London Eye and Thames cruise: the perfect combination for your trip to London

Thinking of visiting several of London's most famous tourist attractions? Instead of buying them separately because the cost can be higher, a good idea is to buy combined tickets to some of them, as it can help you save a little during your holiday.

Such is the case of the combined tickets for a Thames river cruise and a ride on the London Eye, the most outstanding things to see and do in London.

Do you want to know how you can buy combined tickets and what you can save with them? I'll tell you that and more in the following post!

An ideal proposal

Offer: London Eye Tickets, Big Bus Tour and Thames River Cruise

Explore London from different points of view with this special pack.

On your visit to the British capital, don't miss the opportunity to see its most emblematic monuments and landmarks in a very comfortable way with this offer that includes a bus ticket, cruise and a ride on the highest Ferris wheel in Europe.

From AED 283 at Hellotickets

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Explore the British capital with this pack that includes tickets for the London Eye, a pass for the Big Bus and a cruise on the Thames, an ideal way to discover its monuments and points of interest.

In this proposal in which, thanks to the headphones and audio guide with recorded commentary, you will learn all the details and ins and outs of the history of the city, you can choose between two routes depending on the time you have and how much you want to go deeper, with a duration of about 1 hour and 20 minutes or 2 hours and 30 minutes respectively. There are also bus tickets for 1, 2 or 3 days.

Why I like this option... it's a very complete option and very good value for money.

Recommended if... you want to get to know London comfortably.

The most complete option

London Top Sights Tour with Optional London Eye Tickets

Get to know London in depth with this leave-nothing-behind experience.

A 10-hour experience with an expert guide where you will enjoy a tour of the British capital, a cruise on the Thames and, of course, a trip on the London Eye.

From AED 568 at Hellotickets

Thanks to this tour of London with tickets to the London Eye included, you can take a tour of the main sites of the city without leaving anything behind. The tour lasts approximately 10 hours and includes bus transfers, tickets to St Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London, and the London Eye.

In addition, you will have a professional guide at your disposal who will explain in detail the history of the different points, monuments and most emblematic places of the city. A very complete experience to discover the British capital in depth, enjoy panoramic views from the highest Ferris wheel in Europe and cross the waters of the Thames.

Why I like this option... it is the most complete option to get to know London.

Recommended if... you don't want to leave anything behind and you want to get to know London in depth, as you will have a guide at your disposal to ask any questions you may have.

If during your stay in London you want to include a trip to the London Eye and a cruise on the Thames, the best option for both convenience and speed is to buy a combined ticket for the two attractions online in advance.

Both are two of the city's most popular tourist attractions, which means long, boring queues at the ticket office for those who choose to buy them on the spot once they land in London. So, in my experience, I don't recommend waiting until you arrive in the British capital to buy tickets. If you buy them online and from home, this is precious time out of your trip that you could spend on other more entertaining plans such as a bike tour of London's parks, a Harry Potter tour or a food tour.

It's easy! For example, you can use the London Eye website to buy a combined ticket for the Ferris wheel and cruise. When you go to the website, all you have to do is select the combination ticket you want, then the number of tickets and finally the date and time you want to take the Thames River Cruise.

Then, when you're ready, you need to book the date and time for the other activity (the London Eye climb) separately.

From £41 you can get a combined adult ticket to take a Thames River Cruise and London Eye, so when you buy them together you can save around 15%.

The Thames cruise ticket is included in the London Pass and the London Explore Pass, but the ticket to the London Eye is not, unfortunately.

If you're sure you want to do both activities and don't plan to buy a tourist card, the best way to save a little money is to get a combined ticket, as buying them separately is more expensive.

One of the advantages of buying a combined ticket for the Thames River Cruise and the London Eye is that you can plan each activity as you wish, i.e. you don't have to do them both on the same day, but you can choose the day and time of each attraction separately.

For example, if you buy a combined ticket on the London Eye website, the first thing you have to do is select the date and time you would like to do the Thames cruise and when you have made the booking, you will receive a confirmation email in your inbox which includes a link to pre-book the visit to the other attraction (the London Eye).

