Thames Rockets

What Thames Rockets does

Thames Rockets Ltd. is a London-based private limited company (Company No. 07412962) founded in 2006 that operates the UK's highest-volume commercial speedboat tour service on the River Thames. The company runs a fleet of high-speed Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIBs) — 12-seater vessels producing 880hp at 35mph — and in April 2025 introduced the Rocket Rebel, a custom-built 26-passenger UK-designed eco-friendly vessel. Operations are anchored at two central London piers: London Eye Pier (boarding Gate One, managed by Merlin Entertainments) and Bankside Pier, with a registered head office at Lower Marsh, SE1.

The product portfolio spans six core experiences (Ultimate London Adventure, Rebel London, Thames Lates, Break the Barrier, Thames Barrier Voyage, Cinematic London), themed private charters (Licence to Thrill, Ultimate Last Ride, Ultimate Pirate Party), bundled packages with partner attractions (Rocket Revolution with the London Eye, Rocket Up at The O2, CityStaxx with Golden Tours, Tipsy Thames Tea Tour with PG Tips), and B2B services including corporate event hire, professional filming support, safety boat provision for the Oxford–Cambridge Boat Race, and bespoke Thames boat transfers. Guides are stand-up comedians and skippers hold RYA Powerboat Level 2 certification plus Port of London Authority Local Knowledge Endorsements.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer model: 100% of bookings are sourced through the company's own website, phone line, and ticket offices, with no advertising spend — growth is driven by 10,000+ TripAdvisor reviews, Hall of Fame status, and category-leading #1 ranking. Public pricing ranges from £34.95 (Secret Savers) to £449 (New Year's Eve 2026), with private charters at £675–£1,645 and corporate group rates from £53.75 per person. Customer mix spans leisure tourists, families, stag/hen parties, corporate groups, school trips, and one-off media/production clients including Harry Potter, the 2012 London Olympics, Top Gear, and ITV News. The company serves 80,000+ passengers annually and has accumulated regional and global industry awards including Arival 2024 and TripAdvisor Best of the Best 2024.

Name

Thames Rockets

Legal name

Thames Rockets Ltd.

Website

https://thamesrockets.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Thames Rockets Ltd. is a London-based private limited company operating high-speed RIB boat tours on the River Thames from London Eye Pier and Bankside Pier, serving tourists, families, corporate groups, and private charter clients through sightseeing experiences, themed charters, and bundled attraction packages.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water-based Tourism and Sightseeing Services

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (4872)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Sightseeing & Scenic Boat Tours (Harbor, Sunset, Dolphin/Whale Watching) (THAJAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Water Taxi & Island-Hopping Excursions (Inter-island Day Trips) (THAJAJAK)

Keywords

• Thames speedboat tours
• River sightseeing cruises
• Corporate boat hire
• Private boat charters
• Water sports experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Speedboat Tours: Individual and group tickets for scheduled Thames speedboat experiences ranging from 45-90 minutes. Multiple experience types from sightseeing to high-speed thrills.
2. Private Charter: Exclusive boat hire for private groups, events, and celebrations. 12-passenger RIB or 26-passenger Rocket Rebel available. Used for stag/hen parties, birthdays, corporate events.
3. Event Hire: Speedboat hire for corporate events, team building activities, and special occasions. Includes bespoke charter services and Thames boat transfers.
4. Filming Services: Provision of RIB boats and crew for film production, TV shows, documentaries, and journalism on the River Thames. Includes high-octane chase sequences and tranquil landmark shots.
5. Safety Boat Services: Providing safety boat support for events including the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race, charity events, river stunts, and training schools.
6. Gift Vouchers: 12-month valid gift cards and vouchers for Thames Rockets experiences. Extensions available for administrative fee. Promotional vouchers valid 6 months.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Thames Rockets operates high-speed RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) sightseeing and adventure tours on the River Thames, offering scheduled public experiences (45-90 minutes), private charters, themed parties, and corporate event hire. The company also provides professional services including filming support, safety boat hire for events like the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race, and bespoke Thames boat transfers. Core offerings depart from London Eye Pier and Bankside Pier, combining 35mph adrenaline blasts with sightseeing past 20+ London landmarks.

Product overview

Thames Rockets operates a portfolio of high-speed Thames speedboat tour experiences and related services. The core product lineup includes: Ultimate London Adventure (the original 50-minute RIB experience), Rebel London (Rocket Rebel 26-passenger vessel), Thames Lates (adults-only evening experience), Break the Barrier (all-speed 45-minute adrenaline experience), Thames Barrier Voyage (80-minute extended tour), and Cinematic London (movie-themed 80-minute tour). Package products combine speedboat tours with partner attractions including London Eye (Rocket Revolution), O2 Arena climb (Rocket Up at The O2), and Golden Tours bus (CityStaxx). Private charter offerings include Licence to Thrill (James Bond theme), The Ultimate Last Ride (stag/hen), and The Ultimate Pirate Party (kids). Special event products include New Year's Eve 2026 experiences and Tipsy Thames Tea Tour (speedboat + PG Tips afternoon tea bus). Supporting services include River Thames Event Hire (corporate), River Thames Filming (professional production support), River Thames Safety Boats (event safety), and Direct Thames Boat Transfers (bespoke charter). The company operates the newest fleet in the UK with 12-seater RIBs and the UK-designed Rocket Rebel 26-seater eco-friendly vessel.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ultimate London Adventure 50-minute high-speed London speedboat tour departing from London Eye Pier, combining guided sightseeing of 20+ landmarks with a 35mph adrenaline blast through Docklands past Tower Bridge. The original Thames Rockets experience, suitable for families and tourists.
• Rebel London 50-minute speedboat tour aboard the Rocket Rebel, a custom-built 26-passenger UK-designed eco-friendly vessel. Offers fast-paced thrills combined with London's riverside views, suitable for all ages and groups seeking more space and comfort.
• Thames Lates

