The New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner Cruise is a five-hour City Cruises sailing from Tower Millennium Pier on 31 December 2026, boarding at 7:45pm for an 8:15pm start and returning at approximately 1:15am. A glass of champagne on arrival and another at midnight, a three-course dinner followed by tea or coffee with petits fours, half a bottle of wine and a bottle of mineral water are included, with live music through the evening. Dinner is served at tables of two or four. This cruise has a dress code: jackets for men, cocktail dresses for women, and no jeans or trainers. Tickets cannot be cancelled once booked.
A dinner cruise with a dress code
Of the boats leaving Tower Millennium Pier that night, this is the one that asks something of what you wear: jackets for men, cocktail dresses for women, and jeans and trainers are turned away. It is worth reading before you book rather than at the pier, because the requirement is applied on the night.
The other published difference is the seating. Dinner here is laid at tables of two or four rather than the long shared tables used on the other City Cruises boats, so a couple books a table for a couple. Tea and coffee come with petits fours, and a bottle of mineral water is set alongside the wine.
How the night unfolds
From 7:45pm — Tower Millennium Pier
Check-in is on Lower Thames Street, below road level. Be at the pier 30 minutes before boarding, and check the Transport for London road closures before you set off: central London closes to traffic long before midnight.
8:15pm — champagne, then dinner
A glass of champagne on arrival, then three courses followed by tea, coffee and petits fours, with half a bottle of wine and a bottle of mineral water per person, at tables of two or four.
Midnight — the second glass
A second glass of champagne is poured for the toast as the fireworks go up over the river, with live music continuing afterwards.
Until 1:15am — back at Tower Pier
The boat returns to Tower Millennium Pier. Tower Hill and Monument are the nearest stations; check what is running that night before planning the way home.
Before you book
The dress code is the strictest of the boats from this pier: jackets for men, cocktail dresses for women, no jeans and no trainers. Dinner is at tables of two or four. Children are welcome from five years old, and the child fare covers ages 5 to 17.
Drinks beyond the two glasses of champagne, the half bottle of wine and the mineral water are bought at the bar and paid for separately. The crew work to hold the best position they can for the fireworks, but river traffic, weather and tide decide where the boat sits on the night, and the captain’s decision is final. Tickets cannot be cancelled once booked.
