This is definitely a unique and relaxing way to see some of the Iconic buildings in London, as well as a quick way to get from one end of London to the other.
Due to the Train strike during my visit, many tourists and locals were using the boats to get around the city. So the boats were extremely packed on my first leg down the Thames River. Lucky, the ride back less populated, so the ride back was more comfortable.
The boat was mostly clean, and the seats were comfortable. The ride got a little choppy after passing the London Bridge, but otherwise the ride was comfortable. They do have a cafe on the boats, so we were able to have some refreshments as we enjoyed the ride.
Once we reached the last zone, we were told to get off the boat, then swipe our credit cards again to
re-board in order to get back to our original zone. The only problem with this, was that we didn't know that we were supposed to swipe our credit cards when we exited the boat, then re-swipe to get back on. So therefore, we were charged for the entire route both ways. What should've cost us £57.00 ended up costing us £81.00 simply because we didn't know to swipe when exiting. When we found out that we would be charged for all zones, we explained the situation to the staff. They said there was nothing they could do since we paid by credit card, and if we had used an Oyster Card, we could've been credited.
Oh well... no sense crying over spilled milk, but it really would've been nice if the staff had told us to make sure to swipe off to avoid being charged for the entire commute.
*Tip... If you plan on paying by credit card, you can only use one credit card per person. So, if you have multiple people in your party, you'll have to swipe a different credit card for each person in your party to be allowed to board. This rule applies to all forms of transportation in London (Boat, Bus and Trains). Therefore, if you are traveling with multiple people, it's best to use an Oyster Card that you can tap for everyone in your party, using an Oyster Card is also cheaper too!
Overall, I really enjoyed the experience and I'll definitely take an Uber Boat again on my next trip to London... I'll just make sure to use an Oyster Card and... swipe on/off.
Highly recommend for everyone! read more