Oxford Afternoon Tea River Cruise for Two
Overview
Set sail for a relaxing afternoon of sightseeing in historic Oxford. A vibrant section of the river, you’ll travel down the University Regatta Course, passing Christ Church Meadows, the University College Boat Houses and more on your way to Iffley Lock. You’ll drift along the tranquil water meadows surrounding Oxford, before turning home at Rose Island, a favourite destination of Lewis Carroll.
On board, you’ll be served an indulgent afternoon tea provided by The Folly to make the whole thing even more quintessentially British. Tuck into an array of sweet and savoury delights, including finger sandwiches, homemade scones, cakes, and tarts.
Running from May through September, this experience provides a perfect summer’s day out.
- SKU
- POXRCA
- Locations
- 1 in the UK
- People
- For 2
- Validity
- 12 Months
- Rating
- 4.6 (54)
What's Included
- 90 minute sightseeing river cruise
- See some of historic Oxford’s finest riverside landmarks
- Abundant opportunities to spot wildlife in the tranquil water meadows
- Afternoon tea for two provided by The Folly
- Experience gift pack including personalised voucher and message card
What happens on the day?
Escape for a river cruise with this idyllic Oxford Afternoon Tea Tea River Cruise for Two on the Thames. Embarking from Folly Bridge, your approximately 90 minute cruise will allow for you to take in some of the finest that the historic city has to offer. Following the University Regatta Course, some highlights include Christ Church Meadows, the University Boat Houses and the tranquil water meadows that surround Oxford.
As part of your experience, the two of you will enjoy an on-board afternoon tea provided by coveted riverside restaurant, The Folly.
Participant guidelines
- Under 16s must be accompanied by a paying adult
- The vessels do not have wheelchair access and embarkation involves two steep steps
- The experience content, equipment used and restrictions may vary
Availability
Your voucher is valid for 12 months from the date of issue.
This experience is available Sunday to Friday, from May to September, subject to availability.
We recommend you book at least four weeks in advance to ensure that dates are available. All bookings are subject to availability.
Please allow approximately 1 hour 30 minutes for the full experience.
What about insurance?
The centres contracted with us hold public liability insurance. We also hold contingency liability cover. You will not be liable for accidental damage to equipment, except where damage has been caused as a result of recklessness or wilful negligence.
Please ensure you are familiar with the terms and conditions of the experience.
How it works
Customer Reviews
out of 5 stars
Based on 54 reviews
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5
GRAHAM
24/09/2021
Tea on the Thames
Excellent trip along the river from central Oxford, aided by 'Skipper Nick' and glorious autumn sunshine
out of 5 stars
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5
Eileen Mitchell
18/09/2021
Excellent afternoon out
Afternoon tea on a riverboat! Can’t beat it. The scones were the best I’ve ever had, the chocolate tiffin was to die for, the skipper was lovely; so friendly, telling us about the area as we went down the Thames. What a wonderful way to spend a sunny afternoon. Excellent, just excellent!
out of 5 stars
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5
R A ANDREWS
16/09/2021
Mr
Good Trip Skipper puts a lot of effort in to make everyone happy and very knowledgable on the area Food lovely so very happy day thank you.
out of 5 stars
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5
Brian
10/09/2021
Oxford tea for 2 river cruise
The afternoon was excellent; likewise the cruise. Definitely would recommend.
out of 5 stars
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5
Sue
28/08/2021
Perfect 50th birthday treat!
A lovely afternoon on the water. Great informative driver and a yummy afternoon tea!
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5
Keith
27/08/2021
Excellent afternoon teas
Booked afternoon teas and cruise Oxford excellent teas also good guide telling us of history of buildings and history of parts as we went by Enjoyed the experience
out of 5 stars
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5
Thomas
08/06/2021
Brilliant afternoon Tea and river cruise!
