Amsterdam Light Festival: Heated Boat Cruise + Hot Drinks & Bite

Badge of Excellence

Amsterdam, Netherlands

1 hour 15 minutes (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Explore our promoted experiences

Special Offer

Amsterdam Canal Cruise with Open Bar - Red Light District

Amsterdam, Netherlands

4.7

(28)

Amsterdam Canal Cruise with Open Bar - Red Light District

from

$29

$36

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam Canal Cruise with Open Bar Central Station

from $36

Special Offer

Amsterdam Open Boat Canal Cruise with Live Guide

Amsterdam, Netherlands

4.0

(39)

Amsterdam Open Boat Canal Cruise with Live Guide

from

$22

$25

Viator earns higher commissions on experiences featured here

Overview

In winter, Amsterdam’s canals host the Amsterdam Light Festival, with surprising, luminous artworks concealed in unexpected places. See more than 20 pieces from the water in the comfort of a covered saloon boat with an expert guide who provides insights into the landmarks. Pay as you go for drinks and snacks or upgrade to a free-flow package to help you beat the cold.

Sail the canals of Amsterdam during the magic of Amsterdam Light Festival
Tailor-made route showcases the city and the artworks alike
Choose from several after-dark departures to fit your schedule
Upgrade for free-flowing beer, wine, mulled wine, sodas, and snacks

What's Included

75-min Canal Cruise during the 14th edition of the Amsterdam Light Festival
Experienced local skipper and live guide
Small bite or stroopwafel (if option chosen)
Unlimited glühwein, hot chocolate, beer, wine, soft drinks (if option chosen)

Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting points

Select a meeting point

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Amsterdam Light Festival

1 hour 15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation
Infants must sit on laps

Most travelers can participate
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
We advise you to wear weather-appropriate clothing, since it can be chilly on the water.
Please do not arrive earlier than 10 minutes before boarding time. Early boarding is not possible and will lead to longer queues and unnecessary congestion on the quay.
Please note that we are not responsible for delays caused by the official festival route, demonstrations, or other unforeseen events.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 45 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Lisa_B

We were a little worried at first that it would be a tourist trap and when we saw the line of people, but we had a great time!! The guide was outstanding!!! Funny and also with some history - very amusing, friendly and we all had a fun trip.

Reviews

4.6

based on 208 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Absolutely sucks save your money.

Heather_L, Dec 2025

Boat was over packed. Couldn’t see anything (which was the point of the cruise). The seats were wet which then I had wet pants the rest of the night. Couldn’t hear the captain of the boat for the history about the buildings around. It was my mother birthday 12/31 and I thought this would be nice for her…..complete waste of money and would NEVER do it again. We did the drink and eat package which was crackers and pretzels. There was plenty of alcohol/drinks, that is the only reason I’m giving it 2 stars. Absolutely sucked.

Don’t bother

Katherine_H, Dec 2024

Poor joining instructions/directions, chaos on the quayside. You’re crammed into massively overheated boats and because they’re covered you can’t see much. Nearly passed out from the heat and overcrowding. Don’t bother.

Response from Host, Jan 2025

Dear Katherine, Thank you for sharing your feedback with us. We are very sorry to hear that your recent experience did not meet your expectations. We sincerely apologize for the complications you faced even before boarding. Clear instructions to get to the meeting point are crucial and we understand how chaos on the quay can already detract from the experience. Additionally, we regret that your boat was overcrowded and overheated, impacting your ability to fully take in the sights and leaving you feeling unwell. Please know that this is far from the service we aim to provide. We thank you for bringing these matters to our attention, as your comments will help us improve our services so this kind of situation does not repeat itself. If there is anything else you wish to discuss or bring to our attention, please feel free to reach out to us directly. Once again, we are truly sorry for the frustration we have caused you. We hope to have the chance to welcome you on board with us under improved circumstances. Warm regards, Jessie Front Office Management

Very unfriendly staff

Linda_P, Dec 2024

While the actual canal cruise was good we had paid for unlimited drinks and snacks. Upon boarding we were told there was mulled wine, wine beer or soda. I only like mulled wine not any other wine and no beer. When asked what we would like the majority said mulled wine to be then told they were having problems heating it up and it would be available soon. This never happened and when I mentioned to one of the staff I wasn’t very happy was ignored for the rest of the night. The unlimited snacks were a tub of crackers. Not great and definitely not customer friendly. If I went again would use another company as Amsterdam on a canal cruise is lovely.

