Looking for something to do in London that would appeal to both my girlfriend and me, as well as my ten-year-old son, we stumbled upon Thames Rockets. It is one of those London attractions that is bloody expensive (aren't they all?) but well worth every penny. Or pence, as it were. Definitely a highlight of our time in London. It helps that we lucked out with the weather - perfect temperature and barely a cloud in the sky. Our guide was Max who did such a great job of cracking jokes while being informative and making sure everyone had a good time. Absolutely brilliant at his job and deserves all of the accolades. Once out of the central London area, the boat guns the engines and takes off with a carefully curated playlist blasting on the speakers (rocketing down the Thames with the James Bond theme music playing and my son by my side is an instant life highlight). My son loved when the boat did sharp, high speed turns which lifted one side of the boat practically perpendicular to the water. Not for the faint of heart! The whole tour lasted about an hour and was loads of fun. I've done loads of boat tours around Europe and this was easily the most fun I've ever had. Highly recommended! read more

Thames Rockets - Boat Charters Near Me - London, XGL

This is a rip off. We booked two tickets to go on this but the instructions sent us to the wrong pier making us late. When we went to speak with them about this we were told that they'd let one of us sit on standby for an open seat but that if anyone else showed up and paid for a ticket that person would just get bumped from the ride. They were not interested in addressing the fact that they sent us to the wrong place or making this right in any way. Their entire stance was basically that customers are ripping *them* off by getting sent to the wrong pier, showing up late or trying to reschedule. They made it sound like they were just too booked to do anything about this. We wound up going to the HMS Belfast and on one of the cruises with a day pass that let us go up and down the river for the afternoon. Now imagine my surprise when during the hours we were on the river doing other things their boats kept coming by with one, maybe two passengers. They're essentially raking in tickets for 16 people per trip while honoring less than a quarter of those tickets and issuing absolutely no refunds. Go with another company. Go with another activity. Don't pay all of that money for absolutely nothing. read more

This was a great introduction to the city. Our guide Mark had so much information and was so entertaining. Tom also did a great job driving the boat and making sure we had fun! Highly recommended. read more

Geoff & Nate were awesome! Had a blast, would definitely recommend if you're in London.

Adrenaline pumping while jumping waves! Check out the Speed experience, it leaves from Saint Katharine's pier. We took the tour from the Eye and it doesn't go quite as fast. Luckily we got the same guide on the faster ride! He's great and tell him Raina and Blake say hi:) read more

See all

This was a birthday present from my parents and it was an inspired choice - I'd seen these fast ribs speeding up and down the Thames over the years, but had never taken a trip myself. So when I turned up on a gorgeous sunny afternoon on the last day in October, I had half an idea of what to expect. I've been on ribs before, but not on such a busy waterway as this. Just how fast could we go, with all the other vessels in their way? After arriving and checking in, we were soon sorted into separate groups for the two 1pm sailings. We'd been issued with lightweight life belts, which fitted easily over our jackets in a waistcoat style. Then we were beckoned on board into the 12 seater vessel. No seat belts was a slight surprise, but they really are not necessary. Nor are waterproofs - you might think you'll get splashes at speed, but it just doesn't happen. The ebullient Nick gave us the pre-flight briefing and introduced us to Tony who'd be steering us on our way up and down the river. A steady pace at first until we'd be beyond Tower Bridge, then the throttles would be opened. As we set off, we soon overtook the other cruise ships and it didn't take long before we reached Tower Bridge. Nick gave us a final briefing and let us know what to do if the pace was too much! At first, the increased speed was impressive, but not thrilling. But more was definitely to come! The pace suddenly went to another level, where it became slightly more necessary to grip onto the handles, particularly when tight turns were made from port to starboard! Pulses raced, little shrieks of excitement were heard up and down the boat, accompanied by an entertainingly apt rock soundtrack blasting out from the speakers. As we looked up and down the river close to Canary Wharf, the iconic buildings of central London suddenly seemed very far away, a trick of perspective and the bend of the river. Soon, it was time to turn back and zip towards the jetty at the London Eye, but as we approached Tower Bridge, it was time for a hugely informative and entertaining travelogue to be delivered by Nick - his stories and historical titbits were excellent, particularly the bridge-jumping bus. That was an unexpected bonus and I'd like to thank him for tolerating my occasional contributions too! All in all, this was an excellent experience from beginning to end. It's impossible not to disembark from this without a mile wide grin on your face and a heightened pulse (in a good way!) Top class entertainment and worth every penny. read more

