Afternoon Tea River Cruise on the Thames

London, England

High interest

Booked 5+ times today.

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

Why travelers loved this

4.2

· Margaret_F ·

Aug 2026

Great way to spend a relaxing afternoon and see sights of London from the river . Well organised , lovely tea, good informative and interesting commentary re sights , lovely helpful staff and not crowded . Would highly recommend exceeded my expectations and very good value

· Naomi_K ·

Jun 2026

This was great! We booked it last minute and I am so glad we found this tour. The food and tea were wonderful! And the cruise was perfect. We got to see a lot and enjoy British high tea at the same time. This is well worth the price. There were 4 in our group and all loved this tour. Highly recommend this over the bus tea tours!

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Overview

To maximize limited time in London, combine a British tradition with a sightseeing excursion on an afternoon tea cruise on the Thames River. As you sail from Tower Pier to Westminster, admire London landmarks including the Tower of London, St. Paul's Cathedral, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, and the London Eye—without having to navigate or jostle among the large crowds that gather at the monuments. Plus, indulge in tea, freshly prepared cakes, and sandwiches.

This compact tour is perfect for travelers short on time in London
See legendary London landmarks without having to walk to each one
Sip on a cup of tea, and enjoy a selection of British cakes, scones, and sandwiches
Check off plenty of the area’s highlights in just one tour

Why Travelers Choose This Tour

Pair classic afternoon tea with a Thames cruise–two quintessential London experiences in one.

What's Included

1.5-Hour Cruise
Afternoon tea - selection of sandwiches, cakes and scones
Unrivalled views of riverside London
Unlimited tea or coffee
Live or recorded commentary

Hotel pickup and drop-off
Food and drinks, unless specified
Champagne
Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Tower Millennium Pier
London EC3N 4DT, UK
situated within walking distance to Tower Hill underground Station Please go directly to the boarding gate.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Start time
.3:30 pm

Itinerary

In the afternoon, head to Tower Pier in central London to board the teatime cruise along the Thames River. Find your seat in the cozy indoor saloon and enjoy panoramic views of the city shoreline as your cruise begins.

Heading west from Tower Pier, first pass the mystery-laden Tower of London and the monolithic Shard building, a 95-story pyramid of glass. Continue on to Shakespeare’s famous Globe Theatre, a stunning Elizabethan playhouse with running performances, and the towering London Eye. Along the South Bank, see a medley of buskers, locals, and tourists meandering on the bustling pedestrian path. Your cruise loops at Westminster, for great views of the Houses of Parliament before heading back east.

As you cruise, indulge in British culinary delights like scones spread with jam and spoonfuls of cream, finger sandwiches, cakes, and unlimited tea and coffee. For an added treat, order a glass of bubbly (own expense) from the onboard bar. After tea, feel free to wander the open-air deck as you arrive back at Tower Pier.

City Cruises

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Tower of London (Pass By)

London Eye (Pass By)

Tower Bridge (Pass By)

Canary Wharf (Pass By)

The Shard (Pass By)

HMS Belfast (Pass By)

St. Paul's Cathedral (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
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.
Not wheelchair 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 call 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

Erica_S

We had the most delightful afternoon tea while cruising along the Thames, and it was an absolute highlight of our trip to London! From the moment we stepped on board, the atmosphere was warm and welcoming. The staff were attentive and friendly, making sure we were comfortable and had everything we needed. The tea service itself was wonderful—beautifully presented tiers of sandwiches, scones, and pastries paired with a great selection of teas (and bubbly if you fancied). Everything tasted fresh and indulgent, with just the right balance of sweet and savory. What made it truly special was enjoying all of this while gliding past London’s most iconic landmarks. We sipped our tea with views of the London Eye, the Shard, Tower Bridge, and the Houses of Parliament—it felt like sightseeing and a special occasion rolled into one. The pace of the cruise was perfect, giving us plenty of time to relax, chat, and take photos without ever feeling rushed. If you’re looking for a unique way to experience London, I can’t recommend this enough. It’s a wonderful blend of tradition, indulgence, and sightseeing that leaves you smiling long after you step off the boat

Reviews

4.2

based on 1,032 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

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Sort by: Most insightful

Tea on the Thames

Andrea_S, Aug 2026

We had a wonderful afternoon tea while cruising down the river. The commentary from the staff was informative and funny. The food was good and we were quite happy with the assortment.

