Amsterdam Canal Tour by Open Boat – 90 min Small Group Experience
Recommended by 98% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Amsterdam, Netherlands
- 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Admire Amsterdam’s top attractions without having to contend with the crowds on land during a cruise of the UNESCO-listed Canal Ring (Grachtengordel). Enjoy an intimate atmosphere in a small group limited to 12 people, as you sail past city highlights such as the Red Light District, Magere Brug (Skinning Bridge), and Zuiderkerk (Southern Bridge).
- Check off Amsterdam's top sights from the water on a canal cruise
- Buy drinks onboard or bring your own refreshments
- Enjoy personalized attention in a small group limited to 12 people
- Admire sights from a distance to avoid the crowds
What's Included
- Blanket
- Life vest (upon request)
- English speaking guide
- Rain canopy on rainy days
- 90-minute canal cruise in small group
- Alcoholic BeveragesPrices are as follows: Small Beer € 3,- and a glass of Rose or White Wine € 4,-
- Soda/PopBottle of Water: € 2,50
- Bottled waterCan of Soda cost € 2,50
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Amsterdam Boat Adventures | Open boat toursNieuwe Keizersgracht 1, 1018 DS Amsterdam, Netherlands
We meet by the canal and mini pier located on Nieuwe Keizersgracht #1 . Your friendly Captain will be awaiting you at the small open boat 10-15 minutes before the boat tour starts. Please note that we do not have an office and you check in with the Captain at the boat.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
The Amstel (Pass By)
Raamgracht (Pass By)
Munt Tower (Munttoren) (Pass By)
Grimburgwal (Pass By)
South Church (Pass By)
Red Light District (Pass By)
Oude Kerk (Pass By)
Oudezijds Kolk (Pass By)
Geldersekade (Pass By)
The Waag (Pass By)
Kromboomssloot (Pass By)
Montelbaanstoren (Pass By)
Het Scheepvaartmuseum| The National Maritime Museum (Pass By)
NEMO Science Museum (Pass By)
Wertheimpark (Pass By)
Hortus Botanicus (Pass By)
Herengracht (Pass By)
Reguliersgracht (Pass By)
Prinsengracht (Pass By)
Magere Brug (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
did this tour with my mother, and although I’ve done many tours before, this one truly stood out. The skipper was extremely open, genuinely interested, and fully involved from start to finish. It was one of the best tours we’ve ever experienced — and we’re very German and very critical! We can absolutely recommend it.
Reviews
4.9
based on 938 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
A great quick canal tour! I was pregnant on this trip so we didn’t want a longer 3 hour drinking trip. Our guide was funny, informative, showed us great spots for views and brought us to so many different types of neighborhoods. I’m really glad we chose this over some of the bigger company tours.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for the wonderful review Abby! We’re so happy to hear the 90-minute cruise was the perfect fit for your trip. Glad the smaller boat, relaxed atmosphere, different neighborhoods and your guide’s fun and informative style made the experience feel so personal compared with the larger tours.
Our weather was terrible - cold and raining do dress appropriately. The boat was not well sealed so most of the seat cushions were wet. I would have liked more commentary on the places we passed.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for the nice review and taking the time to share your feedback Susan. We’re sorry the rainy weather affected your comfort on board, especially with some of the seat cushions becoming wet. We’re also sorry to hear you would have liked more commentary about the places you passed. Our aim is to combine a relaxed cruise with interesting stories and information about Amsterdam, so we appreciate your comments and will take them on board as we continue improving the experience.
Captain Atilla was great! He was knowledgeable, fun and the boat was very comfortable. Would highly recommend him.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for the fantastic review and recommendation Marcy! We’re so happy to hear you had such a great time with our Captain Attila. Glad his knowledge, fun personality and the comfort of the boat made the experience so enjoyable.
Great tour with Guss, friendly with knowledge of Amsterdam. We were met with a yank that started our trip with good conversation.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for the great review Paul! We’re so happy to hear you enjoyed the tour with our Captain Guus. Glad his friendly manner and local knowledge made the experience such an enjoyable one.
More expensive than other tours, but the small group size, modern boat and excellent guide, Joan, was worth it.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for the great review Lindsay! We’re so happy to hear the small-group size, modern boat and guiding from our Captain João made the experience feel worth it.
Captain Griffin is wonderful. He is American so shares those perspectives.
He is very knowledgeable and helpful.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for the great review Regina! We’re so happy to hear you had such a good experience with our Captain Griffin. Glad his knowledge, helpfulness and perspective made the tour interesting and enjoyable.
Joe was an amazing guide with a wealth of knowledge. We learned a lot and enjoyed the relaxing ride through the canals.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for the lovely review Tracy! We’re so happy to hear you enjoyed such a peaceful and relaxing canal ride with our Captain João. Glad his knowledge made the tour interesting and that you learned a lot along the way.
