ON THE RIVER · UK RIVER CRUISES

Best River Cruises in the UK — Our Top 15

56 river trips  ·  from $13 a head

The Thames carries most of it, with the Cam, the Avon and the Birmingham canals underneath. The 15 below are priced and timed, with a note on which run all year.

London: Westminster to Greenwich River Thames Cruise - The South Bank: Millennium Bridge, Tate Modern, and Shakespeare’s Globe
London River Cruises, River Cruises, Thames River Cruises, Tour Reviews, UK River Cruises

London: Westminster to Greenwich River Thames Cruise

1.Westminster to Greenwich River Thames Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 22,836 reviews · 1 - 2 hours · from $22Our pick

Cruise the Thames from Westminster Pier to Greenwich in about an hour, passing Parliament, the London Eye, Tate Modern, Tower Bridge, and the Tower of London. Choose a one-way ride or return trip, listen to live English commentary, and use a smartphone audio guide in six languages. Greenwich Pier puts the Cutty Sark, market, park, and Royal Observatory within walking distance.

“It was a green way to see the city from the water.”

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London Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tour with Optional River Cruise - The blue route through Kensington and Notting Hill
Hop-On Hop-Off River Boats, London River Cruises, River Cruises, Tour Reviews, Tours, UK River Cruises

London Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tour with Optional River Cruise

2.London Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tour with Optional River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 10,803 reviews · 3 hours 35 minutes (approx.) · from $39

See London’s main sights from an open-top double-decker bus across three routes, with stops near Buckingham Palace, the Tower, St. Paul’s, Notting Hill, and the British Museum. Choose a 24-hour or 48-hour ticket, add a Thames cruise, and use the 48-hour option for walking tours and an evening ride.

“Great way to see the city and get off at the attractions one wants to see. We recommend this for London!”

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London: Tootbus Hop-on Hop-off (Optional River Cruise) - Riding the Yellow Route through central London
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London: Tootbus Hop-on Hop-off (Optional River Cruise)

3.Tootbus Hop-on Hop-off (Optional River Cruise)

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 7,045 reviews · 1 - 3 days · from $47

Use a 24, 48, or 72-hour Tootbus pass to see London’s major sights from an open-top bus. Track buses in real time with the app, listen in 10 languages, join four self-guided walks, and add a one-way City Cruises trip between Westminster and Tower Pier.

“Amazing bus too see all the sites, map clear and easy to follow, bus drivers helpful- easy to get on and off.”

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London: Westminster to Tower Bridge River Thames Cruise - Boarding at Westminster Pier
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London: Westminster to Tower Bridge River Thames Cruise

4.Westminster to Tower Bridge River Thames Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 6,127 reviews · 30 minutes - 1 hour · from $18

Board at Westminster Pier for a 25 to 30 minute Thames cruise past Parliament, St. Paul’s, Tate Modern, The Shard, and Shakespeare’s Globe. Crew members provide live English commentary, often with plenty of humor. Choose a one-way journey to Butler’s Wharf or return by changing boats there. An onboard bar serves drinks and light refreshments.

“Absolutely loved the boat ride so informative, the staff absolutely made the experience worth their weight in gold good staff xxx”

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London: London Eye, River Cruise, & Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour - Riding the open-top Big Bus
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London: London Eye, River Cruise, & Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour

5.London Eye, River Cruise, & Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 5,332 reviews · 1 - 2 days · from $74

Combine three classic London views in one package: ride an open-top Big Bus past Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and Tower Bridge, take one rotation on the London Eye, and cruise the Thames between Westminster and Tower Pier. Pre-book your Eye time, use the app to track buses, and choose 48 hours for the walking tours.

“I liked that the Hop on Hop off tour helped with moving around the city. We could explore a lot of stuff and don't feel rushed as long as we showed our ticket. The bus stops were easily marked so we knew where to wait for a bus and the audio was absolutely brilliant. I learned a lot about London in 2 days. I'm also happy about the London eye. While it was just one rotation it was good enough to get a lot of snaps. The river cruise was also great and the commentary was hilarious”

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Manchester: Canal & River Cruise - Boarding beside The Lowry at Salford Quays
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Manchester: Canal & River Cruise

6.Manchester: Canal & River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 4,638 reviews · 1 hour · from $16

Board under the blue and white Millennium Lift Bridge beside The Lowry for a one-hour English-language cruise along the Manchester Ship Canal and River Irwell. You’ll pass MediaCity, Old Trafford, Imperial War Museum North, Pomona Docks, Stephenson’s 1830 railway bridge, and Hulme Lock, with indoor and outdoor seating, toilets, and light refreshments on board.