When you purchase the combined ticket you should be aware that you cannot change the date and time of the first activity (the Thames River Cruise), but you do have a maximum of 5 times to edit the details of your visit to the other attraction before the original date you selected.

A cruise on the Thames or going on the London Eye are two of the most interesting things to do in London.

Cruise on the Thames

• During the cruise you will enjoy a moment of peace and a very relaxing walk feeling the breeze and the sun on your face.
• You will see some of London' s most beautiful monuments located close to the river bank, such as Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster, London Bridge, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, the London Eye, the Tower of London, Tower Bridge or The Shard viewpoint, among others.
• You will have the chance to enjoy the London skyline from a different perspective.
• You'll be able to take some impressive photographs as souvenirs.
• If at the end of the cruise you're left wanting more because you've had such a great time, you can always come back for a dinner cruise on the Thames, a totally different experience and at the same time complementary to the previous one, as you'll be able to observe the Thames at night and attend an elegant evening with dinner and live music.

Ride the London Eye

• The London Eye is Europe's tallest Ferris wheel at over 130 metres high.
• It is famous for its spectacular panoramic views, where on a clear day you can see up to 40 kilometres away.
• Its structure is in continuous movement, allowing you to contemplate the London skyline from a very original and different perspective to what we are used to.
• At the highest point of the London Eye you will have the opportunity to see the city from a bird's eye view and immortalise beautiful monuments at your feet, such as the Palace of Westminster and Big Ben, the great dome of St Paul's Cathedral and the City of London, Westminster Bridge and the Fenchurch building, among others.
• If you have a flexible schedule to see the London Eye, take a ride on the London Eye at sunset, as it is one of the most beautiful views from the London Eye. The phenomenon varies depending on the month, so if you decide to go up at that time, I advise you to make sure you know when the sun sets in London beforehand.

The London Eye is located on the south bank of the River Thames, opposite the Palace of Westminster. The ticket offices are inside County Hall, the building next to the Ferris wheel. And the London Eye (Waterloo) pier is next to the wheel. You can walk from one side to the other.

To get to the London Eye you can take the Jubilee line and get off at Waterloo station, which is the closest station to the attraction.

If you fancy eating around the London Eye and its pier, don't miss these suggestions:

• St Stephen's Tavern: A British pub where you can try the best traditional local cuisine. As a curiosity, prime ministers such as Churchill and Macmillan used to eat here.
• La Cucina Di Mamma: A good Italian place to eat near the London Eye. The Piccante pizza and the Four Cheese pizza are out of this world.
• Pret a Manger: Ideal for breakfast if you are going to visit the Ferris wheel early in the morning. You can have it there or order it to take away. Breakfast rolls and the classic British porridge are two of their specialities.

Check out the post places to eat near the London Eye if you'd like to eat nearby.

Tips for visiting the London Eye

• The best time to ride the London Eye is early as soon as the attraction opens, but if you have other plans in the morning, another good time is around 3pm, when the crowds are thin on the ground.
• Weekends and bank holidays are when the London Eye is at its most crowded. It's best to go on a weekday to avoid the queues.
• The views from the London Eye booths are breathtaking, but if you want to get the best photo of the Ferris wheel in the open air, head to the Golden Jubilee Bridge.
• Climb the London Eye at night to see the city lit up in all its glory - it's a magical feeling!

Tips for a Thames River Cruise

• Be on time. The boat departs with British punctuality (no pun intended!) and waits for no one. Arrive in plenty of time and take the opportunity to explore the area a little before boarding.
• Wrap up warm, especially if you're cruising during the winter in London. London can get very cold when temperatures are low and if you're going to be on deck, it's best to dress warmly.
• Take some motion sickness remed y to take before boarding in case the swaying of the water makes your body churn. This way, you'll enjoy the experience much more.
• Don't lean over the railing of the boat too much and keep a safe distance as a precaution.
• Remember to keep your camera battery fully charged to take photos and videos during the trip.