Tea on the Thames - a must do!

Robin_S, Aug 2026

Absolutely do this! Was a wonderful way to experience a tea time as well as see the Thames and much of London from the water. Loved that our boat was not over crowded so that we could go up top after our Tea to get some fresh air.

Wonderful!

Honour_F, Aug 2026

This is lovely! What a treat to see London this way. The tour guide was entertaining and informative. The food was delicious and plentiful. No way we could’ve eaten everything, they give you a full three-tier tray for each two people. The tea was delicious. We had a wheelchair family member and besides one little lip onto the boat (or getting to the restroom on the boat), it was very easy for us.

Great trip with friends

Margaret_F, Aug 2026

tea and boat

ray_d, Aug 2026

Cream tea and boat trip on the Thames . Well organised and the service on bpard was faultless. Will do again next year.

Relaxing journey

Howard_H, Aug 2026

Nice afternoon. Food was quite delicious and the tea was tasty. The tea and food are inside, and you can climb a few steps to the upper level to take photos and cool off after warm tea in a warm room on a warm day.

Have your ticket ready...

Valeri_W, Aug 2026

Have your ticket ready and get there early. The experience is worth every penny, we really enjoyed it.

Disappointed

Leida_M, Aug 2026

The river cruise was not pleasant. No air conditioning, and it was extremely hot. In addition, the boat was dirty. No window seats were available, and we were told that you have to pay more for that. We did not have the option when I booked the tour. Also, some of the food, especially the bread, was dried and tasted bad.

Cruise

Teresa_S, Aug 2026

Had lovely cruise. Good food. Scones were excellent. Informative commentary on architecture on both sides of the Thames.

Poor Seating, Rushed Experience, Limited Views

Jason_B, Aug 2026

Although we made sure to arrive early and earlier than most people, they still sat us in the middle of the boat and away from the views. And yes, even though we were one of the earliest to arrive, we were the very last to receive food. This is in spite of us having 4 children in our group, so they take a little longer than adults to consume food. So overall it felt like a very rushed, limited experience. This might be okay if you're just 2 people, but not as a family.

Relaxing and Enjoyable

David_B, Aug 2026

Very nice boat ride with good food and excellent customer service. Very relaxing and good narration of the landmarks along the river.

Tea with a view🤗

Teresa_S, Aug 2026

It was a great afternoon the boat service , servers and crew were amazing . Live commentary was informative and entertaining and the tea and food went above expectation.

London

Bruce_M, Aug 2026

We definitely enjoyed the cruise. Crew was friendly and provided commentary on the trip. We would definitely recommend this.

A place to be

Raeline_S, Aug 2026

A very lovely way to spend and afternoon in London. The afternoontea was very nice but too much. We only had 50%. Seeing the buildings from the river was exceptional plus the tower bridge opening for the 5pm traffic

Marvelous!

Andy_S, Jul 2026

Skips the MI 6 building. Food delightful. Ask for cream. Go upstairs. Tips are accepted. Macaroons are brilliant!

The cruise itself was...

Joann_B, Jul 2026

The cruise itself was very lovely in terms of being a great way to see some of the sites of London. The food was fairly average - the sandwiches had dried out before they were served and the coffee was not hot. The commentators were not official tour guides and I think the descriptions of the landmarks could be improved. We had to line up for quite a long time before we got on the boat.

Loved food and Tea!...

Amy_D, Jul 2026

Loved food and Tea! Excellent staff , very friendly. The main problem was we could not hear the speaker as it was so loud with everyone talking. And the music they played was also loud. I expected soft elevator music but it was quite upbeat. The boat ride was excellent and when we finally went on the up deck we were able to hear the guide speak about the points of interest.

Thames River Cruises

Mary_P, Jul 2026

Unfortunately, the boat experienced mechanical issues & the tea cruise was cancelled as we were getting ready to board. However, the company apologized profusely & offered alternative cruise. They gave us a complimentary cruise to Greenwich where we spent 2 hours in this charming city. I was only sorry we had to leave with the last boat at 6:30. So.. it actually worked out pretty well, giving us the opportunity to see a really picturesque area. Mary Paris

Very disappointing. We...