“This cruise is amazing, definitely recommend if you are coming to visit Manchester!”

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Liverpool: Sightseeing River Cruise on the Mersey River - Leaving Pier Head beneath the Three Graces
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Liverpool: Sightseeing River Cruise on the Mersey River

7.Liverpool: Sightseeing River Cruise on the Mersey River

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 4,153 reviews · 1 day · from $17

Board a traditional Mersey Ferry at Liverpool Pier Head for a 50-minute River Explorer cruise. You’ll see the Three Graces, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool Cathedral, and views toward Wirral while listening to free commentary in 11 languages. Bring headphones and a jacket. The ferry has indoor seating, a café bar, toilets, and an accessible main deck.

“I liked the history of it and it was nice to be on the Mersey listening to Gerry & the pacemakers. Really fun to be therex”

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High-Speed Thames River Speedboat in London - Boarding at London Eye Pier
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High-Speed Thames River Speedboat in London

8.High-Speed Thames River Speedboat in London

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,971 reviews · 50 minutes (approx.) · from $90Top rated

Board at London Eye Pier for a 50-minute Thames Rockets ride with up to 12 passengers. Guides such as Sofia, Jack, and Leoni mix London history with humor and music, then the skipper opens the throttle near Canary Wharf for speeds up to 30 knots, wake jumps, and tight turns.

“This was great and totally worth the time and money. London from a different point of view, the wind in your hair and an entertaining and informative guide. Five stars all around. Brilliant!”

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London: Thames River Cruise with Optional London Eye Ticket - Westminster Bridge and Big Ben set the tone
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London: Thames River Cruise with Optional London Eye Ticket

9.Thames River Cruise with Optional London Eye Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3,900 reviews · 45 minutes - 1.5 hours · from $20

Cruise from the London Eye Pier to Tower Bridge and back, passing Big Ben, St Paul’s Cathedral, Shakespeare’s Globe, and the Tower of London. Live guides such as Mitch, George, Ben, and Josh mix London facts with jokes. Add a London Eye ticket if you want both attractions, but book each time slot carefully.

“Really enjoyable (and informative!) trip. The guide was very interesting and funny, can really recommend this.”

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London: Big Bus Hop-on, Hop-off with Optional River Cruise - Red Route: the best first ride through central London
Hop-On Hop-Off River Boats, London River Cruises, River Cruises, Tour Reviews, UK River Cruises

London: Big Bus Hop-on, Hop-off with Optional River Cruise

10.Big Bus Hop-on, Hop-off with Optional River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 3,875 reviews · 1 - 2 days · from $35

Use a one-day, 24-hour, or 48-hour Big Bus ticket to explore London’s sights across three routes and more than 50 stops. Add a Westminster to Tower Pier Thames cruise, guided walks with experts such as Emma and Nick, or a 7:30 pm evening tour of illuminated landmarks.

“It was a great way to become familiar with the city, especially if you don’t know your way around. Driving in London is crazy. So many people and such small roads. We got to everywhere we wanted and just hopped off. The Big Bus provided more options than the other bus services because there are so many more Big Buses driving around town. The downside was sometimes there are a lot of people on this line because it is the most popular. The blue line bus was kind of boring, we had to wait longer for a bus, and it took a long time to get anywhere because of the…”

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London Tootbus Hop on Hop off Bus Tour and Thames River Cruise - The blue route covers royal London, parks, and museums
Hop-On Hop-Off River Boats, London River Cruises, River Cruises, Thames River Cruises, Tour Reviews, Tours, UK River Cruises

London Tootbus Hop on Hop off Bus Tour and Thames River Cruise

11.London Tootbus Hop on Hop off Bus Tour and Thames River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 3,834 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $53

Use a Tootbus pass to tour London by double-decker bus on three routes, then add a Thames sightseeing cruise. Expect recorded adult and children’s commentary, an app for live bus locations, and stops near Buckingham Palace, the Tower, St Paul’s, museums, and Covent Garden.

“Lots of buses, alway seats available. Audio was good, stops are in great locations. The two day option worked well for us.”

