Choosing a Thames river dinner cruise
A Thames river dinner cruise gives you time on the water and a meal in one evening. Instead of arranging a sightseeing boat and a separate restaurant visit, you can make the journey itself part of dinner. The two options presented here differ in duration and booking choices, so start with the experience you want and then check the details for your date.
One dinner cruise lasts three hours and includes a three course meal. The other offers several choices: select the dinner option specifically for the two and a half hour dinner experience. Its tea and coffee options are different experiences. Check the selected option carefully before paying, particularly if you came from a general product page showing a starting price.
Dinner cruises
Choose the dinner option on the multi-option cruise or a three-course dinner with live music. Check the selected option before booking.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in British pounds (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Dinner cruise with live music
- Live music
- Glass of sparkling wine
- Tea and coffee
A three-course dinner on the river, with optional dancing. Book this dinner cruise online in advance.
Check availability →
Tea, coffee or dinner cruise
- Afternoon tea cruise if selected
- Evening dinner cruise if selected
Choose a 90-minute tea or coffee cruise, or a 2.5-hour dinner cruise.
Check availability →Dinner cruises on the Thames
Compare the dinner experiences and select the dinner option for your preferred date.
Compare the dinner choices
The three hour cruise is suited to an evening built around a meal and a longer period aboard. Book this dinner cruise online in advance. Its three course menu is part of the experience. Look at the current menu and the departure details for your date when making the reservation, rather than assuming every evening follows the same arrangement. The time spent reaching the departure pier and travelling back afterwards is separate from the time on the boat.
The other product groups dinner with different daytime choices. Its dinner option lasts two and a half hours; the tea and coffee choices should not be treated as dinner. A price shown for the product as a whole may refer to a different choice. Open the booking details and confirm the dinner selection, date, time and total for your party together.
For dietary requirements, review the details of the particular menu and contact the operator before booking if you need an answer about a specific ingredient or arrangement. The same applies to seating, dress and accessibility: the useful answer is the one attached to your own departure, not a rule borrowed from a different vessel.
Plan your evening around the pier
Start by locating the departure pier on your confirmation. Allow time to reach the boarding point and leave room in your plans for the return journey after the cruise. A pier name is more useful than a general instruction to head to the river, since the Thames runs through several distinct areas of London. Our arrival guide helps you think through the journey to the waterfront.
Consider whether you want the cruise to be the centre of the evening or the end of a longer day. If you are visiting Greenwich or walking beside the river first, check the distance between your final stop and the actual pier. The river bus guide explains another way to travel on selected stretches, but its services and your dinner departure should be planned separately.
Light and weather change the view from the water. An earlier departure may begin in daylight while a later evening can bring illuminated buildings and reflections. Check the departure time for your own date if that difference matters to you; sunset is not a promise that the entire journey takes place after dark.
Dinner, tea or an evening sightseeing trip?
A dinner cruise is a choice for travellers who want the meal to be part of the booked outing. If you would rather explore during the afternoon, compare the distinct choices in our afternoon tea guide. If your priority is the river after dusk rather than a full meal, the evening cruise guide describes other types of trip.
For a journey between places or a flexible sightseeing itinerary, the river cruise guide explains how route and ticket type affect your plans. A dinner reservation should be chosen for its own departure and inclusions, not as a substitute for a transport pass. Review cancellation terms and any changes on the booking page for the exact option you select.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the dinner cruise?
The three course dinner cruise lasts three hours. The other experience has a two and a half hour dinner option, which must be selected when booking.
Does the starting price include dinner?
Check the selected option and its total. A product offering tea, coffee and dinner can show a starting price for a different choice.
Where should I board?
Use the meeting point on the chosen departure and confirmation, and plan your onward journey from that location.
Can I check a dietary requirement?
Review the menu and contact the operator about your specific requirement before booking.