Great afternoon tea food and lovely river cruise trip around Oxford. Very funny skipper on the boat which made the trip. Luckey with the weather being sunny but would still be a good trip even if it rained!
out of 5 stars
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5
Jane
25/10/2020
River cruise with afternoon tea
Excellent, the weather was awful but we had a lovely afternoon. The staff in the Folly and on the boat were very attentive and the tea was very good. We felt very safe with Covid 19 measures that were in place,and intend to go back in the summer when hopefully the weather will be kinder.
out of 5 stars
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5
Andrew
20/09/2020
A lovely afternoon
My wife and I really enjoyed this experience. Our host/driver was very pleasant, the afternoon tea was delicious and we were fortunate that the weather was kind. A very relaxing trip down the Thames past the university rowing clubs, through Iffley Lock and back. Highly recommended
out of 5 stars
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5
Robin
20/09/2020
A very relaxing afternoon on the river Thames
On arrival we checked in and were made very welcome we were greeted by boat attendant he explained everything once under way we had a very enjoyable trip and a lovely tea and what made it even better was the beautiful weather.
out of 5 stars
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5
Sarah
14/09/2020
A fab trip - highly recommended
Giles our captain was a brilliant host. We had the afternoon tea option which was delicious and we learnt a lot about the historic Oxford Regatta. Definitely one to do come rain or shine!
out of 5 stars
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5
Ness
10/09/2020
30th Anniversary
I booked this cruise for our 30th Wedding Anniversary and it was the best way to spend the afternoon. Everything was perfect we had a great time. I would recommend it to everyone. Thank you for making our day extra special.
out of 5 stars
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5
Richard
04/09/2020
Oxford River Cruise
A lovely afternoon on the river with Nick, who clearly knew his stuff. Despite my wife and I both growing up a stone’s throw away, we learnt things about our home town that we didn’t know previously!
out of 5 stars
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5
Ryan
01/09/2019
Great way to finish off 2 years in the UK
We very much enjoyed this! The cruise was a gift for our first wedding anniversary and it was perfect. The food was excellent and the tour guide was amazing. We couldn't have asked for a better experience. The only thing that might have been more relaxing would be to have been on a cruise with other people who were eating a picnic. We were the only ones eating, so we felt a little bit watched.
out of 5 stars
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5
Sandra
13/06/2019
Well worth doing!
This was a very well organised trip, the cream tea was excellent. We enjoyed the experience a lot.
out of 5 stars
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5
Nick
10/09/2018
Very pleasant cruise.
Really enjoyed our cruise and afternoon tea. Excellent quality food. Attentive and informative skipper. Would recommend.
out of 5 stars
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5
Christopher
10/09/2018
Cruising in Oxford
On the day of our afternoon tea cruise it was pouring down with rain. The cruise went ahead and has zipper side shelters to protect you from the elements. Blankets are provided, though very rough and let off a lot of strands. Food was delicious and tea was lovely. Would recommend.
out of 5 stars
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5
Sandra Layton
29/08/2018
Mrs
Very enjoyable afternoon. The tea was superb and the staff were very good.
out of 5 stars
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5
John
22/07/2018
Tea on the Thames
A thoroughly enjoyable experience! A beautiful summery day the boat was very comfortable and the guy in charge was very pleasant and knowledgeable about the landmarks as we cruised along! The tea was excellent and there was so much food that we shared some with the ducks!
out of 5 stars
Based on 54 reviews
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5
Penny
20/07/2018
Lovely day on the river
Very knowledgeable skipper, made the trip fun and informative. Excellent tea, sandwiches/scones/cakes nice and freshly prepared
out of 5 stars
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5
Oxford boat ride
11/07/2018
Afternoon tea on a boat
Fantastic day really enjoyed the day. The food on the boat and guide excellent. Would definitely recommend this trip lovely lovely day thankyou
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5
Mark H
10/07/2018
Amazing
Wonderfully tranquil, excellent food. Very relaxing.
out of 5 stars
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5
Deidre and Paul Ansell
21/06/2018
Wonderful experience!