See all

So much fun! It's a real river tour of the Thames. Great to see the city from the river. And then, there's a part of the river without a speed limit, and they let the speedboat go fast. Got a lot of laughs from the teenager. :) Great operation. read more

Our family of 8 took this ride with Geoff, who was the MOST fabulous and entertaining. The rise was exhilarating and the history that Geoff provided to us throughout, made it the perfect excursion. I would recommend this to anyone!! read more

Wow Eat Your Heart Out 007! For fun, thrills with no spills (well the odd little splash here and there) and you feel the need for speed then this adventure MUST be on your bucket list of things to do. In the evening from 8pm it truly was amazing as the sun is setting boarding right next to the London Eye, and after you don your safety jacket with a quick health & safety talk, your adventure starts. James was our audio guide and he pointed out the landmarks with the history behind them and interesting facts (he was very funny with he's wit and banter and without him I don't think the trip would have been so good). The boat has to go slow past most of the famous landmarks including Big Ben, HMS Belfast, The Shard and The Tower of London until you get past Tower Bridge due to speed restrictions and water laws, then once past Tower Bridge the boat roars into action with sharp turns left and right with music blasting out of the boats speakers and the first song played was the theme to Baywatch, it really felt you were rushing to save someone in the water and all that was missing was the eye popping sight of Pamela Anderson in that classic red swim suit, plus other water related and action themes were also played including the James Bond theme!. Seeing London from a different perspective and with London's night life kicking in this is a boat ride like no other. I truly recommend this if you are a James Bond fan or speed freak, It certainly scared 'The Living Daylights' out of me in places, and there certainly was 'A View To A Kill' that being London lit up at night. This has certainly got to be the best way in London to see the iconic famous landmarks, so forget the roads and don't sit in the London traffic, just speed on down to Thames Rockets for the thrill of a lifetime (as you Only Live Once, NOT Twice!). read more

See all

So glad we booked this tour. We had two kids 9 and 11 and I couldn't decide if we should do the family oriented tour or the standard/classic tour (can't remember the actual tour names). We opted for the standard and it was perfect. My kids, particularly my 9 year old laughed and smiled the entire time. The guides (one way Andy) are great. It's a fun way to take in the sights but most enjoyable was the speed! A must do!! read more

Thames Rockets - Boat Charters Near Me - London, XGL

History, a unique way to see London, all while you're speeding along in the Thames while James Bond music is blaring in the background. Way better than a standard river cruise. More fun and you go way past where other boats take you to see a part of London living and architecture most people miss. We had a blast! read more

Don't be worried that it doesn't have a lot of Yelp reviews - it has TONS of great reviews on TripAdvisor. Also, wouldn't recommend for elderly, super young kids, or anyone who doesn't like fast speed or bumps. BUT - for everyone else, you gotta do it! London is such a beautiful city, and this is the best way to explore it's charm without having to walk everywhere. Half the ride is a speedboat ride. They have a great soundtrack to get you hyped, and try to hit some waves to make it really exciting. The other half is a normal pace, but your tour guide shares some entertaining facts about the buildings, monuments, and sights of London. Plus, you get great views of the London Eye and the Queen Elizabeth Tower (aka Big Ben - WHICH I discovered from this tour is really the name of the largest bell that rings inside the tower). Thanks Dave + Ian for a great ride! read more

A bit of London history, some awesome riverside scenery and that wind-in-your-hair swoosh of zipping along a river in a speedboat: there's a lot to love about a boat ride with London RIB Voyages. I had the pleasure of sitting in on the company's Ultimate London Adventure earlier today and had an absolute blast taking in the sights from Parliament to Canary Wharf. Highlights included zigzagging the Thames at what at least felt really really fast, pretending I was a pirate about to pillage and plunder Canary Wharf, laughing and whooping despite myself and listening to the two little kids sitting behind me have the time of their lives. At £32.50 for adults and £19.50 for children 16 years old and under (with family and group packages available), the 50 minute pleasure cruise was good value. I'd be happy to recommend it to anybody looking for something different to do in town. As a photographer, I thought it was a brilliant opportunity to snap some shots from the river. I'd be happy to go again! read more

Really good fun! 25 mins of historical cruising down the thames, and another 20 past the police wharf where they just let the speed boat rip. Things to keep in mind while you're booking: 1. Get motion sickness? I'd skip this one. I'd also question why you're looking into a speedboat cruise. 2. Weather makes a huge difference. We went on an uncommonly hot Sept day, and it was GLORIOUS. I couldn't say the same if it were cold and/or wet though, so plan accordingly. Our guides were Little Mike, who was hilarious, and Nick was our captain. It's a bit shorter than I expected, but still totally worth it. read more

