Boats on the canal ring
The best Amsterdam canal cruises
Open boats, glass-roof boats, classic saloon boats, sunset trips and unlimited-drinks cruises, side by side. Here is how eight of them compare, with honest advice on live guide or audio guide, finding your boat, and which cruise is worth the money.
See our 8 picks
For most visitors, the best Amsterdam canal cruise is a one-hour trip with a live skipper. Our top pick is the classic saloon boat cruise, from €14. Most cruises last 1 to 1.5 hours. They leave from piers near Centraal Station, the Anne Frank House, the Rijksmuseum or Leidseplein. The cheapest start at €12, and drinks are an option you add when you book. All eight cruises below cancel free up to 24 hours before.
- 8
- tours compared
- from €12
- lowest price per person
- ★ 4.8
- best rating (5,403 reviews)
- 8 of 8
- free cancellation
Amsterdam canal tours: our eight picks
Our top pick first, then the rest by number of reviews. Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide.
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from €14 per person Our top pick 1 hour 4.6 (32,026) reviews on GetYourGuide
Classic saloon boat cruise, cheese and wine option
One hour on a restored 19th-century saloon boat. It is quiet and fully electric. The skipper and hostess guide you live, past the Anne Frank House and the Skinny Bridge. Cheese with wine, beer or soft drinks is an option.
Best for Couples and first-timers who want a live guide
Check availability: Classic saloon boat cruise, cheese and wine option on GetYourGuide -
from €17 per person 1–1.5 hours 4.4 (27,225) reviews on GetYourGuide
Electric cruise with unlimited drinks option
A one-hour cruise with live stories from the skipper and host. Add unlimited beer, wine and soft drinks, plus small snacks, when you book. Cocktails cost extra. You pick one of four piers at booking.
Best for Friends who want a relaxed hour with drinks
Check availability: Electric cruise with unlimited drinks option on GetYourGuide -
from €19 per person 1 h 30 min 4.4 (23,361) reviews on GetYourGuide
90-minute evening cruise past the city lights
A longer trip after dark on a covered, all-weather boat with big windows. The audio guide comes in 20+ languages, and headphones are given. Wine, beer or snacks are optional extras.
Best for Couples and friends on an evening out
Check availability: 90-minute evening cruise past the city lights on GetYourGuide -
from €12 per person 1 hour 4.3 (22,431) reviews on GetYourGuide
One-hour cruise from the Anne Frank House, Rijksmuseum or Centraal
A heated boat with an audio guide in 19 languages. The listing names the Anne Frank House, the Rijksmuseum and the Heineken Experience on the way. Boarding can stretch the trip to 90 minutes in peak season.
Best for Families and visitors who want their own language
Check availability: One-hour cruise from the Anne Frank House, Rijksmuseum or Centraal on GetYourGuide -
from €14 per person 75 minutes 4.4 (21,002) reviews on GetYourGuide
75-minute classic cruise with a snack option
A covered, all-weather boat with big windows and an audio guide in 20+ languages. Kids get their own audio story, a booklet and binoculars. There is no live guide.
Best for Families with kids
Check availability: 75-minute classic cruise with a snack option on GetYourGuide -
from €20 per person 1 hour 4.7 (6,199) reviews on GetYourGuide
Booze cruise with an open bar option
One hour on a covered electric boat, rain or shine, with up to 28 people. Add an open bar of beer, wine and soft drinks for the full hour. You pass under seven bridges and along the Amstel. Adults only, so bring ID.
Best for Adult groups of friends (18+)
Check availability: Booze cruise with an open bar option on GetYourGuide -
from €17 per person 1 hour 4.8 (5,403) reviews on GetYourGuide
Evening (sunset) cruise with optional drinks
A one-hour trip with an English-speaking skipper and host, and a free digital booklet in 8 languages. The boat is open or partly covered, by weather. The listing says the sunset itself cannot be promised.
