Posts filed under 'Thames Passenger Boats'
A guide to enjoying the River Thames in London this Spring
The River Thames in London becomes even more inviting as the days grow longer and the warmer weather draws ever closer. Spring is well and truly in the air now with some glorious days over the past few weekends. Lets hope the cold winter means we will get a hot summer this year!
With this warmer weather brings the annual rush to get outdoors, and where better than the banks or flowing waters of the River Thames in London. With so many different boats on offer you really are spoilt for choice.So how do you choose which river boat, speed boat or Thames River cruise is right for you?
Here is a guide to getting the most from your boat cruise on the River Thames this Spring:
- Decide what you want to do – wine and dine or blast through the city!?
- How many people are in your party as this will affect which boats and cruises will suit?
- Be aware of the weather – we are in Britain after all!
- Decide what times and dates suit you and how long you want to be out on the River Thames?
- London has many other things to offer so you may want to combine your trip on the River Thames with another activity in the City – this may affect where you want to get on and off the boat in London.
- If you choose a speed boat charter or a jet boat make sure everyone in your group is keen!
- Disco Cruises and Dinner Cruises offer an ideal solution for smaller groups.
If you are booking a River Thames boat charter for the summer and you have a specific date in mind make sure you book early. You will not only get a favorable rate if you book before the 1st April, but you will be more likely to get the date you want.Also make sure you look at a few different boats as the style and quality of service does vary. The old adage, ‘You get what you pay for’ does apply, although the difference in price between the cheap and the top end is not as great as the difference in standards and service!
Remember to plan ahead to ensure you choose the right boat or cruise for you and you have an enjoyable trip on the River Thames this year.
I hope this guide has been helpful.
Add comment March 10, 2009
Enjoy the River Thames on a budget…
With the current squeeze on wallets I thought an article guide on low cost Thames boat charters would be interesting and helpful. The River Thames in London is a picturesque and exciting location and enjoying it is more affordable than most people think…
To most people a boat on the River Thames is seen as either an extremely luxurious private London Party Boat, more basic sightseeing boat, or high speed commuter boat. However over the past 5 years the choice for enjoying the Thames in London has grown significantly with many new options and boats.
If you are looking to celebrate on the river, but after a low cost budget option you will be pleased to hear there are plenty to consider.
As with any cruise the first thing to do is decide how many people you wish to book for, when and what style of charter you are after.
A good way to save money if you have a small group is to join a scheduled cruise. There are many options for scheduled ticket cruises in London including daily River Thames Lunch Cruises, Silver Service Jazz Dinner Cruises and Party Boat Disco Cruises.
Thames Lunch Cruise from £25 per ticket
Thames Dinner Cruises with Live Jazz from £71.50 per ticket
Thames Disco Cruises with Live DJ from £25 per ticket
If you are looking for something a bit different the Thames speed boats are a popular option with many available for ticket bookings and private charters. For the ultimate in adrenaline their is also the London Jet Boat Experience, true spins and high speed turns.
Many of the operators are now offering James Bond RIB cruises which adds something a little extra to your charter. Again these are great value, partyl because of the many different competing companies!
Private charters on the RIB’s start from just £325 for an hour and that is for up to 12 passengers! (£27.50 each)
If you are looking for a private charter Thames River Boat there are also some real deals to be had if you book early in the year. For example one company is offering 2008 charter rates for any booking made before March 2009 for the whole year. Others sometimes offer discounts for bookings placed in January. Both these deals on are some of the most luxurious party boats available on the River Thames.
It is always worth hunting for a deal, but at the end of the day that old saying ‘you get what you pay for’ still rings true in most cases! If in doubt ring round some of the companies and just ask – everyone knows everyone on the Thames in London, and if they don’t then you have your answer!
1 comment December 16, 2008
Celebrating on the Thames this Christmas and New Years Eve
The river Thames in London is a magical place at Christmas. The boats are all decorated and with the cooler weather shut outside the heated luxurious cabins leave everyone with that snug warm feeling. Most have covered outside space for guests to get some fresh air during the festivities or have a quick smoke!
There are many types of cruise for celebrating your Christmas Party and welcoming in the New Year.
- Private Christmas Boat Parties
- Scheduled Thames Dinner Cruises
- Christmas Lunch Cruises
- London Party Boats for Disco style parties
- Thames Fine Dinning Cruises
- Cruise to Dinner at Le Pont De La Tour
Here is a brief guide of what we recommend you consider when planning your Christmas Boat Party or New Years Eve celebrations on the River Thames in London.
First of all decide what type of event you would like, a Black Tie Christmas Boat Party, Formal Fine Dining Boat Cruise or simply a Christmas Disco Cruise?
What are you numbers and are you set on a certain date – i suspect you are for your New Years Eve celebrations!!!
