This post covers the most popular cruises and tours available in the Amsterdam canals, including details about the different types of cruises, ticket prices, and how to save money on this activity.
We also provide a free, 20-minute virtual canal cruise video.
Disclosure: While our recommendations are always unbiased, we may receive a small share of sales through some of the links below at no cost to you. See the full text.
TYPES OF CRUISES
There are currently several different types of this service offered in Amsterdam: guided canal cruises, hop-on-hop-off cruises, and dinner and evening cruises.
Guided Canal Cruise
These outings are typically 1 - 1½ hours in length, and they cover a lot of the Amsterdam canals.
A live tour guide or audio guide will provide details about the history of the city as you pass by notable sites and landmarks.
The main difference between this and a hop-on hop-off cruise is that you won’t be hopping off. A guided canal cruise typically won’t make frequent stops.
Hop on Hop off Cruise
Much like the guided canal cruises, these excursions will take you about 1 - 1 ½ hours to complete – but you’ll have the opportunity to jump off at several locations and take a closer look at historic landmarks.
These trips typically also include audio commentary in several different languages, making it easy to learn about the city as you go along.
Tickets last for 1 or 2 days depending on which service you select.
Dinner Cruise
While the other cruise options are more about exploring the city and learning about the history of Amsterdam, these excursions are focused on sightseeing while enjoying a nice meal.
Dinner cruises typically include a 3- or 4-course meal, drinks, and commentary about the city and everything you’ll see along the way.
This type of cruise typically lasts for between 2-3 hours on average.
Evening Cruise
This is an excellent option if you’re not interested in a meal, as it allows you to see the city after dark while drifting down the canals of Amsterdam.
Evening cruises are essentially the same service as a guided canal cruise, but they’re offered at night.
These outings typically last 1 - 1 ½ hours and include an audio guide.
Amsterdam Light Festival Cruise
Every winter, the Amsterdam Light Festival is held and there is usually a wide variety of lighting displays to see along the canals.
This is a special time of year for an evening cruise, and most companies offer services exclusive to the festival.
If you're interested in this type of service, consider getting the Amsterdam Winter Card to save money on an evening cruise during the months of November - January.
GUIDED CANAL CRUISES
The following section will provide information about the top guided cruises through the Amsterdam canals, including details about ticket prices, availability, and tour length.
NOTE: Each of these cruises is available at a discount through either a combo package or a tourist pass.
Stromma NL
If you’re looking for a slightly shorter outing, this company offers a 70-minute outing which still manages to cover over 100 highlights in Amsterdam.
While their competitors only offer commentary in a few different languages, Stromma NL provides an audio guide for almost every audience imaginable with the following language options:
Spanish, Thai, Turkish, Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Arabic, Polish, Portuguese, and Russian.
- €19.50/Adults | €12.50/Children
- Availability: Daily from 9 am - 6 pm
- Duration: 1 - 1 ½ hours
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
Lovers Canal Cruises
Similar to their competitors, this company also has a 1-hour cruise that covers a lot of historic landmarks in Amsterdam including the Skinny Bridge, the Anne Frank House, Museum Square, and more.
Just like Stromma NL, Lovers offers audio commentary in dozens of different languages to make things easier for visitors from around the world.
The audio guide is GPS-activated, providing commentary based on where you are on the cruise.
Language options include Spanish, Thai, Turkish, Catalan, Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Arabic, Polish, Portuguese and Russian.
- €20/Adults | €10/Children
- Availability: Daily from 9 am - 10 pm
- Duration: 1 hour
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
Blue Boat Company
At about 75 minutes in length, this canal cruise falls squarely in line with most of the others offered in Amsterdam, covering sites like the Skinny Bridge, Golden Bend, the Music Building, and more.
The main difference between this service and others is that their audio guide isn’t offered in as many languages as some competitors.
As with Circle Line, this company offers a live host who provides commentary in Dutch, English and Danish. The pre-recorded audio guide is offered in Spanish, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Russian.
- €23 per person
- Availability: Daily from 10 am - 6 pm
- Duration: 1 - 1 ½ hours
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
Circle Line
This is one of the most popular cruise lines in the world, and they offer a pretty good service in Amsterdam as well.
Not only do they cover a lot of notable sites, but they also provide amenities to keep you comfortable.
During the winter, their seats are heated to keep you warm. However, during the summer they open the boat to help you keep cool!
Sites visited include the Anne Frank House, the Floating Flower Market, the Red Light District, Prince’s Canal, Golden Bend, and more.
As you travel through the city, a tour guide will provide commentary in both Dutch and English.