We went to the 10:30 tour and it was lovely! If you're looking for a little family owned operation, a more intimate / small group adventure, and great tour guides (Captain Julia is the best and only female guide of the group!), this is a great choice. Highly recommend.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for the wonderful review and recommendation Ashley! We’re so happy to hear you enjoyed the canal tour with our Captain Julia. Glad the small, family-owned feel and more intimate group setting made the experience such a lovely choice for you. We’re also delighted that Julia’s guiding stood out, and we truly appreciate your kind words!
Jamie was a very knowledgeable and friendly local host. The trip was really enjoyable and would highly recommend it if you’re after a small group boat trip, as opposed to the larger tourist boat trips.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for the lovely review and recommendation Nicola! We’re so happy to hear you had such an enjoyable trip with our Captain Jamie. Glad his friendly local knowledge made the cruise interesting, and that the small-group setting felt like a good alternative to the larger tourist boats.
Very relaxing and comprehensive tour of the city's waterways with a pleasant and very informative guide. The boat is equipped with sun shades for hot weather and a store of reasonably priced drinks including water, cold beer, and chilled rosé
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for the lovely review and recommendation John! We’re so happy to hear you enjoyed the relaxing and informative tour of Amsterdam’s canals. Glad the sun shades helped keep the boat comfortable in hot weather, and that the drinks on board were appreciated too.
Great tour! Julia did a great job to show us the sights. Our 11 months old enjoyed it and got to take a great nap on mom.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for the lovely review Danika! We’re so happy to hear you had such a great tour with our Captain Julia. Glad she could show you the sights and that your 11-month-old enjoyed a good nap.
Captain Eddie was an amazing tour guide. Really fun and relaxing 90-min experience seeing beautiful Amsterdam. Captain Eddie was a great and knowledgeable host, and also knew when to pause the commentary and let the magnificence of the scenery take center stage. Highly recommend!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for the fabulous review and recommendation Julia! We’re so happy to hear you had such a fun and relaxing boat tour with our Captain Eddie. Lovely his knowledge and hosting made the cruise enjoyable, while also leaving space to simply take in the beauty of Amsterdam from the water.
Captain Julia is absolutely awesome and so knowledgeable, funny and very articulate. Captain Julia made our canal cruise tour a true delight!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for the fantastic review Julie! We’re so happy to hear you had such a delightful canal cruise with our Captain Julia. Lovely that her knowledge, humour and clear storytelling made the tour so enjoyable.
We went on the Amsterdam Canal Tour by Open Boat, July 23. It was a small group. Our captain, Joe, had us introduce ourselves with a brief comment about ourselves before the tour began. When the boat started moving Joe told us how the canals came to be, and how Amsterdam got its name. He talked about interesting sites as we made our way through the canals. We all shouted out questions along the way, and Joe gladly answered them. It’s a fun informative 90 minutes. We’re glad we didn’t miss this tour!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for the fabulous review Sandra! We’re so happy to hear you had such a fun and informative boat tour with our Captain João. Lovely that the small-group setting made it easy to introduce yourselves, ask questions and enjoy the stories along the way. We’re glad João’s explanations about the canals, Amsterdam’s name and the sights helped make the cruise such a memorable part of your visit!
Captain Eddie was knowledgeable and personalized our experience on our canal tour. The views were amazing and the size of the group was perfect.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for the lovely review Ariana! We’re so happy to hear you enjoyed your canal tour with our Captain Eddie. Glad his knowledge and personal approach helped make the experience special, and that you enjoyed the beautiful views and the perfect small-group size.
This small group canal trip was excellent. A very tasteful boat with sun covers. Travelled up many canals and was happy to wait for us because we were running a little late.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for the wonderful review Carol! We’re so happy to hear you enjoyed the canal tour and our boat with the sun covers. Lovely that you got to experience many different canals during the cruise, and we’re glad we could still welcome you on board despite the slight delay.
Captain Julia was amazing! She had lots of great information and made the cruise fun and interesting! She was very personable.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for the lovely review Denise! We’re so happy to hear you had such a fun cruise with our Captain Julia. Lovely that her great information, personal approach and friendly energy made the tour both interesting and enjoyable.
This was an absolutely amazing canal tour. The guide was very personable and gave us an excellent experience. He told us about the history Amsterdam from the different sections of the city to the canals themselves. I highly recommend this canal tour company!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for the fantastic review and recommendation Michelle! We’re so happy to hear you had such an amazing canal tour with us. Lovely that your captain’s personal approach and stories about Amsterdam’s different neighbourhoods, history and canals helped make the experience so enjoyable. We truly appreciate your kind words!
Only way to see Amsterdam! Highly recommend. Our guide Atilla was fantastic! Polite, funny and so insightful! Learned a lot and was so happy we got on this small group tour!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for the fantastic review and recommendation Conrad ! We’re so happy to hear you enjoyed seeing Amsterdam from the canals with our Captain Attila. Lovely that his polite, funny and insightful approach made the tour both enjoyable and informative.
