OT - Thames Sightseeing Cruises

Coach H
Coach H Posts: 1,092
edited January 2017 in Commuting chat
Coming to that London next month with the kids (girls 7 & 10) for their first visit.

They want to do a river cruise. Any of you London residents have any ideas/tips/comments?

Any help muchly appreciated.
Coach H. (Dont ask me for training advice - 'It's not about the bike')

Comments

  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,321
    Just get the boat that goes from the Tate Britain to the Tate Modern... it's probably all you want to see... it lasts 10 minutes and costs very little (you can use the oyster card to pay)
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  • dhope
    dhope Posts: 6,699
    The girls will probably enjoy these
    https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attractio ... gland.html

    There are a few similar tours, but pelting around the thames is a good laugh
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  • london-red
    london-red Posts: 1,266
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    Just get the boat that goes from the Tate Britain to the Tate Modern... it's probably all you want to see... it lasts 10 minutes and costs very little (you can use the oyster card to pay)

    If these are the Thames Clippers, I agree, 'cos it's cheap. But I'd do the trip from Southbank to Greenwich or Woolwich. Loads to do down that way, and really impressive stretches of river.
  • elbowloh
    elbowloh Posts: 7,078
    Just get on the river bus, don't really need to do a cruise.

    https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/river/about-river-bus
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  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    Don't fancy standing on vicky embankment and cheering on the SCR guys? :P
    _
  • surrey_commuter
    surrey_commuter Posts: 18,867
    London-Red wrote:
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    Just get the boat that goes from the Tate Britain to the Tate Modern... it's probably all you want to see... it lasts 10 minutes and costs very little (you can use the oyster card to pay)

    If these are the Thames Clippers, I agree, 'cos it's cheap. But I'd do the trip from Southbank to Greenwich or Woolwich. Loads to do down that way, and really impressive stretches of river.

    +1 for this and do the Cable Car (no need to book in advance :D )
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,321
    London-Red wrote:
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    Just get the boat that goes from the Tate Britain to the Tate Modern... it's probably all you want to see... it lasts 10 minutes and costs very little (you can use the oyster card to pay)

    If these are the Thames Clippers, I agree, 'cos it's cheap. But I'd do the trip from Southbank to Greenwich or Woolwich. Loads to do down that way, and really impressive stretches of river.

    Yes, these... agree, you can go all the way to Greenwich, which makes even more sense
    left the forum March 2023
  • Coach H
    Coach H Posts: 1,092
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Don't fancy standing on vicky embankment and cheering on the SCR guys? :P

    I wouldn't mind Rick but I dont fancy my chances of getting this past the all female organising committee.
    I suspect my role will be confined to wallet opener, bag carrier and waterboy.

    Thanks to everyone else for their ideas and comments
    Coach H. (Dont ask me for training advice - 'It's not about the bike')
  • inbike
    inbike Posts: 264
    The Embankment to Grenwich/Canary Wharf/O2 commuter boat has a bar on it and an open deck at the back. It finishes by the end of the cable car. As already mentioned, paying for the boat and the cable car with Oyster cards is a lot cheaper. It's much more fun than the tour boat because it's faster (but not too fast) and there's less waiting in queues for things to happen.

    Canary Wharf is actually a pretty good place to hop off for lunch - Royal China is next to the pier. If you stop for food at Greenwich then you get a good view of Cutty Sark as you walk past but I'm not sure how good the food options are. If you stop for food at London Bridge then you can go to Borough Market (Thu-Sat only, lots of great choices).

    If the weather has warmed up you can check out a Boris Bike for everyone and cycle at a relaxed place from the Blackfriars stop or the Embankment stop to Hyde Park along fully segreated cycle lanes, past the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace. No riding on the road required.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,209
    dhope wrote:
    The girls will probably enjoy these
    https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attractio ... gland.html

    There are a few similar tours, but pelting around the thames is a good laugh

    We've done one of those - good fun. You putt putt around while you are upstream of Tower Bridge, looking at the sights, then go speedboat mode once outside.
  • UndercoverElephant
    UndercoverElephant Posts: 5,796
    My sister took her girls (similar ages) on one of these tours:

    https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attractio ... gland.html

    Amphibious vehicles are cool. They all had a great time.
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  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    Has anyone mentioned the rib rides down the Thames ? Fast and furious and you get overalls to wear. Can be splashy and usually a comedy dude doing a bit of commentary on the river.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,321
    UndercoverElephant wrote:
    My sister took her girls (similar ages) on one of these tours:

    https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attractio ... gland.html

    Amphibious vehicles are cool. They all had a great time.

    Is it the one that caught fire a couple of years back?
    left the forum March 2023
  • dhope
    dhope Posts: 6,699
    Fenix wrote:
    Has anyone mentioned the rib rides down the Thames ? Fast and furious and you get overalls to wear. Can be splashy and usually a comedy dude doing a bit of commentary on the river.

    Yep, they're the ones I mentioned at the top. Good fun :D
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  • awavey
    awavey Posts: 2,368
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    UndercoverElephant wrote:
    My sister took her girls (similar ages) on one of these tours:

    https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attractio ... gland.html

    Amphibious vehicles are cool. They all had a great time.

    Is it the one that caught fire a couple of years back?

    and sank, and got stuck last year... :) the Thames Clippers are fine to get around quickly on but you wont learn alot about what you are seeing or passing at great speed.

    Im not saying I can recommend them as such, as Ive not done it for 15-20years now but the boats down at Embankment used to do a good informative river cruise commentary though obviously they do take much longer and you might feel youve not been very far as I think they only used to go as far as Tower Bridge and back.
  • secretsam
    secretsam Posts: 5,120
    Done one of the speed boat jobs, great fun but not for those with a dodgy back!
    It's just a hill. Get over it.
  • davesnothere
    davesnothere Posts: 620
    Surrey Commuter wrote:
    London-Red wrote:
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    Just get the boat that goes from the Tate Britain to the Tate Modern... it's probably all you want to see... it lasts 10 minutes and costs very little (you can use the oyster card to pay)

    If these are the Thames Clippers, I agree, 'cos it's cheap. But I'd do the trip from Southbank to Greenwich or Woolwich. Loads to do down that way, and really impressive stretches of river.

    +1 for this and do the Cable Car (no need to book in advance :D )

    +1 +1 for the cable car as well, get a good view back into the city
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