CANAL CRUISE
Dinner cruise
A meal served on board while the boat takes the long way through the canals, usually in the evening.
Dinner with the canals going by
A dinner cruise takes two to three hours: long enough for several courses while the boat loops slowly through the canal ring and often out onto the Amstel. Most leave in the early evening, so the second half of the meal is after dark, with the bridges lit.
The boats range from big covered boats with tables in rows to small historic saloon boats with a single long table and a cook on board. The smaller the boat, the more it feels like a private dinner.
What you see
The same canals as on a day cruise, slower and in a different light: the canal houses of the Herengracht and the Keizersgracht, the Magere Brug and the Blauwbrug on the Amstel, and the lit bridges of the Reguliersgracht.
Good to know
Book ahead, always: tables are limited and the boats leave on time. Tell the company about allergies or a vegetarian diet when you book. The boats are covered and heated, so a dinner cruise works in winter too.
Before you go
- Most dinner cruises leave in the early evening from jetties near Centraal Station or the Rijksmuseum.
- Always book ahead and mention allergies when you do.
- Arrive a little early: the boat leaves on time.
What people say
Related spots
More things to do in Amsterdam ›
LANDMARKBlauwbrug
The ornate stone bridge over the Amstel, modelled on the Pont Alexandre III in Paris.
LANDMARKMagere Brug
The white wooden drawbridge over the Amstel, lit by 1,200 bulbs at night.
CANAL CRUISEEvening canal cruise
The canals after dark, with the bridges lit and the windows of the canal houses glowing.
CANAL CRUISEAmsterdam Light Festival cruise
In winter, light artworks hang over the canals; the evening boats follow the route past them.
CANAL CRUISEWater taxi
A small boat that takes you from one quay to another, or around the canals for as long as you book it.
CANAL CRUISECovered glass boat cruise
The classic one-hour canal tour in a big boat with a glass roof, running all year in any weather.
Tours and quests that pass here
These walks have a stop a few minutes from Dinner cruise. Free, on your phone, start any time.
AUDIO TOURAmsterdam Ghost Tour
Plague pits, public executions and the canal that swallowed people. The city's grim side, told without the cheap scares.
AUDIO TOURRed Light District
Seven centuries of sailors, sin and stubborn tolerance. The real history of the oldest part of town, told straight.
CITY QUESTThe Ghost Ship
Follow one ship from the wharf to the replica. Ending on her deck is the point.