Viscount Cruises
Viscount Cruises
4.5
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Full view
About
Viscount Cruises is a family business which has been operating passenger boats in London for over 30 years. We specialise in private charters for Corporate & private clients & also operate a number of public sightseeing cruises throughout the year. Our large Class V passenger boats M.V Avontuur IV & M.V London Rose are maintained to high safety standards & boast a range of modern facilities. Our vessels are regularly used for a wide range of events including office parties, Summer celebrations, Christmas parties, dinner cruises, anniversaries, birthdays & transfers.
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(22 reviews)
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4.5
62 reviews
Excellent
48
Very good
8
Average
2
Poor
1
Terrible
3
Jess G
5 contributions
Jul 2022
Craig and his team were excellent hosts for our Aussie rules football club's (the London Swans) annual boat party in the summer. The evening ran very smoothly, and everyone was buzzing with positive feedback. To top it off, the staff were friendly and great fun!
We hope to continue booking with Viscount Cruises again in 2023 and beyond. Thanks for having us!
We hope to continue booking with Viscount Cruises again in 2023 and beyond. Thanks for having us!
Written 3 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helen H
2 contributions
Nov 2022 • Family
We went from Westminster to Tower Bridge and back. We had been let down by Uber Thames Clippers due to delays and cancellations and Michael at Viscount cruises was fantastic offering an immediate solution. The commentary was great and the bar was well stocked. Fantastic. Thank you very much to everyone on board.
Written 13 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hibs72
Chelmsford, UK32 contributions
Aug 2021 • Friends
An OUTSTANDING company who have bent over backwards to help me. After we missed our trip due to my husband becoming ill when in London, Michael the Marketing Manager has been truly brilliant. I contacted him the day after our missed tour and he has done everything he could to accommodate us and ensure we didn’t lose out. Personal, kind and caring response. Genuinely one of the best examples of true customer service. Thank you
Written 24 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CourtKel
Seattle, WA65 contributions
Dec 2019 • Couples
We were on the Avontuur IV for New Year’s Eve, and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by the cruise.
Yes there were things that weren’t amazing- the food buffet was sad ( we ate dinner prior so this wasn’t a big deal) however if they added in some simple sweets or cookie trays that would have helped! Or maybe cookies on the tables with the chips ?
I also thought that the dance floor was a little out of the way and small ( it’s in the hull of the ship).
Now on to the good stuff:
My husband and I thought the boarding process was easy and getting to the pier was very organized. All of the staff was kind and organized. There was lots of alcohol available and the bar lines were never bad. The boat didn’t feel over crowded. I thought our view for the fireworks was great, yes there’s some boats in front of us but I could see everything perfectly.
I thought this cruise was fun and great for the price we paid. It’s not luxurious but it was comfortable and I felt safe and taken care of. I was traveling as a tourist and wanted an easy way to see the fireworks without dealing with insane crowds. This cruise definitely did all of that and we were very happy.
Yes there were things that weren’t amazing- the food buffet was sad ( we ate dinner prior so this wasn’t a big deal) however if they added in some simple sweets or cookie trays that would have helped! Or maybe cookies on the tables with the chips ?
I also thought that the dance floor was a little out of the way and small ( it’s in the hull of the ship).
Now on to the good stuff:
My husband and I thought the boarding process was easy and getting to the pier was very organized. All of the staff was kind and organized. There was lots of alcohol available and the bar lines were never bad. The boat didn’t feel over crowded. I thought our view for the fireworks was great, yes there’s some boats in front of us but I could see everything perfectly.
I thought this cruise was fun and great for the price we paid. It’s not luxurious but it was comfortable and I felt safe and taken care of. I was traveling as a tourist and wanted an easy way to see the fireworks without dealing with insane crowds. This cruise definitely did all of that and we were very happy.
Written 4 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lesley B
Bedford, UK45 contributions
Dec 2019
I had specific ideas of what I wanted from this event and the Avontuur ticked all those boxes. We arrived early and got a good table. I had a window seat and spent most of the evening gaping out of the window, looking at all the wonderful night time sights along the Thames. What a marvellous way to see the new decade in! There were sufficient seats for everyone. The tables were nicely laid out with tablecloths and decorations. I wasn't interested in dancing on the lower deck but enjoyed the music on our level. (Pity there wasn't any music on the upper level to welcome the New Year in.) The top deck on this boat is outside, giving a full view of the fireworks. We were moored alongside Parliament for midnight, a bit further away from the Eye than I would have liked but we still had an excellent view of the fireworks. The staff were very efficient and there was only a queue for drinks when we first embarked. Anyone ordering wine was given a bottle which took the pressure off for the evening. I was delighted to be given a proper glass! Despite the free availability of alcohol, there didn't appear to be anyone worse the wear for drink, though a few suffered with “sea sickness”. The buffet was simple and plentiful. We were not expecting anything fancy on the boat. It is advertised as a party boat but most of the clientele were more interested in the sights and chatting than dancing. If dancing is your thing, I recommend you take a boat where the dance floor is on the main deck.
