Top 15 UK Boat Tours

1.On Hop-Off Tour with Optional River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 10,803 reviews · 3 hours 35 minutes (approx.) · from $39Our pick

Ride Big Bus London across three routes linking Buckingham Palace, the Tower, St. Paul’s, Notting Hill, and the British Museum. Hop off where you like, use onboard commentary and Wi-Fi, and choose a 24- or 48-hour ticket for a one-way Thames cruise. The 48-hour option adds walks and an evening tour.

“Worth every penny saw so much of London drivers so friendly and helpful. The busses were frequent with no waiting”

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2.Tootbus Hop-on Hop-off (Optional River Cruise)

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 7,045 reviews · 1 - 3 days · from $47

Use Tootbus to see London at your own pace across Yellow, Blue, and Green routes. Listen in 10 languages, follow buses in real time, and use four self-guided walks. Add a City Cruises boat from Westminster to Tower Pier, with children’s commentary in English or French.

“We used the bus on the yellow route which took us through many iconic London sights. We chose to stay on the bus for the duration. The audio guide was very interesting and informative. Would recommend this bus tour.”

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3.Westminster to Tower Bridge River Thames Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 6,127 reviews · 30 minutes - 1 hour · from $18

Take a 25 to 30 minute Thames cruise from Westminster Pier to Butler’s Wharf near Tower Bridge. Enjoy open-deck views, live English commentary, a bar, and an optional return trip, with an app audioguide in six languages.

“the crew-guide was so funny and kind ! the boat is a really nice, smooth and cheep way to reach my destination!”

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4.Loch Ness & Highlands Small-Group Tour from Edinburgh with Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 6,022 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $84

Travel in a 16-seat Mercedes mini-coach from Edinburgh through Glencoe, Fort Augustus, Spean Bridge, Cairngorms National Park, and Pitlochry. Your English-speaking driver-guide provides stories and local music, while a 50-minute Loch Ness cruise gives you a chance to scan for Nessie.

“it was amazing, extremely informative and overall a great tour thanks to Graham! We were driven to the highlands, visited Glen Coe and Loch Ness and had the chance to stop in dreamy locations. 10/10 recommend. Yes you are driving the whole day but Graham entertained us and told us soooo many facts around Scottland. Simply amazing!”

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5.London Eye, River Cruise, & Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 5,332 reviews · 1 - 2 days · from $74

See London from three angles: an open-top Big Bus, the London Eye, and a Thames cruise between Westminster and Tower Pier. You can hop off at Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, and more. The 48-hour option also adds Royal Walk, Jack the Ripper, and Harry Potter walking tours.

“it was awesome thank you we really enjoyed our day trip ❤️ 💜 ♥️ 😉 😀 😊 ☺️ 😄”

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6.Canal & River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 4,638 reviews · 1 hour · from $16Best value

Board at Salford Quays for a one-hour cruise along the Manchester Ship Canal and River Irwell. Expect views of MediaCityUK, Old Trafford, Pomona Docks, Hulme Lock and Stephenson’s 1830 railway bridge, with English commentary, indoor and outdoor seating, toilets and a small bar.

“Beautiful day! Staff really helped us as my dad is partially disabled, they were very patient and helpful. Much appreciated all the kindness.”

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7.Sightseeing River Cruise on the Mersey River

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 4,153 reviews · 1 day · from $17

Board a traditional Mersey Ferry at Liverpool Pier Head for a 50-minute cruise past the Three Graces, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool Cathedral, and Wirral. Use free digital commentary in 11 languages, buy snacks at the onboard café, and bring headphones and a warm jacket.

“We loved it Great to see closer the sight’s also loved the commentary”

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8.Thames River Cruise with Optional London Eye Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3,900 reviews · 45 minutes - 1.5 hours · from $20

Cruise from London Eye Pier beneath the London Eye, passing Big Ben, St Paul's Cathedral, the Tower of London, Shakespeare's Globe, and Tower Bridge. Expect live English commentary, covered and open-air seating, and guides such as Mitch, George, Josh, and Ben. Add a London Eye visit if availability suits your plans.

