Thames Dinner Cruise or Lunch Cruise?
Thames dinner cruise or lunch cruise? Dinner is 3 hours, 3 courses and live music from US$106; lunch is 105 minutes and 2 courses from US$71 (October 2026). How they differ, and an evening option in between.
Book dinner for an evening out, with three courses, live music and the river lit up; book lunch if you want the meal and the views in daylight, in about half the time and for about two thirds of the price. Lunch rates a little higher, 4.5 against 4.3, and dinner is the only one with a singer and dancing.
Side by side
| Lunch cruise | Dinner cruise | |
|---|---|---|
| From (October 2026) | US$71 a person | US$106 a person |
| On the water | 105 minutes | 3 hours |
| Food | 2 courses, tea or coffee | 3 courses, tea and coffee |
| Drinks included | none alcoholic | one glass of sparkling wine |
| Entertainment | commentary | a live singer and dancing |
| Boards at | Tower Pier | Westminster Pier, 7.30pm (Visit London) |
| Ages | all | 13 and over |
| Free cancellation | up to 3 days before | up to 3 days before |
| Rating | 4.5 from 2,277 reviews | 4.3 from 2,542 reviews |
What the evening adds
At night the river is a different place. The dinner cruise runs downriver past the lit-up Houses of Parliament, City Hall, the O2 and Canary Wharf, and in summer the sun sets while you eat. After the meal a singer works through songs old and new and people get up to dance. Guests call it “a fun way to see the city at night” and “the perfect outing to end the night”.
What it does not add is a better meal. The reviews are warmer about the views, the staff and the music than the food, which one guest called “fairly decent”. It is also three hours, which is a long time on one boat if the music is not your thing.
What daytime does better
The lunch cruise is a good meal with a view and a schedule that leaves the afternoon free. It boards at Tower Pier beside the Tower of London, runs upriver past the Shard, the London Eye and Parliament, and is back at the pier in 105 minutes. You see the buildings properly, in daylight, through the panoramic windows, and the price is lower. Families can come: the dinner cruise is not for under-13s.
What is the dress code for a Thames dinner cruise?
Smart casual, for both. The lunch listing names sportswear and sports shoes as not allowed, and some resellers say trainers are refused at dinner too, so smarter shoes are the safe choice for either.
Which one should you book?
Dinner Cruise on the River Thames
Three courses, a glass of fizz and a singer, with London lit up outside.
Check dinner dates →Lunch Cruise from Tower Pier
Two courses and the river in daylight, back by mid-afternoon.
See the lunch cruise →Evening Cruise With Bubbly
A glass of sparkling wine, canapés and live music from Tower Millennium Pier, no sit-down meal.
See the evening cruise →Prices as listed on GetYourGuide in October 2026, not a quote.
The dinner cruise page also covers Tea on the Thames, a smaller boat with a 2.5-hour dinner, and the afternoon tea page the other daytime sitting.
The calendar below is for the dinner cruise:
Dinner, a Singer and the River at Night
City Cruises' Dinner Cruise on the River Thames serves three courses with a glass of sparkling wine on arrival and live music, on a 3-hour evening sailing. Rated 4.3 from 2,542 reviews, from US$106 a person as of October 2026, with free cancellation up to 3 days before.
Check Dinner Cruise Dates