I recommend contacting a range of companies – those on page 1 of google are a good place to start. Contact them and find out which vessels are available which are suitable for your numbers and style of party – see who else has chartered them in the past.
Judge the way your enquiry is handled; generally the quality of service onboard is similar to that you expereince when enquiring. If the person is causal or formal then their boats and service will most likely reflect this level and style of service – is this what you want for your Christmas Boat Party?
Generally fine dining lends itself to more formal service therefore avoid ‘one man band boat operators and go for a larger more established operation with a fleet of London Party Boats. If you are after a disco party then a more casual and relaxed atmosphere then the quality of service and luxury of the boat is generally less important…
Price is also a good measure to what you can expect – the old saying ‘you get what you pay for’ certainly rings true on the Thames in London. Saying that when comparing similarly priced vessels of very different styles one may be seen as better value to you over another – e.g. comparing a traditional Thames boat with a modern contemporary London party boat of the same charter price.
Remember a boat’s recommended capacity for a party in the summer is not the same in the winter. In the summer generally operators increase recommened party sizes due to the outside deck spaces. Maximum licaensed capactiy as per the vessels Marine Coast Guard Certificate is never a good guide as it is based on the maximum the boat can hold safely not comfortably!
Check when the Christmas decorations are going up – not all operators have them and they all put them up at different times. Generally they are good and worth having!
Discuss your preferred route as the Thames in Central London is beautiful at night with all the famous buildings and architecture lit up. You also need to condsider people getting to and from the boat. Embankment Pier is popular as it is central with a tube and mainline station on it’s doorstep. Festival Pier is opposite and Westminster just around the corner should Embankment be taken – there are around 30 piers you can use on the Thames so don’t panic if the main ones are booked already!
If you would like any further tips please leave a comment below – and have a great end to 2008!
2 comments September 29, 2008
Summer Cruising on the River Thames
Now the warm sunny weather has arrived a charter on a Thames party boat provides a pleasant fresh and invigorating environment amongst the busy parks, river banks and stuffy streets of London.
The River Thames calves it’s way right through the heart of the bustling City. It provides a large and uncluttered arena for London’s boats to cruise, providing space from the crowds on the embankments, parks and adjacent streets.
The Thames generally has more air movement as well making it a much cooler fresher and more pleasant place to relax. You can unwind along the many embankment bars and restaurants, but to really get the full effect nothing beats a Thames boat charter. There are few more pleasant options in the City to escape the air conditioned offices, stuffy streets and noisy overcrowded parks.
If you are looking to charter a boat on the Thames in London this summer make sure you consider all the elements to ensure you and your guests have a perfect charter – no matter what the British weather does on the day!
The summertime presents many alternative interesting options for your party boat hire. With a little more warmth and longer evenings popular choices could be; to have a barbecue on the boat instead of a more standard buffet or seated meal, drinks – Pimms instantly springs to mind, but cocktails are also very popular. With the longer warmer evenings guests can enjoy the outer decks so make sure the Thames boat you hire has plenty of outside space for your party size. Some boats even have opening roof sections so you can dance under the stars as the night wears on safe in the knowledge that bad weather can be quickly shut outside!
The key thing to get the most from your summer Thames boat charter is to ensure you have the right boat for your numbers and desired party. There is no point selecting a small boat with no outside space if everyone is going to want to be outside, similarly a small boat with less inside space could be equally frustrating if it is cold or wet. Make sure you view before booking your Thames party boat and really a minimum of 3 boats is advisable.
More info below…
3 comments July 24, 2008
Will the British weather affect my Thames Boat Charter?
Our traditionally unpredictable weather becomes incredibly important to you when you have a boat charter on the Thames booked! Instead of a passing glance at the summary forecast on the GMTV news over breakfast before leaving to fight your way on to the bus or tube you will find yourself scanning the detailed BBC local forecast online to try and work out whether that one little cloud is going to move over London during your Thames cruise!!!
But do not fear as wind and rain is not the end of the world, and equally hot sunny weather can be fully exploited as many boats have plenty of space undercover and out in the open, particularly the larger Thames passenger boats and London Party Boats. Most also have full central heating systems and some even air conditioning!
The key is to ensure when you select your boat before you confirm the charter that the boat is suitable for the number of guests if the weather is good or bad. Good weather can also cause problems if you have booked a London Party Boat with very small outside deck space as people all want to be outside soaking up the rays and there just isn’t the space. When you talk to the sales person and view the boats make sure you know how many can fit inside and outside comfortably – add smoking to the equation and covered outside deck space may also be an important consideration…
If you have chartered a speed boat or London Jet Boat or are joining the Thames Jet Boat experience then you will already be expecting a damp ride and waterproofs are provided – so poor whether shouldn’t be seen as much of a problem – just have a hot chocolate at a near by cafe when you get off the boat! If it is cold I would however highly recommend hat and gloves. If you feel cold when you step out of the front door this is heavily intensified when on a boat on water travelling at speed, so bring too many warm clothes – they can always stay in your bag. A good analogy to use with guests is to say, “on a cold wet morning you wouldn’t ride a motorbike down the motorway for an hour in a t-shirt would you!” Well sitting on a speed boat for an hour could be classed as similar…
However not wanting to put you off – if you have the right clothing you can really enjoy the fun of blasting along the river wrapped up snug and cosy, sat with your friends whilst viewing our beautiful city from one of the most exclusive seats in London.