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London: Afternoon Tea Cruise on the River Thames - Starting at Tower Pier by the Tower of London
River Cruises, Thames River Cruises, Tour Reviews, UK River Cruises

London: Afternoon Tea Cruise on the River Thames

12.Afternoon Tea Cruise on the River Thames

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 3,274 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $53

Board at Tower Pier for a 90-minute afternoon tea cruise with sandwiches, warm scones, clotted cream, jam, cakes, unlimited tea and coffee, and live or recorded commentary. You will pass Tower Bridge, Shakespeare’s Globe, the Tate Modern, The Shard, the London Eye, and the Houses of Parliament from a comfortable riverboat.

“We loved it. Everything was so delicious. Thank you so much!”

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Westminster to Greenwich Sightseeing Thames Cruise in London - Tower Bridge, HMS Belfast, and the Tower of London
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Westminster to Greenwich Sightseeing Thames Cruise in London

13.Westminster to Greenwich Sightseeing Thames Cruise in London

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,969 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $22

Cruise east from Westminster Pier to Greenwich with live commentary, passing Big Ben, the London Eye, Shakespeare’s Globe, Tower Bridge, and the Tower of London. Choose a one-way or return ticket, then explore the Cutty Sark, Greenwich Park, market, museums, and observatory at your own pace. Boats have indoor and open-air seating, toilets, and a small bar.

“Definitely will see a part of London that most people don’t see. It was very informative and enjoyable.”

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London: River Thames Evening Cruise with Bubbly and Canapés - Tower Bridge and the Tower of London
London River Cruises, Night River Cruises, River Cruises, Thames River Cruises, Tour Reviews, UK River Cruises

London: River Thames Evening Cruise with Bubbly and Canapés

14.River Thames Evening Cruise with Bubbly and Canapés

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 2,493 reviews · 2 hours · from $37

Spend two hours on the Thames from Tower Millennium Pier, watching London landmarks from an indoor saloon or open-air deck. You’ll receive sparkling wine or a soft drink, enjoy canapés, and hear live chill-out pop. The boat returns to its starting point, with a cash bar for extra drinks.

“We got more canapés than I expected which was good. I liked most of them. The cruise was as expected but I thought there would be more narration about what we were seeing. There was basically none , so we really didn’t know what sights we were looking at. That was too bad. Everything else was great!”

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London: River Thames Dinner Cruise - The first views: Big Ben, Parliament, and central London
Dinner Cruises, Dinner Cruises in London, Dinner Cruises in the UK, London River Cruises, River Cruises, Thames River Cruises, Tour Reviews, UK River Cruises

London: River Thames Dinner Cruise

15.River Thames Dinner Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 2,159 reviews · 3 hours · from $94

Spend three hours aboard a dinner boat from Westminster Pier, passing Big Ben, Canary Wharf, the O2 Arena, City Hall, and the Thames Barrier. You get sparkling wine on arrival, a three-course British meal, tea and coffee, and live singing. Performers vary, with past singers including Emma, Patrick Phelps, Paddy, and Andrew.

“It was my birthday celebration. From start to finish I really enjoyed it. My group said it wasThe host was good. The singer is a "Wow:. Will be back soon. Loved it. the best choice for my day.”

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Just added to UK River Cruises

★ 3.8Full-Day Sightseeing Bus Tour with River CruiseFrom $17426 reviews
★ 4.5Festive London Christmas Day River Thames Lunch CruiseFrom $23547 reviews
★ 4.6Dochgarroch: Caledonian Canal and Loch Ness 50min CruiseFrom $30101 reviews
★ 4.8Coniston Water: 60 minute Swallows and Amazons CruiseFrom $224 reviews
★ 4.5Crown Jewels Tour with River CruiseFrom $15556 reviews
★ 4.8Westminster to Kew River Thames CruiseFrom $2551 reviews
★ 4.8Richmond to Hampton Court River Thames CruiseFrom $1824 reviews
★ 4.6Hampton Court to Richmond River Thames CruiseFrom $1820 reviews
★ 4.2Kew to Westminster River Thames CruiseFrom $2455 reviews
★ 4.1River Thames Dinner Cruise with Live JazzFrom $134233 reviews
★ 4.0Tower Bridge River Sightseeing Cruise from WestminsterFrom $18457 reviews
★ 3.5London Tootbus Hop-on Hop-off (Optional Thames Cruise)From $48483 reviews
★ 4.5Liverpool: River Cruise & Sightseeing Bus TourFrom $34495 reviews
★ 5.0Thames High-Speed Zone Speedboat in LondonFrom $90567 reviews
★ 4.0River Thames Evening Cruise with Sparkling wine and CanapésFrom $45569 reviews

Other lists on this water

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