To enhance your experience onboard Bateaux London we have the professional services of our Entertainment Director Darren Thomas and his team of talented musicians.

We have a purpose built stage hosting a full Grand Piano onboard the Symphony, the only one of its kind on the River Thames

We believe that entertainment is vital to a cruise and our guests often comment that it has made their night.

Darren Thomas L.G.S.M.,L.T.C.L.,R.M.S.M.,W.G.
Entertainment Director

Darren joined us as our Entertainment Director in 1997 direct from the Royal Household, where he was a musician in the Welsh Guards Band for 9 years, providing music for the Royal Family, Presidents and Heads of State principally at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and St James´s Palace.

He has performed and worked at every major venue and concert hall in London and was resident pianist at the Hilton Hotel in London for over 3 years. During that time he played for the likes of Whitney Houston, George Benson, Prince, Neil Diamond and Tom Jones.

DINNER CRUISE MUSIC

Live music begins in full at 8.00pm with our resident band setting the atmosphere to your cruise with ‘well known’ dinner jazz music, performed by accomplished musicians. The singer joins the band a little later with a superb choice of jazz standards, chosen especially to accompany the beautiful scenery. The music is deliberately background to allow you to talk and enjoy your cruise.

The play list is decided on the night to fit the mood, you will find something you like to dance to whether fast or slow!

SUNDAY LUNCH JAZZ CRUISE MUSIC

On board, you will find a completely live band comprising of successful, well known London based musicians who carefully choose the repertoire, fitting for the perfect Sunday lunch cruise. The general theme is ‘American Songbook’ with well known easy listening classics from artists and composers like George Gerswhin, Cole Porter, Frank Sinatra and George Benson. After the initial thrill of cruising, guests can sit back, relax, listen and enjoy familiar songs beautifully arranged and performed by expert musicians. The music is kept deliberately background to enable you to talk and enjoy the cruise.

PRIVATE CRUISE ENTERTAINMENT

We are the only River Operator in London to offer an ‘in-house’, full time Entertainment Director to advise you on all aspects of entertainment. That means each client works directly with Darren Thomas to ensure the right advice on entertainment is offered during the planning stages of your event.

“My responsibility at Bateaux London is to ensure the music we provide across our cruises is of an excellent standard. I work very closely with clients who take our boats out on private charters and each client has access to me at all times. I take great pride in the continuing success of our Dinner Cruises and Sunday Lunches where music forms a key component to the overall experience.

Our best sellers are undoubtedly our live bands, which offer great value and offer live music, sparkle and presence to your cruise. No cruise is complete without some form of music or entertainment and successful events in the past have included Salsa Dancing Instruction, Fanfare Trumpeters, Themed Bands, Harpist and a host of individual entertainers such as magicians and caricaturists.

The secret to our success is straightforward. Carefully talking through and suggesting the right entertainment options with clients before an event, providing brilliant, versatile, presentable musicians and entertainers on the night and reading the crowd and atmosphere throughout the event is the key.” Darren Thomas