"The boat ride and meal were well timed, quite enjoyable. Our waitress was nice and brought food items in a timely manner."
Tower Pier · 105 Minutes · From US$71 (Oct 2026)
Thames Lunch Cruise
City Cruises' lunch sailing from beside the Tower of London: a 2-course lunch with tea or coffee under a glass roof, upriver past the Shard, the London Eye and Parliament, and back to Tower Pier.
Certified by GetYourGuide
From
US$71
per person
Free cancellation
- 4.5 / 5 2277+ Reviews
- 105 min From Tower Pier
- 2 courses + Tea or Coffee
- Free Cancellation
The Experience
What the Lunch Cruise Includes
A guaranteed table, two courses, tea or coffee and commentary on the way.
Highlights
- Enjoy a delicious lunch as you cruise down the River Thames in London
- See some of London's famous riverside attractions
- Relax in a newly refurbished modern river cruise vessel with panoramic windows
What's Included
- River Thames cruise with regular seat
- 2-course lunch with tea and coffee
- Live or recorded commentary
Good to know: Your seat on board is guaranteed and will be allocated to you before the cruise takes place. When you board you will be shown to your table. Please note tables are fixed, with each table (or pair of tables) seating four people. Panoramic windows provide great views from all angles of the passing sky-line, regardless of your table location · Please note that some tables are situated in close proximity to other diners · The dress code is smart casual · Not Included: Alcoholic drinks, Hotel pickup and drop-off
How the Thames Lunch Cruise Works
Book the sailing, dress smart casual, and meet at Tower Pier.
Book the Sailing
Lunch sells by the sailing, and free cancellation closes 3 days before. Tables seat four, so a couple may share with another pair.
Dress Smart Casual
The listing gives smart casual as the dress code, and names sportswear and sports shoes as not allowed.
Meet at Tower Pier
Tower Pier sits on the river beside the Tower of London, a short walk from Tower Hill station. You are shown to your table when you board.
Eat as the City Goes By
The boat heads upriver past the Shard, the London Eye and Parliament while lunch is served, with commentary, and returns to Tower Pier after 105 minutes.
Photo Gallery
The Lunch Cruise
Photos from the lunch cruise listing: the glass-roofed dining deck, the food and the river.
Book Your Experience
Check Availability & Prices
Select your preferred date and time. Instant confirmation — free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.
Lunch, Afternoon Tea or Tea on the Thames?
The daytime meal cruises compared. Prices as listed on GetYourGuide in October 2026.
| Feature | HOT LUNCH City Cruises Lunch | Afternoon Tea Cruise | Tea on the Thames |
|---|---|---|---|
| From (October 2026) | US$71 per person | US$66 per person | US$29 per person (lowest-priced option) |
| Time on the water | 105 minutes | 90 minutes | 90 minutes |
| Food | 2 courses, tea or coffee | Sandwiches, scones, cakes, unlimited tea | Afternoon tea (or a coffee cruise) |
| Leaves from | Tower Pier | Tower Pier | Butler's Wharf Pier |
| Dress code | Smart casual, no sportswear | Not stated | Not stated |
| Rating | 4.5 (2,277 reviews) | 4.4 (3,978 reviews) | 4.6 (188 reviews) |
| Check Availability | See Tea Cruises | See Tea on the Thames |
Other Meal Cruises
More Ways to Eat on the Thames
Afternoon tea from the same pier, a smaller tea boat from Butler's Wharf, and the 3-hour dinner cruise.
AFTERNOON TEALondon: Afternoon Tea Cruise on the River Thames
Enjoy a quintessentially British afternoon tea on the Thames during a 1.5-hour sightseeing cruise.
SMALLER BOATLondon: Thames Cruise with Afternoon Tea, Coffee or Dinner
Choose between a classic English afternoon tea on a 90-minute cruise or a sumptuous 2.5-hour evening dinner cruise with live music.
DINNERLondon: Dinner Cruise on the River Thames
Experience London’s original dinner cruise on the Thames, combining a delicious 3-course meal, welcome drink, live entertainment and spectacular views of the city.
The Guide
Why the Lunch Cruise Rates Best of the Meal Cruises
It is shorter and cheaper than dinner, and you see the river in daylight.
The Thames lunch cruise is City Cruises’ 105-minute sailing from Tower Pier, with a 2-course lunch and tea or coffee at a table under a glass roof, from US$71 a person (checked October 2026). It is rated 4.5 out of 5 from 2,277 reviews, the best of the three big meal cruises on the river.
