Sightseeing Cruises

Thames Sightseeing Cruise with Flexible Time and Departure Pier

Name: Thames Sightseeing Cruise with Flexible Time and Departure Pier
Start: 2026-05-04T10:00:00
End: 2026-05-04T18:00:00
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.

4.4/5(1,335)

Rina S

Couple

Verified booking

2 weeks ago

I really enjoyed the views and commentary - we were able to see the london skyline and enjoy a coffee at the same time!! We were really impressed with the smoothness of the journey and the way the skipper steered the boat. The lines were long but moved quickly and the staff were all very helpful. It was great to see so much of london from the river. The history of the bridges were explained very well - helping us to understand how much London has changed over the years. We were grateful to make use of the hop on hop off experience, which allowed us to see The Globe Theatre, London Eye, The Tower of London as well as enjoy the afternoon at the Greenwich Market! A fantastic trip and I would do it over and over again!

Louisa C

Group

Verified booking

Yesterday

This cruise was excellent! Great value for money and what made it special was the commentary provided by the crew! Very entertaining, full of humour. He spoke clearly and slowly which really helped my Mum (86) who is quite deaf! This made all the difference. Availability of food on board was a little disappointing but this didn't matter too much.

Deborah E

Solo

Verified booking

3 weeks ago

The Thames cruise from London Eye pier to Greenwich was delightful on the first real summer's day in London. Tony was our trip commentator - he was entertaining and informative. It was a lovely over view of the city's history, and highlights.

Alfredo G

Couple

Verified booking

2 weeks ago

Great service—it's not like Uber's water taxis, where you can't see a thing. On this cruise, they go slower and point out the sights as they go, plus you can see everything while sitting comfortably on the upper deck.

Etcheto S

Couple

Verified booking

6 days ago

It was a wonderful experience. We heard all sorts of stories during the ride. It was truly an informative experience that allowed us to see London in a whole new light. Thank you for everything

Christine R

Couple

Verified booking

2 weeks ago

The commentary was very good and highlighted lots of the sites and interesting facts. Really easy to get to Westminster Pier on the tube and made for a very scenic outdoor trip to Greenwich.

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.

1,335 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.
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Guests from United States, France, Germany and over 60 countries have loved this experience
What our guests say
Rina S
Couple
Verified booking
2 weeks ago
I really enjoyed the views and commentary - we were able to see the london skyline and enjoy a coffee at the same time!! We were really impressed with the smoothness of the journey and the way the skipper steered the boat. The lines were long but moved quickly and the staff were all very helpful. It was great to see so much of london from the river. The history of the bridges were explained very well - helping us to understand how much London has changed over the years. We were grateful to make use of the hop on hop off experience, which allowed us to see The Globe Theatre, London Eye, The Tower of London as well as enjoy the afternoon at the Greenwich Market! A fantastic trip and I would do it over and over again!
Alfredo G
Couple
Verified booking
2 weeks ago
Great service—it's not like Uber's water taxis, where you can't see a thing. On this cruise, they go slower and point out the sights as they go, plus you can see everything while sitting comfortably on the upper deck.
Christine R
Couple
Verified booking
2 weeks ago
The commentary was very good and highlighted lots of the sites and interesting facts. Really easy to get to Westminster Pier on the tube and made for a very scenic outdoor trip to Greenwich.
Allea S
Family
Verified booking
2 weeks ago
Great, stress free hop on hop off river cruise experience. Got to see the beautiful sites of London. Staff were efficient and great comentary throughout.
Gerald G
Couple
Verified booking
3 weeks ago
Flexible schedules. The boat and its large deck. The commentary. The duration of the cruise and the time spent at each stop.

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.