Best for Couples who want golden-hour light
Check availability: Evening (sunset) cruise with optional drinks on GetYourGuide -
from €12 per person 60 or 75 minutes 4.4 (2,777) reviews on GetYourGuide
Panorama roof and open rear deck
A boat with a glass roof that opens in the sun and closes in rain, plus an open rear deck. Commentary is in Dutch and English; more languages play on your own phone. There is a toilet and Wi-Fi on board.
Best for Photo-takers who want glass and open air
Check availability: Panorama roof and open rear deck on GetYourGuide
Amsterdam canal cruises compared
| Tour | From | Duration | Commentary | Who it suits | Why we picked it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic saloon boat cruise, cheese and wine option | €14 per person | 1 hour | Live: skipper and hostess | Couples and first-timers who want a live guide | A live guide, a calm boat and the most reviews in the list: 4.6 from 32,026. |
| Electric cruise with unlimited drinks option | €17 per person | 1–1.5 hours | Live: skipper and host | Friends who want a relaxed hour with drinks | Rated 4.4 from 27,225 reviews, with live commentary and the drinks deal in one ticket. |
| 90-minute evening cruise past the city lights | €19 per person | 1 h 30 min | Audio guide, 20+ languages | Couples and friends on an evening out | The longest evening cruise here, rated 4.4 from 23,361 reviews. |
| One-hour cruise from the Anne Frank House, Rijksmuseum or Centraal | €12 per person | 1 hour | Audio guide, 19 languages | Families and visitors who want their own language | The cheapest pick, from €12, rated 4.3 from 22,431 reviews. It is audio only, so choose a live-guide boat if the stories matter to you. |
| 75-minute classic cruise with a snack option | €14 per person | 75 minutes | Audio guide, 20+ languages | Families with kids | The only pick with a kids’ audio story, rated 4.4 from 21,002 reviews. |
| Booze cruise with an open bar option | €20 per person | 1 hour | Live crew, plus a QR audio guide | Adult groups of friends (18+) | The best-rated drinks cruise, 4.7 from 6,199 reviews. |
| Evening (sunset) cruise with optional drinks | €17 per person | 1 hour | Live: skipper and host | Couples who want golden-hour light | The highest rating here, 4.8 from 5,403 reviews. |
| Panorama roof and open rear deck | €12 per person | 60 or 75 minutes | Dutch and English, more by QR code | Photo-takers who want glass and open air | Both a roof and an open deck from €12, rated 4.4 from 2,777 reviews. |
Classic saloon boat cruise, cheese and wine option
€14 per person1 hour 4.6 (32,026)
Details
- Commentary
- Live: skipper and hostess
- Who it suits
- Couples and first-timers who want a live guide
- Why we picked it
- A live guide, a calm boat and the most reviews in the list: 4.6 from 32,026.
Electric cruise with unlimited drinks option
€17 per person1–1.5 hours 4.4 (27,225)
Details
- Commentary
- Live: skipper and host
- Who it suits
- Friends who want a relaxed hour with drinks
- Why we picked it
- Rated 4.4 from 27,225 reviews, with live commentary and the drinks deal in one ticket.
90-minute evening cruise past the city lights
€19 per person1 h 30 min 4.4 (23,361)
Details
- Commentary
- Audio guide, 20+ languages
- Who it suits
- Couples and friends on an evening out
- Why we picked it
- The longest evening cruise here, rated 4.4 from 23,361 reviews.
One-hour cruise from the Anne Frank House, Rijksmuseum or Centraal
€12 per person1 hour 4.3 (22,431)
Details
- Commentary
- Audio guide, 19 languages
- Who it suits
- Families and visitors who want their own language
- Why we picked it
- The cheapest pick, from €12, rated 4.3 from 22,431 reviews. It is audio only, so choose a live-guide boat if the stories matter to you.
75-minute classic cruise with a snack option
€14 per person75 minutes 4.4 (21,002)
Details
- Commentary
- Audio guide, 20+ languages
- Who it suits
- Families with kids
- Why we picked it
- The only pick with a kids’ audio story, rated 4.4 from 21,002 reviews.