Alternatively, you can also use their audio guide which is available in Dutch, English, French, German, Italian and Spanish.
- €12/Adults | €6/Children
- Availability: Daily from 11 am - 6 pm
- Duration: 1 ½ hours
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
- Currently unavailable as of January 2023.
Classic Canal Cruise
If you’re looking for a more traditional cruise, this outing takes place on a classic salon boat.
Your captain will guide you through the city and you’ll receive free coffee or tea while on board.
In addition to being one of the longer guided cruises in Amsterdam, this is also the only tour that does not rely primarily on pre-recorded audio commentary.
Instead, it provides a live guide who will cover everything.
- €29.50/Adults | €19.50/Children
- Availability: Daily
- Hours: 11:30 am, 1:30 pm, 3:30 pm
- Duration: 1 ½ hours
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
- Not currently available as of January 2023.
HOP-ON-HOP-OFF CRUISES
This section covers each of the hop-on-hop-off cruise options in Amsterdam, including information about ticket prices, locations visited, availability, and tour length.
For a more in-depth look at these types of cruises, take a look at our hop-on-hop-off tours post.
TIP: Some of these cruises are available through either combo packages or tourist passes.
Circle Line
In addition to their guided canal cruises, this company also offers a hop on hop off cruise option.
There are a few notable differences between these services that you should consider.
The first big difference is that you can jump off at several docks and take a look around at your own leisure.
Once you’re finished, you can get back on the boat and continue your tour.
Tickets are valid for a full day, so even though the cruise itself is only 1 ½ hours, you’ll have 7-8 hours to explore the city at any pace you wish.
It’s also important to note that while their guided cruise includes commentary from a live guide, this outing only provides an audio guide which is available in English, Spanish, Dutch, French, German, and Italian.
- €15/Adults | €7.50/Children
- Availability: Daily from 11 am - 6:30 pm
- Duration: 1 ½ hours
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
- Not currently available as of January 2023.
Stromma NL
Much like their competitors, this company also offers a service that allows you to jump off at several notable locations and explore the area.
When you’re done looking around, hop back on and continue the cruise!
Although the cruise only takes about an hour to complete, Stromma NL offers tickets for either 1 or 2 days, allowing you to really take as much time as you want to explore the city while taking the tour.
As with their guided cruise, this outing also includes an audio guide in English, Spanish, Dutch, French, German, Thai, Turkish, Chinese, Hebrew, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Arabic, Polish, Russian, Portuguese, and Korean.
- 1 Day Ticket: €24.50/Adults | €12.50/Children
- 2 Day Ticket: €29.50/Adults | €14.75/Children
- Availability: Daily from 9 am - 6 pm
- Duration: 1 - 1 ½ hours
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
- Not currently available as of January 2023.
City Sightseeing
This company is very well known for its bus tours, but they also offer hop-on-hop-off canal cruises in Amsterdam.
As with their competition, this outing will take a total of 60-90 minutes to complete, but tickets are valid for 1 full day.
Unfortunately, they do not offer a 2-day ticket option.
City Sightseeing provides a GPS enabled audio guide which is available in 18 different languages including the following:
English, Dutch, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Catalan, Turkish, Polish, Indonesian, Thai, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Hebrew and Arabic.
- €22/Adults | €11/Children
- Availability: Daily from 9:30 am - 6 pm
- Duration: 1 - 1 ½ hours
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
- Not Currently Available as of January 2023.
DINNER CRUISES
The following section will cover dinner cruises you can take in Amsterdam, including details about the types of meals offered, ticket prices, and any other activities or attractions you can expect.
NOTE: A few of these cruises are available through either tourist passes or combo packages, allowing you to save a few euros on admission.
Lovers Canal Cruises
In addition to their guided canal cruise options, this company also offers three different dining cruises in Amsterdam.
Each cruise provides a different experience that lasts for 1 ½ - 2 hours on average.
Their main dinner cruise is designed as a more luxurious experience complete with fine dining and a 3-course meal.
As you sip on wine and other drinks, you’ll drift past several notable sites in Amsterdam.
Not interested in a full meal? This company also offers a romantic Candlelight Cruise with unlimited drinks and a selection of Dutch cheese.
If you’re looking for a more family-friendly experience, you might want to consider either their pizza or burger cruise – each of which includes unlimited drinks and a free brownie, as well as a live guide!
- €79 per person
- Availability: Nightly at 7:30 pm
- Duration: 2 hours
- Includes Meat, Fish, Vegetarian & Kids menu.
Candlelight Cruise w/ Unlimited Drinks
- €42.50/Adults | €25/Children
- Availability: Nightly at 9 pm
- Duration: 2 hours
- Includes unlimited wine, beer, soft drinks, etc.