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 80,000 passengers annually
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• London Eye (Merlin Entertainments Group)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLondon Eye Pier operations partnership. Thames Rockets operates from London Eye Boarding Gate One, managed by Merlin Entertainments Group. This is the primary departure point for the majority of experiences. Thames Rockets was the first speedboat operator at this location following the Millennium Commission-funded Thames 2000 project.
• Up at The O2coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCombined ticket package (Rocket Up at The O2) offering speedboat experience plus 52-metre climb to the top of the O2 Arena. Check-in at Bankside Pier, guests travel to O2 for the climbing experience.
• The London EyecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRocket Revolution package combining speedboat tour with London Eye spin. Booked together for the iconic two-in-one London experience.
• The View From The ShardminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHighest Fastest package combining speedboat with Shard viewing platform. Now marked as 'NO LONGER AVAILABLE'.
• PG Tips (Afternoon Tea Bus)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerTipsy Thames Tea Tour combines speedboat experience with PG Tips traditional afternoon tea bus tour. Quaintessentially British experience.
• Evans Evans ToursminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAfternoon tea bus tour operator for Tipsy Thames Tea Tour package. Located near Victoria Station.
• Golden ToursminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCityStaxx package includes Golden Tours hop-on hop-off open-top bus tour as third experience component.
• Oche LondonminorStrategic or Co-development Partner'Rocket on Board' experience combines speedboat tour with 2 hours of tech-driven darts games, gourmet pizzas, desserts, and drinks at Oche Strand.
• Tapp'dminorGTM or Marketing PartnerComplimentary drink partner for Thames Lates evening experiences. Provides drinks for the adult-only evening cruise.
• Brigit's BakeryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAfternoon tea experience partner mentioned in promotional materials. Now superseded by PG Tips partnership.
• TicketPlanminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThird-party optional ticket insurance provider offered to direct customers booking specific dates. Refund protection available for individual bookings.
• Port of London Authority (PLA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThames Rockets is licensed and regulated by the PLA. Skippers hold Thames Local Knowledge Endorsement (LKE) issued by PLA. VHF radio communication maintained with PLA for safety operations.
• Ocean SafetyminorOthersLifejacket and safety equipment supplier for Thames Rockets fleet. Annual servicing of all safety equipment.
• Knighthood Corporate Marine InsurersminorOthersInsurer providing public liability insurance at four times the legal requirement level.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• GetYourGuide: Global OTA selling Thames experiences and tours in London. Comparable as the marketplace channel through which a portion of demand is captured and distributed.
• Golden Tours: Large London tour operator running hop-on hop-off buses and attraction packages; Thames Rockets' partner on CityStaxx. Comparable as a multi-attraction bundle competitor.
• Merlin Entertainments: Owner of London Eye, Madame Tussauds, and other London attractions. Pier partner for Thames Rockets and operator of competing London Eye River Cruise; broader incumbent in London paid attractions.

Direct peers

• London Eye River Cruise: Sightseeing cruise operated by Merlin Entertainments from the same London Eye Pier Thames Rockets uses. Closest direct competitor for tourists at the primary departure point.
• City Cruises London: Major sightseeing and dining cruise operator on the Thames with branded boats departing from key piers including Westminster and Tower Bridge. Directly comparable offering and pier footprint to Thames Rockets' sightseeing business.
• Uber Boat by Thames Clippers: Largest scheduled passenger boat service on the Thames with multiple piers between Putney and Woolwich. Direct competitor for Thames passenger trips and pier traffic; complements sightseeing use cases.
• Bateaux London: Operates dining cruises and private charter vessels on the Thames from Embankment. Comparable for Thames-based premium experiences, private hire, and corporate events.
• Westminster Passenger Services: Operates the Thames Circular Cruise and a range of passenger ferry services in central London. Comparable for sightseeing and pier-based scheduled Thames tours.

Emerging players

• Tour For London: Independent London tour aggregator reselling Thames experiences and sightseeing packages. Indirect competitor for booking funnel and bundled tour demand.

Regional players

• RIB Scotland: High-speed RIB tour operator in Scotland offering scenic and wildlife boat tours. Same vessel type, experience model, and customer use case but operating in a different UK geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• TikToktiktok.com/@thamesrockets
• Xx.com/RocketsThames

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Thames Rockets