Three hours on the Thames with fizz, a three-course dinner, a live singer and a dance
floor, sailing under Tower Bridge as London lights up. What the ticket really includes, and the best
alternatives, compared honestly.
What's in, what's extraDrinks, VIP seats and service spelled out
Real guest ratingsLive Viator & Tripadvisor figures
Free cancellationDeadlines checked for every cruise here
Secure checkout on ViatorMobile ticket, instant confirmation
Tickets
Choose your Thames dinner cruise
The London Showboat in the centre: dinner, a singer and dancing from Westminster. Beside it,
the two evenings people weigh it against: the jazz dinner cruise from the same pier, and the Tea on
the Thames cruise from beside Tower Bridge.
The same pier and river with a live jazz quintet instead of a pop singer: welcome fizz and a 3-course dinner. The music wins praise; the food gets mixed reviews.
What's included
Welcome glass of sparkling wine
3-course dinner in a heated, glass-sided saloon
Live jazz quintet through the evening
Starts 8:00pm from Westminster Pier, about 3 hours
Not included: other drinks; smart casual dress; 18+ to drink alcohol
City Cruises' evening dinner cruise from Westminster: a welcome fizz, a 3-course dinner, a live singer and a dance floor as you sail under Tower Bridge.
What's included
Glass of sparkling wine or a soft drink on boarding
3-course dinner served at your table, plus tea or coffee
Live singer, then music and dancing until you dock
About 3 hours: boarding 7:30pm, cruising 7:45pm to about 10:45pm
Not included: other drinks, gratuities; optional VIP upgrade with champagne and front seating
The real differences are the meal, the music, whether anyone tells you what you are passing,
and how far the boat goes. Of these, only the Showboat is listed as sailing all the way to the Thames Barrier.
The dinner cruises are for ages 13 and up (Tea on the Thames dinner is adults only), while
the lunch and afternoon tea cruises welcome children. City Cruises' cruises cancel free up to 3 days before;
Tea on the Thames and the London Eye cruise up to 24 hours; the Clipper Lounge tea is non-refundable.
What you actually get
The "show" is a singer: dinner, music and the lights.
The London Showboat is City Cruises' long-running evening dinner cruise, aboard its flagship
Millennium Diamond. It is not a staged musical or a theatre show, whatever the name suggests. You get a
welcome glass of fizz, a three-course dinner served at your table in a heated, glass-sided saloon, and a live
singer working through show tunes, musical favourites and chart classics. After dessert the music turns into
a dance floor, and the open-air top deck comes into its own.
The route runs from Westminster past the London Eye, St Paul's and
the Tower, under Tower Bridge, past Canary Wharf and the O2 out to the Thames Barrier and back,
tide permitting. The honest fine print: drinks after the welcome glass are extra, there is no
sightseeing commentary, and reviews of the food run from "piping hot and excellent" to "fine".
7:30pm
Boarding at Westminster Pier. The boat sails at 7:45pm and
is back at about 10:45pm.
Getting there, tickets and seats, the rules and what to wear: one tab each.
Westminster Pier, Victoria Embankment, SW1A 2JH: two minutes from Westminster Underground station.
Go straight to the City Cruises boarding gate; staff on the pier direct dinner guests.
Boarding is at 7:30pm and the boat sails at 7:45pm; it will not wait for latecomers.
London traffic is slow on Friday and Saturday evenings: allow extra time, or take the Tube.
No hotel pickup is included; the cruise ends back at Westminster at about 10:45pm.
From $109 per person on Viator; City Cruises and UK partners quote about £99 to £119 by night.
Ages 13 and over only; under-16s must be with an adult.
VIP upgrade: welcome champagne, extra canapés, front seating and priority boarding.
Window tables for two exist on the standard ticket but sell out early.
Free cancellation up to 3 days before on Viator.
Vegetarian option available; other diets (vegan, gluten-free) need at least 72 hours' notice.
Food cannot be guaranteed free of nut traces.
Listed as not wheelchair accessible: you need to walk onto the boat, and ramps are steep at low tide.
18+ to buy alcohol at the bar.
Smart casual: a shirt or smart top, chinos, a dress or dark jeans.
No flip-flops, sportswear or ripped jeans; clean trainers are fine.
A jacket or wrap for the open-air deck, even in summer.
Flat or low shoes: the dance floor and the deck move with the river.
IncludedWelcome drinkA glass of sparkling wine or a soft drink as you board.
