 360° capsule ride from 135m.

★ 4.5

“We did this on our first morning in London. It was so easy to book ahead and the Thames Cruise and and then the London Eye experience were a fantastic way to get our bearings, see and learn about so many London landmarks. Our guide on the cruise was very informative and witty. It was…”

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Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing River Cruise on the Thames - Where you board matters: Westminster, Waterloo, Tower, and Greenwich
Best City River Cruises in Europe, Cruises & Boat Tours, London, London Thames Cruises, Sightseeing River Cruises, Tour Reviews

Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing River Cruise on the Thames

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

Hop-on hop-off Thames river cruise from Westminster, Waterloo, Tower, and Greenwich with onboard commentary, bar, and 24-hour flexibility.

★ 4.0

“Unfortunately, this turned out to be a complete waste of money. About 2 minutes into the boat ride, the boat pulled into another pier and informed us the water level was too low and we had to wait at least 30 minutes before proceeding. When I later asked if we would be moving on soon,…”

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Lunch River Cruise on the Thames with 2-Course Meal - Indoor Saloon vs Upper Deck: Where You’ll Get the Best Experience
Best City River Cruises in Europe, Cruises & Boat Tours, London, London Thames Cruises, Lunch Cruises, Lunch Experiences, Tour Reviews

Lunch River Cruise on the Thames with 2-Course Meal

12.Lunch River Cruise on the Thames with 2-Course Meal

Thames lunch cruise from Tower Pier with a 2-course meal, big-name landmarks, and time to photograph Parliament, Big Ben, and Tower Bridge.

★ 4.5

“This was probably one of the best lunch cruises in Europe and definitely highly recommend visiting and having a lunch in this cruise when you’re in London. They served us delicious chicken with vegetables entree and cheesecake. Alcoholic drinks and beverages were not included in our meals, but for the value of food and sightseeing,…”

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Afternoon Tea River Cruise on the Thames - Tower of London to The Shard: The westbound skyline pass
Best City River Cruises in Europe, Cruises & Boat Tours, London, London Thames Cruises, Tour Reviews

Afternoon Tea River Cruise on the Thames

13.Afternoon Tea River Cruise on the Thames

90 minutes of Thames views plus traditional afternoon tea—scones, cakes, sandwiches, unlimited hot drinks—starting at Tower Pier.

★ 4.0

“Amazing way to see important sites of London from a view from the Thames. Delicious food traditional Tea service. Right behind the castle … easy on off Highly recommend this activity.”

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Skip the Line Tower of London & Westminster Tour and River Cruise - Starting at Parliament Square: you get your bearings fast
Cruises & Boat Tours, London, Skip the Line, Tour Reviews, Tours

Skip the Line Tower of London & Westminster Tour and River Cruise

14.Skip the Line Tower of London & Westminster Tour and River Cruise

Skip-the-line Westminster Abbey and Tower of London plus a Thames cruise. One full day of royal sights with headsets and clear pacing.

★ 5.0

“Great walking tour with Patrick. Started with Westminster Abbey then to changing of the guard. Walked to Trafalgar Square for lunch. After lunch back to Westminster area to go on Thames boat cruise to the Tower of London. Saw the Crown Jewels and several other buildings and exhibits. Overall a great day.”

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Paris by Rail with Sightseeing Bus and River Cruise - Gare du Nord to Paris sightseeing: how you get your bearings
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Paris by Rail with Sightseeing Bus and River Cruise

15.Paris by Rail with Sightseeing Bus and River Cruise

A one-day Paris sampler by Eurostar plus hop-on hop-off bus and a Seine cruise, with reserved seats and flexible sightseeing time.

★ 4.0

“Excellent day trip to Paris. Our guide (Alexandria) was excellent. She was well versed in the culture, and background of Paris. There were certain parts of the tour that weren't ideal for mobility limited tourist, but she was able to work with us to give us the best of what Paris had to offer. The…”

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