Canal Cruise in Amsterdam
While visiting Amsterdam, everyone will tell you that one of the things you “must do” is take a canal cruise. There are so many companies and boats to choose from and you can book in advance or you can walk up to some of them and book. Read on to find out about our experience, who we booked with, what all we saw from the cruise, and our overall feeling about the experience.
Booking our Cruise
Screenshot of my confirmation from Viator's app.
About a month in advance of our visit I decided to go ahead a book a few tours and excursions in advance. I have always had good luck with the company Viator, so I started by looking on their app. I knew I wanted to do a canal cruise and there are many offered on the site. You can do sunset, dinner, wine & cheese, private, and more. We decided to go with a listing that was for a classic saloon boat and that served cheese and wine.
The tour lasts about an hour.
There can be up to 46 people per group.
Free cancelation within 24 hours.
Reserve now and pay later option.
You can choose start times from 10:30a-8:15p and from two different starting locations. You can also choose with or without cheese and wine (there is about a $20 price difference).
5 star rating out of over 29,000 reviews.
Enjoy two types of Dutch Gouda cheese and mustard and unlimited beverages. They had red wine, white wine, rose, beer, water, and soft drinks to offer.
There was a skipper driving and two English speaking guides who served drinks and shared information about the city, history, canals, and landmarks.
Covered classic wooden saloon boat.
Not wheelchair accessible.
Service animals allowed.
Minimum drinking age is 18.
No toilet on board.
Can be cooler on the water so suggest you bring a jacket. I would also suggest sunglasses if going during the day.
Free for children under 3.
The Cruise
At the dock before we board the boat.
Our tour was scheduled for 5:30pm but we were in the area early and arrived at around 4:30. We checked in with the guides and they actually allowed us to join the 4:30 group. Our starting point was on the backside of the Ann Frank House so it was super easy to find.
The boat.
At first, we approached some boats right in front of the Ann Frank house because there were several boats and docks all in a row, and a ton of activity. They looked at our tickets and kindly directed us around the corner. There were guides standing at a dock in orange shirts that we approached and all we did was show them our tickets. I had them saved in my Apple Wallet and I had a printed copy. We were actually relieved that we were in these boats because the original ones we had approached were uncovered and completely packed full of people!
We are settled on the boat and waiting to get started.
Once we showed our tickets, one of the guides helped us down the step and onto the boat. They then provided us each with a wristband so that they knew we could have the alcohol. They asked us to choose a seat and then brought us our cheese board. We got so lucky because there was only a group of 4 at the end, a couple across from us, and two other familys of 2 people towards the front. The other boats we saw were all completely full of people.
The cheese and mustard that was provided. One couple finished theirs and the guides offered them an additional board.
Once we were settled, the guides came around and asked what we would like to drink. They offered red wine, white wine, rose, beer, water, or soft drinks. I started with white wine and Matt decided to have a beer. Both were nice and cold and served in plastic cups. The beer was the typical Heineken and the wine was an inexpensive house wine that was not super tasty. The cheese was a young cheese and I have never had cheese with mustard but I gave it a try and I’m not sure it improved the cheese but it gave some flavor. I would say if you are choosing this tour, don’t choose it for the wine and cheese or you will be disappointed.
Boat selfie.
Once everyone had a beverage, we were finally ready to begin our journey. The boat was comfortable with cushioned seats and a nice breeze from the partially opened top. I will say that all the wood paneling made it difficult to get a really clear view of the sites that we were passing, and it made it challenging to try to take photos of what we were passing. Below is a quick video of the journey so you can see what I mean. I must say that while the other boats we saw had completely open tops, they made it easier to see and take photos, but they also exposed you to all the elements and they were all completely packed.
Below are some more photos I took from the boat as we were riding along.
Something else you should be aware of is that in order to rent a boat on the canal, all that it requires is for you to be 12 years old or older, and sober. That being said, the canals can be quite busy and there can be all kinds of drivers out in the water. During our ride we did get into a really minor accident when a tourist bumped into our boat with their boat. Besides a few choice words from our skipper and some hand gestures, nothing happened, and I am sure it happens all the time.
