We had Captain Andy for our evening canal tour - awesome experience!! Super funny and good size…read moregroup. Definitely ask your tour guide questions, it makes the ride funnier and more interesting.

Andy was a fantastic captain for our afternoon canal cruise! We did the "Strangers are gross"…read moreprivate tour and it was the perfect blend of historic info and natural banter and conversation. It felt more like a friend taking us out than a tour. Would 100% recommend to anyone.

Last night we booked a "peaceful, romantic, CO-neutral evening canal cruise" in Amsterdam. What we…read moregot instead was part sightseeing tour, part improv comedy, and part low-speed nautical thriller. Honestly, I am still laughing. Our captain, Stefanie, opened the evening with what I can only describe as a legally binding statement "I will tell you everything about Amsterdam... and I will not lie." Bold. Confident. Inspirational. I trusted her immediately. To be clear, Stefanie was fantastic. Funny, personable, and working hard the entire time to keep things upbeat. The canals at night are stunning. The setting is absolutely top-tier. Now let's talk about the experience. The boat was described as "intimate," and credit where it's due, it actually was. Plenty of room, very comfortable. But the crowd was so international it felt like the United Nations had decided to take a field trip. I am pretty sure we solved at least two global issues before we left the dock. Then the journey began. Reverse gear? Optional. Possibly theoretical. The Red Light District? Hyped like the grand finale. "You have to see it at night." Did we see it? No. The canal was closed. Somewhere, dessert was served without us. At one point, we entered what I can only describe as a delicate negotiation with either another boat or a bridge. It was not a crash. It was more like two vehicles gently disagreeing about personal space. And through all of this, Stefanie remained calm, smiling, and narrating like everything was exactly as planned. Which brings me to my favorite moment of the night. During the chaos, she says "Please, take anything you want, I am so sorry!" Now remember, this is the same woman who PROMISED not to lie. So naturally, when we returned to the dock, I grabbed a bottle of wine. Not greedily. Respectfully. Like a man honoring a verbal contract. Immediately, a deckhand appears out of nowhere "You can't take that." I respond, calmly and with conviction "Stefanie said we could." Stefanie, without even blinking "I meant candies." Candies. At that exact moment, I realized I had just witnessed a masterclass in precision language. She did not lie. Not technically. She simply... left room for interpretation. Did she promise too much at the beginning of the tour? Possibly. Did I misunderstand the scope of "anything"? Also possible. Was I emotionally prepared to trade wine for candy? Absolutely not. All jokes aside, it was a hilarious, memorable, and genuinely fun evening. Not the flawless, whisper-quiet romantic cruise you might expect, but something far better. A boat full of great people, a captain who handled mild chaos like a pro, and a story that gets funnier every time I tell it. Would I do it again? Yes. Would I ask for a written list of what "anything you want" includes? Also yes.

This is the highlight of our trip so far. Captain Rubio (Gijs) is an amazing guide. We had…read morebeautiful weather but it would have been great even with rain - I noticed they have ways to keep you dry. The Dutch bites and unlimited drinks were a nice touch. We got to see so much of Amsterdam and get information on the city that you don't find online. Coming to Amsterdam? Do yourself a favor and take this tour!

Flagship Biking Tours was a great experience - we did the bike tour into the countryside with Skip…read more(excellent tour guide). This specific tour started in the city center and then moved to the countryside for a stop at a local farm with cheese and farm animals. Recommendation: stick to regular bikes and skip the e-bike option. The e bikes are expensive and are a bit of a hassle to keep turning back on after each stop. Bike ride was about 12 miles but very flat, so beginners will be fine. Flagship was very accommodating and due to an issue with our booking, was able to offer either a free boat tour or partial refund. Kind people, consider supporting the business!

One of the best experiences you'll ever have. The crew is really passionate about what they do and…read morethey will ensure you have a great time! The wine and cheese pair so well and the views are fantastic. Our entire crew was fantastic even the captain made it super special. Highly recommend!

Everyone wants to do a Canal tour and they're are so many options. We were just waking but and the…read moreguy on the aside of the Canal stood us to chat and talked us into it. Very friendly, but it was just timing. So I have no other info to base off of or compare . We were 2 adults and 2 kids and had a great time. They kept drinks going and the info coming. It was relaxing and informative and beautiful

Had such a good time, had to do it twice! Heard about Friendship on tiktok and we're so happy to…read morehave chosen this canal tour over the others! The boat was comfortable and far less crowded than the other ones in the area. The crew was incredible and so kind. We ended up buying a bottle of the Caramel Vodka that they sell, highly recommend it in a mule! Once we had finished the first tour, we bought another ticket right there because we were enjoying ourselves so much and wanted to go around again!