This thing is so fun!!!! We did the standard tour and it was perfect!!! The guide we had was simply amazing! He was funny, and very good at telling stories and information! He was very kind too!! Going from information about what we could see to a thrilling fast experience going side to side! The overall experience was amazing!! Thank you Thanes Rockets! read more

I'd been to London twice before, so I'd already done all the really "touristy" things. This time, on my third trip, I wanted to make sure I fit in at least one. While walking near the Thames with my friend Thom, we saw these people on a speedboat looking like they were having the time of their lives. "THAT is what I'd like to do before I leave!" I exclaimed. We set up our reservation easily online, and it was very easy to find as well. We chose a 50-minute option, and we sped pretty thrillingly downstream to such 80's hits as "Danger Zone." (I seriously thought the 3-year-old French child sitting in front of us was going to fall overboard at some points. She didn't.) On our way back to the Eye, our really funny and entertaining tour guide enlightened us with some actually very interesting facts about the city. It's a touristy thing I will remember for some time to come. :) read more

+ Hard to exceed my expectations but the 40 minute "Break the Barrier" trip did. + Do your best to time it when there isn't any rain. I can imagine that would kill the mood + The speed is really quite something - you look at the other Thames boats and think "how boring for the passengers on board!" + Quite expensive but worth it - Yelp: I really like the idea of Yelp website and am adding reviews to help, but it is pretty ridiculous that RIB voyages has sub-10 reviews. It is one of THE best things you can do in London, I'm sure of that. read more

If you only have time for one tourist activity while you are in London, the Thames Rocket has to be it. We boarded the 12-seater speedboat at the London Eye for a 50-minute round trip which gave us unrivaled views of Parliament, the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, St. Paul's, and the City's latest skyscrapers. What an exhilarating and fun trip, made even more special by Skipper Rich and guide Andy, whose wife we waved to, as we past her on the South Bank. Great fun and value for money. While it was sunny, it was chilly today. The crew offered jackets to everyone before boarding - do yourself a favor and wear it. It gets colder as the boat increases speed. read more

This is so fun!!! The ride was so exciting. At first, the guide will tell you some stories and information about the surrounding. I thought it was very informative for the tourists like us. I highly recommend this if you are looking for something fun and exciting activity around the Thame river. read more

Had a great time getting a tour down the Thames. Our guide Matt was awesome! Sarcastically funny, my type of humor! Then we sped down towards the end of the Thames, which wasn't too crazy to make someone feel sick but just enough! read more

SUPER FUN!! Adventurous types do this. Get under the bridges and learn the history of the Thames. Little Mike was our guide and made it very enjoyable. Enjoy going fast? Feeling the wind in your hair? listening to the them song of Jame Bond? it's here. read more

I took this trip with a group from Tower Millenium Pier. We had a new boat which apparently can beat the pants off the other RIB's. It was a gentle 15knts to start with, then after got out of the restriction zone, ramped up to 35knts. Dean the captain swerved left to right, the boat was at around 60deg angle from the river when turning left and right and using the swell from a boat just ahead a few small jumps. It was an exhilarating ride, when we turned to come back they played the James Bond theme which was fun. The lady was on the PA system the whole time and gave a few snippets of info. They supplied waterproof jackets and life jackets and the boat was solid and very powerful. read more

I had an absolutely incredible experience on the Thames Rockets! It was probably the coldest day in the history of London and I am SO glad we didn't let that stop us. Our guides (Nick and Dave) were energetic, informative, charismatic and witty. I ended up leaving my phone in one of the jackets they provided and another guide (I forget his name!) got off of the tour he was just about to give and helped me parse through dozens of jackets to help me find it. Fantastic experience and would recommend to anyone! read more

Fun trip down the river. Good for quick speed thrills and a bit of history lesson. Dave was a great tour leader. Good weather helps though.

We are easy to please, but came away a bit underwhelmed. Sure the boat ride was fun, but it was very short compared to other 'thrill speedboat' rides we have done (Chicago, New York, Caribbean). While it is definitely the best way to take in some of the 'must see' London landmarks, we felt that the speeding portion of the boat ride itself was too short. We also understand that there are some speed limit restrictions in certain areas of the Thames, but it felt like our boat was going 'put put put' while other boats were zooming by us in the 'slow zone'. Our guide seemed uninspired, which I guess is totally human, but it just felt like he was going through the motions. The best part was the music selection, which is a bit peculiar as I totally expected that we would be getting some fun facts & trivia about what we were seeing. After reading all the great reviews, that was disappointing. Don't regret we did it, but we will not be doing it again. read more