Have a question about your upcoming event?
We have tried to answer as many frequently asked questions, including the booking process and the amenities you will find on board during your cruise on the Thames, as well as more practical information like nearest transport.
If you can’t find the answer to your question then please contact us either by calling 01689 89 89 59, or by emailing us at info@cpbs.co.uk.
You may also find our terms and conditions helpful.
FAQ Sections (click the links below)
Booking
We will contact you about 5-6 weeks before your party to confirm any final details and send you out a balance invoice which is payable in full 1 month before your function.
Yes, we accept both credit and debit cards.
Passenger Numbers
Yes we are sometimes able to add a minimum bar spend to your bill. Please contact us for more details.
Entertainment
Yes you can provide your own DJ and disco for a surcharge
Yes if you hire our larger party boats Golden Jubilee, Golden Sunrise and Golden Flame, you can have one DJ upstairs and one downstairs, creating either 2 dance floors, or one dance area and one chill out zone. We only have one set of equipment per boat however we can hire in additional sound systems if required for an additional cost.
Yes, there are generally microphones onboard all our party boats, please ensure you let the office know in advance so we can make sure it is available for you. Our microphones are best used for speeches and not for singing.
The own entertainment surcharge covers the cost of our music licences which we are required to have in order to play recorded music.
No, if you are paying to hire the boats DJ equipment you do not pay the own entertainment surcharge as well.
Decorations
We offer a variety of decorations including balloons, rope lighting and light up numbers/letters to complement your function, please ask your events organiser for more details.
Drinks
We accept cash, debit and credit cards on board. On boats with 2 levels (Golden Jubilee, Golden Flame and Golden Sunrise) the lower bar will be card only while the upper bar will accept cash and cards. If you would like both bars to accept cash please notify your event organiser in advance as this may not be possible on the night. We do not accept personal or business cheques onboard the boats.
We operate a Challenge 25 policy whereby anyone buying alcohol who appears to be below the age of 25 may be asked to provide an acceptable for of ID (passport, driving licence or proof of age card bearing the PASS hologram). Under 18’s or anyone without valid ID will not be served alcohol or permitted to consume it onboard.
The number of bar staff will depend on the size of your party, a general rule of thumb is one bar staff for every 40-50 passengers.
Yes, you can set up an account for your guests, either prepaid in advance with the office or paid on the night with cash, credit or debit card. Any accounts unsettled at the end of the party will be subject to a 10% handling fee. We do not accept personal or business cheques onboard the boats.
If a minimum bar spend is applied then the amount is decided by us, is payable by you prior to your function and is non-refundable. On the night the bar can either run like an account bar and your guests’ drinks will be taken from this minimum bar spend amount and if the account does not reach the minimum bar spend amount then no refund will be given. If the minimum bar spend amount is reached then the bar will revert to a cash bar. Alternatively we can run a minimum bar spend with pay as your go bar where once again the amount is decided by us and is payable by you prior to your function. Guests will buy their own drinks throughout the event and the total bar spend will be deducted from the amount you pre-paid and refunded to you after the function. e.g minimum spend pre-paid £1000, total bar spend during the function £600, total refund to the client £600.
An account bar is where you pay for your guests’ drinks. You can set a monetary limit on the account and you can also limit what drinks are available. For instance you may decide to put £2,000 behind the bar but only allow beer, wine and soft drinks, in which case your guests would need to pay for any spirits themselves. Once the £2,000 is reached the bar manager will contact you and you will have the option to extend it if you wish, or the bar will revert to a cash bar. All account bars must either be pre-paid with your boat hire invoice or settled at the end of the function by card or cash. If a pre-paid (non-minimum bar spend) amount is not reached on the night then this will be refunded via the same method that you paid within 7 days of your function.
If a minimum bar spend is applied then the amount is decided by us, is payable by you prior to your function and is non-refundable. On the night the bar can either run like an account bar and your guests’ drinks will be taken from this minimum bar spend amount and if the account does not reach the minimum bar spend amount then no refund will be given. If the minimum bar spend amount is reached then the bar will revert to a cash bar. Alternatively we can run a minimum bar spend with pay as your go bar where once again the amount is decided by us and is payable by you prior to your function. Guests will buy their own drinks throughout the event and the total bar spend will be deducted from the amount you pre-paid and refunded to you after the function. e.g minimum spend pre-paid £1000, total bar spend during the function £600, total refund to the client £600.
A bar surcharge may be applied by us if your passenger numbers fall well below our seasonal limits or due to the nature of your function. The amount will be confirmed to you by CPBS, is non-refundable and is not a payment towards the bar spend on the night of the function. In some cases a minimum bar spend can be used in place of a bar surcharge.
Drinks tokens can be purchased through the office prior to your function.
