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Thames Rockets Rocket Rebel review – London day out
What’s more fun than a sightseeing boat tour on the Thames? Speeding along at up to 35mph aboard one of the Thames Rockets speedboat trips – officially London’s fastest boat tour, as we discovered for this Rocket Rebel review.
review post*
The brand new Rocket Rebel boat is the latest addition to the Thames Rockets fleet, seating more than twice as many passengers as the standard RIB boats, with space for 26. But bigger very definitely does not mean slower as my daughter and I discovered.
So if you’re wondering whether you should book Thames Rockets with kids, and just what London’s fastest boat tour is like, my Rocket Rebel review aims to answer all your questions.
Thames Rockets Review – a ride on Rocket Rebel
I’m a big fan of boat tours on the Thames with kids – over the years, my daughter and I have had afternoon tea on board, learned some history, and made the river journey part of our regular days out in Greenwich. But one thing we’ve never tried was a Thames speedboat ride.
So obviously we needed to add that to our list of things to do in London – and of course, it makes sense to try the newest and fastest model around, boarding the shiny red Rocket Rebel.
At 16m long and seating 26 people, she’s around double the size of the usual Thames speedboats, including the rest of Thames Rockets’ fleet. But with a lightweight aluminium design and twin 725hp jet-propelled engines, she is still superfast.
Even better, the more efficient engine also has lower emissions which reduces Rocket Rebel’s carbon footprint, if you have a moment to remember that as you’re carving through the water at 35mph.
Not that you spend the whole trip at top speed. Wandering down to the South Bank from Westminster Bridge, watching people boarding the more sedate sightseeing cruise boats or heading into the family attractions like Sea Life London, it definitely felt like we were off on more of an adventure.
The fun atmosphere started as we checked in with the crew, picked up our lifejackets and got talked through how to put them on – even when one person misheard the instruction, ‘Don’t pull the orange toggle’, and obediently yanked it, proving the lifejackets do inflate very fast, they were always good-natured.
And before long, we were settled into our seats, seatbelts on, and waiting to set off.
There’s a speed restriction along the central section of the Thames, so the trip kicks off with a mini guided tour – all done by professional actors and/or comedians so you’ll be well entertained as you cruise along the river.
Our guide Jay was easily one of the best tour guides I’ve had along the Thames, packing in lots of details about what we were seeing and plenty of quirky stories behind them.
Everything from London’s sewers to the time capsule under Cleopatra’s Needle, and the Ladies Bridge as Waterloo Bridge is known – built entirely by women during the Second World War, and the only one to be completed on time and to budget. Or so the story goes…
Even if you’ve explored London a lot, you can expect some unusual facts thrown in – did you know the the 32 pods on the London Eye represent the 32 London boroughs? Or why the Globe Theatre (the original Tudor one) burned down?
Before long, we had passed St Paul’s and HMS Belfast and reached Tower Bridge, gazing up through the glass floor at the people inside. Then on past the river police station – at which point it was time for captain Charlene Peck to blast up the music and see how fast we could go.
Needless to say I didn’t manage to take many photos at this point, although you can get a sense of what it’s like with my video. If you’ve ever wanted to act out any James Bond chase fantasies (both The World Is Not Enough and Spectre have seen the spy speeding along the river), you even get a soundtrack from the films.
As Rocket Rebel whizzed along, curving dramatically across the water, the music was definitely taking second place to gleeful screams, laughter and sounds of people yelling, wheeee! (Not just me)
We had enough time to see Canary Wharf looming in the distance before Captain Charlene swerved around for another few high-speed passes. But all too soon, the familiar shape of Tower Bridge was ahead of us, and we were back down to sedate central London speeds, wishing we could have spent just a bit longer zooming along the Thames.
An trip aboard Rocket Rebel might not be the cheapest thing for families to do in London, but with huge grins on everyone’s faces as we disembarked, it’s a strong contender for one of the most fun days out in London with kids.
Rocket Rebel Review: Need to know
If you are planning a Thames speedboat ride, you can still hop aboard Thames Rockets’ classic RIBs, but if you’re planning a trip on Rocket Rebel, here are a few things to know before you go.