A lovely 1hr30mins spent on this delightful, intimate boat. With only 12 people aboard it proved to be a very special experience. Our captain kept us well informed from start to finish with fascinating local history, and gave us all a very jolly time, the afternoon tea was wonderful, lovely fresh sandwiches and cakes with delicious hot tea. Thankyou to everyone involved in this trip, would thoroughly recommend it
out of 5 stars
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5
Jeremy
09/06/2018
Summer on the river
A delightful one and a half hour cruise on an electric boat with a great captain called Peter who was very knowledgeable and Interesting. The on board afternoon tea was first class and absolutely delicious. A most enjoyable experience.
out of 5 stars
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5
Denise
09/09/2017
Even a blanket thrown in
Excellent food and trip. Tea could have been one each instead of shared.
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5
Tamira
04/09/2017
A relaxing river cruise
We had an awesome afternoon tea river cruise in Oxford - really nice, relaxing way to spend a birthday, even in pouring rain! Our host didn't let it spoil the experience at all and was very funny, polite and knowledgeable. I'd really recommend doing this!
out of 5 stars
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5
Kath
01/09/2017
Wonderful experience
What a delightful way to spend an hour and a half. We had a very friendly skipper who was very knowledgeable about everything we saw on the river, and the afternoon tea was well presented and contained a good variety of patisserie along with delicious scones. I would've liked a little more cream, I don't have a large portion but even for me it was a bit stingy! And a larger pot of tea would have been nice! Otherwise it was a lovely treat and I would highly recommend it.
out of 5 stars
Based on 54 reviews
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5
Joyce
31/07/2017
Afternoon tea cruise
The afternoon tea and river cruise is Oxford was wonderful! The host was very knowledge and it was very interesting. The scones were some of the best we've ever had and there was a good variety of other cakes and sandwiches, we definitely didn't leave hungry! Maybe a little overpriced but we enjoyed it.
out of 5 stars
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5
Sarah Baldwin
31/07/2017
Oxford afternoon tea at the Folly.
A beautiful hr and half. The Thames was very beautiful and peacfull, the team and cakes were presented beautifully
out of 5 stars
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5
Michael
26/07/2017
An idyllic afternoon
An idyllic afternoon on the river which I would highly recommend. The tea was excellent and our guide informative and friendly. The warm and sunny weather made it a memorable and pleasurable experience
out of 5 stars
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5
Phil
14/07/2017
Oxford Afternoon tea on the river
An excellent boat ride, with good food. Only 12 people on the boat so very select
out of 5 stars
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5
HSG
05/06/2017
Tranquil Treat
My husband and I activated a voucher, bought as a Xmas present, for afternoon tea aboard a boat leaving from Folly Bridge in Oxford. Great food, excellent commentary from Mark who gave insights without boring us or talking incessantly. Food comprised a selection of sandwiches, scones with jam & thick cream, plus cakes. Tea was provided in a pot. The only improvement I would make would be a second pot of just hot water, as the tea soon went cold. A very pleasant way to spend an afternoon.
out of 5 stars
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5
Les
17/05/2017
Relaxing Afternoon
A nice relaxing afternoon on the Thames in Oxford while having afternoon tea, The ' Skipper ' was very informative and knowledgeable about local history. Very enjoyable.
out of 5 stars
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5
Barbara
06/05/2017
Lovely afternoon on the river at Oxford
We had a really enjoyable afternoon tea and river cruise on the Thames at Oxford. Our tour guide/boat captain gave gave us lots of information on what we saw on the river and we had a beautiful afternoon tea. Weather could have been a bit warmer but that was out of the hands of the organisers!
out of 5 stars
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5
ian
18/09/2016
Afternoon tea cruise
We thoroughly enjoyed our 3.30pm Oxford Canal cruise last Friday 16th September. The commentary was very informative, the food great even the weather was kind. It made for a very memorable 40th Wedding anniversary present from the family. Only one gripe - signposting as to where the Virgin connection to get on the boat was - otherwise excellent. Regards. Ian Scott
out of 5 stars
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5
M
22/08/2016
Oxford Afternoon Tea River Cruise
Lovely experience. I would highly recommend.
