Riding the waves of the Thames in style

I've been through London more times than I can count – flying into three different airports and stepping off the platform at countless train and tube stations. But arriving by water was by far the most memorable way to make an entrance.

For starters, sailing along the Thames in a luxury cruise ship is more – shall we say – civilized than the dark and jerky, nearly hour-long ride on the Piccadilly line from Heathrow. Especially when said cruise ship is making a very big deal about its approach.

Last spring, Viking Cruises – best known for its flat-bottomed river boats – christened its second ocean liner, the Viking Sea, in Greenwich. The cruise line wanted to make a scene. And that's exactly what Londoners got. Up first, however, was a journey full of fresh perspectives.

The ship launched at Le Havre, France, crossing the English Channel and passing the Strait of Dover. Unfortunately, the sun was setting as we pulled up anchor on the Normandy coast. Not much to see until sunrise.

Pulling back the curtains in my cabin in the morning, I realized how fortunate I was to be on the port side. Across the gleaming waters of the Thames estuary stood a phalanx of 175 wind turbines, fans whirling at top speed. From a distance they looked like soldiers standing tall, dressed all in white, flailing their arms madly nearly 150 metres above the water.

As we closed in on the mouth of the river I grew giddy – the same excitement I get on final approach to Heathrow as the plane passes over Tower Bridge and the Houses of Parliament. But reality soon set in: The banks of the Thames are a lot prettier from the air.

Turns out the eastern portion of the river is ugly. And brown. It might be filled with riches of bird life and marshlands, but all I could see from my balcony was mud.

After that came the splendour of the Tilbury Sewage Treatment Works on the north bank, right across the river from the town of Gravesend. Dominating its waterfront is the Town Pier, built in 1834 and now the oldest surviving cast iron pier in the world. Despite its off-putting name, further research revealed plenty to see within Gravesend, and I made a mental note to make a day trip during my next visit to London.

Unfortunately, up next along the river's trademark hairpin turns were a metal processing plant, an auto scrapyard and – hey – another sewage plant.

Yes, it was far from picturesque – but it was all leading up to a remarkable close-up of a modern day megaproject.

The Thames Barrier was completed in 1983 to protect London from the storm surges of the North Sea. A series of rotating gates suspended by pylons divides the river into smaller channels and controls its flow. Most cruise ships are too large to pass, but at barely 28 metres across, the Viking Sea was able to thread through an opening – albeit at a painstakingly slow pace.

After that, we sailed past London City Airport on the starboard side, looking like a working miniature model set up in a dad's basement. And then the giant dome of the O2 Arena in Greenwich, looming over the western horizon.

As the banks of the river continued to narrow, the boat grabbed the attention of Londoners, normally a hard-to-impress lot. Joggers and people pushing strollers stopped in their tracks, eyes wide. People threw open the doors of their balconies as we drifted past. This was likely the biggest ship they had ever seen in a waterway better known for shuttling tourists and hauling barges of coal. No doubt it helped that fireboats flanked each side of the Sea, water cannons at full thrust, as the sound of Rule, Britannia blared through a set of loudspeakers.

We dropped anchor just a couple of hundred metres past the Cutty Sark, a replica of the original clipper that now sits in dry dock on the south bank. Looking north off my balcony was a gleaming, and still very much expanding, Canary Wharf. Glancing west, the pointy prick of the skyscraper known as the Shard and the bulbous girth of the Gherkin.

Having lived in London and visited many times since, I didn't feel guilty about spending most of the visit onboard, getting to know my temporary digs and admiring the view from such a different perspective. Plus, you know … that new-ship smell.

With a capacity of 930 guests, the Sea is large enough to cut through the swells of the open water, but not as overwhelming as the floating cities operated by the "bigger is better" ocean lines.

Glass elevators connect the seven decks, and all amenities – including two movie theatres, a salon, lounges, a conservatory – are no more than a five-minute stroll from the cabins.

The most impressive feature is the retractable roof over the pool area on deck seven. Open wide for guests collecting rays during the day, at the flip of a switch the glass canopy – best described as a latticework of windows – unfolds to keep the chilly evening breeze at bay. Among the most in-demand facilities was the Nordic spa, boasting a circuit of plunge pools and hot tubs. The hard-core purists alternated between the steam room and the "snow grotto."

I chose to dine aboard as well. The Restaurant (yes, that's what it called) on deck two offers sophisticated classics, such as roast chateaubriand with bearnaise, and a California seafood paella. (No complaints that Viking put most of their efforts into the food rather than the name). One deck below, Manfredi's serves up Italian favourites – osso buco, risotto and the like.

And if you want to keep it casual you can always opt for the World Café. As its name suggests, the buffet-style expansive space serves up quality versions of pretty much every cuisine on the planet.

Wanting a quiet evening, I retreated to my veranda suite to order room service (Caesar salad, striploin, fries). The King's Speech was available on demand, but I passed. Why watch a tiny version of London when the grandeur of the real thing is ready to behold right outside your stateroom?

If you go

The Viking Sea offers two sailings that include London on the itinerary.

• Baltic Jewels and the Midnight Sun travels to London from Stockholm (29 days, starting at $14,299)
• Into the Midnight Sun travels to London from Bergen, Norway (15 days, starting at $8,249)

Prices include a private veranda stateroom, on-board meals (including beer, wine and soft drinks with lunches and dinners), 24-hour room service, one shore excursion a port of call, culture curriculum (on-board lectures and performances) and more.

For more information visit vikingcruisescanada.com.

The writer was a guest of Viking Cruises. It did not approve or review this article.