TUI Musement launches premium dining cruises on London’s Thames

International

Four new cruise experiences combine views of the British capital with afternoon tea, brunch, dinner and coffee, with prices starting at £22 per person

TUI Musement has expanded its London programme with a new range of premium dining cruises on the River Thames. The experiences combine sightseeing with British-inspired food and drink, offering visitors and Londoners a different perspective on some of the capital’s best-known landmarks.

The new programme includes Afternoon Tea, Dinner, Weekend Brunch and Top Deck Coffee cruises. All sailings depart from Butler’s Wharf and operate daily, with prices starting at £22 per person. A local guide accompanies each cruise, providing information about the landmarks and neighbourhoods visible from the river.

The cruises are operated in partnership with Thames Luxury Charters, which specialises in events and experiences on the Thames. A dedicated vessel has been given TUI Musement branding in the company’s blue and red colours.

London landmarks from the river

The Thames provides a distinctive vantage point for exploring the British capital, with many of its historic and contemporary landmarks clustered along the river. TUI Musement is using that setting to combine traditional sightseeing with different dining formats throughout the day.

The Afternoon Tea cruise draws directly on one of Britain’s best-known culinary traditions, while the Weekend Brunch and Dinner options target travellers looking to combine a meal with sightseeing. The Top Deck Coffee cruise offers a shorter and more informal alternative.

“Our Thames cruises are a great example of a TUI Musement experience: created with trusted local partners and designed by our expert teams for a memorable day out,” says Peter Ulwahn, CEO of TUI Musement.

“London is one of those cities people think they already know, until they see its iconic landmarks from the Thames, with the added indulgence of great food.”

Almost 600 experiences available in London

The cruises add to a London portfolio that now comprises almost 600 excursions, activities and attraction tickets. These range from conventional sightseeing and cultural attractions to entertainment and culinary experiences.

Recent additions include a Traditional Scone Making Workshop, developed by TUI Musement together with a local partner. The Thames cruises also become part of the company's Experiences for Locals collection, which targets residents as well as visitors with activities including exhibitions, comedy performances, theatre and food experiences.

“These cruises are for everyone, whether you’re rediscovering the city you call home or looking to add something memorable and quintessentially British to your stay,” Ulwahn says.

City breaks and experiences increasingly connected

The expansion also illustrates TUI's strategy of linking accommodation with bookable experiences at destinations. Customers travelling to London for a city break can, for example, combine the new cruises with a stay at the Riu Plaza London Victoria in Westminster.

For the travel trade, the growing range creates additional opportunities to add pre-bookable activities to a London stay rather than selling accommodation and transport alone. The relatively low entry price of £22 also makes the river cruises suitable as an additional component of a city-break package.

The new Thames experiences can be booked through TUI and TUI Musement websites and apps, TUI retail stores and selected distribution partners.