Lunch River Cruise on the Thames with 2-Course Meal

Recommended by 90% of travelers

London, England

High interest

Booked 4 times today.

1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.5

· Jackie_W ·

Apr 2026

Easy to book. Easy to find. Good value. Lovely boat. Friendly attentive staff. Tasty meal that exceeded expectations. Good selection of drinks. Good commentary, not too intrusive. Fabulous trip through the sites along the Thames. Made me proud to be a tourist in my own city. Highly recommend.

· Shanita_R ·

Mar 2026

This was such a pleasant surprise. The boat was very nicely decorated and very comfortable. It literally felt like a restaurant The staff were friendly and the commentary was informative with a touch of humor. The food was so yummy and the views were breathtaking. I would definitely recommend the cruise to anyone considering!

· Miriam_H ·

Mar 2026

Attending as a group of three, we had a fantastic experience. The white tablecloths gave everything a more upmarket feel. The food was delicious, and the drinks were very well priced. The live commentary was great to listen to, and we’ve never seen London look as beautiful as it does from the River Thames. We would definitely recommend this experience and would happily return.

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Overview

Make the most of limited time in London on a lunch cruise along the River Thames that combines sightseeing with a freshly prepared meal. Sail from Tower Pier to Westminster, passing landmarks including Tower Bridge and Big Ben, and enjoy views without battling busy streets. An onboard bar offers additional drinks for purchase to complement your meal.

See London from a unique vantage point on the water
Escape the busy streets for a peaceful river cruise
Enjoy a 2-course lunch for a taste of British cuisine
This compact tour is perfect for travelers short on time in London

Why Travelers Choose This Tour

No need to work time for a meal into your sightseeing day—lunch is included in this river cruise.

What's Included

River Thames cruise
Lunch

2 Course Lunch
Live or recorded commentary

Gratuities
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Drinks

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

City Cruises
Tower Millennium Pier, London EC3N 4DT, UK
Located a few minutes away from Tower Hill Underground Station. Please go directly to the boarding gate.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Operating hours
.11:45 am

Itinerary

Your lunch cruise sets off from Tower Pier in central London at midday. Make your own way to the pier with plenty of time to board the boat and find your seat in the cozy, indoor saloon. Sit back and enjoy panoramic views of the city shoreline as your cruise begins.

Heading west from Tower Pier, first pass the formidable Tower of London, situated in the modern Square Mile, followed by The Shard—the 95-story pyramid dominates the South Bank skyline. Continue on to Shakespeare’s famous Globe Theatre, a historic active theater, and the enormous London Eye. Along the South Bank, witness the bustle of performers, locals, and meandering tourists. Your cruise loops at Westminster, where you get great views of the Houses of Parliament and the iconic Big Ben before turning around.

As you cruise, indulge in a 2-course meal featuring an entree and dessert with coffee and tea. For an added treat, purchase wine, beer, or other non-alcoholic beverages from the onboard bar. After lunch, get some air on the outside deck as your river cruise returns to Tower Pier. Arrive with plenty of time to continue sightseeing.

Tower of London (Pass By)

Houses of Parliament (Pass By)

Big Ben (Pass By)

London Eye (Pass By)

The View from The Shard (Pass By)

Canary Wharf (Pass By)

Tower Bridge (Pass By)

City Cruises (Pass By)

HMS Belfast (Pass By)

Thames River (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Vegetarian option is available; if you require this, or have any other dietary needs, make a note in the 'Special Requirements' field when booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Your seat on board is guaranteed and will be allocated to you before the cruise takes place. When you board you will be shown to your table. Please note tables are fixed and within close proximity. Our panoramic windows provide great views from all angles of the passing sky-line, regardless of your table location.
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation

Infants must sit on laps
Most travelers can participate
We do not guarantee that products are free from nuts or traces of nuts. For gluten-free tea give at least 24 hours’ notice. For any special dietary requirements please contact us after booking.
Please note that as part of the relaxed atmosphere of this cruise experience, your table may be situated in close proximity to other guests.
Please ensure you arrive 20-minutes prior to departure time
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 60 travelers

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Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 3 days in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Shanita_R

Reviews

4.5

based on 1,035 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Wonderful lunch and boat...

Vanessa_N, May 2026

Wonderful lunch and boat ride. Food was good, boarding was easy and it was a lovely way to see some sites. Book it.

Perfect weather for a day out on the Thames.

Stephen_F, May 2026

Great experience exploring the Thames which was well supported by the friendly crew and informative commentary given as required

EXCELLENT Birthday Surprise

MARY_M, May 2026

Excellent food and service - amazing array of sandwiches - some not had previously. Need to stress sugar probs.- especially if Diabetic or sensitivity to sugar Really fun and informative info. on Board.

Great lunch cruise in London

Jeannie_D, May 2026

This was a wonderful way to see London from the river, the meal was very good. Service was great. Just know that you do need to pay for all of your drinks if you wish to drink alcohol , or nonalcoholic beverages. I very much recommend this to anyone who wants to see London from a different perspective.

