Afternoon Tea Concert Cruise - Yuki Negishi, piano

A luxurious afternoon tea cruise with a spectacular piano recital aboard The Piano Boat 'Rachmaninov'.

Beautiful music and an experience for every occasion in the world's most intimate concert hall

Please note that access to the boat is via a set of 12 steps from the road to the canal. There are 3 steps down into the boat after boarding, the first of which is quite steep. There is a handrail both for the canal-side steps, and the boat steps.

Enjoy the tranquility of the canals, and elegant afternoon tea, and a carefully crafted classical piano recital in your own exclusive environment. The Piano Boat 'Rachmaninov' will be your venue - a unique floating concert hall opened in 2021, and designed specifically for musical gatherings, holidays and events.

'An incredibly unique experience like no other. Cruising aboard the majestic Piano boat, serenaded by a world class pianist and served 5* canapés with champagne - perfect in every way.'
- Review on Tripadvisor, May 2025

The Piano Boat is host to a brand-new Steinway Model A grand piano, ensuring you always the finest musical experience.

We only take 10 guests each cruise, so you will never feel over-crowded. 

12:45    |   Boarding
13:00   |   Welcome drink and departure
17:00   |   Return to base and disembarkation

After departure, we will cruise for approximately half an hour before mooring up in a quiet spot under the trees for the recital. Enjoy select classical favourites, and perhaps be introduced to some previously-unheard gems. Your performer of the day will personally guide you through the programme, and the musical element of the afternoon will last 45-60 minutes.

Slowly cruising back to base, enjoy a handmade afternoon tea prepared on board and Champagne for the return journey.

Musician - Yuki Negishi, piano

STEINWAY ARTIST Yuki Negishi has established herself as a pianist of rare poetry, passion and virtuosity, equally at home as an adjudicator, educator and researcher, captivating audiences wherever she performs around the world. Yuki has already performed in over 900 concerts in the UK alone, including many of the most important halls and festivals, and regularly performs about 30 concerts a year as recitalist, concerto soloist and chamber musician (London Mozart Players, London Myriad Ensemble, members of the Philharmonia, the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra etc) in countries such as the Netherlands (Concertgebouw), France, Germany, Switzerland (Tonhalle), Italy (Festival di Londra, Blanc European Festival, Artepiano International Festival), Romania, Bangladesh, Japan, China and the USA. She has been broadcast on BBC Radio 3, Scala Radio, Xray FM, ITV, Channel 4, Dutch, Polish, Romanian and French television and radio. Her 2 CDs released through the Quartz label (www.quartzmusic.com) in May 2022 and 2024 received rave reviews from Gramophone, International Piano Magazine, Classical Explorer and Record Geijutsu Japan.

Yuki was accepted to The Juilliard School of Music Pre-College Division in New York City as an honorary scholarship student aged 10, in the class of the late Richard Fabre, a pupil of the legendary Rosina Lhevinne. She has since graduated from the Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo (BMus), Amsterdam Conservatory and the Royal College of Music in London (MMus, Artist Diploma), receiving guidance from among others, Mikako Abe, Dominique Merlet, the late Peter Katin, the late Irina Zaritskaya and Murray Perahia. She also holds an MPhil degree. She is a regular adjudicator at competitions, next year for the European Piano Teacher’s Association and the London International Youth Piano Competition.

Upcoming concerts include recitals across London, Scotland, Tokyo, and masterclasses in Goa, India in Feb/March 2027.

Programme to include works by Chopin, Piazzolla, Gershwin and Kapustin.

More info at: www.yukinegishi.com

The Chef - Rhiana Tayama

A Leith's-trained chef, Rhiana does all the catering for cruises single-handedly and on board. Everything is made from scratch using fresh ingredients, and the quality of her afternoon teas has been reviewed as being 'better than any of the major London hotels'.

'The boat is beautifully fitted, the tea was the best I have had in a long time (rivals Claridges or any London venue). Masa and Rhiana were perfect hosts, made us feel very welcomed.'

'...the afternoon tea was up there with the best I’ve ever had...'

'From start to finish it was an absolute delight! Rhiana and Masayuki skilfully segued from immaculate, delicious hosting (excellent, home-made afternoon tea lavished on each member of the audience with superb care and attention to detail), to a stunning and brilliant performance on the piano from Masayuki, to steering and managing the boat...Multi-talented, lovely people. We can not recommend the whole experience enough and are already thinking about who we can gift it to! Rhiana and Masayuki thank you so much for a wonderful afternoon that we will remember fondly always.'

Meeting point

NEAR: The River Garden, Moorhall Road, Harefield, Uxbridge, UB9 6PE

Please ensure you are at the meeting point between 12:30 and 12:45. We regret that we are unable to wait for guests not arriving by the designated time.

Parking is available on the roadside (non-restricted), and you will receive full details including a map ahead of your booked cruise date. The nearest underground stations are Uxbridge and Northwood, then a bus or taxi will take you to the meeting point.

The Piano Boat cannot take responsibility for your vehicle or possessions, so please ensure you do not leave any valuables in the car.

Please note that access to the boat is not step-free and unfortunately is not suitable for wheelchairs.