The Best Boat Parties in London

“London boat party” is one of the least useful phrases in events. It covers bottomless brunch cruises with a playlist, sightseeing trips with a bar, house and garage sailings that are effectively a club on water, corporate charters, and themed disco parties like ours. They cost similar money and feel nothing alike.

So rather than pretending we can rank other companies fairly, here’s how to judge any London boat party from its listing, and then, honestly, why we think ours is a strong pick.

1. Music: who’s choosing it, and is it live?

This is the single biggest variable. A DJ playing a curated set all sailing is a completely different night from a Bluetooth playlist behind a bar. Look for named DJs, a stated genre, and a set that runs the full sailing. If a listing is vague about music, the music is not the point of that event.

2. Route: are you actually seeing London?

Some sailings do a proper central stretch (Tower Bridge, The Shard, St Paul’s, the London Eye), and some potter around a less interesting reach of the river because the pier was cheaper. The skyline is half of what you’re paying for, so check whether the route is described at all.

3. Deck space: is there an open-air level?

A boat with an open-air upper deck gives you two rooms: the party inside and the view outside. Without it, you’re in a low-ceilinged room that happens to be moving. Photos in a listing usually give this away instantly.

4. Day or evening: pick deliberately

Day sailings are underrated: dancing in daylight with the city going past is a genuinely unusual feeling and much easier for mixed groups. Evening sailings trade that for sunset and city lights, and generally feel closer to a night out. Neither is better; they suit different plans.

5. Group-friendliness

If you’re booking for eight or more, check three things: whether there’s a group discount, whether everyone boards at one time, and whether the boarding point is somewhere your group can reach easily. Boats are excellent for groups precisely because nobody can wander off, but only if you all get on the same one.

6. The boring but important bits

• Boarding time vs departure time. Boats do not wait. Missing the departure means missing the event, with no refund anywhere in this industry.
• Confirmed pier. Piers can change with harbour availability, even ours, so the listing should tell you to check your ticket.
• Age policy and ID. Most party sailings, including ours, are 18+.
• Ticketing platform. Buy through the stated official partner, never a resale DM.
• Capacity. Bigger isn’t automatically better; it decides whether the dancefloor feels full or crushed.

Our recommendation: the ABBA boat party

We run it, so this is a pitch, but it’s a pitch against the criteria above. Disco Wonderland’s London ABBA Boat Party is a DJ-led disco for the whole sailing: ABBA anthems first, then disco and party classics. It sails the central Thames past Tower Bridge, The Shard, St Paul’s and the London Eye. The boat is the Dutch Master, a two-level party boat chartered for each sailing with bars onboard and an open-air upper deck, holding around 360 guests.

Both slots run across summer weekends: day sailings for a disco in the sunshine, evening sailings that catch the sunset and roll on under the city lights. Tickets are £25 Early Bird and £30 General Release via FIXR, groups of ten or more get 15% off, and sailings are 18+. Departures are normally from Tower Millennium Pier, but that can occasionally change, so always check your ticket.

What it isn’t: a sightseeing cruise, a sit-down dinner, or a private charter. If you want commentary and a table, book one of those instead; you’ll have a better time. If you want a full dancefloor with London sliding past it, read more about Thames boat parties or pick a sailing date.