A 90-minute afternoon tea cruise in London impressed with scenic views and standout scones, with tickets from £46. The experience, offered by City Cruises, departs from Tower Millennium Pier and includes unlimited tea or coffee.
A riverside twist on a British tradition
Afternoon tea is one of the UK's most famous food traditions, although modern versions are often far more elaborate than the original. A traditional afternoon tea typically includes finger sandwiches, scones, cakes and sweet treats and of course, tea.
While there are numerous afternoon teas located in the UK, City Cruise has multiple experiences available. This traditional afternoon tea was slightly more indulgent and was aboard a London cruise. The riverside cruise offered scenic London views, including world-famous landmarks like the London Eye, Tower Bridge, St Paul’s Cathedral, and the Houses of Parliament.
Booking and boarding details
Guests can pre-book their experience with tickets costing from £46, but these depend on which day of the week you prefer and how early you want to book. The cruise set off at 3:30pm and lasted for 90 minutes.
Guests have to go to Tower Millennium Pier, Lower Thames Street, EC3N 4DT and have to walk straight down onto the pier where you will be greeted by a friendly staff member. Upon boarding, some tables are situated in close proximity to other diners and are pre-allocated before boarding. However, we had plenty of space and got a great seat overlooking the river.
Food, drink and commentary
When the afternoon tea was served, guests got to enjoy freshly prepared sandwiches, warm scones with clotted cream and jam, and a selection of cakes and pastries. There is also unlimited tea or coffee available, and you can take your cuppa and stroll upstairs to take in the 360-degree views of London's riverside landmarks.
While enjoying the afternoon tea, there is also live or recorded commentary, which gives you a better understanding of your surroundings. A highlight of the afternoon tea was the scones; they were light and buttery, and you couldn’t help but tuck into more than one on the cruise. The sandwiches were flavourful and had the right amount of filling.
Menus and booking
Overall, the experience was delightful, with the capital’s breathtaking views without the hustle and bustle of being on land. The staff were friendly, the food was great, and the commentary was an added bonus to the afternoon.
City Cruises has a main menu and a vegan option available. The main menu includes fish sandwich (smoked salmon and cream cheese on light rye and caraway bread), egg sandwich (egg mayonnaise and watercress on basil and spinach bread), chicken sandwich (coronation chicken on brown bread), and chipotle sandwich (chipotle and sweetcorn on beetroot and dill bread). Scones are plain with Cornish clotted cream and strawberry preserve. Desserts include chocolate brownie, mango pebble, lemon tart, and strawberry macaroon.
The vegan menu offers avocado sandwich (spiced avocado and tomato on basil and spinach bread), baba ganoush sandwich (baba ganoush on light rye and caraway bread), beetroot sandwich (roasted beetroot and hummus on white bread), and chipotle sandwich. The vegan scone is plain with Cornish clotted cream and strawberry preserve, and the dessert is a zesty citrus sponge slice. Guests can book City Cruises Afternoon Tea online.