If you have your wedding on a boat the weather becomes less important – imagine that field and marquee with all those heels sunk into the mud! A 5* luxury Thames riverboat is simply the nicest place to be if the weather has turned bad or indeed is beautiful bright sunshine on your most special day – a truly unique wedding venue.
So in summary before booking your boat charter on the Thames in London consider how different weather conditions will affect the people onboard – plan ahead and it won’t matter what the forecast and actual weather turn out to be as everyone will enjoy themselves and look forward to the next time.
1 comment June 2, 2008
The Tidal River Thames
The River Thames in London flows both ways!
This is not technically correct it always flows from source to mouth, but because it is actually tidal all the way from the sea to Teddington where the first lock can be found it does flow in as well as out!
The tide is effectively the rise and fall of the sea (river) caused by gravitational forces as the Earth spins – more here: Tide explained on Wikipedia
As the tide out at the coast rises and falls it affects the rivers and in London actually causes a 5-7metre twice daily rise and fall. As you can imagine this is a large amount of water to be removed and added which results in some very strong currents downstream with the flow and then upstream when the tide is rising.
This has a huge affect on all that surrounds the river, both visually and on navigation. The amount of water affects what the fixed walls, buildings and piers look like and the change of direction of flow and strong currents controls navigation and boat movements.
Example images of the tidal affect on the appearance of London’s landmarks
The tide affects the speed the London Party Boats and Thames Passenger Boats can travel on the river. When going with the flow of the tide they can travel faster and when against the tide often around half the speed. This is obviously not a problem if you are in a speed boat, or Jet boat, but slower vessels travelling larger distances can have at least double the journey time, and of course increased fuel costs, all as a result of the tide.
Above Teddington lock all is peaceful with a steady predictable and controlled flow where the tide has no affect, it is only below the lock where it can be more interesting. Where the wind is against the direction of the tide the water is whipped up causing it to be a little bumpier – fine on the larger Thames boats, but no fun in a small sailing dinghy! Swimming in the river is therefore obviously not advised particularly when the tide is flowing at it’s strongest.
The tide can also be useful – when one of the last remaining Concorde’s had to be relocated from Hammersmith to Scotland a barge was brought up the river through London using the low tides to navigate under the bridges. This feet of planning was only possible over 2 separate tides for both the inbound and outbound journey!
Due to the tide the River Thames in London is a diverse and ever changing exciting location – untamed by human activity right in the heart of the City.
1 comment May 16, 2008
Wedding Reception on a London Party Boat?
The planning of your most special day often can be your biggest headache! With so many venues available and many adding extra £,0’s to their prices as soon as you mention the word ‘wedding reception’ this often is a time of immense frustration, and you aren’t even married yet!
So do you get married abroad with guaranteed good weather, hire a marquee, book your local village hall or base around a hotel? Or do you want something a little different for your special day…
Finding a unique venue for your wedding reception that will be simple to organise, enjoyable for all and not have additional £,000’s added just because it’s your wedding is possible! Have you considered a London Party Boat?
There are some exceptionally pretty London Party Boats on the River Thames in London which a few couples in the know have used for their wedding receptions, wedding transfers and after parties. A boat charter on the Thames in London is not just about the boat though…
A trip down the River Thames in London provides you with one of the prettiest backdrops in the UK with stunning historic architecture mixed with quirky modern design, a multimillion pound interactive lighting system, World famous bridges and attractions. Add to this your very own luxury Thames boat charter, exquisite wines, your nearest and dearest, fine dining, entertainers and of course a photographer or two!
The other advantage is that the you don’t need to worry about the weather in fact most of the boats have covered outside deck spaces. A bit of rain even adds to the intensity and romance of the cruise.
In summary – an intensely romantic, guaranteed memorable, affordable and genuinely unique location for a wedding reception – a London Party Boat.
4 comments April 28, 2008
Charter a Boat this summer on the River Thames
Summer time in London can be hot, sticky and uncomfortable. With crammed tubes and buses, boiling temperatures outside and freezing air conditioning inside the fresh air and space on and around the River Thames attracts people in their thousands. Riverside bars and pubs heave with punters, but to really get away and enjoy the fresh air and get a breeze the only answer is to get out on a boat.