- Includes a selection of Dutch cheeses and charcuterie.
- Not currently available as of January 2023.
Pizza Cruise w/ Unlimited Drinks
- €43 per person
- Availability: Nightly at 6:30 pm, 9 pm
- Duration: 1 ½ hours
- Includes Meat, Fish, Vegetarian & Margarita menu.
Burger Cruise w/ Unlimited Drinks
- €42.50/Adults | €28.50/Children
- Availability: Nightly at 6:30 pm, 9 pm
- Duration: 1 ½ hours
- Includes Beef or Vegetarian option.
- Not currently available as of January 2023.
Stromma NL
Like its competitors, this company also provides dinner cruises for both young and old.
What sets these services apart is that their main cruise is a bit longer at 2 ½ hours in duration and you get to watch the chefs cook your dinner!
If you’re looking for a service the kids will love, their pizza cruise is sure to be a hit.
As with Lovers Canal Cruises, this outing includes unlimited drinks. The main difference is they provide free Ben & Jerry’s ice cream instead of a brownie.
In addition to these options, there are also dining cruises for guests who don’t want a full meal.
Stromma’s cocktail cruise includes 2 free cocktails and nachos, while their Dutch cheese & wine outing provides a selection of cheeses, wine, bread, olives, and nuts.
NOTE: Stromma NL is currently only offering their Evening Pizza Cruise as of January 2023. We're sure this will change in the future and they will begin offering more services at some point in 2023.
4-Course Live Cooking Dinner Cruise
- €95/Adults | €47.50/Children
- Availability: Thur - Sun at 7:30 pm
- Duration: 2 ½ hours
- Includes chefs preparing your meal live.
- Not currently available as of January 2023.
- €44.50/Adults | €22.25/Children
- Availability: Nightly at 6 pm
- Duration: 1 ½ hours
- Includes pizza of your choice.
Evening Cocktail Cruise
- €42.50 per person
- Availability: Thur - Sun at 8:30 pm
- Duration: 1 ½ hours
- Includes drinks, nachos, crostinis w/ tapenade and aioli.
- Not currently available as of January 2023.
Dutch Cheese & Wine Cruise
- €42.50 per person
- Availability: Thur - Sun at 8:30 pm
- Duration: 1 ½ hours
- Includes wine, cheese, bread, olives, and nuts
- Not currently available as of January 2023.
EVENING CRUISES
This section will cover cruises available after dark in Amsterdam, including information about the duration of each trip, when it starts, and what you can expect to see on these outings.
Lovers Canal Cruises
While this company offers several dinner cruises that take place during the evening, they also understand that not every customer is going to be interested in eating or drinking anything while on an evening outing.
As such, Lovers provides an evening cruise that lasts for approximately 1 hour and includes commentary about Amsterdam.
This is similar to their daytime cruises, but it is offered after dark.
The main reason to take this tour is to experience the city after the sun goes down and the lights turn on, seeing all the historic sites and landmarks from a different perspective.
- €20/Adults | €10/Children
- Availability: Nightly from 5 pm - 9 pm
- Duration: 1 hour
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
Blue Boat Company
If you’re looking for a slightly longer cruise after the sun goes down, this company offers a 1 ½ hour trip which actually includes bar service for those who also want a drink.
As with their competitors, you can also enjoy pre-recorded audio commentary about the city as you drift along the well-lit canals and experience Amsterdam at night!
- €25 per person
- Availability: Nightly at 7 pm, 8 pm, and 9 pm
- Duration: 1 ½ hours
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
DISCOUNTS AND DEALS
In this section, we’ll provide details about all the different ways you can save money on Amsterdam cruises, including tourist passes, combo packages, and more.
Tourist Passes
If you’re planning to do more than go on a cruise while visiting Amsterdam, a tourist pass could save you a lot of money on various attractions, museums, tours, and other activities.
Several tourist passes include Amsterdam cruises, including the following:
- Blue Boat Company Guided Cruise | Free
- Lovers Canal Cruises Guided Cruise | Free
- Stromma NL Guided Cruise | Free
- Stromma NL Hop on Hop off Cruise | Free
- Stromma NL 100 Highlights Cruise | Free
- Lovers Canal Cruise | Free
In addition to these services, you can also use these passes for activities like these:
- Rijksmuseum | €20
- Amsterdam Dungeon | €24
- Heineken Experience | €21
- Madame Tussauds | €24.50
- Nemo Science Museum | €17.50
- Stedelijk Museum | €18.50
- Van Gogh Museum | €19
- Diamond Museum | €10
- Ripley’s Believe it or Not! | €21.50
- Rembrandt House Museum | €14
- And more!
