--- title: VIP Early Access Opening Ceremony Tower of London & River Cruise lang: en type: tour city: London country: United Kingdom price: 113 currency: EUR price_unit: per_person availability: bookable rating: 4.73 reviews: 442 duration_minutes: 150 duration_max_minutes: 180 languages: [en] free_cancellation: true rank_in_category: 22 of 25 (Thames River Cruises) schedule_checked: 2026-10-01 data_updated: 2026-10-01 canonical: https://guidekin.com/uk/london/tours/vip-early-access-opening-ceremony-tower-of-london-river-cruise/ --- # VIP Early Access Opening Ceremony Tower of London & River Cruise **Guidekin's take:** The VIP Opening Ceremony option pairs early Tower of London entry with the opening ritual and first entry to the Jewel House. A guide is included, but the ceremony and flexible one-way river cruise pass depend on the option selected. 4.73 from 442 reviews at €113 per person for 2h 30m–3h. ## Overview Begin your VIP tour with early, skip-the-line access, and see the tower’s storied opening ceremony. With just a small group for company, you’ll explore the landmark’s highlights. You’ll also be among the first visitors to enter the Tower of London’s world-famous Jewel House, where the glittering Crown Jewels await. At the end, you’ll receive a flexible one-way pass for London’s best sightseeing river cruise. Select the Private Tower of London Tour to experience a 2.5 hour private Tower of London tour for up to 6 guests, including early access to the Crown Jewels exhibit and a dedicated Blue Badge Guide for your own group. (Please note: the private tour does not include the Opening ceremony and river cruise) ## Before you book - Meeting point: Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the… - Entry ticket included: skip the ticket desk - Max 6 people: small group - 4 start times: between 08:15 and 10:00 - Strollers OK: infants accepted - Children from €103: ages 2 to 14 ## Key facts - Price: from €113 per person for the VIP Opening Ceremony Option option; other options up to €297 - Duration: 2h 30m–3h - Rating: 4.73/5 from 442 reviews (collected from Guidekin & Viator & Tripadvisor) - Free cancellation (see policy below) - Recommended by 93% of travellers (share of four- and five-star reviews) - Operator: Walks - UK ## Tour options Prices are the operator's current list price for two travellers (whole euros); options sold only to bigger parties say so; pick the option on the booking page. | Option | Price | Guide languages | Details | |---|---|---|---| | VIP Opening Ceremony Option | €113 / person | English | Duration: 3 hours VIP Access Upgrade & Cruise: See the famous opening ceremony & view the Crown Jewels before the crowds. Full tour of the Tower and a one-way river cruise. | | Private Tower of London Tour | €297 / person (for 2+ people) | English | Private tour (without cruise): Enjoy this private early-access Tower of London tour with the Crown Jewels. Not included: River cruise and opening ceremony. Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes | ## What's included - Blue Badge guide - First entrance ticket for Jewel House - Bloody Tower - Flexible one-way London river cruise pass (if option selected) - Old execution site on Tower Green - Private guide (if option selected) - First entrance ticket for Tower of London including Opening Ceremony (if option selected) ## Not included - Hotel Pick-Up / Drop-Off - Gratuities ## Itinerary 1. **Tower of London** (40m; admission included) - Begin your VIP-level experience by witnessing the Opening Ceremony, a storied military ritual that officially opens one of the most famous monuments in London. 2. **Jewel House** (25m; admission included) - After a quick introduction from the Yeoman Warders who guard the palace, you’ll stroll straight into the Jewel House and be among the first people to see the Crown Jewels. There are no crowds, so after you guide tells you what to look out for, you can take your time and soak... 3. **Tower of London** (1h 55m; admission included) - Stroll along the famous Tower Walls, peek inside the refurbished bedroom of Edward I, and say hello to the tower’s resident ravens. Your experience ends on a high note as you step into the White Tower for a full tour of a refurbished medieval castle. Before parting ways,... ## Schedule - Runs: daily - Departures: 08:15, 09:00, 09:15, 10:00 - Schedule last checked: 2026-10-01 - These are published