Sightseeing Cruises

Thames Sightseeing Cruise with Flexible Time and Departure Pier

Name: Thames Sightseeing Cruise with Flexible Time and Departure Pier
Start: 2026-06-19T10:00:00
End: 2026-06-19T19:30:00
Location: London

Sightseeing cruise passengers view the Tower of London from the Thames River.

Group enjoying a selfie on a London sightseeing cruise with Big Ben in the background.

People on a Thames River cruise with views of The Shard and City Hall in London.

Sightseeing cruise on River Thames passing under Millennium Bridge, London.

Explore at your pace

Choose your entry time, stay as long as you like

Free cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience

Book now, pay later

Book now without paying anything. Cancel for free if your plans change.

4.6/5(1,405)

Laurie K

Couple

Verified booking

Last week

The cruise was relaxing and entertaining with opportunities to hop off and further explore sites on land. The commentator was knowledgable and funny and kept the passengers engaged. We ordered lunch from our seats and it was served promptly with friendly service. Be careful not to confuse the London Bridge with the London Tower Bridge!

Veronica B

Group

Verified booking

Last week

Awesome!! The weather was a big factor—it didn't rain, so we were able to enjoy the upper deck and the view. The crew's descriptions of the key sites helped us understand the history and appreciate the architecture and culture. We had a great time!

Debbie S

Couple

Verified booking

3 days ago

Absolutely loved this cruise. The views were amazing with options of sitting either inside or on the deck. The guide was excellent and provided informative information on all the sights by the river. Definitely worth the experience.

David W

Group

Verified booking

6 days ago

I am local but took two Italian students down to Greenwich, the commentary is so informative, the lad doing it has the 'Gift of the Gab', he is very good not forgetting the safety brief either.

David R

Couple

Verified booking

2 days ago

Enjoyed the flexible running of the Thames cruise offering 4 stops and the ability to get off and back on at leisure.A bonus was the insightful and amusing commentary offered by the crew along the cruise.

Carmen L

Solo

Verified booking

3 weeks ago

Boarding was easy and understandable, on the boat you could order food/drinks which would get delivered to your seat (whether on the top deck or inside), we saw the London Eye, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, The Shard, The London Castle, The Tower Bridge, The London Bridge and many many more impressive buildings and monuments. We enjoyed our trip and the fact that we could return to our hop off station until 5.50pm! The crew on board was kind and they even had a little live commentary, so even though we didn't download the free audio guide, we still got a little extra informations about the buildings/monuments etc we drove past. It was an amazing day, and we got to take a lot of amazing pictures! Would absolutely recommend!!

Set sail along the Thames with City Cruises, boarding from Westminster, London Eye, Tower, or Greenwich Pier anytime on your selected day for a one-way cruise.

Ideal for spontaneous travellers or busy schedules, enjoy London from open-air decks or heated indoor cabins without following a fixed route.

Learn fascinating stories about London’s history and landmarks through live English commentary or a multilingual audio guide while you cruise the river.

Children receive a complimentary activity book and colouring sheets, keeping young explorers entertained while learning about London from the river.

Upgrade to a hop-on-hop-off ticket for unlimited cruises all day, hopping on or off at any pier to explore London at your pace.

Best for: Packed sightseeing itineraries; no need to commit to an exact departure time

Flexible one-way sightseeing cruise on the River Thames

Board and disembark from Westminster Pier, London Eye Pier, Greenwich Pier, or Tower Pier

Arrive at any time on the selected date, no pre-booking required (see timetable)

Live English commentary or recorded commentary in 14 languages

Open-air deck and heated indoors

Complimentary kids' activity book & colouring sheets

Additional paid upgrades:

24-hour hop-on-hop-off sightseeing ticket (view route and timetable [here])

Access to the onboard bar (available at an additional cost)

TOTAL DURATION30 minutes
FREQUENCY40 minutes
MODE OF TRANSFERBoat
4 Boarding points
Westminster Pier
Get direction
London Eye Pier
Get direction
Greenwich Pier
Get direction
Tower Pier
Get direction
Sights covered
Houses of Parliament
London Eye
Royal Festival Hall
Tate Modern
St. Paul's Cathedral
Shakespeare's Globe Theatre
Borough Market
Southwark Cathedral
HMS Belfast
The Shard
Tower of London
Tower Bridge
Canary Wharf
Royal Observatory

You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.

1,405 reviews
How do we collect reviews?
These ratings include verified reviews from both Headout guests and our trusted partners who operate this experience locally. All reviews come from real travelers who've taken this experience.
1K
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Guests from United States, France, Germany and over 56 countries have loved this experience
What our guests say
Andreea C
Couple
Verified booking
Last week
I liked the flexibility of the 24 h ticket, not being bound to a fixed departure time. But there was quite a bit of waiting in between the central piers. Quite busy boat to start with, only standing on upper deck. At Greenwich rather than return straight away had to wait another half hour. The commentary was ok but could only hear fragments due to noise. Bit off putting the suggestion of how much tip to leave for being given that commentary too.
Laurie K
Couple
Verified booking
Last week
The cruise was relaxing and entertaining with opportunities to hop off and further explore sites on land. The commentator was knowledgable and funny and kept the passengers engaged. We ordered lunch from our seats and it was served promptly with friendly service. Be careful not to confuse the London Bridge with the London Tower Bridge!
Veronica B
Group
Verified booking
Last week
Awesome!! The weather was a big factor—it didn't rain, so we were able to enjoy the upper deck and the view. The crew's descriptions of the key sites helped us understand the history and appreciate the architecture and culture. We had a great time!
Debbie S
Couple
Verified booking
3 days ago
Absolutely loved this cruise. The views were amazing with options of sitting either inside or on the deck. The guide was excellent and provided informative information on all the sights by the river. Definitely worth the experience.
David R
Couple
Verified booking
2 days ago
Enjoyed the flexible running of the Thames cruise offering 4 stops and the ability to get off and back on at leisure.A bonus was the insightful and amusing commentary offered by the crew along the cruise.

What to bring

Have your entry tickets, and ID ready for a seamless experience.

Accessibility

This experience is wheelchair and pram/stroller accessible.

Additional information

Facilities: restrooms and baby changing facilities.

The average cruising time for a Thames sightseeing cruise from one pier to the other is 40 mins, except from Westminster Pier to London Eye Pier, which is 10 mins.

Please note: some circular tours may require a boat change at Tower Pier.

With the 24-hour hop-on hop-off ticket, you're in complete control. Start your boating adventure anytime and enjoy unlimited rides until the boats stop operating for the evening. The next day, you can continue using your ticket until its validity expires.

Your voucher will be emailed to you shortly.

Display the voucher on your mobile phone with a valid photo ID at the starting point.

Please check your final voucher for the starting point details & specific instructions.