Written 3 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Steve_S_55BGM
Reading, UK22 contributions
Dec 2019 • Couples
Had fun dancing and this was mostly due to us deciding we would enjoy ourselves.
I couldn’t help but suspect it was a ‘friends and family effort’ more than being a crew that understands hospitality. Staff are willing and hard working no doubt of that.
Food: Guys. We know this isn’t fine dining. But it’s also not necessary to serve mountains of cold powdery buffet with no attempt at good taste. I saw people picking up suitcase size plates of obscene quantities of food. I suspect that’s because customers were left waiting and then asked to stand in a boat-length queue for one table of food, to be greeted by the sight of huge mountainous volumes of £1 special discount packages of tasteless party food, very much emphasising ‘cheap and cheerful’. (Literally - the £1 plastic packages were being scattered aside as staff frenetically refilled the single table ‘feeding trough’)
hint... as there was a 100-person queue for a single food table people behaved like they were stocking up for a nuclear winter, but if you rather set several food stations for a few 20-person queues then perhaps people would feel comfortable to take it easy and return for seconds if still hungry. Also then you could afford to serve something a bit better quality than you did.
Music: took a while to get it right, and it needed explaining that people need music they can dance to, but eventually the man handling music played some that worked well for every age and nationality. After the fireworks the party carried on upstairs but staff forgot to switch on music. Really guys it’s only once a year for us and we don’t need to teach you how to do this.
We didn’t expect high standard cuisine or live entertainment (of course not, that wasn’t advertised nor was it the point) and everyone knows what average river boats are like (at best it’s a challenge to squeeze a large group of paying customers into the ship) however, the occasion was way beyond the competency of the staff and organisers, and it was as though the operator assumed the good grace of customers who would drop standards because they expect nothing better from a busy day in England.
This was acceptable as it was indeed a boat, there was music, it was on the Thames, and we did have a view of the fireworks. But I know you can do better.
I couldn’t help but suspect it was a ‘friends and family effort’ more than being a crew that understands hospitality. Staff are willing and hard working no doubt of that.
Food: Guys. We know this isn’t fine dining. But it’s also not necessary to serve mountains of cold powdery buffet with no attempt at good taste. I saw people picking up suitcase size plates of obscene quantities of food. I suspect that’s because customers were left waiting and then asked to stand in a boat-length queue for one table of food, to be greeted by the sight of huge mountainous volumes of £1 special discount packages of tasteless party food, very much emphasising ‘cheap and cheerful’. (Literally - the £1 plastic packages were being scattered aside as staff frenetically refilled the single table ‘feeding trough’)
hint... as there was a 100-person queue for a single food table people behaved like they were stocking up for a nuclear winter, but if you rather set several food stations for a few 20-person queues then perhaps people would feel comfortable to take it easy and return for seconds if still hungry. Also then you could afford to serve something a bit better quality than you did.
Music: took a while to get it right, and it needed explaining that people need music they can dance to, but eventually the man handling music played some that worked well for every age and nationality. After the fireworks the party carried on upstairs but staff forgot to switch on music. Really guys it’s only once a year for us and we don’t need to teach you how to do this.
We didn’t expect high standard cuisine or live entertainment (of course not, that wasn’t advertised nor was it the point) and everyone knows what average river boats are like (at best it’s a challenge to squeeze a large group of paying customers into the ship) however, the occasion was way beyond the competency of the staff and organisers, and it was as though the operator assumed the good grace of customers who would drop standards because they expect nothing better from a busy day in England.
This was acceptable as it was indeed a boat, there was music, it was on the Thames, and we did have a view of the fireworks. But I know you can do better.
Written 1 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Svetlana S
London, UK25 contributions
Dec 2019
We traveled with Avontuur 4 boat for New Years Eve. For the price of 175£/per person very disappointing experience. Generally felt like it is money making process where event organisers didn't care about creating festive environment and about passengers of the boat.
Negative side: Buffet food was very simple, cheap and a bit nasty. Nibbles are low quality, staff even didn't hided packages with 1£ label on them leftovers from nibbles.
