England · CRUISES & BOAT TOURS

The 15 Best Boat Trips in England

61 tours  ·  from $14 a head

The Thames was London’s first road and half the country still reads better from the water. The 15 below range from a twenty-minute speedboat blast to a full afternoon on the river with lunch, each priced and clear about what is covered when it rains.

London Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tour with Optional River Cruise - The central route: royal London, Westminster, and the City
Boat Tours in London, Cruises & Boat Tours, Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tours, Hop-On Hop-Off Tours in London, London Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

London Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tour with Optional River Cruise

London Tootbus Hop on Hop off Bus Tour and Thames River Cruise - The Buckingham Palace and Hyde Park route
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London Tootbus Hop on Hop off Bus Tour and Thames River Cruise

Ghost, Ghouls and Gallows Tour : Guided Tour with Boat Ride - Berkeley Square and London’s haunted-house legend
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Ghost, Ghouls and Gallows Tour : Guided Tour with Boat Ride

3.Ghost, Ghouls and Gallows Tour : Guided Tour with Boat Ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3,212 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $29

London ghost stories, royal parks, and a 25-minute Thames cruise make this a lively evening tour, though the scares depend on your guide.

“We got to the the spot we going to meet and no one was there and then they text and we had to run around London it was a scam in my opinion I want refund please so disappointed”

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Westminster to Greenwich Sightseeing Thames Cruise in London - From Westminster Pier to the heart of London
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Westminster to Greenwich Sightseeing Thames Cruise in London

4.Westminster to Greenwich Sightseeing Thames Cruise in London

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,969 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $22

Cruise from Westminster to Greenwich past Big Ben, Tower Bridge, and the Tower of London, with live commentary and time to explore Greenwich.

“This was advertised as a tour and boat ride but there was no tour. One other passenger actually asked the captain and he rudely told her he did not feel like being a tour guide and the boat was not full enough. The entire boat was full. So it depends on the captains mood, and the experience you get. The views were nice, but it would’ve been great to get some sort of history, if the staff is going to be lazy then I suggest pre-recording audio or something for first timers who would’ve appreciated it. This was advertised but nothing was given or said to us when aboard.”

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Gray Line London Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour with Optional Cruise - Buckingham Palace and the royal route
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Gray Line London Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour with Optional Cruise

London Dinner Cruise on the Thames River - Boarding at Westminster Pier
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London Dinner Cruise on the Thames River

6.London Dinner Cruise on the Thames River

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 1,772 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $95

London dinner cruise review covering Thames views, food, live music, seating, price, route, practical tips, and who should book.

“It was a set menu, but the food was good. 4 course meal. The service, given the crowd size, was very good. Our waiters were very attentive.The live performance was also very good. It was easy to find the ship and boarding was organized by personal on the dock side.”

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London In One Day Tour with River Cruise & London Eye Option - Buckingham Palace and the Changing of the Guard
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London In One Day Tour with River Cruise & London Eye Option

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

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,678 reviews · 9 hours (approx.) · from $177

See London’s top sights in one packed day with St. Paul’s, the Tower, Changing of the Guard, a Thames cruise, and an Eye option.

“This was the worst tour I’ve ever experienced. Multiple tours were crammed onto the same bus, tickets were mixed up, and people were literally left behind. Our guide, David, was rude, dismissive, and completely unprofessional. He rushed ahead constantly, saying, “If I waited for everyone, we’d miss the changing of the guards.” That’s the exact opposite of what a guide should do! There was no organization, no clear meeting points, and no concern for whether guests could keep up. To make it worse, the tour used public transit stops already overflowing with commuters, making everything chaotic. When I tried to contact the vendor through the Viator app and by email,…”

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London: Uber Boat - Single Journey River Thames Cruise - What the $13.44 price really buys you
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London: Uber Boat – Single Journey River Thames Cruise

8.Uber Boat – Single Journey River Thames Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 1,597 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $13Best value

See London from the Thames on a flexible Uber Boat journey, passing Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf, and more for about $13.44.

“Lots of waiting for departures and arrivals. I had to wait for the next boat with the enfts because the employee did not want to wait for me to present her the tickets. Just a minute's wait. What did he feel like?Auto-translated”

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London Eye River Cruise - St Paul’s Cathedral and the City skyline
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London Eye River Cruise

9.London Eye River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,503 reviews · 40 minutes (approx.) · from $21

See Big Ben, St Paul’s, Tower Bridge, and more on a lively 40-minute Thames cruise with guides, views, and flexible departures.

“It's a great way to get some of the history plus insights into checking out things you might otherwise not have considered. We would have missed Shakespeare's Globe and not gotten to see Midsummer Night's Dream had we not taken the tour. Paul was a great tour guide.”

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London Eye River Cruise and London Eye Ticket Option - Moving from the pier to the London Eye
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London Eye River Cruise and London Eye Ticket Option

10.London Eye River Cruise and London Eye Ticket Option

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,431 reviews · 45 minutes (approx.) · from $63

Pair a Thames sightseeing cruise with London Eye views, landmark commentary, and flexible Eye entry for a useful first day in London.

“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 easy to transfer from the cruise straight onto the London Eye. The Eye gives you another fabulous perspective of the city. All staff were very friendly and helpful. So glad we started with this wonderful experience.”

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Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing River Cruise on the Thames - What the ride itself feels like
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Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing River Cruise on the Thames

Daytime Sightseeing Boat Cruise in York - Live commentary with Andy, Sophie, and the crew
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Daytime Sightseeing Boat Cruise in York

12.Daytime Sightseeing Boat Cruise in York

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,256 reviews · 45 minutes (approx.) · from $20

Review of York’s 45-minute River Ouse cruise, with landmark views, live commentary, practical tips, value advice, and honest drawbacks.

“It was just a bimble up and down the river for an hour. Didn't really see that much but it was good value The commentary from Andy our captain was factual with a few tongue in cheek bad jokes thrown in for good measure. Seats were hard and uncomfortable but that is just an observation.”

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Liverpool: 50-Minute Mersey River Cruise - Tate Liverpool, the Museum of Liverpool, and the two cathedrals
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Liverpool: 50-Minute Mersey River Cruise

13.50-Minute Mersey River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 1,232 reviews · 50 minutes (approx.) · from $17

See Liverpool and the Wirral from the Mersey on a 50-minute ferry cruise with commentary, flexible departures, onboard drinks, and easy city-center access.

“Nice sights of landmarks on the River. Ferry very noisy. Website to review the excursion too way too long and wouldn’t allow me to continue”

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Lunch River Cruise on the Thames with 2-Course Meal - Leaving Tower Pier beside the Tower of London
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Lunch River Cruise on the Thames with 2-Course Meal

Afternoon Tea River Cruise on the Thames - Tea service with the city outside
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Afternoon Tea River Cruise on the Thames

15.Afternoon Tea River Cruise on the Thames

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 884 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $55

Review of London’s Thames afternoon tea cruise, with landmark views, scones, sandwiches, practical tips, value, and honest drawbacks.

“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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