Will I get wet?
Not unless it’s raining! Although Rocket Rebel swerves and curves through the water, we didn’t feel any spray coming over the edge – this isn’t an experience where you need head-to-toe waterproofs.
Having said that, if it is windy, you might find spray blowing back into the boat. The intention is for everyone to leave as dry as they arrived, so waterproofs are provided on request if necessary.
How old do kids need to be?
There’s no minimum age to ride Rocket Rebel – on our tour, my 12-year-old was not even close to being the youngest, with a couple of kids aged around 5-6 aboard. Teens aged 15-16 can travel unsupervised if a parent/guardian signs a disclaimer, while younger children must be accompanied by an adult.
In fact, the only age recommendations are on the Thames Rockets Break the Barrier trip, which is suggested for age 10+ (and any tours where alcohol is served, where you need to be 18+).
How fast does Rocket Rebel go?
Up to 30 knots – or around 35mph. Although that’s only for part of the trip, it feels a lot faster than 35mph in your car…
How long is a Thames Rocket ride?
The Rocket Rebel Ultimate London Adventure lasts for around 50 minutes, which includes a short guided tour as you travel from the London Eye pier toward the Houses of Parliament, doubling back along the Thames past Cleopatra’s Needle, St Paul’s Cathedral, Shakespeare’s Globe and HMS Belfast to the Tower of London and Tower Bridge.
Once you’re beyond the speed limit restrictions to the east of Tower Bridge, you’ll get to enjoy the captain putting on some speed, zooming towards Canary Wharf before racing back towards the Tower.
Then there’s a final more sedate section as you head back to the London Eye, with a chance to take photos, sort your hair out and stop laughing in sheer exhilaration (if you want to). Other Thames Rocket tours vary, but the shortest tour lasts 45 minutes, the longest runs for 80 minutes.
When should I arrive?
You need to get there at least 15 minutes before the time your tour starts in order to be checked in and get kitted out in a lifejacket.
There isn’t allocated seating and it’s first come, first served, although the crew does its best to keep groups together. So if you particularly want to be at the front (or back!), arrive early to get your name first on the list. You get some good views from both sides but sitting on the left-hand side gets some of the best on the way out.
What happens if the weather is bad?
Trips go ahead in all weather unless it’s there’s thick fog which would make it unsafe. Come well wrapped up on a cold day, and bring a raincoat if it’s rainy – needless to say, you can’t use an umbrella!
Waterproofs are also provided including ponchos, and even goggles if it’s particularly wet.
Can I take bags on board?
You can bring small bags on board – handbags, small backpacks and rucksacks, for example. There’s no separate luggage storage so you’ll need to tuck it under your seat/by your feet, and it’s best to limit what you bring aboard – you don’t want to spend the whole time worrying a paper bag is going to get whipped away in the wind.
There is a left luggage facilities at the London Eye County Hall if you want somewhere secure for bags/large luggage. There’s no storage on the pier, including for pushchairs.
Are there toilets on board?
Unsurprisingly, no, there are no toilets on board. There are toilets in the County Hall building by the ticket pick-up area for the London Eye.
What else do I need to know?
If you’ve got long hair, it’s a very good plan to bring something to tie it back and keep it out of your face and eyes as you whizz along.
You’re encouraged to take video and photos, but do keep a tight hold of your phone or camera… Bringing a Go Pro or similar aboard is also fine.
And yes, it is bumpy – but not too bumpy, and Rocket Rebel is definitely smoother than other RIB boat trips I’ve done, thanks to its clever design. You’ve got a seatbelt on too.
Tickets currently cost £69.95 for adults and children. With limited numbers, prebooking is strongly advised, although it may be possible to buy tickets on the day.
For more great boat tours of London with kids, as well as ideas for the best things to do in London with kids, check out my posts
Disclosure: My trip on board Rocket Rebel was free for the purpose of this Thames Rockets review – all opinions are my own (and my daughter’s)
Cloudy day images copyright MummyTravels, all other images courtesy of Thames Rockets