There are several permanently moored ships which provide pub style open deck fun on the Embankment at Charring Cross. The two that instantly spring to mind are the Tattershall Castle opposite the London Eye and the Queen Mary which is only a few 100m further down the North bank. They do get very busy though, for the obvious reasons!
If you have a group then a Thames riverboat disco cruise is great fun, + you can usually smoke on the outside decks…
The ultimate is to charter your own London party boat and there are a lot to choose from. Personally I would recommend one with a signisicant amount of outside deck space. For example the Erasmus has as much outside deck space as internal deck space so if the British weather does it’s thing it won’t ruin your party. Of course if it is a glorious evening then everyone onbaord has the option to get outside too….
The Elizabethan is an incredibly elegant vessel, but one of the best for the summer time. She has a companion way circling the entire vessel so guests can simply hang on the rail sipping a cocktail. Over her dance floor is a retractable roof so you can dance under the stars as the night rolls on. Each boat really has it’s own unique options. As I said earlier though I would avoid boats with n, or limited outside deck space and similarly those which are mainly open – you never know what the weather is going to do!
For drinks why not the classic Pimms on reception as guests board, or maybe a Pink Champagne or sparkling Rose. Alcoholic Punch or cocktails are also lots of fun and get everyone in the mood!
With regard to catering you may want to consider a barbecue, very seasonal again for obvious reason, but a great way to really get that summer feeling into your London boat party.
Another fun idea is to charter a London Jet Boat or maybe a RIB, as these fast speed boats really get the wind whistling through your hair. If you have a larger party and are planning to charter a larger Luxury Charter Boat you can always have the speed boat come alongside at a pier and take small groups out for 15 minute blasts. Always goes down well with the gents!
If you would like any further information please drop a comment on the bottom of this blog.
Thanks
Add comment February 29, 2008
Websites with information on boats on the River Thames in London
The following websites will help you find information on the River Thames in London, boats for hire and private charter:
River Thames:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Thames#External_links
http://www.portoflondon.co.uk
http://www.tfl.gov.uk
London Speed Boats:
http://www.londonspeedboats.co.uk/
http://www.thamesspeedboats.co.uk/
http://www.thamesspeedboathire.co.uk/
http://www.londonjetboats.co.uk/
http://www.thamesjetboats.co.uk/
London Party Boats:
http://www.londonpartyboat.co.uk/
http://www.partyboatlondon.co.uk/
Thames Boat Hire:
http://www.boathirelondon.co.uk/
Marine Filming:
http://www.filmlondon.org.uk
http://www.livettslaunches.co.uk/page/2.55.html
http://www.divingservicesuk.com
http://www.theknowledgeonline.com
Please let me know any more I can add to this list.
Add comment February 7, 2008
A guide to boats for hire on the river Thames in London
There are a wide range of different boats for hire on the Thames in London. Depending on the type of boat party or celebration you are looking to host on the river Thames in London there are a wide range of different styles of boats available to charter.
Here is a list of a selection of boats available to hire grouped by style.
Speed boats
If you are looking for a speed boat to hire there are many different options available including the most incredible adrenaline rush – a London Jet Boat Experience!
- Voyager RIB’s
- Jet Boat
- Fletcher Arrowhawk
- Lima Lima II
Luxury Powerboats
Moving up from small speed boats their are a number of large luxury powerboats / superyachts available for charter on the Thames. Ideal for important business meetings, corporate entertaining and intimate celebrations for smaller groups these craft push the boundaries of service, quality and luxury.
- Princess V48
- Zephyr / Zodiac
- Rum Jungle
Small Launches
Often a simple river transfer from one part of London to a venue and back is considered to avoid London’s busy transport network. There are several small launches suitable for such transfers and very reasonably priced when compared with other ways of transporting larger numbers in a group around London!
- Thames Swift
- John Harriot
- Cabot
Large Launches
Getting a larger group from one place to another in London can be a complete nightmare. A boat is a simple and cost effective solution and even adds another element to the event. For larger parties it can be efficient to charter a private passenger vessel or a Thames river bus. Here are a few options:
- Thames Clipper
- Sarpedon
- Sapele
- Edwardian
- Golden Salamander
London Party Boats
There is a simply massive selection of party boats for hire on the Thames in London. Choosing which one suits you can be a bit of a headache – should you pay the extra money for one boat – is it worth it?
Here are a list of a selection of ‘approved’ London Party Boats which are generally considered good value for money. Note these boats are not comparable by size or standard, but value for money. If a boat is not included that you feel should be please reply to the thread.
- Havengore
- High Society
- Spirit of London
- Edwardian
- Golden Salamander
- Elizabethan
- Erasmus
- Silver Barracuda
- Silver Sturgeon
- Dixie Queen
For further information on hiring a boat on the river Thames in London see: Boat Hire London
I hope this information has been useful?
Add comment January 21, 2008