Yvette_S, Jul 2026

Very disappointing. We were in line getting ready to board the boat when an employee came along to say the trip would be delayed by at least 15 minutes & there was a possibility of cancellation. At about 345 someone came along to let us know the trip had indeed been cancelled due to an issue with the boat. We were offered the alternative of just taking a river cruise. I understand that these things happen but don’t understand why they couldn’t have let us know earlier instead of as we were waiting in the queue. Was there really no possibility of getting in another boat? We did get a refund but have to wait the 3 to 7 business days to get it. I would not recommend this activity

Great!!!

Karlie_K, Jul 2026

Such a relaxing adventure. We flew in from USA on an overnight flight and was busy right up to the afternoon tea. Made our day!! Great service, food and sightseeing.

Tea with a view

Laura_G, Jul 2026

Fun for 2 adults and a 10yo. It was nice that when the kiddo was done with tea we could go up top and take in the sights. Tea service was fast. Food was good. Wish there could have been a kids option as the kid didn't like most of the offered, but took one for the team and ate the sweets.

it was a lovely afternoon...

Andrea_B, Jul 2026

it was a lovely afternoon food and tea were delicious. Service was slow but accommodating. I would do this again

Loved it!

Esther_P, Jul 2026

Loved the music, the air conditioning (IYKYK), and the food was delicious. Tea was wonderful. Had a wonderful time. The commentary was at the last leg of the excursion and it was nice.

Didn’t know what to...

Melissa_F, Jul 2026

Didn’t know what to expect but was pleasantly surprised. The boat had a well crafted layout and the staff were very nice. The tea, sandwiches, and biscuits were nicely presented. Was a unique way to see many of London’s most famous landmarks.

First class treat

Linda_W, Jul 2026

So much better than we could have ever have imagined. All was brilliant, boat, staff & tea. Loved it

10/10 Would Recommend

Destiny_C, Jul 2026

Absolutely the best! We had such a great time and throughly enjoyed the trip! Staff were prompt on boarding the boat and we left right on time! We enjoyed the scones with clotted cream and strawberry perserves and the super fruit pink tea the most! The boat went in a big circle so you got to view both sides of the river!

Great cruise, but slow service

Andrea_V, Jul 2026

When you schedule tea, and have stood in line for 30 minutes, their priority should be getting everyone tea. Then, someone can deliver the food. But their first priority is selling alcohol. It is a 90-minute cruise, and it was well after the 45-minute mark when they put the tray on the table. I tried the red sandwich. Oops..Cajan! Mouth burning, no tea. Tea came 10 minutes later. Now everything is rushed, there is tons of food, and very little time to enjoy it. Boat moved very fast, so we saw a lot, but it just added to the frenzy.

GREAT experience in London!

Juanita_S, Jul 2026

The VIATOR London Tea Cruise was an unforgettable experience, made even more special by the incredible hospitality of the staff. Our waitress, whose name starts with a "W," went above and beyond by creating an impromptu gluten-free cake tray for our friend who hadn't ordered one, ensuring she could fully enjoy the experience with us. Boris, the supervisor, was absolutely wonderful—after learning we were of Mexican descent and that Mexico had lost to England in the World Cup the night before, he playfully cheered, "Mexico!" each time he passed by, making us laugh as if we were at a soccer match. He even brought me a glass of ice because he knew that, as a Texan, I enjoy iced tea instead of hot tea, which was such a thoughtful and personal touch. Boris checked on us throughout the cruise, filling our afternoon with kindness, laughter, and genuine warmth, while our waitress made us feel truly cared for. Thank you, Boris and our amazing waitress—you both turned a lovely tea cruise into a memory we'll cherish, and your outstanding service deserves to be recognized!

The river tour is a...

Michael_L, Jul 2026

The river tour is a delightful way to see the Thames and the sights alongside. The boat was comfortable and the service was fine. I wish there had been a little more narrative from the tour guide as he saved his overview to the last leg of the cruise and I felt there might have been other info to learn about the city. Tea was good and the food was good but not exceptional. I do recommend as a good way to see the city overall.