The 14 Best Private Boat Tours in Amsterdam

1.Amsterdam Classic Saloon Boat Cruise with Drinks and Cheese

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 31,825 reviews · from $21Our pick

Spend an hour on Amsterdam’s UNESCO-listed Canal Ring aboard a classic covered wooden boat. An onboard host such as Sofia, Noa, Jessie, or Albert shares local stories as you pass the Anne Frank House, Rijksmuseum, Jordaan, Skinny Bridge, and more. Choose the drinks and Dutch cheese option when booking.

“Highly recommend this tour, it was so fun and relaxing and you get to see some lovely views of the city. Our tour guide was wonderful and had a great sense of humour.”

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2.Open Boat Cruise option Unlimited Drinks & Bite

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 15,046 reviews · from $22

Spend 1 to 1.5 hours cruising Amsterdam’s canals with a local skipper and host. Pass the Skinny Bridge, Hermitage Museum, Amstel Hotel, Anne Frank House, and Maritime Museum while hearing lively English commentary. Choose unlimited beer, wine, soft drinks, and a small snack.

“Best crew! Highly recommended especially if you insist to have the tour from an open boat.”

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3.Luxury Saloon Boat Cruise with Cocktails & Waffle

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5,935 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $21

Meet Friendship Amsterdam near the NH Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky for a one-hour open-boat cruise. A captain and host guide you past the Old Church, Red Light District, Central Station, Amstel River, and Skinny Bridge. Drinks are sold onboard, and blankets are provided when the weather turns cool.

“The host was amazing, the drink were delicious and vibe was wonderful. Highly recommend to anyone visiting. Honestly exceptional.”

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4.Amsterdam Canal Cruise in Open Boat with Unlimited Drinks Option

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4,976 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $21

Cruise Amsterdam’s UNESCO-listed canals for about an hour in a compact electric boat, passing Westerkerk, the Jordaan, and the Hermitage Museum. Guides such as Luuc, Matt, Jaro, and Sebastian may add local stories. Choose the drinks upgrade, but confirm how self-serve drinks work before departure.

“Have the most informative and fun canal tour with Anthony the friendliest tour guide! Would recommend 10/10”

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5.Saloon Boat Cruise + Unlimited Drinks & Bite option

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,629 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $22

You’ll spend about an hour on Amsterdam’s canals with a local skipper and live guide, passing the Amstel, Zuiderkerk, Stopera, Drunken Houses, and canal ring. Guides such as Roger, Ezra, Dara, and JD have led lively tours, but boat cover and boarding points can vary.

“Was fun fast and informative the guide was funny and the weather was nice. Got to see parts of Amsterdam and learn about it”

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6.Canal Cruise in Open Boat with Drink Option

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,040 reviews · from $22

Spend one hour cruising Amsterdam’s canals in an open, 100% electric KINboat. A local skipper, such as Sebastian, Jaro, or Dirk, guides you past Westerkerk, the Magere Brug, Herengracht, and more. Choose the drink option for a relaxed ride with a cold beverage.

“We had an amazing time cruising through the canals with KINboat. The boat was super comfortable, not too crowded, and the open design gave us perfect views of the city. Our guide was friendly, knowledgeable, and added just the right amount of fun facts and stories. It was the perfect way to explore Amsterdam in a relaxed and personal way. Highly recommended!”

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7.75 minute Open Boat Canal Cruise with Live Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 930 reviews · from $22

Take a 75-minute open-boat cruise from Stadhouderskade 501, opposite the Hard Rock Cafe. An English-speaking captain guides you through Amsterdam’s main and smaller canals, passing Westerkerk, the Anne Frank House area, Magere Brug, the museums, the IJ River, and more. Bring sun protection and dress for changing weather.

“Excellent, our skipper was knowledgeable, friendly and gave excellent customer service.”

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8.Amsterdam Canal Tour by Open Boat – 90 min Small Group Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 812 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $36

Cruise Amsterdam’s smaller canals in an open boat limited to 12 people, with an English-speaking captain such as Gus, Eddie, Aaron, Jo, or João. Expect personal stories, blankets, optional drinks, and views of the dancing houses, De Waag, Seven Bridges, Botanical Gardens, and Skinny Bridge.

“I could not have asked for a better experience! It was a small group on a small open boat. Our tour guide Jo was amazing! So friendly and knowledgeable. I was so impressed. It’s absolutely worth it to look a small open boat like this one. It’s such a more special and personalized experience. HIGHLY recommend!!”

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9.Amsterdam Classic Saloon Boat Canal Cruise with Live Guide

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 806 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $22

Spend about an hour cruising Amsterdam with a live English guide, unlimited beer, wine, and soft drinks, and views of the Southern Church, Stopera, Golden Bend, 7 Bridges, and Amstel River. Depending on weather, you’ll ride an open boat or classic saloon boat. Guides may include Anton, with Tim at the helm.

“The guide was nice and funny and very informative. I recommend this boat tour. Explained the story of Amsterdam and gave good recommendations of places to eat”

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10.Amsterdam Open Boat Cruise with Live Guide and Two Drinks

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 542 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $32

Spend about an hour on Amsterdam’s canals with a live English-speaking guide, an electric boat, and two drinks. Expect views of the Amstel, Magere Brug, Jordaan, Anne Frank House, and canal houses. Boats may be open, covered, or heated depending on the season and weather.

“Amazing guide and driver! The views and stories to go with the views were worth the trip. I would recommend this to all.”

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11.Amsterdam 2-hour Private Canal Cruise with Live Guide and Drinks

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 296 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $151

Cruise Amsterdam’s Jordaan, canal belt, Amstel, Golden Bend, and harbor in a private boat for about two hours. Your local skipper, such as Paap, Cynthia, Mark, or Hans, provides live commentary, drinks, and a flexible route for your group.

“The tour guide was really informative and friendly. We had complementary drinks also on board. It was a memorable experience!!!”

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12.Amsterdam 90-min Private Canal Cruise with Live Guide and Drinks

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 284 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $128

Cruise Amsterdam’s Jordaan, canal belt, Golden Bend, Seven Bridges, Amstel, Dancing Houses, and Monet’s canal in a private boat for 90 minutes. Local skippers such as Paap, Lucas, Deep, and Alex provide live commentary, while drinks, blankets, and an optional roof help in changing weather.

“Great trip, nice boat, and friendly guide. Drinks could have been a little better, but we had a geat time overall.”

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13.Guided Open Boat Canal Cruise Including Drink

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 239 reviews · from $26

Spend one hour on an electric open boat or classic tugboat with a Dutch or English-speaking guide. You’ll pass the Amstel, Skinny Bridge, canal houses, Anne Frank House, and seven bridges. Choose the unlimited-drinks option for a more social ride. Crews may include Timo, Joshua, Ava, or William.

“amazing tour plus our guide was good too. he explained about Amsterdam very nicely.”

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14.Private Electric Boat Rental in Haarlem (No License Required)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 186 reviews · 2 to 10 hours (approx.)

Rent a quiet electric boat from Heemstede and guide yourself through Haarlem’s canals for 2 to 10 hours. You get padded seating, clear views, a map, route tips, and children’s lifejackets. Boats hold up to 10 people, while the group price is listed for up to 12.

“Great experience that is a lot of fun and you have a completely different view of the city. I can really recommend it. Very straightforward and super nice care.Auto-translated”

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