How much time would you allow for a cruise on the Thames. It seems cruiseing the river is recommended frequently and sounds like a relaxing moment in a busy touring schedule. Do you take to the water as a form of transport between 2 places (like the ferry system here in San Francisco) or do you typically end up where the tour began. Are the boats privatly owned or is this linked to public transportation? Thanks in advance, thereyet

And I forgot, how much time would you alot fotr this activity? thereyet

Do you mean in the greater London area only or would you be willing to venture to the burbs (and beyond)?
Salters Steamers does the bulk of the tourist cruising out in Berkshire/Buckinghamshire. If you opt to do one of their cruises, might as well make an entire day of it and explore the starting or end point, probably dining at one of them as well. You can do round trips or one-ways.
http://www.salterssteamers.co.uk/trips.htm

We've taken 3 or more lunch cruises with Bateaux London and also a dinner cruise. The lunch cruises are 2 1/2 hrs. long and I think the dinner cruise was about 4hrs.
Also, some of the London Walks include a boat ride for an additional pound or two.
We've usually booked the lunch cruises through Londontown.com to save a few £'s.

For a short few mile Thames ride that connects two major art museums consider hopping the Tate to Tate shuttle boat service between the Tate Modern, near London Bridge and the old Tate museum near Parliament. Tickets at either museum and you'll see most of the famous riverside sights.

Within London:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/1149.aspx

Thames Clippers operates some fast commuter services and the Tate to Tate.

www.thamesclippers.com

The "leisure" boats are also point to point rather than tours, but slower. A useful option here is the Circular Cruise boat that runs between Westminster and the Tower with various points in between.

They are privately-owned, but Transport for London is trying to do up the main piers in central London rather more like public transport stations with consisten maps and other information displays, and so on. And you do get one-third off the fares if you have a travelcard for the relevant zones (so, zones 1-2 as far out as Greenwich or Putney).

Roughly speaking allow an hour to Greenwich or Putney, half an hour between Westminster and the Tower on the leisure boats.

Further out, to or from Richmond, Kingston and Hampton Court, we're talking hours, and the travelcard won't help a great deal with the cost.

There are also services that run more like tours, such as dinner cruises, and so on.

For a really comprehensive floating tour of London maritime commerce history, ride from Westminster Pier down to Greenwich (and beyond, to the Thames Barrier, if monumental engineering is your thing). One hour.

Twenty minutes to return (to Bank) via the DLR.

Robespierre,PalenQ,PatrickLondon, Tudorprincess, et al... The amount and depth of knowledge I find on this forum is astounding. I can't tell you how important it is for someone like me to be able to rely on the information you so freely provide. My only hope is to someday pass on and contribute to this forum as you have. until then I hope my questions aren't too pesky. thereyet

You can also take a 6 day cruise on the Thames through some gorgeous countryside.

If you're going any of the places along the river that have boat service - like Greenwich or Hampton court you take the boat one way and other public transit the other. You see more than on one of those brief cruises (on the left s blot on the right is another blot) - and it's much more relaxing.

It's slower going upstream on the Thames (west) then downstream.

Another possibility is taking a (narrow) boat ride on Regent's Canal. There are several options from Little Venice going to Camden; one company stops at the zoo.

Carrybean, now thats soundss like a great trip after the next trip. thereyet

<<a relaxing moment in a busy touring schedule?>>

Yes! We jumped on a Thames cruise after touring the Tower of London (right there at the dock), and got off about 15 min later in front of Big Ben. It was a joy to SIT for bit. I highly recommend it.

Or for a whole different type of Thames water trip consider the popular DUWK -can't remember name of military vehicle that goes in water and on land - but it's pronounced Duck and has a picture of ole Uncle Scrooge on them or something to resemble him.

Anyway they do 'cruises' on The Thames as well.

I took a barge down the Thames from Westminster Bridge to Kew Gardens, and I think it was about 1 hour 15 minutes. It was so nice, I wish I had gone all the way to Hampton Court instead (a more interesting destination). On a warm day, it's really relaxing.

You can take the boat one way and the train back if you like. I liked taking the boat both ways.

PalenQ, is the DUWK the old London Frog tour?

Yes, and the vehicle is a DUKW, a deuce-and-a-half truck with a hull and propellor drive melded on. They were an essential element of Operation Overlord, because they allowed men and materiel to be loaded offshore and delivered directly to the front lines without further handling.

They're also used in Jersey to get from the mainland to Elizabeth Castle at high tide.

PalenQ, <is the DUWK the old London Frog tour?>

not sure but sounds similar

PalenQ, we used to do DUWK cruises at the Wisconson Dells, a very touristy natural waterway (insert oxymoron here) in central Wisconson. Very odd looking vehicles and I almost can't wait to watch someone else driving past the parlament in one! Seriously, as a military vehicle, anything that helps the troops out is a good thing. They still use amphibious vehicles in the USMC, my alma mater, in Iraq. thereyet

Book a tour - www.londonducktours.co.uk

Buy your own - dukw.com