7 Christmas Cruises in the UK to Book Before December

1.Festive London Christmas Day River Thames Lunch Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 47 reviews · 3h 15m · from $235Our pick

Board at Westminster Pier for a 195-minute Christmas Day cruise with a welcome glass of sparkling wine, a three-course roast lunch, festive music, and access to the open-air upper deck. You will pass the London Eye, Parliament, South Bank, and St. Paul's Cathedral while dining in a heated saloon.

“A fabulous way to spend Christmas. Great vegetarian option. Loved the space between parties on the table to allow for a more intimate setting. Staff were friendly, hospitable and nothing was an issue. Entertainment was great to set the mood.”

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2.Christmas Day Sightseeing Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 42 reviews · 1 hour · from $43

Board at Westminster Millennium Pier for a one-hour circular cruise along the Thames. A heated modern boat, open upper deck, live crew commentary, and a licensed bar make this a simple Christmas outing. You’ll pass Big Ben, the London Eye, Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe, the Tower of London, and Tower Bridge.

“Contrairement à ce qui est marqué, il n’y a pas de traduction en plusieurs langues, dommage pour ceux qui ne sont pas encore a l’aise avec l’anglais Cependant, superbe croisière au départ du Palais de Westminster jusqu’à Tower Bridge, je recommande car ça permet de commencer la journée tranquillement et en ce temps frais, le bateau es chauffé”

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3.Festive River Cruise With Mulled Wine & Mince Pie

★★★★★★★★★★3.6 · 35 reviews · 1 hour · from $21Best value

Join City Cruises York for a one-hour Christmas cruise on the River Ouse. Choose mulled wine, tea, coffee, or hot chocolate, and enjoy a mince pie while the captain points out York’s landmarks. The heated saloon, toilet, bar, and wheelchair access make this a practical choice on a cold or wet winter day.

“For the price point you really can't grumble! Our skipper was very enthusiastic and informative, with great knowledge of the city. The weather wasn't great 🫤 but actually it was a perfect activity for a rainy day and the kids enjoyed it too! Overall highly recommend and great value for money 👍🏼”

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4.Christmas Party Lunch Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 17 reviews · 3 hours · from $101

Board at Westminster Pier for a three-hour Christmas lunch cruise toward Canary Wharf and back. You’ll receive sparkling wine, a hot three-course meal, tea or coffee, festive songs from a live vocalist, and views of the London Eye, The Shard, Tower Bridge, and the Tower of London. Smart-casual dress and shared tables of 10 make this an adults-only party outing.

“The entire Experience was GREAT! The food, atmosphere, dancing…. we LOVED it from start to finish”

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5.Festive New Year’s Eve 4-Course Dinner Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 16 reviews · 5 hours · from $673

Board at Tower Pier for a five-hour New Year’s Eve cruise to Greenwich and The O2, then return toward Westminster for the midnight fireworks. You’ll receive Champagne on arrival and at midnight, a four-course dinner, half a bottle of wine, tea or coffee, and live music in a heated saloon. Festive dress is required.

“La vue pour le feu d’artifice se fait derrière un pont et pas de face La soirée n’était pas festive c’est dommage pour le prix”

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6.Christmas Party Dinner Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 14 reviews · 4 hours · from $129

Sail from Tower Pier toward Canary Wharf on a four-hour Christmas party cruise with sparkling wine, a traditional three-course dinner, half a bottle of wine, London’s lit landmarks, and DJ-led dancing. Tables seat 10 and may be shared, so this suits social adults more than couples seeking a quiet meal.

“We all had a really fun time, thank you. The arrival time became a little confusing between the operator and the booking company. The staff were lovely, but some of the food arrived cold. The DJ and the music were loads of fun. And obviously the sights were amazing!”

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7.Christmas Day Traditional Lunch Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 12 reviews · 3 hours 15 minutes (approx.) · from $239

Board at Westminster Pier for a 3-hour-15-minute Christmas lunch cruise along the Thames. You’ll enjoy a three-course turkey dinner, sparkling wine, tea, coffee, festive music, and views of the London Eye, Tower Bridge, St Paul’s, Canary Wharf, and more. Vegetarian meals are available by request.

“Excellent for Christmas Day in London. The entertainment, service and atmosphere were wonderful. You will be entertained by live music and incredible scenery.”

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