The boat leaves Tower Pier, next to the Tower of London and in sight of Tower Bridge, and heads upriver past the Shard, the London Eye and the Houses of Parliament before turning back. The listing’s menu is a roast chicken supreme with a leek, tarragon and mushroom sauce, Dauphinois potatoes and vegetables, then lemon meringue tart. Wine, beer and soft drinks come from the bar.
Why lunch rather than dinner
Lunch is a little over half the length and about two thirds of the price of the dinner cruise, and you see the river and the buildings in daylight rather than lit up. Guests notice the timing: “the boat ride and meal were well timed”, one wrote, and another liked that the boat went “in both directions, back and forth, we missed nothing”. The commentary is light; one reviewer would have liked “a little more entertainment or background music”.
It also fits around a day at the Tower. Board at Tower Pier at midday and you are back where you started with the afternoon free for the Tower of London or Tower Bridge.
Practical points
- Dress: smart casual; sportswear and sports shoes are not allowed.
- Tables: fixed tables for four, allocated before the sailing. The windows run all round, so every table has a view, and some sit close to the next.
- Drinks: tea or coffee are included; alcohol is extra.
- Cancelling: free up to 3 days before.
Other daytime meal cruises
The afternoon tea cruise leaves the same pier for 90 minutes of sandwiches, scones and cakes with unlimited tea, from US$66 a person , with a children’s menu. Tea on the Thames is a smaller boat from Butler’s Wharf Pier, rated 4.6, with afternoon tea or a coffee cruise. The afternoon tea page compares the two.
Guest Reviews
What Lunch Cruise Guests Say
4.5/5
from 2277 verified guests
"Pleasant and relaxing experience, friendly guide. We had a great spot at the front of the boat. The food was excellent. We had a good time. Maybe a little more entertainment or background music would have been nice."
"An excellent trip on the river while enjoying a really good meal."
"This whole experience was superb! The views are just as advertised in a boat covered in glass. The food and staff were exceptional. Because the boat took us in both directions, back and forth, we missed nothing. The architecture and history narration was sporadic, but not overwhelming. We still can't get over or stop talking about the fun we had on this London cruise!"
"It's almost two very pleasant hours. The trip on the River Thames offers spectacular views of some of its most iconic buildings. Highly recommended."
"The greeting and service from the staff was lovely. the commentary interesting and funny even if it was fairly obviously pre recorded. The route the boat took was absolutely great. The food was of high standard, very tasty and pleased all our party and catered for various allergies. Made an effort as it was a birthday celebration but not too much fuss to embarrass! Efficient and on time and really nice."
"Fantastic day - wonderful food, staff very welcoming and professional, great narrative about the Thames and London (some of which as a Londoner I never knew) and cruise boat has fabulous views"
"We were very surprised by the quality of the lunch we had during the cruise tour. We are really delighted. Thank you very much. In addition, our waiter was really very pleasant."
Read all 2,277 verified reviews
See All ReviewsLunch on the Thames, Back by Mid-Afternoon
City Cruises' Lunch Cruise on the River Thames serves a 2-course lunch with tea or coffee on a 105-minute sailing from Tower Pier, with commentary on the way. Rated 4.5 from 2,277 reviews, from US$71 a person as of October 2026, with free cancellation up to 3 days before. Starting from US$71 per person.
Check Lunch Cruise DatesCan't Make These Dates?
Browse More Available Options
Find a tour that fits your schedule. Check each listing's cancellation terms: some dates are non-refundable.
Thames Lunch Cruise FAQ
Timing, menu, dress code and where the lunch cruise boards.
105 minutes. City Cruises' lunch cruise leaves Tower Pier, runs up the river past Parliament and the London Eye, and comes back to Tower Pier. The afternoon tea cruise from the same pier is 90 minutes.
A 2-course lunch with tea or coffee, a guaranteed table and live or recorded commentary; alcoholic drinks are extra. The listing's menu is roast chicken supreme with a leek, tarragon and mushroom sauce, then lemon meringue tart. Tables seat four, so small groups may share.
Tower Pier, beside the Tower of London and a short walk from Tower Hill station. The cruise ends where it started, so you can plan the Tower of London or Tower Bridge for the afternoon. The pier guide shows where it is.
Smart casual; the listing names sportswear and sports shoes as not allowed. That is the one practical difference from a sightseeing boat, where anything goes.
Lunch if you want a hot meal and a longer cruise; afternoon tea if you want the scones and a lighter, cheaper sitting. The lunch cruise is US$71 for 105 minutes and the afternoon tea cruise US$66 for 90 minutes (October 2026). Dinner or lunch? compares the evening option too.
Yes, free up to 3 days before the sailing. Inside three days the ticket is not refunded, which is stricter than the 24 hours on most sightseeing boats.
Still have questions? Email us at info@thames-river-cruises.com