Best Amsterdam Canal Cruise! Our family of 3 enjoyed the must comfortable and scenic 9am morning…read morecruise. Just the right amount of time on the water, we were fully engaged the whole time. There was a small toilet on our boat but went unused as the tour goes quickly. Waters, wine, and beers were offered and a few of our friends enjoyed beverages. The quality and professionalism was outstanding, with a very knowledgeable English speaking captain (Pauline was great!). After seeing the other boats jam packed with tourists, we knew we made the right choice. Pure Boats is the way to go. Book it!

My boyfriend and I loved our experience at Pure Boats, especially after enduring a French boat…read morecruise that prioritized quantity over quality. Such an intimate boat with an open bar, charcuterie board, and friendly tour guide. I made four or five mimosas before I calmed down. We asked questions about living in the Netherlands that are rather unconventional, and he still managed to answer all of them. He managed to balance guiding the boat and conversing with all guests very well. He also stopped for all the guests to take photos at particularly scenic points in our tour. Definitely worth it to take your tour in the evening while the sun is setting and the weather isn't too hot! Most people who came were celebrating engagements or honeymoons. If that doesn't speak to the testament of the quality of this place, I don't know what does! Trusting a spot with one of the few important moments in your life where you don't splurge is impressive. We definitely passed by our fair share of other boat cruises, and this one has the most lovely interior. The high rating on Yelp is well deserved. What a memorable moment of our Amsterdam trip.

Why 5 stars? Because this was an amazing way to see Amsterdam…read more --- --- --- In planning our one day to Amsterdam, I assumed we would be doing a canal cruise, but hadn't put much more thought into it than that. When we arrived at our hotel, the concierge asked if we wanted to sign up for a cruise that would pick us up right in front of the door at 3pm that afternoon. That was about as convenient as possible for us, so we signed up for it without knowing much more than that. I was a little hesitant about spending 70 euros on it, but it ended up being worth it. There were only 12 of us on board, plus the captain, who was American, but with Dutch roots. He was the perfect host: informative and entertaining, but also low key. He offered us drinks throughout the 90 minute tour, as well. I liked that the boat we were on did have some cover, but it was also open in parts too. I sat in the very back, which allowed me to get a little warmth from the covered area, but I was still able to get some unobstructed photos. If you are looking for a canal cruise in Amsterdam, I can't think of a single negative about our experience with this one!

I can't imagine how our excursion with Leemstar could have been better. We had a group of 8 take…read morethe canal cruise. Our captain, Floris, was outstanding. He was warm, welcoming and very knowledgeable. He made us feel at home immediately. The boat was very special: all wood, comfortable seating benches and closed in with windows and open areas for easy photo taking. Floris was knowledgeable and asked if we wished commentary, which we wanted. The commentary included maps to help orient us to the trip. We booked a 'cruise' for 5:30 pm but our taxi did not show up at the hotel. I called Leemstar and shortly received a phone call from Floris checking on our progress. Fortunately we obtained alternate taxis and made it on time, but having Floris check with us relieved anxiety. We had ordered two cheese boards and drinks. There was beer, Prosecco, wine and soft drinks. It was all delicious and added a special touch to our cruising. The canals and river area we travelled were gorgeous. Floris' commentary was fascinating and humorous. He is a very articulate. Again, after a Viking Cruise and excursions totaling 19 days, everyone in our group thought this canal cruise was one the the top highlights of our entire trip. You won't go wrong booking a cruise with Leemstar.

Wonderful Experience!! Highly recommended. We did this tour as a last minute booking one evening…read moreand after searching other companies, I found this one and the great reviews. Well worth it!! Both the Guide and Captain were excellent. Both Knowledgeable and entertaining. Our tour included free Heineken, wine, hot cocoa, soda, and water. Blankets also provided for cold nights. The start location was excellent to see both the narrow canals and the main waterway. Many historic sights and lots of information provided. We booked right at sunset and were fortunate to see the sunset AND the bridge lights. Wonderful! We will definitely use BoatAmsterdam.com again!

Nice open boat, good stories, very personable guide. Good selection of beverages. Also appreciated…read morethe brevity of the tour (one hour). Plenty of time when trying to squeeze in so many activities.