Depending on which pass you choose and how you use it, you could save anywhere from 20% - 50% off general admission prices.
For more details, please read our post covering Amsterdam tourist passes.
Combo Packages
There are a lot of combo deals (over 30!) available which include an Amsterdam canal cruise and one additional activity or attraction, allowing you to save at least a few euros on each service.
NOTE: Many of these combo packages are unavailable as of January 2023, but they might return in 2023!
Lovers Canal Cruise + Van Gogh Museum
- €34.00/Adults
- €7.50/Children
Lovers Canal Cruise + Rijksmuseum
- €32.75/Adults
- €7.50/Children
Lovers Canal Cruise + Ripley’s Believe it or Not!
- €33.85/Adults
- €20.30/Children
Lovers Canal Cruise + Body Worlds
- €33.85/Adults
- €20.30/Children
Lovers Canal Cruise + Xtracold Icebar
- €38 per person
Lovers Canal Cruise + Nemo Science Museum
- €31.65/Adults
- €27.65/Children
- Not currently available
Lovers Canal Cruise + Red Light Secrets Museum
- €24.75 per person
Lovers Canal Cruise + Moco Museum
- €26.40 per person
Lovers Canal Cruise + Heineken Experience
- €41.15 per person
Lovers Canal Cruise + Stedelijk Museum
- €30.30/Adults
- €8/Children
- Not currently available
Lovers Canal Cruise + Anne Frank House
- €29.50/Adults
- €20/Children
- Not currently available
Lovers Canal Cruise + Johan Cruijff Arena Tour
- €27.50/Adults
- €18.00/Children
- Not currently available
Lovers Canal Cruise + Bus Tour
- €40/Adults
- €20/Children
- Not currently available
Blue Boat Cruise + Rijksmuseum
- €35/Adults
- €12.50/Children
Blue Boat Cruise + Jewish Cultural Quarter
- €32 per person
Blue Boat Cruise + Van Gogh Museum
- €39.50/Adults
- €15.00/Youth
- €10.00/Children
- Not currently available
Blue Boat Cruise + Amsterdam Dungeon
- €37.80/Adults
- €20/Children
- Not currently available
Blue Boat Cruise + Heineken Experience
- €35.00 per person
Blue Boat Cruise + Moco Museum
- €39.50/Adults
- €15.00/Youth
- €10.00/Children
Blue Boat Cruise + Madame Tussauds
- €37.80/Adults
- €20/Children
- Not currently available
Blue Boat Cruise + Maritime Museum
- €36.50/Adults
- €18.50/Children
Blue Boat Cruise + This Is Holland
- €28/Adults
- €16/Children
- Not currently available
Blue Boat Cruise + House of Bols
- €28.68 per person
- Not currently available
Stromma NL Cruise + Keukenhof Gardens
- €49/Adults
- €37/Children
- Not currently available
Stromma NL Cruise + Rijksmuseum
- €35.50/Adults
- €9.25/Children
- Not currently available
Stromma NL Cruise + This Is Holland
- €25/Adults
- €15/Children
- Not currently available
Stromma NL Pizza Cruise + Heineken Experience
- €58.50 per person
- Not currently available
Stromma NL Hop on Hop off Cruise + Madame Tussauds
- €46/Adults
- €30/Children
- Not currently available
Stromma NL Hop on Hop off Cruise + This Is Holland
- €38/Adults
- €19/Children
- Not currently available
Stromma NL Hop on Hop off Cruise + Heineken Experience
- €41.50 per person
- Not currently available
Stromma NL Hop on Hop off Cruise + A’DAM Lookout
- €31/Adults
- €17.50/Children
- Not currently available
City Sightseeing Hop on Hop off Cruise + Bus Tour
- €21/Adults
- €10.50/Children
- Not currently available
City Sightseeing Hop on Hop off Cruise + Van Gogh Museum
- €38.75/Adults
- €10/Children
- Not currently available
City Sightseeing Hop on Hop off Cruise + XtraCold Icebar
- €35.50 per person
- Not currently available
Classic Canal Cruise + Walking Tour
- €58 per person
- Not currently available
Discount Sites
If all else fails, you can always find good deals on sites such as Groupon, which often provide access to Amsterdam canal cruises.
In addition to the discounts you’ll receive just for using their service, these sites typically offer extra coupon codes you can use to save another 10% - 20% – potentially even more!
Before you make a purchase, check both the top and bottom of the page for any banners which may include additional coupons.
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