Yes, unfortunately it does – sorry!
Yes, real glasses can be provided on some of our vessels on payment of a staff surcharge. This must be ordered in advance through the office. Please speak to the office for more information.
Catering
Yes you can bring on your own catering for a surcharge. Please note that drinks are not included in own catering, all drinks must be purchased from our bar.
On vessels equipped with a galley the surcharge covers the use of galley, hob, microwave and some preparation space. It also covers waste disposal. For vessels without a galley, the surcharge covers waste disposal.
Yes, everyone onboard must be catered for. If CPBS catering is chosen then special rates are generally available for children.
Yes, if CPBS catering is chosen and you would prefer linen, real china and silverware instead of the normal banquet roll, paper plates and plastic cutlery, this can be provided for a small surcharge. This has to be hired by the caterers and so must be booked through the office at the time of booking the meal.
Location and Route
Yes! In fact we recommend it. Boats on the Thames vary wildly in both style and presentation and we are convinced that a visit to our boats will convince you that we offer stylish boats at superb value for money.
Routes on the day are tide dependant and at the Captains discretion but on a standard 4 hour cruise from Temple Pier we would normally head upriver slightly to have a look at the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye, before turning and heading downriver passing such sights as the Oxo Tower, Tate Modern, Globe Theatre, Millennium ‘wobbly’ bridge, Tower of London and Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf, Cutty Sark, Royal Naval College and Thames Barrier, before turning and heading back to Temple.
On the day
The nearest tube station to Temple Pier is Temple, which is on the District and Circle lines. Embankment and Blackfriars are also 10 minutes walk away.
The nearest train stations are Charing Cross and Blackfriars, both 10 minutes walk.
If you are coming by car then there is pay-by-phone parking on Victoria Embankment, outside the Salsa Bar, and behind Temple station. The nearest NCP is at Blackfriars, about 15 minutes walk, and there is also an NCP on the south side of the river at Waterloo.
The boat will open for boarding 15 minutes before the stated embarkation time. Therefore if your party is from 7pm to 11pm your guests may board from 6.45pm.
All of our boats have a rail where passengers can leave their coats, as this is not monitored we do encourage people to keep their valuables with them.
In line with current legislation all of the interiors of our vessels are non-smoking. Smoking is permitted on the open sun decks however.
Yes we accept card payments on all of our boats.
Yes, unless you specifically ask us not to there will be tables set up on board. The tables can be covered with white banqueting roll at no extra cost, please let the office know if this is something that you would like.
On the Golden Star there will be seating for approximately 48 people. A further three trestle tables can be set up in the middle of the boat for a buffet.
On the Golden Sunrise there will be tables set up in the lower saloon to seat approximately 40 people on the bench seating and removable chairs and more tables can be set up in the middle of the lower saloon if required.
On the Golden Flame and Golden Jubilee there will be tables in the lower saloon to seat approximately 40 people on the bench seating and removable chairs, and there is also a small amount of bench seating in the upper saloons. More tables can be set up in the middle of the lower saloon if required.
The number of crew onboard will depend on the vessel you are on, the number of passengers on board and the time of day, and can range from a minimum of 2 to a maximum of 5. The Captain will always be a licensed Thames Waterman and he or one of his crew will be available to help you board the boat and will also be able to answer any questions you may have.
Yes, there are always more life jackets on board than the maximum number of passengers allowed, and some boats also carry a small number of life jackets for children.
Yes, the Captain always makes a safety announcement just prior to, or as the boat is leaving the pier, and we do ask that you listen carefully. In addition to pointing out the emergency exits the announcement will also contain information on where the life jackets are located and what to do in the event of an emergency. If you have any questions on the day however please do not hesitate to ask a crew member.
When you view the boat do not be surprised to find the boats rocking on the water, especially when other boats go past, this is usual and you will find that once the boat gets moving things smooth out considerably and you will hardly notice any movement at all.
In our many years of providing party boats for hire on the Thames, we have never had a single case of seasickness, and if you do start to feel queasy we would recommend laying off the wine for a bit to see if that helps!
Yes, all boats have male and female toilets.
While all our pleasure boats have large open decks for enjoying the best of the British weather, they also have spacious internal areas easily capable of holding all pasengers on board. Rain most definitely does not stop play at CPBS!
Registered assistance dogs are permitted onboard, please ensure they relieve themselves prior to boarding as we cannot stop for doggie toilet breaks.
We have had wheelchair users onboard our vessels before however due to access onto the vessel being very tight we would require the wheelchair user to be able to gain access onto the boat without the use of the wheelchair or would require able bodied members from your group to lift the passenger onto the vessel. Due to the nature of the Thames there may be a gap between the pier and the threshold of the boat which could make gaining access harder for the wheelchair user. Please note we do not have any toilet facilities for wheelchair-bound passengers and our toilet cubicles onboard are very small. The pier can be steep at certain times of the day however our crew are always on hand to offer help to the elderly, very young, disabled or anyone else who may need assistance.
