What’s higher than a cruise alongside the Thames within the sunshine, trying on the historic buildings lining the banks? A London afternoon tea cruise, the place you get the standard sandwiches, scones and candy treats as you go.
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So when Metropolis Cruises invited me to check out certainly one of their particular themed cruises, for this London afternoon tea cruise evaluate, I used to be able to board earlier than you might say ‘cross me the jam’.
As a result of whereas I’ve cruised alongside the Thames extra instances than I can depend, whether or not it’s a fast journey to Greenwich, a family-friendly cruise with my daughter, or an opportunity to point out family and friends a few of the sights of London from the river, this was my first time having fun with afternoon tea on a Thames cruise.
London afternoon tea cruise: the necessities
Questioning what a Metropolis Cruises afternoon tea cruise entails? Right here’s all the pieces it is advisable to know earlier than you board.
How lengthy does the afternoon tea cruise final?
You’ll spend round 90 minutes on board, cruising from the Tower of London right down to the Homes of Parliament and the London Eye earlier than turning round to journey east.
The tour virtually reaches Canary Wharf – you’ll have the ability to see the skyscrapers within the Docklands – earlier than returning again to Tower Bridge and the Tower of London.
What time does the cruise begin?
The cruise units sail at 3.30pm however you’ll must be there earlier, in time to board at 3.15pm – Metropolis Cruises advises arriving a minimum of 10 minutes earlier than boarding.
When you e book the VIP bundle, you’ll get to skip the queue and board first, with seats in prime viewing place on the entrance of the boat. The cruise ends at 5pm.
What ought to I put on?
Something you want, inside purpose. The official costume code is informal, however if you wish to costume as much as have fun an event, go forward and glam up.
When you’re becoming within the afternoon tea cruise after a day’s sightseeing and need to are available in denims and trainers, that’s effective too.
We noticed loads of folks aboard in on a regular basis garments, and various in barely fancier outfits. The one factor which is suggested towards is flip-flops and leisurewear (and I’d add that you really want one thing you possibly can transfer across the boat comfortably in).
Is it family-friendly?
Completely. We had been removed from the one household on board, together with a child and some preschool-age youngsters.
Infants aged 0-2 years journey free (except they want a seat, through which case they do should have a ticket), whereas youngsters aged 3-12 pay youngster costs (at the moment from £36). Teenagers pay grownup costs (at the moment from £44).
There’s no youngster menu, so everybody will get the identical meals (barring any dietary necessities – learn on for extra).
The muffins and scones are more likely to enchantment to all ages, even when your youngsters don’t fancy the sandwiches although, and a few of the traditional afternoon choices – equivalent to egg mayonnaise, smoked salmon and cream cheese, and coronation hen – might effectively get the thumbs up from youthful diners anyway.
There’s fruit juice and smooth drinks on the bar menu, in addition to peppermint and fruit tea, in case your youngsters need an uncaffeinated various.
What if now we have particular dietary necessities?
No downside. The afternoon tea will be tailor-made for vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free (though it’s not attainable to have menus which are each vegan and gluten free).
All of the desserts are vegetarian already, and when you’ve got different necessities – for instance, if you happen to’re pescatarian – you’ll get a separate set of sandwiches with out the usual Coronation Rooster. Or vegetarians can have an choice with out the smoked salmon sandwiches, whereas there’s a wholly separate vegan menu.
Each my husband and daughter had a couple of necessities to cater for, and it couldn’t have been less complicated: you simply add your dietary necessities when reserving (or afterwards in handle your reserving, so long as you give enough discover).
Is there guided commentary?
You’ll have both recorded commentary by an official information, or – as most individuals are inclined to desire – dwell commentary by one of many crew.
Though they’re not official guides, they clearly know their stuff after years engaged on the river: I realized a few new details, plus you get all of the important data identified, and various joky asides thrown in.
You gained’t have somebody speaking all through the cruise although both. After a quick introduction to begin, we sailed from the Tower to Westminster the place the commentary began across the Homes of Parliament.
We then had the commentary again alongside the river to Tower Bridge, earlier than one other interval the place we may benefit from the views in silence, and some extra remarks on the finish.
It’s simple sufficient to listen to if you wish to hear, in addition to to speak in between. Whereas there may not be fairly as a lot element as a guided cruise, it’s a very good stability and also you gained’t go house questioning what you’ve simply seen.
Are you able to board wherever alongside the river?
No. In contrast to a few of the hop-on hop-off cruise boats, you’ll board at Tower Millennium Pier (proper subsequent to the Tower of London) and return there afterwards.
The boat doesn’t cease at any level through the 90-minute journey.
What amenities are there on board?
There are bathrooms on board, in addition to a well-stocked bar if you happen to fancy wine, champagne, prosecco or cocktails along with your afternoon tea (in addition to different alcoholic drinks and smooth drinks).
You may also prebook bottles of prosecco, champagne or wine, in addition to shopping for on board, with some gives if you happen to’re simply planning to have a glass or two.
There’s additionally a viewing platform behind the boat if you wish to go exterior to benefit from the views. It’s additionally attainable to smoke exterior, though not in the principle cabin.
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London afternoon tea cruise: evaluate
We couldn’t have ordered a greater day for a cruise alongside the Thames if it had been an choice at reserving – regardless of being early March, spring had (briefly) come early and there have been blue skies and solar shining alongside the river.
Strolling down the gangplank, our VIP reserving meant we skipped to the pinnacle of the queue, and had been among the many first to board after having fun with a couple of views of Tower Bridge, and seagulls paddling simply off the tiny seaside by the Tower of London.