IncludedThree-course dinnerStarter, main and dessert at your table, then tea or coffee.
IncludedLive singerShow tunes, musical favourites and chart classics through dinner.
IncludedDance floorMusic and dancing after dessert until you are back at Westminster.
UpgradeVIP packageChampagne, extra canapés, front seating and priority boarding.
Extra costBar drinksWine, beer, cocktails and water are paid for on board.
Where the evening starts
Westminster Pier
Westminster Pier, City Cruises
Victoria Embankment, London SW1A 2JH, United Kingdom
The pier sits on the north bank at the foot of Westminster Bridge, beside the Elizabeth Tower and opposite
the London Eye. Leave Westminster Underground station (Jubilee, District and Circle lines) by the river exit
and it is a two-minute walk. Several operators use the pier, so head for the City Cruises boarding gate and
have your mobile ticket ready; guests say signage is easy to miss, so ask the pier staff.
Arrive by 7:15pm for the 7:30pm boarding
Ends back at Westminster at about 10:45pm (tide permitting)
Westminster station is step-free from the platforms to the street
4.1★★★★★ 2,022 reviews · London Showboat dinner cruise live Viator & Tripadvisor figure
★★★★★
This experience was AMAZING! The atmosphere on the cruise and the sights you get to see whilst going down the river Thames was nothing short of incredible. This is a must do tour.
★★★★★
Best chicken dinner I've had in a while. Great London night views from the river. Going under Tower Bridge was memorable. Best impulse decision of our vacation.
★★★★★
We did upgrade to sit right at the window and that was extremely worth it. The views and everything we were able to see from the water really made the experience worth it.
★★★★★
Spending the last 45-ish minutes on the top deck after dinner and dessert to see all of the sights without the windows and light reflection was fantastic. The perfect end to our holiday.
★★★★★
The music was wonderful, the sights gorgeous at night and the food was delicious. We also made new friends. Top night!
★★★★★
Fantastic evening. Singer was great with a selection of music. Excellent service and food was piping hot. A great way to see London in lights.
★★★★★
This was a fabulous excursion. The afternoon tea had a delicious assortment of sandwiches, scones and sweets. Service was great, with narration telling us the history of what we were seeing.
★★★★★
Lovely experience! Had a phenomenal seat to celebrate my daughter's 38th birthday! The food and drinks were great! Music was outstanding! Highly recommend this!
★★★★★
Relaxing and welcoming setting. This exceeded my expectation completely. Staff were lovely. Food was amazing, tasty and hot. We all enjoyed it so much for my husband's special birthday.
Make a day of it
See London from above first
The London Eye is a short walk across Westminster Bridge from the Showboat's pier: fly in
daylight, then come back to the river for dinner.
London Eye Ticket with River Cruise
★ 4.5 · 1,489 reviews · 40-minute cruise + flight
Want the view from above too? The London Eye sits a short walk across Westminster Bridge from the Showboat's pier. This combo adds a 40-minute sightseeing cruise with live commentary from the London Eye Pier to a standard flight on the wheel, so you can see the same landmarks by daylight before your dinner cruise.
The London Showboat is the Thames dinner cruise most visitors find first: fizz, three
courses, a singer and a dance floor on a three-hour round trip from Westminster. Here is what the evening
is really like, what it costs once you are on board, and how to get the best table and the best view.
What the Showboat is, and what it isn't
"Showboat" is the name City Cruises' evening dinner cruise has carried for years, and it creates one big
misunderstanding: there is no staged musical, no cast and no West End production. The entertainment is a live
singer performing show tunes, musical favourites and chart classics through dinner, followed by music for
dancing. Treat it as a dinner and dance on the river with the best backdrop in London, and it delivers. It is
also not a sightseeing tour: nobody points out the landmarks, which is the single most repeated complaint in
the reviews.
Three courses served at your table, with the river sliding past the windows.
What it really costs
Viator lists the Showboat from $109 per person in 2026, the price of the cheapest night and seat. City
Cruises and its UK partners quote about £99 to £119 depending on the night, with Friday and
Saturday at the top. On board, everything after the welcome glass is extra: wine, beer, cocktails and even
water. The VIP upgrade adds champagne, extra canapés and the front seats. A couple with a bottle of wine
should budget well above the ticket price.
The honest small print: the views, the singer and the trip under Tower Bridge win
almost every review. The complaints are about the extras: drinks charged from the first glass of water,
queues and confusing signage at check-in, slow service on busy nights, and food that some guests rate as
merely fine. Book a window table, arrive early, and eat on land first if dinner quality is your priority.
