Canal cruises in Amsterdam

It depends on what you are after. For a first overview at a low price, the classic one-hour cruise on a covered boat is the right one — it has the recorded commentary in English and runs most often. If you want something more personal, take a small open boat with a live guide; these tours are rated better across the board, but cost a few euros more and run less often. If the cruise is meant to be the evening itself rather than just one item on the plan, an evening cruise with a bar on board or a dinner cruise is the fitting choice.

The classic one-hour cruise is the cheapest option. Small boats with a live guide sit a few euros above it. It gets considerably more expensive as soon as food or unlimited drinks are included — the price is then quickly three to five times as high. The current prices are shown with every tour on this site; we pull them straight from the providers' systems rather than entering them by hand.

For the classic cruise in the off season, not necessarily — you can walk to the jetty and buy a ticket for the next departure. In high season, at weekends and on public holidays you should reserve: the popular cruises regularly sell out then, and queues form at the ticket desks by Centraal Station. For all the smaller boats, for cruises with a live guide and for anything with food or drinks, one rule applies: book ahead without fail. These boats have twelve to thirty seats and are often full days in advance.

Nothing in principle. Do dress for the weather, though: on the water it is noticeably cooler in the wind than in the city, in summer too. A jacket is a good idea on open boats; blankets are usually available there. In sunshine, sunglasses and sun cream make sense, because the boats offer little shade and the water reflects on top of that. No ID is required, the ticket on your phone is enough.

Most cruises last an hour to 75 minutes. Evening cruises are often a little longer at 90 minutes. Dinner cruises with a multi-course menu take two hours. A full circuit of the Hop-on-Hop-off boat takes about 100 minutes, though the ticket is valid for 24 or 48 hours. The exact duration is listed with every tour on this site.

Mornings are the quietest on the canals, and the soft light is good for photographs. Afternoons are the busiest — on the water and on the banks; that makes the cruise livelier, but also more crowded. In the evening the bridges are lit and the mood is quite different; that is the time most guests remember most fondly. Bear the season in mind: in December it gets dark shortly after half past four, in June not until after ten.

Most boats leave from Centraal Station, on Prins Hendrikkade and at Damrak. Other important jetties are at the Anne Frank House, the Rijksmuseum, Leidseplein, the Heineken Experience and the A DAM Tower in Amsterdam North. On many tours you can choose the departure point when booking. Take the one closest to where you are — the routes are similar anyway. We describe all the jetties in detail on a page of their own.

The large operators run roughly every 15 to 20 minutes in high season, every 30 minutes in the off season. The Hop-on-Hop-off boats run every 20 to 45 minutes, less often in winter. Small boats with a live guide, by contrast, have fixed departure times, often only three to five a day — here you should reserve the slot you want.

The large covered boats on the classic cruises usually have a toilet, but it is not guaranteed — these operators use different boats as well. On small and open boats there is generally no toilet. On cruises with unlimited drinks, that is worth thinking about beforehand.

Only to a limited extent, and the rules differ a great deal from operator to operator. At Blue Boat one of the classic cruises is step-free; a wheelchair space has to be reserved by phone with customer service. At Lovers and City Sightseeing, wheelchairs cannot come on board, and you have to manage several steps unaided. At Stromma and Amsterdam Circle Line a folding wheelchair can be brought along, but getting on and off must likewise be done unaided. On small and open boats the crew helps you aboard, but these boats are not wheelchair accessible. If in doubt, ask the provider directly before booking.

Not on the vast majority of canal cruises. There are a few explicitly smoker-friendly cruises in Amsterdam — they are marked as such on this site and run with the windows open or on open boats. On all other boats smoking is prohibited, including on the outside deck.

The large operators — Lovers, Blue Boat, Stromma, Amsterdam Circle Line, City Sightseeing — do not take pets; assistance dogs are the exception. On some smaller boats dogs are allowed, provided they do not disturb other guests and do not sit on the upholstery. As this changes from boat to boat and season to season, please check on the provider's page before booking.