Booze cruise with an open bar option
€20 per person1 hour 4.7 (6,199)
Details
- Commentary
- Live crew, plus a QR audio guide
- Who it suits
- Adult groups of friends (18+)
- Why we picked it
- The best-rated drinks cruise, 4.7 from 6,199 reviews.
Evening (sunset) cruise with optional drinks
€17 per person1 hour 4.8 (5,403)
Details
- Commentary
- Live: skipper and host
- Who it suits
- Couples who want golden-hour light
- Why we picked it
- The highest rating here, 4.8 from 5,403 reviews.
Panorama roof and open rear deck
€12 per person60 or 75 minutes 4.4 (2,777)
Details
- Commentary
- Dutch and English, more by QR code
- Who it suits
- Photo-takers who want glass and open air
- Why we picked it
- Both a roof and an open deck from €12, rated 4.4 from 2,777 reviews.
- Most listings give no group size. The booze cruise takes up to 28 people.
- None of the eight picks you up. Most have several piers, and you choose yours when you book. The sunset cruise leaves from Stationsplein 18; the panorama cruise from Prinsengracht 261a or Centraal Station.
- All 8 offer free cancellation.
- Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide. Prices are "from" prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.
How to choose your Amsterdam canals boat trip
Pick by three things: live guide or audio, open or covered boat, and whether you want drinks.
A live guide tells stories and answers questions. You get one on the saloon boat, the drinks cruise, the sunset cruise and the booze cruise. The panorama boat has Dutch and English commentary.
An audio guide speaks your language. The one-hour cruise has 19 languages. The 75-minute and evening cruises have more than 20.
The best canal tours in Amsterdam, by type of visitor
Pick this if you are…
- A first-timer: the classic saloon boat, from €14, with a live guide.
- A family with kids: the 75-minute cruise with its kids’ audio story, or the one-hour cruise with a child ticket for ages 4 to 13.
- A group of friends: the unlimited drinks cruise, or the booze cruise if everyone is 18 or older.
- A couple: the sunset cruise, or the 90-minute evening cruise.
- Not an English speaker: the one-hour cruise, with 19 audio languages.
Guides on Amsterdam canal cruises
Dinner on the water, and the winter Light Festival by boat.
Open boat, panorama roof or saloon boat: what is the difference
A covered boat keeps you dry. An open boat is better for photos.
The evening cruise, the 75-minute cruise and the booze cruise use covered, all-weather boats. The booze cruise runs rain or shine.
The panorama boat has a glass roof that opens in the sun and closes in rain. The sunset cruise goes open or partly covered, depending on the weather.
Covered or open: picking a boat for the canals of Amsterdam
The saloon boat is a classic boat from the 19th century, with a big step to get in. The crew helps you.
In winter, the Light Festival’s own page says most canal and historic boats are heated, and open boats hand out blankets.
Day, sunset or evening canal cruise in Amsterdam
Go by day for the clearest views, and in the evening for the lights.
Day trips: the saloon boat, the one-hour cruise and the 75-minute cruise.
For sunset, take the sunset cruise. Its listing is honest that clouds can hide the sun.
After dark, the 90-minute evening cruise passes the lit canal houses. The booze cruise runs in the evening too.
Winter days are short. Near Amsterdam, December gets about 58 hours of sun on average, against 217 in June.
Canal boat tours in Amsterdam with drinks, snacks, cheese and wine
The “from” price is the cheapest option. Drinks and cheese are options you add when you book.
The drinks cruise adds unlimited beer, wine and soft drinks, with small snacks. The saloon boat adds cheese with wine, beer or soft drinks. The booze cruise adds an open bar, and sells stroopwafels on board.
On the evening cruise, wine, beer or snacks are upgrades. The 75-minute cruise has a snack option.
You must be 18 to drink alcohol on board. The booze cruise takes adults only.
- Drinking age on board
- 18
- Drinks and cheese
- Added when you book
- Unlimited drinks
- Drinks cruise, booze cruise
What you will see on the Amsterdam canals
You glide past narrow canal houses, arched bridges and houseboats on the 17th-century canal ring.