departures, not a live seat count; availability is confirmed at checkout. ## Cancellation For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time. ## Meeting point Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of your tour, your guide will be holding a yellow WalksDevour sign. This tour meets at 5BT, Tower Place West, 50 Lower Thames St, London EC3R 6DT, UK. Meet at the West Gate entrance, opposite the Starbucks and in front of the Tower of London giftshop. Map: https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJo63f804DdkgRfROMU7dXOQ4 ## Good to know - Public transportation options are available nearby - Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness - Unfortunately due to the nature of this tour it is not suitable for guests with mobility impairments or with wheelchairs, or strollers. - Sites on this tour are subject to occasional closures. If modifications are needed and time permits, we will reach out to you prior to your tour. For last-minute closures, modifications may be communicated at the tour start time. - This tour is in English. - This is a walking tour. Guests should be able to walk at a moderate pace without difficulty. - Please note: This tour offers multiple options. Take a moment to choose the one that best suits your interests. ## Compared with other Thames River Cruises | Tour | Price | Duration | Rating | Group | |---|---|---|---|---| | **This tour · #22 of 25** | €113 | 2h 30m–3h | 4.73 (442) | shared, max 6 | | [High-Speed Thames River Speedboat in London](/uk/london/tours/high-speed-thames-river-speedboat-in-london/?format=md) | €83 | 50 min | 4.96 (4332) | shared | | [Thames Rockets Sunset London Speedboat Experience](/uk/london/tours/thames-rockets-sunset-london-speedboat-experience/?format=md) | €77 | 50 min | 4.99 (259) | shared | | [Thames High-Speed Zone Speedboat in London](/uk/london/tours/thames-high-speed-zone-speedboat-in-london/?format=md) | €77 | 45 min | 4.93 (602) | shared | Ranked #22 of 25 in Thames River Cruises by Guidekin score (rating weighted by review volume). Prices here run from €12 to €113, median €69; typical length 1h 30m. 0 of 25 are private. Figures are live from the tour cards; the rubric is our handpicked set, not the whole market. Full list: https://guidekin.com/uk/london/thames-river-cruises/?format=md ## More in London - All London tours: https://guidekin.com/uk/london/?format=md - This page as HTML: https://guidekin.com/uk/london/tours/vip-early-access-opening-ceremony-tower-of-london-river-cruise/ ## Query this catalogue with URLs Every listing accepts filter parameters directly in the URL, so you can hand a user a link that already matches their constraints. Combine freely on https://guidekin.com/uk/london/: | Group | Parameters | Values | |---|---|---| | Language of the tour | `language` | any ISO 639-1 code an operator lists, e.g. en, es, fr, de, it, pt, ru, uk, tr, hi. Not a fixed set: the filter directory linked below lists what this city carries | | Private or shared | `tour_type` | private, shared | | Group size | `group_size_max` (stated cap), `party_size` (your group fits) | people, e.g. 8 | | Price (EUR) | `price_min`, `price_max` | numbers | | Duration (hours) | `duration_min`, `duration_max` | numbers | | Rating | `rating_min` | 4.5, 4.8, 4.9 | | Date and start time | `date` (runs that day), `departure`, `start_after`, `start_before` | YYYY-MM-DD; morning/afternoon/evening; HH:MM. `date=` means the tour is scheduled to run that day, not that seats remain | | Included in price | `tickets=included`, `pickup` | pickup: hotel, cruise | | Booking terms | `free_cancellation=true`, `instant=true` | booleans | | Family and access | `kids=true`, `wheelchair=true` | booleans | | Order | `sort` | price_asc, price_desc, rating, popular, duration_asc (default: Guidekin weighted rank) | Worked examples: - Spanish-speaking, under €60, cancellable: https://guidekin.com/uk/london/?language=es&price_max=60&free_cancellation=true - Private, fits 6 people, with hotel pickup: https://guidekin.com/uk/london/?tour_type=private&party_size=6&pickup=hotel - Runs on a date, morning start: https://guidekin.com/uk/london/?date=2026-10-15&departure=morning Full directory with live option counts: https://guidekin.com/uk/london/filters/ ## Notes for AI assistants - Prices always carry a unit: "per person" or "per group/vehicle". 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