No, drone usage is forbidden onboard our boats without written permission from CPBS, along with the relevant licences from the PLA.
After the function
No! All we ask is that you remember to take all your belongings, including any decorations you may have bought with you. Obviously if you really want to help with the hoovering then it’d be churlish to stop you…!
Our standard answer is no, all items must be removed at the end of the function, this is because our boats are really busy. We may well have another event onboard the next day and don’t have facilities to store items. That said, in some special circumstances it may be possible to arrange next morning collection, so please check with your events organiser.
The boats are all cleaned immediately after a party and any lost property is stored for 7 days before being destroyed. If you are missing some property please, therefore, contact the office on 01689 89 89 59 as soon as possible and we will make arrangements for you to come and collect it.
We are always looking to improve our service and would love to hear your feedback after your party, you can contact the office on 01689 89 89 59, or by email to info@cpbs.co.uk. This is especially important if it is a complaint, after all if you don’t tell us we won’t know, but you can rest assured that if any complaints are bought to our attention we always investigate and try to put right immediately. If you have a complaint on the day of your function please speak to the Captain of the boat before the end of the function to help us resolve the issue as quickly and efficiently as possible. On the other side, it’s always gratifying to know when we have got it right. Above all the old adage holds true, if you liked our service, please tell your friends, if you didn’t, please tell us!
New Years Eve
We do not guarantee views of any fireworks during the cruise. The Mayor’s display at midnight is organised by a third party and the display itself is out of our control. We are restricted by river closures to certain areas of the river for health and safety reasons. The sections of the Thames directly in front of the London Eye and the Houses of Parliament are usually completely closed to river traffic. Providing the display goes ahead as expected we will aim to moor near to either Westminster Bridge or Waterloo Bridge prior to midnight.
The mooring place will be determined bearing in mind the tide, river closures, weather and other river traffic and may be different to previous years. It is important to note that while the view of the display will not be as seen on TV, we will moor in in the best possible location bearing in mind all factors. No refunds will be offered should the fireworks display be cancelled or not visible for tidal, weather, industrial action or any other reason outside of our control.
Your glass of complimentary Prosecco will be served on arrival.
- Onboard the Golden Star this will be at the bar.
- Onboard the Golden Jubilee this will be just inside the entrance onto the boat.
On vessel running the bottomless drinks package the following is included in the ticket price: beer, cider, single premium spirits with mixer, glasses of wine and soft drinks.
Other drinks including doubles, shots, Champagne, Prosecco and bottles of wine will be available to purchase should you wish.
Onboard other vessels all drinks will be available to purchase on a pay as you go basis.
We accept both card and cash payments onboard (we do not accept AMEX). Due to the high number of people in Central London around midnight the card machines often struggle to find a signal, therefore if you are able to bring cash to use between 11.30 and 12.30 this will speed up your bar experience.
No, all drinks must be purchased from the bar. Please note a security check will be conducted by the onboard security team upon boarding.
The bar will be open on arrival and will close 15 minutes before the party end time when the boat comes back to the pier.
We work hard to keep our prices in line with Central London pub prices. Our bar tariff can be found on our bar page.
No, the only recommended route is to travel by London Underground or train (even if you are staying close by). Plan your route on the Transport for London website http://www.tfl.gov.uk/plan-a-journey/. If you try to walk to the pier or access it via a different route you may not be allowed through by the Mayor’s security.
- For boats leaving from Blackfriars Pier travel to Blackfriars Station.
- For the boats leaving from Temple Pier travel to Temple Station.
Your drinks tokens will be available for collection from the bar on arrival, please give your full name and details of how many tokens have been ordered to the bar staff.
If you have pre-ordered bottles of Champagne or Prosecco these will be served from the bar at approximately 11.30pm, please give the bar staff your full name and details of what has been ordered.
If you would like to pre-order drinks tokens, Champagne or Prosecco, please contact the office for details on 01689 898959. All orders must be received and fully paid by Midday on Monday 28th December 2026.
- Onboard the Golden Jubilee two varieties of street food will be served.
*Lamb kofta served in pitta served with Greek salad
(Vegan option of Kofta served in Pitta with Greek salad).
*Chicken curry and rice with mini naan.
(Vegetarian/vegan curry & rice with mini naan).
Vegan/Vegetarian options should be requested by 10am on Monday 28th December 2026. - Onboard the Golden Star there is no food included.
Tickets are non-refundable. Full details can be found in our terms and conditions.
Smart casual party wear (smart trainers and jeans are acceptable but no sportswear).