The Showboat or another cruise?
The Thames Jazz Dinner Cruise uses the same pier and similar dining, with a jazz quintet instead of
a pop singer; its music is loved and its food reviews are weaker. Tea on the Thames runs a
cruise from Butler's Wharf beside Tower Bridge with a two-course dinner and live music, and guests praise the
guide on its afternoon tea. If you mainly want the lights, the evening cruise with wine and canapés costs well under half
the price; if you want the landmarks explained, take the lunch or afternoon tea cruise.
After dessert, the singer's set turns into a dance floor.
Getting the best evening
Book early for a window table or upgrade to VIP if it is a celebration. Arrive at Westminster Pier by
7:15pm, dressed smart casual with a layer for the deck. Enjoy dinner on the way out, then after dessert head up
to the open-air deck for the return past Canary Wharf, under Tower Bridge and back to the Houses of
Parliament, the stretch guests remember most.
Straight answers to what people ask most about the London Showboat and Thames dinner cruises.
What is the London Showboat?
It is City Cruises' long-running evening dinner cruise on the Thames: a 3-hour round trip from Westminster Pier with a welcome glass of fizz, a 3-course dinner, a live singer and a dance floor. Despite the name, it is not a staged musical or theatre show: the "show" is a singer performing show tunes, musical favourites and chart hits, then music for dancing. See what is included.
How much is the London Showboat dinner cruise?
On Viator it starts from $109 per person in 2026 for the cheapest date and seat. City Cruises and its UK partners quote from about £99 to £119 depending on the night, and the VIP upgrade (champagne, extra canapés and front seating) costs extra. See the ticket and price guide.
What time does the Showboat leave, and how long is it?
Boarding is at 7:30pm at Westminster Pier, the boat sails at 7:45pm and it returns at about 10:45pm, so plan on three hours on the water. Arrive 15 to 20 minutes early: guests mention queues at check-in.
Where does the London Showboat depart from?
Westminster Pier, Victoria Embankment, London SW1A 2JH, opposite the London Eye and a two-minute walk from Westminster Underground station. Very occasionally the tide means you disembark at Tower Pier instead. Read the Westminster Pier boarding guide.
Are drinks included on the Thames dinner cruise?
Only the welcome glass of sparkling wine or a soft drink, plus tea or coffee with dessert. Wine, beer, cocktails and even bottled water are bought from the bar on board, so budget for them. The VIP upgrade swaps the welcome fizz for champagne.
What is the dress code for the London Showboat?
Smart casual. City Cruises asks guests to avoid flip-flops, leisurewear and ripped jeans; clean trainers are fine. Bring a layer for the open-air deck, where it is cooler on the river. See what to wear.
Can children go on the London Showboat?
Not young children: the cruise is sold for ages 13 and over, and under-16s must be with an adult. For a family outing on the river, the lunch or afternoon tea cruises welcome children and include sightseeing commentary.
Is there commentary about the sights?
No. The dinner cruise has music rather than a guide, which is the most common complaint in reviews. If you want the landmarks explained, take the lunch or afternoon tea cruise, or the Tea on the Thames boat, which guests say has a lively guide.
Is the London Showboat worth it?
For a relaxed night out with London lit up around you, usually yes: it rates 4.1 from 2,022 reviews, and guests single out the views under Tower Bridge, the singer and the top deck after dessert. The food gets mixed reviews and drinks are extra. If dinner quality matters most, eat on land and take the cheaper evening cruise. Compare every option in Thames dinner cruises compared.
Is the VIP upgrade worth paying for?
If it is a special occasion, often yes: you get welcome champagne, extra canapés and the best seats at the front, and guests who upgraded say the window table made the evening. Window tables for two sell out first, so book early whichever option you choose.
Can I cancel my booking?
Yes, but check the deadline: City Cruises' dinner, jazz, lunch, afternoon tea and evening cruises cancel free up to 3 days before on Viator, not 24 hours. Tea on the Thames and the London Eye cruise allow 24 hours. The Clipper Lounge afternoon tea is non-refundable.
Can the Showboat cater for vegetarian or gluten-free diets?
Yes, with notice. A vegetarian option is available, and other diets such as vegan or gluten-free should be requested at least 72 hours before your cruise. The kitchen cannot guarantee food free of nut traces.
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