Response from Host, Jan 2025

Dear Linda, Thank you for your review. We are very sorry to hear about your recent experience with us. While we are glad you enjoyed the canal cruise itself, we regret to hear that it did not meet your expectations. We understand that providing our guests with an excellent experience starts with friendly and approachable staff, and we apologize that this was not the case for you. Please rest assured, this is not the service we aim to provide, and will address this internally to ensure it does not happen again. Your comments are invaluable to us, thank you again for taking the time to share them. If there is anything else you wish to discuss or bring to our attention, please feel free to reach out to us directly. Once again, we are truly sorry for the frustration we have caused you. We hope to have the chance to provide you with a better experience in the future. Warm regards, Jessie Front Office Management

Fun cruise

Lisa_B, Dec 2024

Enchanting Evening

Stephanie_Y, Jul 2024

The All-Inclusive Amsterdam Light Festival Cruise offers excellent service, a selection of beer and wine, and a fun atmosphere. It’s a delightful way to experience stunning light art installations along the historic canals. Highly recommended for an enjoyable and unique evening.

Pay more, go for a better experience

Rahul_R, Dec 2023

The experience was alright. It was short. It was over crowded. I wish they did a better job cleaning the windows. There was a lot of condensation and we had the clean the windows ourselves to see what was happening. The staff was friendly and were attentive to keep pouring us wine while explaining some of the light festival attaractions.

Response from Host, Dec 2023

Dear Rahul, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We appreciate your honest review and are pleased to hear that you found our staff friendly and attentive during your visit to the light festival. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the overcrowded conditions and the cleanliness of the windows. We understand the importance of providing a comfortable and enjoyable experience for our guests, and we take your feedback seriously. To further address your concerns and ensure a better experience for you and our future guests, we kindly ask you to share more details with us via email at info@booot.nl. This will allow us to investigate the issues you raised and take appropriate measures to enhance our services. We value your input and hope to have the opportunity to make improvements based on your feedback. We look forward to hearing from you soon. Best regards, Jessie

Do this tour!

Sean_G, Dec 2023

The guide gave a great tour! Seeing the river art was magical and the non stop gluhwein was very welcomed!

Better call it Philippa and Andre festival

S_A, Dec 2023

The boat was basic and cosy but Philippa and Andre made it beautiful. The cheerful atmosphere and the drinks kept coming… the light festival itself is a disappointment… thanks to Andre and Philippa for making everything happy and memorable… definitely recommend them…

First Festival of Lights 2023

Cari_A, Dec 2023

It was the 1st night of 2023 Lights Festival and the crew was great. I went on the last cruise of the night & a few minutes late getting lost on my walk to the boat, but they waited which was awesome! There were blankets and plenty of Gluwein to keep you warm.

Great, but needed clearer directions.

Jordan_W, Dec 2023

The tour itself was great. Finding the boat dock, however, was a challenge. The address was on the booking. My iPhone took us to one location. A local at that location was confused and said there was no way it was correct and directed us closer to the docks by the main train station…which was incorrect. Then a friend put the address into his Samsung, which took us to the docks to the east of the Nemo Museum… also incorrect. At that point, I was finally able to get ahold of the tour company who told us it was in front of the DoubleTree Hotel, which the booking should have said in the first place. Thankfully we then made the boat just in time.

Likely to Sell Out