Let’s face it, client meetings aren’t the most fun you can have on a Friday, but just sometimes, they beat being stuck at your desk watching the sunshine outside fade away on yet another glorious afternoon missed. But on one particular Friday, when the post-lunch slump was about to kick in, Smartsave were called to a client meeting with a difference.
This was no ordinary meeting.
Our Senior Accounts Manager came to me with a proposal: “City Cruises want to meet someone from Marketing; they’ve invited us for Afternoon Tea, are you free to come along?”
Daydreams of cruising along the Thames, enjoying the views of the riverbank, flashed through my mind.
So, of course I was free! I speedily shuffled my diary in anticipation of mouth-watering macaroons and sickly sweet scones with jam and cream and before I knew it we were sitting on the tube making our way to the pier at Tower Bridge.
The Boat
The weather was balmy and the Thames looked beautiful glittering in the sunshine. The City Cruises boat, instantly recognisable by its red and white markings, pulled into the pier perfectly on time.
Looking through the window we could see the neat rows of tables, finely decked with glasses and napkins, and our hosts, Ben and Julia, waiting to greet us inside.
Once on board, we took a seat close to a window and enjoyed the panoramic views from the lower deck. The meeting got underway with talk about numbers and initiatives, but I’ll spare you the details and tell you about the food instead.
The Food
A friendly waitress came to take our orders for drinks and pretty soon our table was full with plates of sandwiches, cups of tea and a tiered tray at the centre bursting with sweet goodies. There was more than enough treats to go between the four of us and we tucked in as the views of London went by.
The Views
The food was a delight and the views were fantastic from the lower deck, but from the minute I stepped on the boat I couldn’t wait to get up on to the top deck to soak in the 360 views of the city and enjoy that balmy afternoon weather.
We sailed past the London Eye and waved at other City Cruisers heading back to the pier. It wasn’t long before some of the other guests decided to follow suit – heading up to the top deck for a spot of sightseeing. 
The cruise was set to a medium pace, so we could really enjoy the views and snap a few pictures along the way.
One of the nicest features of the cruise, which sets it apart from others on the Thames is that although it is a guided tour that highlights top spots along the bank, it’s done in such a subtle way that your conversation isn’t spoiled, you can listen to it or choose to ignore it if you wish.
In total, we had spent around an hour and a half cruising the Thames and it was a superb afternoon; sunny, relaxed with great views and good food.
Get 20% off your tickets with a Smartsave voucher.