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Thames Cruise - afternoon tea

Lower Thames Street, Greater London, England

Description

The Afternoon Tea Cruise on the River Thames operated by City Cruises blends sightseeing of some of London's tourist highlights seen from the river with an afternoon tea experience on a boat. The itinerary consists in an out and back from Tower Pier until Westminster Palace before heading towards Canary Wharf, taking in St Paul's, HMS Belfast, London Eye, Big Ben & House of Parliament, Tower Bridge, and the Tower of London. The sightseeing is complemented by an audio commentary and guests can head upstairs for some fresh air and 360° views.

Access & Transport

Boarding is at the Tower Pier (EC3N 4DT) which is located close to the Tower Hill Underground station, on the Circle and District lines and walking distance to the City of London and Tower Bridge. There is also a Tower of London bus stop. The boat has limited accessibility for wheelchair users so they will need to contact the reservation team before booking.

Instructions & Recommendations

Make sure you book ahead of time, especially during the peak tourist season, and that you arrive at least before 15h15 when boarding starts - so you don't miss the boat. Vegetarian menu is available upon request The obvious combinations would be a visit to the Tower of London, Sky Garden or Tower Bridge, all within a few minutes walk.

Meta review

The customer reviews are fairly uneven, probably because people have different expectations and taste buds, but it also seems many comments (both positive and negative) are not genuine as they are patently opposite. That being said, it looks like guests do enjoy their experience and that the food does the job. The main complaints are around the tea/coffee service period being curtailed on both sides and that the pre-recorded commentary is pretty flat.

Environmental & Social

Boats don't use the most environmentally friendly fuel, but the operator does invest in energy saving engines and has policies in place to limit waste (e.g. limiting plastic use). Socially neutral.

Conclusion

If you have both the time and the budget, then an afternoon tea cruise is definitely an original and social way to sightsee. A good option for residents when family or friends are visiting. However, seeing from the river is not quite the same as visiting so think twice if you can't do both. Unfortuntely, at the current price point, we do not think this is a good value option.

Key positive

A great way to enjoy landmarks in quick succession in a social setting

An opportunity to try afternoon tea when in London

Key negative

You are paying more for the setting than for the food

Quite a budget for a family

Suitability

Suitable for all ages, the kids will enjoy being on a boat Partially accessible as wheelchair size is a limiting factor. Customers need to check with the reservation team.

About this Rating

TYPE

Desktop

RESEARCHED IN

May 2024

PROVIDER

Koreval

Included Items
Food
sandwiches, mini pastries & scones with clotted cream and jam
Drinks (non-alc.)
tea & coffee - juice for kids (we think)
Timing
Duration of visit
Boarding at 15h15 and cruise from 15h30 to 17h00

av. transport time:0h 30m

est. visit time:2h

Regulated hours

Monday15:00 - 17:00

Tuesday15:00 - 17:00

Wednesday15:00 - 17:00

Thursday15:00 - 17:00

Friday15:00 - 17:00

Saturday15:00 - 17:00

Sunday15:00 - 17:00

Pricing
Age band
Age band
Regular price / pers.
Senior
65 - 99
£66
Adult
13 - 64
£66
Child
2 - 12
£54
Infant
0 - 1
£0

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