Some Of The Sites
My snapshot of the Seven Bridges of Reguliersgracht from the boat.
If you are looking for a really structured site seeing guided tour, this is not the tour for you. That is what I was hoping for and expecting especially since the booking site listed all these places that we were going to pass by (I thought the guides would point them all out). Instead, it was a much more relaxed environment more focused on drinking and enjoying the ride. Don’t get me wrong, the guides were extremely knowledgeable about the city, history, and the sites, and they answered any question that anyone asked them, it just was not set up as a “and on your left you will see” kind of situation. They mostly talked about the canals (the history and which ones we were currently on), houseboats (because someone asked), the history of the city, and a few sites here and there.
From the booking website:
Flagship Amsterdam (Pass By) The itinerary is a little different for each departure location. Each itinerary has its own charm! Please contact our support team for more information on this.
Anne Frank House (Pass By) Nestled within the historic confines of the Prinsengracht, this iconic house served as the refuge for Anne Frank and her family during the tumultuous years of World War II.
Westerkerk (Pass By) The Westerkerk (English: Western Church) is a Reformed church within the Dutch Protestant church in central Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Koninklijk Theater Carre (Pass By) The Royal Theatre Carré (Dutch: Koninklijk Theater Carré) is a Neo-Renaissance theatre in Amsterdam, located near the river Amstel. When the theatre was founded in 1887, it was originally meant as a permanent circus building.
Rijksmuseum (Pass By) The Rijksmuseum was founded in The Hague in 1800 and moved to Amsterdam in 1808, where it was first located in the Royal Palace and later in the Trippenhuis.
The Amstel (Pass By) The Amstel is the biggest canal of all, and Amsterdam was founded from this canal which was originally a river. Fisherman builds a "dam" and called is Amsterdam.
Seven Bridges View Point (Pass By) Since most canals in Amsterdam make a curve, seeing through so many bridges at once is very rare!
The Jordaan (Pass By) The most common theory on the origin of the name is as a derivation of the French word Jardin, meaning garden: most streets and canals in the Jordaan are named after trees and flowers.
Herengracht (Pass By) The three main canals (Herengracht, Prinsengracht, and Keizersgracht), dug in the 17th century during the Dutch Golden Age, form concentric belts around the city, known as the Grachtengordel.
Prinsengracht (Pass By) Our boats will cruise the Prinsengracht.
Munt Tower (Munttoren) (Pass By) The Munttoren (mint tower) was once part of the Regulierspoort which consisted of a gate with a tower on each side. It was built between 1480 and 1487 as part of the medieval city wall.
Dutch National Opera & Ballet (Pass By) Dutch National Opera (DNO; formerly De Nederlandse Opera, now De Nationale Opera in Dutch) is a Dutch opera company based in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Magere Brug (Pass By) One of Amsterdam’s many bridges is the beautiful Magere Brug, known to English speakers at the Skinny Bridge. This wooden drawbridge was once so narrow that it was hard for two pedestrians to pass each other.
One of the things they did point out before we got to it (much appreciated that they told us in advance) was the Seven Bridges of Reguliersgracht. There is a very rare spot in the city where 7 bridges line up. It is highly photographed, and we passed right alongside it. See a quick video below.
Another site that was pointed out to us was the “Skinny Bridge” or the Magere Brug. As we were approaching it, the guides shared with us that the locals regard the bridge as the most romantic bridge in all of Amsterdam and that it is a common site for proposals. There is a legend that a kiss between lovers while on the bridge or passing under the bridge will ensure that they will be in love forever. One of the guides had done a private boat cruise the week before where a couple was getting married and said “I do” just as they went under and shared their wedding kiss. So sweet!
The Skinny Bridge.
Approaching the Skinny Bridge
All in all, we did enjoy this cruise, it just was not exactly what we expected it to be. If you are looking for a nice relaxing boat ride with some cheap wine and cheese, go for it. If you are looking for a really detailed tour with amazing photo ops and a way to see the city, maybe keep searching.
Have you ever been on a Canal Cruise in Amsterdam before? Which company did you use? Did you like it? Tell us all about it in the comments.