Lovely little trip

Catherine_O, May 2026

Great food, service and atmosphere. Very informative and great to see the sights from the Thames .Would definitely do it again .

Amazing

Jill_c, May 2026

Brilliant cruise in the Thames highly recommend to see the sites of London Staff were lovely meal delicious and I felt it was good value for the money

Messing about on the river

Jackie_W, Apr 2026

Sister's birthday

Tina_B, Apr 2026

All the staff go out the way for any catering requirements. The commentary was very good and humouring x

A great way to see London

Suzanne_C, Apr 2026

Wonderful trip, fantastic staff and delicious food. Very good value for money and would thoroughly recomend. What a fantastic way to see London

Fantastic lunch experience

Claude_S, Apr 2026

The cruise started off on time the staff were very friendly and professional,(some personnel tried speaking French)the food was excellent+ and the ambiance was very jolly and cordial,really a nice experience That has motivated me come again to check the dinner trip too.

Nice time cruising the...

Sandrine_M, Apr 2026

Nice time cruising the Thames and passing sites we hadn’t experienced yet. The food was decent (drinks besides water are extra) and the rose wine was good (they offer multiple pour sizes) The service could have been better yet from what I saw, I think it was more our personal server vs overall. I’d do this cruise more for the sites and live commentary than the food.

This a great experience....

Deb_O, Apr 2026

This a great experience. I would highly recommend it. It was an enjoyable way to see the city. Lunch was very goodm

Easy way to see the sights from the Thames

Kim_S, Apr 2026

We enjoyed the lunch cruise on the Thames. The service was wonderful and the food truly exceeded our expectations. The chicken with vegetables potatoes and a mushroom sauce was very moist and good. The cheesecake desert was nice also! This was an excellent way to see the sites while relaxing during the Metro strike.

Lovely trip on river

Lo_E, Apr 2026

Fabulous trip on the river. Lovely food excellent service. All excellent quality staff are lovely and very attentive.

Fantastic

Jessica_R, Apr 2026

Amazing!! My family, husband and I went on the cruise for my 30th birthday, I would 100% recommend it and go again! The staff were all very friendly and attentive, the food was delicious (we had bread for starters, chicken, potatoes and veggies and a cheescake for dessert). It didn't look like a lot at first, but actually it's very filling - I felt full! and the mushroom sauce was delicious. Staff went out of their way to ensure all our needs were catered to, and they sang me happy birthday whilst the bought my cake over! We liked the commentary as well, I'm a Londoner and learnt so much about London on that day

Would recommend this cruise to all, staff, catering excellent

Leslie_P, Apr 2026

Only that the most convenient route is from London Bridge Station, walk across London Bridge and on the right at the end of the bridge walk down steps and then walk the pathway alongside the river

My First experience for this trip. The staff were very friendly and helpful. I really recommend at least try it once. Y.

Farideh_R, Apr 2026

It’s not complicated at all. You will be directed to your table and the staff will immediately start serving you

I love the tour and the...

bernadette_c, Mar 2026

I love the tour and the crew. This was a worthwhile experience . The lunch they served was amazing and the commentary during the tour was enjoyable

Nice lunch cruise with good quality food

RoseEllen_G, Mar 2026

Food quality was very good. Everyone gets the same food unless you choose the vegan option. Very nice lunch. Drinks cost extra but reasonable on pricing. Great cruise down the river. Captain gave us a bit of tour information as well on what we were seeing on the banks of the river as we cruised by. Very nice experience. I would probably go at night for dinner instead. Apparently it is really great to see the city from the river at night.

Trip was great. The...

Terrance_D, Mar 2026

Trip was great. The location was easy to find. The food was okay. Wasn't the best but wasn't the worst. The crew were nice and even though they weren't trained as tour guides, they did great pointing out things

Take the scenic route and eat while you do!

Jennifer_P, Mar 2026

A lovely experience especially if it is sunny. A scenic and relaxed way to see the sights of London. Not a first class experience but food is decent enough and staff very friendly.

Cruise down the Thames

Shanita_R, Mar 2026

Lunch Tour on the Thames River

Sophia_P, Mar 2026

Our boat came right on time and was very clean. We were immediately seated with a great view in the front. Our server was great. Lunch and drinks was wonderful. The captain was very knowledgeable and pointed out all the tourist spots to us. Great experience for the money, well worth it.

Wonderful views from river Thames

Miriam_H, Mar 2026

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Hi, Thank you for your fantastic review! We're delighted to hear that you and your group had such a wonderful experience on board. It’s great to know you enjoyed the little touches like the white tablecloths, as well as the delicious food and well-priced drinks. We’re also pleased that the live commentary added to your experience, seeing London from the River Thames really does offer a beautiful and unique perspective of the city. Thank you for your kind recommendation. We truly appreciate it and would love to welcome you all back on board again in the future! Kind regards. City Cruises.

Great lunchtime cruise....

Elaine_W, Mar 2026

Great lunchtime cruise. Great way to see iconic parts of the city and the 2 course meal was really good quality as was the service.