The ride and scenery were great. Unfortunately, our tour guide Aaron was not much of a guide. He wasn’t very friendly and offered very little by way of history or exciting “tour” information. We went long stretches without him talking at all, so it was more like a cruise rather than an informational tour. He offered us a free beverage because of a delay due to boat maintenance issues, and then at the end very weirdly charged everyone. It was also disappointing that he was American and gave us very little by way of local flavor or insight which we were hoping for.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re glad you enjoyed the scenery and the experience of seeing Amsterdam from the water, but we’re sorry to hear the commentary and interaction did not meet your expectations. Aaron has lived in Amsterdam for more than 20 years, and we very much consider him an Amsterdammer, especially in a city that has always been shaped by people from all over the world. That said, it sounds like he was not performing at his best on the day of your tour, and we’re sorry that this affected your experience. We appreciate your honest comments and will take them on board.
Adam was a spectacular tour guide filled with Amsterdam history as well as the current climate of things here. I highly recommend him for a wonderfully insightful tour.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for the wonderful review and recommendation! We’re so happy to hear that our Captain Adam’s knowledge of both Amsterdam’s history and present-day life made the cruise so insightful and enjoyable.
Guus was a very fine guide. He was very interested in everyone's safety and comfort. Guus pointed out the various architectural styles, the history, and the quirky nature of some of the buildings and houseboats we passed. He answered all questions thoroughly.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for the lovely review! We’re so happy to hear that our Captain Guus made the tour both comfortable and informative. Great that his attention to safety, detailed explanations of Amsterdam’s architecture and history, and thoughtful answers to your questions helped make the cruise such an enjoyable experience.
This was a very small group which was nice
It made the experience very personal
The guide was well informed and told a few stories to put things in context
It was a comfortable relaxing ride
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for the lovely review! We’re so happy to hear you enjoyed the personal atmosphere of the small group and found the cruise comfortable and relaxing. Great that the guide’s stories and local knowledge helped bring the city’s history into context.
Great Canal Tour !!! our guide Captain Attila was very informative and took us through many beautiful canals. I would highly recommend this tour and Captain Attila.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for the fantastic review and recommendation! We’re so happy to hear you enjoyed exploring Amsterdam’s beautiful canals with Captain Attila. Lovely that his informative commentary helped make the tour such a great experience.
Very relaxing and chill canal cruise with funfacts about the city. Did the same cruise last year, and definitely recommend! Captain Griffin was also a very good captain and host for our little party of 5 people :)
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for the wonderful review and for cruising with us again! We’re so happy to hear you enjoyed another relaxing time on the canals with our Captain Griffin. Lovely that the tour was worth repeating and that your group of five had such an enjoyable experience on board. We truly appreciate your recommendation and look forward to welcoming you back again in the future!
Very informative! Well worth doing
Our boat operator was so knowledgeable and it made for a most enjoyable afternoon excursion
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for the wonderful review! We’re so happy to hear you found the tour informative and enjoyable. Lovely that your captain’s knowledge helped make the afternoon such a memorable experience.
Learned a lot about the houses and how they are situated and why!! Gus was great and very accommodating.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for the wonderful review! We’re so happy to hear you enjoyed learning more about Amsterdam’s unique canal houses and their history. Lovely that our Captain Guus helped make the experience so enjoyable and accommodating.
Went on the first cruise of Sunday morning. Quiet time on the canals, lovely weather. We were actually only my daughter and I with Jamie, our driver and guide. He provided us with a wealth of information and thoroughly answered any questions we had. The smaller grouo made for a more upclose and personnal experience. The boat itself is very comfortable and the ride was smooth through and through. Refreshments for all are available on-board.
Would highly recommend if you're looking for a warm, welcoming, personnal and educational cruise on the history of Amsterdam and it's canals. Thanks Jamie for making this tour the highlight of our day!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for the amazing review Eric! We’re so happy to hear you and your daughter had such a memorable morning on the canals with our Captain Jamie. Lovely that the quiet Sunday atmosphere and smaller group setting made the experience feel so personal and relaxed. Great to hear Jamie’s stories and answers to your questions helped make the tour both educational and enjoyable as well. We truly appreciate your recommendation and kind words, and we’re honored the cruise became the highlight of your day!
We had a great in a 90 minute cruise with Jamie. The scenery could not be better and the commentary that Jamie provided was perfect with a mix of history and humour. The smaller boat was a great way to explore without a throng of people. A delightful time and money incredibly well spent
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for the amazing review Colin! We’re so happy to hear you had such a delightful time exploring the canals with our Captain Jamie. Lovely that his mix of history and humor helped make the experience both informative and relaxing. Great to hear you enjoyed the smaller boat atmosphere and peaceful way of discovering Amsterdam from the water as well.
Fantastic experience. The boat has heated seats which made the trip more enjoyable. Great wealth of information and enjoyable banter along the way .
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for the fantastic review Kelli! We’re so happy to hear you had such an enjoyable time on the canals. Lovely that the heated seats, stories and relaxed atmosphere on board made the experience even better.
Member Pricing
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$35.20
per personWas $37.05(-5%)
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Amsterdam Canal Tour by Open Boat – 90 min Small Group Experience
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