Amsterdam is well-known as a city built on water.
A canal tour offers a great introduction to the city. Although every Amsterdam canal cruise tour offers spectacular views from the water’s edge, most people will prefer a private, audio-narrated tour to the more conventional “mass” tour. We have both profiles below.
Plastic Whale Best suited for: Tours, which educate visitors not just about the city and its canals but also about waste management. Visitors can fish in historic canals on a Plastic Whale Tour, but not for fish with rods, but plastic waste with nets. You can also relax and enjoy the live commentary but that would take away half of the fun. Plastic Whale’s electric boats are made from recycled plastic waste. This is a source of pride that everyone would not notice. Tours depart from Het Grachtenhuis.
Those Dam Boat Guys
Ideal for: Intimate, alternative canal tours around the city.
These tours are a far cry from the sterile canal tour. With their BYOB policy, and PG-13 commentary these cruises are led by ex-pats who are passionate about their city. Although the company website emphasizes that this is not a party boat it is much more relaxed than the school-trip atmosphere of other similar boats.
KINboat
Best for: Spirited renditions in electric boats of the classic city canal tour.
KINboat canal tour company that takes the traditional canal tour to the next level. KINboat employs friendly skippers who ply the classic routes on comfortable electric boats. The group tours depart from Amsterdam Central Station and last between 75-90 minutes. You can also book private boats or catered tours; the lunch tours offer a casual meal on the water.
Leemster Canal Cruises
This one’s for the boat aficionados – a 75-minute tour on a beautiful timber saloon boat, easily the most handsome tour boat on the city’s canals. The boat can seat up to 12 passengers. The skipper, usually the owner of the company, guides the boat and narrates the scene. You can call, send an email, or send an SMS (info on the company website) to reserve your spot. Last-minute requests are often honored.
Conventional Canal Tours
These tour operators offer classic routes that take you to all of the city’s attractions. Many also offer combo cruises and food-themed tours that include admission to museums. These “conventional” tour companies have many advantages. They offer regular departure times from the city’s central points and a lower price than those of the other companies. The scenery is stunning from the water, but these tours are crowded and have prerecorded commentary and fixed routes.
Blue Boat Company
Blue Boat is a canal-tour operator that offers a variety of unique tours. The only children’s canal tour in the city takes kids under 12 on a “freshwater pirate adventure” while their parents enjoy the standard commentary.
Canal Company
These operators offer tours lasting one hour that leave from the Damrak near Amsterdam Central Station (CS). The Harbour Cruise takes you to the IJ River and the Port of Amsterdam. They also operate a hop-on/hop-off Canal Bus as well as a self-peddled Canal Bike that is a paddleboat for city canals.
Lovers
Lovers operate much like traditional tour operators and offer a one-hour tour that departs from Amsterdam CS. It also includes catered cruises, a hop-on, hop-off service, and a classic tour.
Rederij P. Kooij
P.Kooij is probably the oldest Amsterdam canal operator. The benefit is that the standard tour is much cheaper than the competition and follows the same route. Tours depart from Rokin, which is located on the southern Binnenstad.
Amsterdam Canal Cruises
Classic tours that depart from De Pijp, namely Stadshouderskade. This is opposite the Heineken Brewery. It is also a short walk from the Vondelpark (towards the west) or the Albert Cuypmarkt to the east.