Skip those large canal boat rides and go with a small boat and personalized tour with a native of…read moreAmsterdam. Our guide Jan was a first-rate skipper, guide, and a great on board host. Filled with knowledge and unusual things to see along the way, Jan was as personal and friendly as you could ever hope for in a tour guide / skipper. This was truly one of the highlights of our time in Amsterdam. The boat was small, and comfortable for the 4 of us, we drank beer and wine while nibbling on small bites, as we toured Amsterdam from the water. I lived in Amsterdam for quite some time and had walked most of the canals Jan took us through, but I learned plenty on this boat tour. Jan is a native of Amsterdam, and skippers' tours every day. I would not hesitate to recommend Amsterdam Boat Center if you're looking for a unique way to see Amsterdam.

My family and I very much enjoyed our Amsterdam Boat Center canal tour earlier in August. There…read moreare many canal tour companies in the area to pick from and while this one is on the pricier side, it was a very nice experience and lasted 90 minutes. The boat itself is very authentic and was very comfortable to sit in. We cruised through numerous canals around the city while the captain (who also acted as our guide) talked about the canals, history of Amsterdam, and the buildings flanking the canals. The only drawback was the lack of microphone because the captain/guide was difficult to hear at times if you were sitting in the back and other passengers were talking.

I couldn't be in Amsterdam without taking a canal cruise..... Luckily, I was able to hop onto this…read moreone. For EUR14.50 for a hour cruise, I really couldn't go wrong. The boat had several tables to sit at. The tour was a pre-recorded English speaking narration. However, the captain of the boat would interject at times. Go and relax! Enjoy a cruise!

Imagine a budget airline with no frills but gets you from Point A to Point B. Well, Rederji Boat…read moreTours does just that for your Amsterdam canal experience, and that's the way I like it. Seriously can't get better than a €10.50 boat ride that allows you to experience one of the greatest cities in Europe. My friend and I agreed that we just wanted to experience going through the canals on a nice day while still learning a bit about the history of Amsterdam. Rederji popped up in my search mostly for how affordable the experience was! Their departure dock is easy to find and boats set sail roughly every half hour or until it gets filled. The tour lasts for about 90 minutes and you truly get to see what makes Amsterdam so beautiful. The tour is automated with an announcer cycling through 3-4 different languages, with English being the third making it easy to catch the site while hearing what it's about. I'll admit that some parts seemed to stretch a bit (e.g. this random person's mansion squished between two equally as amusing buildings), but we didn't mind. There's no formalities and no bag checks, so you can feel free to bring snacks and drinks on board with you as you set sail around the canals. We enjoyed our time on this boat and would recommend it for anyone on a budget and want an enjoyable experience.

So there we were, in Amsterdam chatting with other folks from the hotel. They spoke about food tour…read moreand we've done them before as well so we decide to delve in. After a bunch of research we decide on hungry birds, and it was a good decision. Our guide for the tour was Anne, as you proved to be a little ball of positive energy that was totally appreciated. She handled controversial issues well, and introduced us to many of the tastes of the market. We tasted everything from fresh Herring to smoke deal to sought after, cookies and we seem to have a back door, no line access to everything. If you'd like to stop reading now is a good point but know that we are big fans of Angry Birds We met at the designated location, introduced ourselves to the other people on the tour and then Anne showed up. She arrived bearing cookies, and my wife and I had actively sought out these cookies just the day before as we had seen them on Instagram. We waited for 15 minutes in line to buy our Van Stapele cookies and here she was showing up with a fresh batch to share with us to get the party started. It was a great start. We then moved onto multiple quality tastes. My wife, ever the brave soul, volunteered to taste the whole fresh Herring that was offered to her, served in the traditional fashion of the seasonal run of the fresh Herring. So it arrived on a plate with onions and pickles, and Leah was taught how to hold the Herring by picking it up from its tail, adding the onions and the pickles and then taking a bite. Mind you the fish had been deboned and cleaned, but it looked every bit of a fish without the head. I volunteered to try a couple of bites as well and enjoyed it. This was at the Volendammer Vishandel, and there was no doubt about the fish being fresh as the place was very busy I don't want to go on and on and ruin your trip to the food tour and so I'll stop here but the combination of the energetic tour guide and the unique stories told made it a very quick four hour tour that I would encourage my friends to take.

We loved this tour. It was so informative and so much fun. Anne was so wonderful and so much fun…read more You wont be disappointed.