LONDON WEEKEND BREAKS - Thames river boat tours

If you want to experience a London tour, but one that is a little bit out of the ordinary, then think about a Thames river boat cruise. The best London weekend breaks are always enhanced by the addition of something that makes them different and memorable and a river boat tour fits this bill perfectly.

The typical Thames river boat cruise offers you two things that set it apart from any other tour.

Firstly, you are getting a unique view of the Thames riverside buildings. This gives you the chance to see the many interesting structures that line the river and to get a view of London’s skyline that is quite different to that which you would see from any other vantage point.

Secondly, you will be fed and watered. Nearly all (non hopper) river boat cruises provide refreshments and if you select an all-inclusive dinner cruise, or a dinner and dance cruise, you will also enjoy some high quality London dinning.

This kind of tour genuinely gives you the opportunity to enjoy a relaxing cruise on London’s primary waterway whilst indulging in the pleasures of good cuisine and good service.

Types of London river boat cruise

A number of companies offer London river boat cruises and this ensures that there is a good selection of cruises on offer.

Most river boat excursions fall into one of two categories. The genuine sightseeing cruise, where you can hop on and off the boats and see the city, or the all-inclusive cruise, which is much more of a cruising experience and involves dinning and relaxation.

If your objective is simply to use the tour boat to get to various sightseeing attractions, then you can select a basic sightseeing cruise without any food or refreshments. These trips last anything from half an hour to three hours and most will allow you to hop on and off the boats over the course of a day. This kind of tour boat ticket can be included in a London Transport Pass along with the tube and the bus.

The inclusive river boat cruises see their guests spend the duration of the trip on the boat and they mix an informative commentary on the sights with service and a meal. This kind of cruise can usually be taken at times that coincide with morning tea, lunch or dinner. It is a good idea to book this kind of river boat cruise in advance.

Extra special London boat cruises

In addition to relaxing and dinning, some London cruise companies offer a showboat style cruise that includes not only your dinning, but also a show or cabaret.

This kind of cruise includes being greeted on your arrival, a four or five course dinner, a cabaret show and usually dancing afterwards. Cruises of this type typically lasts for three to four hours and only take place in the evening, but they can make a London weekend break one that you will never forget.