“By nice Thames tour! Wish it were more potently std that the London eye closed for throne we were there. I’m not sure why buying it was even an option. Paul was a great guide!!! Very funny”

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9.Big Bus Hop-on, Hop-off with Optional River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 3,875 reviews · 1 - 2 days · from $35

Use a one, 24, or 48-hour Big Bus ticket to explore London across three routes and more than 50 stops. Add the Thames cruise, guided Royal, Harry Potter, and Jack the Ripper walks, or a 19:30 evening tour. Live commentary, WiFi, headphones, and wheelchair access are included.

“The vantage point of seeing all of the London sights from the upper deck of the bus was a great way to become familiar with the city layout and form a map of it in my head for further exploration on foot. Live tracking of buses with increased accuracy through the app would be of benefit.”

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10.London Tootbus Hop on Hop off Bus Tour and Thames River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 3,834 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $53

Use a 1, 2, or 3-day Tootbus pass to see London from an open-top double-decker, then add a Thames sightseeing cruise. Routes link Buckingham Palace, Westminster, the Tower, St Paul’s, museums, Notting Hill, and King’s Cross, with app tracking and children’s audio commentary.

“I want it understood that due to the demonstration we didn't enjoy our experience at all.. we was stuck in traffic jams for up to two hours.. In addition the noise levels outside made it difficult to follow the automatic recorded tour. This was nothing akin to my previous experiences with the company.”

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11.Tootbus Must-See Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour with Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 3,653 reviews · 1 - 3 days · from $52

Use Tootbus to see London’s main sights without mastering the Tube. Ride yellow, blue, and green routes, hop off at 46 stops, follow four self-guided walks, and add a City Cruises trip between Westminster and Tower Pier. Audio is available in 10 languages, with child-friendly English and French options.

“Protesters in London caused all Tour Buses lots of problems on our trip. But the staff that greeted us at The Aldwich were professional and efficient. Once the bus arrived Shane took over and he was fantastic. What a great asset to your company. He apologised many times for events that were totally out of his control (protesters/diversions) We were on the bus much longer than we intended and missed a few things due to the diversions. The weather changed in an instant from blue skies and sunshine to heavy rain but my friends and I stayed put with Shane on the top deck, he stood up throughout. He entertained…”

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12.Afternoon Tea Cruise on the River Thames

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 3,274 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $53

Board at Tower Pier for a 90-minute City Cruises sailing past Tower Bridge, Shakespeare’s Globe, Tate Modern, The Shard, the London Eye, and Parliament. Afternoon tea includes sandwiches, warm scones, cakes, unlimited tea and coffee, with window tables allocated in advance.

“The afternoon tea cruise was fantastic- it will always be remembered”

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13.Ghost, Ghouls and Gallows Tour : Guided Tour with Boat Ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3,212 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $29

Meet near Green Park for a 2.5-hour evening walk through Berkeley Square, royal parks, and St. James’s Palace stories, then ride the Thames to Tower Hill. Guides such as Marvin, Arne, Murray, Martin, and Eddie are praised for lively storytelling, though the ghost content can feel more historical than frightening.

“Arna was a great guide. He was very enthusiastic and had clearly researched each story/location well. We will recommend the tour to our friends.”

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14.River Thames Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 3,112 reviews · 1 day · from $33

Use a 24-hour City Cruises ticket to ride between Westminster, the London Eye, Tower Pier, and Greenwich. Expect all-weather boats, open-deck views, onboard snacks and drinks, and lively commentary with historical facts and British humor.

“Great experience good value for money and the guys on board running it was excellent very informative and amusing much better than an audio recording”

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15.Urquhart Castle Round-Trip Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 3,070 reviews · 50 min · from $30

Sail from Clansman Harbour across Loch Ness to Urquhart Castle and back in 50 minutes. You’ll hear stories about the loch, scan the water with onboard sonar, and choose an indoor or outdoor seat. Snacks, drinks, Wi-Fi, and friendly crew make this a simple way to see the castle from the water.

“Such a beautiful loch, blows Loch Lomond out of the water 😃😉”

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