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Hi, Thank you for your great review! We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed the lunchtime cruise and found it to be a wonderful way to see the city's iconic sights. It’s also fantastic to know that you enjoyed the two course meal and that the service met your expectations. Your kind feedback means a lot to our team. We really appreciate you sharing your experience and hope to welcome you on board again soon! Kind regards City Cruises

The food was very...

Anil, Mar 2026

The food was very delicious. Definitely coming back. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Hi, Thank you so much for your kind review! We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed the food and had such a positive experience with us. It means a lot to our team to know that our dishes made such a great impression. We truly appreciate your support and look forward to welcoming you back again soon! Kind regards. City Cruises.

Very poor service

Olivia_M, Feb 2026

I am extremely disappointed with my experience booking through Viator. I purchased a lunch boat experience as a special outing for my mum. The booking confirmation clearly stated that we should arrive at 11:45 AM, and there were no instructions indicating we needed to arrive earlier. We arrived exactly at 11:45 AM, only to be told that the boat had already left. The staff then claimed we were supposed to arrive at 11:35 AM, which is completely untrue because that information was never provided in the booking details. To make matters worse, a customer service agent told us that a refund request had been submitted and advised us to book the afternoon tea experience instead. Trusting this information, I paid for the afternoon tea. However, immediately after making the payment, we were told that they could not refund the original booking. This felt extremely misleading and unfair. We followed the instructions provided in the booking confirmation and still lost our experience and money. Being told a refund was requested and then later denied after we made another purchase was very frustrating. I expected much better customer service and transparency. This experience has left me feeling disappointed and misled, and I would strongly advise others to be cautious when booking experiences like this.

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Hi, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are truly sorry to hear about your experience and understand how disappointing and frustrating this must have been, especially as the outing was planned as a special treat for your mum. We sincerely regret the confusion regarding the arrival time. We appreciate that you followed the time stated on your booking confirmation, and we understand how upsetting it must have been to arrive as instructed only to find that the boat had already departed. That is certainly not the experience we want any of our guests to have. We are also very sorry to hear about the mixed information you received regarding the refund and the subsequent booking. We understand how this situation would feel misleading, particularly after you were advised that a refund request had been submitted and then later informed otherwise. As the booking was made through Viator, their platform manages the reservations and refund requests, but your feedback is extremely important to us and we take it seriously. We will be reviewing this situation with our team to better understand what occurred and to ensure that our communication with third party bookings is as clear and accurate as possible. If you would be willing to contact us directly at customercomments@citycruises.com with the name on the booking and the date of your visit, we would greatly appreciate the opportunity to look into this further and see if there is anything we can do to assist. Thank you again for bringing this to our attention, and we are very sorry that your planned experience did not go as expected. Kind regards. City Cruises

London City Cruise.

ScottD_M, Feb 2026

We were surprisingly pleased with the whole tour. The ship was clean and bathroom’s also. There wasn’t a bad seat in the house. You were escorted to an assigned table with a server. The chairs swiveled so you could see from every angle.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Hi, Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that you were so pleasantly surprised by the experience and that everything met your expectations. It’s great to know you found the ship and facilities clean and comfortable, our team takes great pride in maintaining high standards throughout. We’re also pleased that you enjoyed the assigned seating and table service, as well as the swivel chairs, they really do make it easy to take in the views from every angle without missing a thing! Thank you again for sharing your feedback. We hope to welcome you back on board for another memorable trip soon. Kind regards. City Cruises.

Cruise around London

Maxine_C, Jan 2026

Great cruise but no body speaking and guiding you through entire cruise which makes it difficult for foreigners to know what they are seeing for parts when nobody is speaking

Response from Host, Jan 2026

Hi, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re glad you enjoyed the cruise itself, but we’re sorry to hear that the lack of live commentary affected your experience. We understand how important it is, especially for international visitors, to have clear guidance and context while sightseeing. Your comments have been noted and will be shared with the team as we continue to improve our service. We truly appreciate your input and hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back for an even better experience in the future. Kind regards. City Cruises.

Very disappointed

Sally_S, Jan 2026

I have only given 3 stars as there was five of the family doing the trip and one is a vegetarian and allergic to mushroom, I phoned the number 02077400400 a week before the trip to request a vegetarian meal with NO mushrooms the lady I spoke to was very reassuring and told me it would be a vegetarian meal without mushrooms, this was not taken into account as on the day when the meal arrived it was five chicken dinners so the only substitute they could offer was two small jacket potatoes and a few vegetables, had we have known this would happen we would have purchased something for my daughter in law to take on board and asked for a partial refund, I paid £54 each for this trip although it said £43 on the website making in total of £270 all in for the trip. So if you want a vegetarian meal bring your own. Very disappointed

Response from Host, Jan 2026

Hi, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We’re very sorry to hear about the issues surrounding the vegetarian meal and dietary requirements, particularly after you had taken the time to call ahead and were reassured. We understand how disappointing and frustrating this must have been, especially for a family occasion, and we apologise that this was not handled as it should have been on the day. We would appreciate the opportunity to discuss this further and make things right. If you are open to it, Please could you contact our customer service team by email customercomments@citycruises.com, and we will do our best to restore your confidence in us. Kind regards. City Cruises.