out of 5 stars
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5
Ale1502
01/08/2016
Oxford Aftenoon Tea River Cruise from the Folly Bridge
What a delightful way to spend a summer afternoon. Food was delicious and the captain/guide was excellent. Would certainly return.
out of 5 stars
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5
poopsify
11/06/2016
an afternoon tea on the oxford river cruise
We had a fantastic time and a good weather was a bonus, love the experience
out of 5 stars
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4
Brian
14/09/2019
A calm day in Oxford
A very pleasant, relaxing afternoon with a fine tea.
out of 5 stars
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4
Kim
09/09/2019
Relaxing afternoon with interesting commentary
We had a very nice time on the Thames, leaving from The Folly's pontoon. The boat was quaint and offered great views along the way. The food was of excellent quality and well presented (although would have liked the chance of a different tea to just standard English Breakfast, as I am not a great tea drinker and usually stick to Earl Grey!) The 'captain' was a very friendly young man who gave a great commentary along the way and engaged with all the guests. Would recommend this experience
out of 5 stars
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4
Carol
07/08/2019
Oxford Afternoon Tea River Cruise for Two
Was a bit disappointed that you could only book one time and only on a Sunday. The weather stayed good so there were wasps around, this could have been reduced by simply having the cream and Jam for the scones in lidded containers instead of little bowls, the clip top glass ones would be great. The tea was on the boat before we started down the river so was only warm when we wanted a drink. It was a lovely relaxing trip down the river and through the lock and everyone enjoyed it.
out of 5 stars
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4
Nigel
22/09/2018
Fun but a little disappointing
A great boat-driver/guide BUT we really saw very little of Oxford. Tea was excellent however.
out of 5 stars
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4
Will
21/08/2018
Lovely Afternoon area Cruose on the Thames
Lovely relaxing boat trip through Oxford, great chat from the skipper, really interesting history, lovely scenery and tasty food!
out of 5 stars
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4
Tricia
02/08/2018
Oxford river cruise
All went smooth.good guide.was a very hot afternoon.we enjoyed it a lot.if anything could be improved it was small a larger tea pot for two.or hot water .and the scones did not have enough jam and cream for two we only had one pot of cream one pot of jam between us.normaly you would get one each as we had two scones each,it left eating them a bit dry. The boat was small and I believe it could have had less couples for comfort.
out of 5 stars
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4
JL
24/07/2018
Enjoyable cruise
Enjoyed the river cruise with afternoon tea very much. As it was such a glorious day it made it all the better. Also, the skipper was very good and knowledgable.
out of 5 stars
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4
Anne
08/06/2018
Enjoyable afternoon
A very pleasant way to spend an afternoon. It turned out that we were the only guests on the day so we had a private trip. Alex, our skipper, was very knowledgeable, giving us a running commentary about the river, the colleges and their boathouses, various rowing events and much more besides. Oh, and there was a very nice afternoon tea to enjoy as we made our way down river beyond Iffley Lock and back to Folly Bridge. Shame it wasn’t a lovely sunny day, but at least it was dry.
out of 5 stars
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4
Trevor
20/08/2017
Afternoon tea on a boat cruise
We had a very pleasant afternoon cruising on the Thames and enjoyed cream teas. The guide was very friendly and informative. The only problem was locating the departure point.
out of 5 stars
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4
RAC
05/07/2017
Nice afternoon out
Very scenic cruise along The Thames at Oxford with friendly knowledgeable skipper. Staff at The Folly very professional - only fault with the trip was that the sandwiches could have been fresher (bread was dry) and would have liked more tea. Also The Folly only has one ladies and one gents toilet which results in a queue before & after boat trips and when the restaurant is busy.
Locations
Locations shown shouldn't be used for route planning
South East
- Folly Bridge, Oxford