Amsterdam Canal Cruises

Went on the light tour with my girlfriend a few friends. Was a really lovely boat ride, and definitely worth the money. Some very pretty canal spots and light displays. Enhanced by a trip to the coffee shop before hand.

Daaaaaamn, that guide really did not like my comments. And by the way, let me get one thing straight — I was not even being a jerk. I was actually just giving my cousin who was visiting extra information.
While the guide was being a good basic boat driver with some standard Amsterdam information, he was really not an immaculate guide. When I added something to what he was saying, he was definitely not thrilled. I meant no disrespect, yet I was getting attitude. But, all right, I get it, don’t meddle in the man’s business.
Later, however, I had a question about a building, and instead of an answer, I got a snippy «Pff, I don’t know». I mean, I am not saying you need to know everything, but it is the delivery that makes for a good customer experience.
What I liked: You can get onto a small boat, 9 people max, and enjoy a more intimate cruise. I think this is definitely better, especially on a sunny day, than squeezing in a big 50 person boat. Also nice — if you want to bring something of your own to munch and sip on, that’s cool.
What I did not like: The guide was not really good at being a guide, and was not really pleasant.

It was really nice to see the city from below. The infraestructure of the boat is quite big and nice, with audio guides in many languages although I found the information provided very poor. I bought my ticket in the hostel for 11 € and if the sky is clear it is a fine idea for seightseeing and take pictures.

Visit Date: March 17, 2015
The canal cruise is an awesome way to tour Amsterdam. We didn’t even know we were doing it until we got to Amsterdam and our mom’s friend told us she bought us tickets for the cruise tour.
It was cold when we visited but the boat had a glass top and was heated so it was a pretty comfortable way to be on the water.
Amsterdam has a lot of canals so to get around while touring it’s best to take the trolley, boat tour, or get on a bike if you’re in a car you might not get that far.

Really enjoyed riding the canal for a light show they had during the time I was there. For 19 euros, we were able to take a 75 minute canal ride and view all the different lights they had on, along with some history.
The captain was nice, but his voice was really monotone, so it was easy to tune him out. We were around a bunch of obnoxious people that brought beer with them, even though it clearly said no drinks or food, which we quickly finished at a nearby table.
Overall, a great experience, and would recommend if you are visiting Amsterdam!

Mixed feelings on the cruise. While it was lovely to cruise along the canals and see the sites from a boat, the staff was less than friendly. My husband and I were really hoping to listen to the audio tour that accompanied our tickets, but it wasn’t working. When we (and several other passengers) tried to ask about it, he just shrugged his shoulders and didn’t even apologize, actively ignoring the passengers. It was nice that the boats had huge windows and an open back, but I wish the staff had been a bit nicer.

My first time in The Netherlands, and Amsterdam for that matter. Traveling alone I wanted to get the most out of my trip and I realized that its ok to be touristy! You can hop on a canal boat almost anywhere because the city is built pretty much on the water, but the boathouse where I bought my ticket offered a deal that if you include a ticket to the Heineken Brewery tour it would save you some Euros — (38) total price.
Great because you beat the traffic rather than doing a bus tour, or a bike tour (there are over 500,000 bikes in Amsterdam at anytime, this makes for brutal traffic congestion). And the spoken tour is recorded in 3 or 4 different languages so it doesn’t leave anyone out
The whole route lasts about 45 min — 1 hour depending on how many people get on and off each spot BUT the only issue is I had to wait for about 3 boats to pass to get on one because they fill up quick and seating is not guaranteed. That was about 30 minutes extra waiting. But once you’re on its great!

This was one of the better ways to travel to Amsterdam sites. We were able to stop at one of the many stops and soak in the culture. This is highly recommended over the bus routes since there is no traffic to contend with whilst traveling the canals.

If you do the Heineken Experience, they will give you a boat cruise to their store!
Good way to see the city! Would be good if you have a short time but want to do something fun.

You gain a whole new perspective when you take a canal tour as opposed to walking around Amsterdam. Things look different from the water and you notice many places that you never saw when walking by. I took the longer tour (about an hour to do the loop) and it was very informative. We went by the old harbor, old neighborhoods, a windmill and market areas. Be aware that the boat stops at each location and you can exit and others can enter. It can get quite crowded so if you get on at a later stop then you might not find a good seat. There are plenty of photograph opportunities; we took some great shots of the windmill. If you buy an all day pass, you can hop on and off at various stops and visit several tourist areas. We got off at a market and had a great time. The price is reasonable, especially if you use it multiple times, and safety is never a concern. I definitely recommend taking a canal tour!

This was part of our tour package, so I can’t weigh in on the value. It wasn’t the best canal cruise but I enjoyed it and would recommend it unless you have a packed itinerary with more exciting things to do.

Kinda pricey, but another to-​do list item. It does offer a different perspective than just walking or biking along the streets of Amsterdam.