There’s no squabbling for tables both, all the pieces is assigned earlier than you get on – with the VIP bundle, 4 tables had been arrange on the entrance of the boat, giving us a implausible view via the huge glass home windows.
When you’re travelling in a bunch of two, it’s also possible to improve to a desk by the facet home windows, however even if you happen to’re sitting on the central tables, you possibly can nonetheless rise up and wander round inside (and outdoors) to benefit from the riverside views.
Inside moments of sitting down, employees bearing sizzling water and tea luggage had come to test on our tea choice, with inexperienced tea, lemon & ginger, peppermint and tremendous fruit alongside Earl Gray, Decaf English breakfast and Metropolis Cruises’ personal signature mix, ‘on a regular basis brew’.
You get limitless tea through the cruise, and with particular person little teapots, you possibly can swap choices part-way if you wish to strive a pair. There’s additionally limitless espresso, in addition to alcoholic and smooth drinks to purchase – the Chapel Down glowing wine was sadly unavailable, however I consoled myself very fortunately with a glass of Prosecco.
And earlier than we knew it, we had been off, cruising west alongside the river in the direction of the Palace of Westminster and the London Eye as our three-tier cake stand was introduced out – and a separate plate of sandwiches for my husband, to go well with his dietary necessities.
Egg mayonnaise on basil and spinach bread was certainly one of my favourites, a undoubtedly step up out of your common egg mayo, together with smoked salmon and cream cheese on caraway.
However in addition to the classics, together with Coronation Rooster, there was a extra quirky Chipotle Sandwich, on beetroot and dill bread, whereas the vegan menu had a spiced avocado choice in addition to baba ganoush sandwich as a few of the extra uncommon options.
My 12-year-old was eyeing up the 2 larger tiers although; scones with jam and cream on the prime, and a choice of little muffins and pastries within the center, together with an attention grabbing mango pebble.
Set on a shortbread-style biscuit, the shiny spherical orange mango centre made it look unexpectedly like a fried egg, however way more enjoyable to eat.
Sitting alongside was chocolate fudge cake, a vibrant pink macaron (a bit of extra like a meringue than your common macaron but in addition twice the scale), and mini lemon meringue tarts which turned out to be my favorite.
And when you don’t get extra meals, we didn’t even have area to complete the three tiers, not to mention anything.
Plus, in fact, whereas we had been having fun with the meals, we additionally bought to drink within the views, passing an entire string of sights together with the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, the Homes of Parliament, the London Eye, the Globe Theatre, St Paul’s, Tate Trendy, the Shard, an entire string of bridges, historic pubs and loads of transformed wharfs as we headed east in the direction of Canary Wharf.
Whereas we had loads of time to eat and chat amongst ourselves, we additionally had dwell commentary from one of many members of the crew as we travelled from Westminster to Tower Bridge – and some different sections.
It’s not solely the main riverside sights which get picked out both – we had tales of Shakespeare and The Anchor pub, the one river tavern to outlive since Tudor instances (admittedly rebuilt after the Nice Hearth and searching reasonably completely different as we speak).
Our ‘information’ additionally identified The Monument to the Nice Hearth, its Golden Flame peeking out above the encompassing buildings and the silver dragons which nonetheless stand on the outdated gates into the Metropolis of London.
We additionally heard the story behind Waterloo Bridge, and its nickname the Women’ Bridge, a narrative I hadn’t heard earlier than. With work underway to switch the outdated bridge in 1939, as males headed to the Second World Battle battlefields, girls had been accountable for a lot of the work of making the brand new bridge.
And whereas a few of the tales which are sometimes instructed on the river – that your entire workforce was feminine, and that it’s the one bridge in London which was accomplished to deadline and beneath finances – might not be 100% true, it was one of many fascinating little nuggets to remove. And bought a smug smirk from my daughter and me!
E book your Metropolis Cruises afternoon tea cruise in London right here
Metropolis Cruises Afternoon tea cruise: The decision
All too quickly, our 90-minute journey was up and we had been cruising gently again into Tower Millennium Pier as soon as extra, feeling very full and simply as relaxed.
So how does the afternoon tea cruise measure up? An unqualified thumbs as much as the employees who had been beautiful, and if something appeared to have forgotten or wanted checking, hurried off to kind issues out for us.
The identical goes for the views: we had been actually fortunate with the climate, however I believe the VIP tables are actually value the additional to have the ability to gaze out with out transferring out of your seat.
And as a beautiful further to a river cruise, it’s onerous to beat. You would possibly get a bit much less data than a particular sightseeing cruise, however I felt we had plenty of element and also you wouldn’t come away disenchanted with that.
When you’re in search of London’s most uncommon connoisseur afternoon tea, you possibly can actually discover some quirky themes and creative creations again on land, however then once more, they don’t include such good views – and if you happen to’re in search of a traditional afternoon tea, this ticks loads of these bins.
Must you e book the London afternoon tea cruise with youngsters? Once more, I believe it is determined by your youngsters – when you’ve got choosy eaters who gained’t care in regards to the surroundings, this is likely to be one thing to place off till they’re older, however as a household deal with, it’s a beautiful choice.
In spite of everything, it’s onerous to go incorrect whenever you’ve bought scones, surroundings and a few fascinating details about London.
Disclosure: My household afternoon tea cruise in London was free for the needs of evaluate – all opinions are my very own. This submit incorporates affiliate hyperlinks – any purchases you make are unaffected however I’ll obtain a small fee
Photos copyright MummyTravels
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