According to UNESCO’s listing, the canal ring inside the Singelgracht became a World Heritage site in 2010.
The listings name what you pass. The sunset cruise names the Skinny Bridge and the “Dancing Houses”. The saloon boat names the Anne Frank House and the Skinny Bridge. The booze cruise passes under seven bridges and along the Amstel.
Where cruises start and how to book
Most cruises leave from near Centraal Station. Check the pier on your ticket, because many companies have several.
These are round trips, not hop-on hop-off boats. You get on and off at the same pier.
Finding your Amsterdam tour boat: piers and addresses
Where each pick starts:
- Sunset cruise: Stationsplein 18, by Centraal Station.
- Panorama cruise: Prinsengracht 261a by the Anne Frank House, or Centraal Station. Pick one when you book.
- One-hour cruise and drinks cruise: four piers each. You pick one when you book.
- 75-minute cruise: three piers. You pick one when you book.
- Saloon boat, evening cruise and booze cruise: the pier depends on the option you book.
The City Card and the big operators’ piers
The I amsterdam City Card Total Experience includes one canal cruise, with no booking needed.
Stromma’s own site lists piers at Damrak (piers 4 to 6), the Rijksmuseum, Centraal Station and Leidseplein. Blue Boat lists Stadhouderskade 501 and 550, near Leidseplein.
Facts about the canals
- 1,200+
- bridges in Amsterdam
- 2010
- canal ring on UNESCO’s list
- 12,000+
- bikes pulled out each year
Amsterdam has more than 1,200 bridges, says the city’s tourism site.
According to UNESCO, the canal ring was a 17th-century plan. It grew the city into drained swampland, with rings of canals such as the Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht.
Bikes really do end up in the water. Waternet, the city’s water company, takes 12,000 to 15,000 bikes out of the canals every year.
Don’t swim in the canals. The city’s tourism site warns never to dive into a canal, and lists official swimming spots instead.
Dinner and Light Festival cruises
For a meal on the water or the winter art route, book a cruise built for it.
Dinner cruises start at €35 for pizza with unlimited drinks. Private boats cost far more.
The Amsterdam Light Festival runs from November 26, 2026, to January 17, 2027. Its cruises take about 75 minutes and leave every 30 minutes from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Tips for Amsterdam canal cruises
Be there 15 minutes early
The one-hour cruise asks for it. In peak season, boarding can stretch the trip to 90 minutes.
Check your pier
Most companies have several piers. Pick yours when you book, and check it on your ticket.
Bring ID on drinks cruises
You must be 18 to drink alcohol. The booze cruise asks you to bring a passport or ID card.
Mind the step
The saloon boat needs a big step to board. The crew will help you.
Rain is fine
Covered boats run rain or shine. The panorama roof closes in rain.
Expect small delays
Busy canals can make boats late in peak season, say the drinks and one-hour cruise listings.
Amsterdam canal cruises: questions and answers
What is the best canal cruise in Amsterdam?
How much is a canal cruise in Amsterdam?
Do I need to book a canal cruise in advance?
Is an Amsterdam canal cruise a hop-on hop-off boat?
Are Amsterdam canal cruises wheelchair accessible?
Why does Amsterdam have so many canals?
Can you swim in the Amsterdam canals?
How many bikes end up in the Amsterdam canals?
More Amsterdam canal cruises, live
More options with live prices and availability, straight from GetYourGuide.
See every tour with today's prices and open dates on GetYourGuide.
Browse all on GetYourGuideSources (11)
- I amsterdam: City Card FAQ
- I amsterdam: bridges of Amsterdam
- I amsterdam: outdoor swimming spots
- UNESCO: Canal Ring Area of Amsterdam
- Waternet: bikes and boats from the water
- Stromma: canal tours
- Stromma: hop-on hop-off boat
- Blue Boat Company
- Amsterdam Light Festival: dates and hours
- Amsterdam Light Festival: cruise FAQ
- KNMI: climate table for Schiphol