After eating staff was walking around with massive plastic bags to pick up rubbish, that killed all festive atmosphere. Zero effort to make people feel festive.
No entertainment so 5 hours on the boat just trying to kill time until fireworks. We went dancing, music was a bit old fashion and very updated. Basement dance floor stinked of nasty food, as kitchen was located in the same area.
Very cold on the decking, no heaters or protection from wind.
Positive side: At least tables was covered with festive table cloth, unlike like other boats. Alcohol and other drinks was for free. Although few people couldn't handle amount of alcohol and some through out in the corners of the boat. Great views of fireworks. Massive decking. Cheap spirits.
Negative side: Buffet food was very simple, cheap and a bit nasty. Nibbles are low quality, staff even didn't hided packages with 1£ label on them leftovers from nibbles.
After eating staff was walking around with massive plastic bags to pick up rubbish, that killed all festive atmosphere. Zero effort to make people feel festive.
No entertainment so 5 hours on the boat just trying to kill time until fireworks. We went dancing, music was a bit old fashion and very updated. Basement dance floor stinked of nasty food, as kitchen was located in the same area.
Very cold on the decking, no heaters or protection from wind.
Positive side: At least tables was covered with festive table cloth, unlike like other boats. Alcohol and other drinks was for free. Although few people couldn't handle amount of alcohol and some through out in the corners of the boat. Great views of fireworks. Massive decking. Cheap spirits.
Written 1 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dave S
Tadley, UK17 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
The staff were friendly, and the buffet was nice, if not a little simple. However it was advertised as the best view of the fireworks on the Thames, now I understand that you can't be on the river right in front of the London Eye, for safety reasons however we were still facing the wrong way heading away from the fireworks at around 11.50 and everyone on the boat were starting to get a little anxious we would miss the main event. We did end up turning around at about 11.55 and got a view of the fireworks, although we were extremely far away from them as you can see from my pictures and I would say we were probably the furthest boat away from the London Eye, our side of Westminster Bridge.
Also I understand this was a "Party Boat" however it might have been nice for the upstairs to be the party level and the downstairs to be a little quieter for people that want to relax and a conversation with each other, especially as the lower deck is where all the tables are, so you can't dance down there if you wanted to, rather than having the music pumping on both levels.
Overall though it was an enjoyable evening, the bar was well stocked throughout, and all the staff I spoke to were very friendly and courtious. I would reccomend to people in the future.
Also I understand this was a "Party Boat" however it might have been nice for the upstairs to be the party level and the downstairs to be a little quieter for people that want to relax and a conversation with each other, especially as the lower deck is where all the tables are, so you can't dance down there if you wanted to, rather than having the music pumping on both levels.
Overall though it was an enjoyable evening, the bar was well stocked throughout, and all the staff I spoke to were very friendly and courtious. I would reccomend to people in the future.
Written 1 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
everly23
New Jersey175 contributions
Sep 2019
We pre-ordered tickets from a "Get Your Guide" website to take a cruise from London (Westminster Pier departure) to Greenwich so that we could visit the Royal Observatory. A friend had recommended the cruise and with our ticket, happened to catch one of the Viscount Cruise ships (I think the tickets are good with different companies), hosted by crew-mate Craig who was quite hilarious, i.e. "That's the London Eye. It goes round and round. That's about it. Some people book it for marriages. I wouldn't recommend it. Marriage that is." You get the idea - Facts about what we were seeing and a brilliant sense of humor. We lucked out to get him and also it was a beautiful, sunny day - a great way to see some of the iconic buildings and bridges of London - highly recommend - and you will be lucky if you get Craig.
Written 23 September 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kim M
Princeton, NJ50 contributions
Sep 2019
We chose Viscount because it departed from St Katherine’s (so we didn’t need to go out of our way to Westminster and for the senior discount. Really enjoyed the southbound cruise, particularly because the sightseeing announcements were live (no pre-recorded) and humorous and the boat was better quality than our craft on the northbound return. Highly recommend continuing south past Greenwich to the Thames Barrier. Also, for those who haven’t been on the river from Westminster to St katherine’s, consider beginning at Westminster to get the full benefit of the sightseeing commentary.
Written 7 September 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello I have booking NYE cruise but I dont get any confirmation mail appart from the payment one. Where should I contact todo confirm everything si ok?
juliedw44
Stroud, UK5 contributions
Hi, what price are the tickets and what is included? Thanks
Natalie911
Orpington, UK78 contributions
I hired the whole boat. They do lots of different events check their website for details.