Amsterdam Canal Cruise

[scher123]

Visiting Amsterdam at the end of June for a pre-cruise stay, Looking to book a canal boat trip during our visit - any recommendations greatly appreciated - thx

[victory2020]

There are so many you can just walk up to one & get on - around $10 - $12. viator & get your guide have various ones with food, drinks, etc for around $30, though I don't know if they have those in the day time. 

[Bostonjetset]

We are just back from Amsterdam and loved the canal cruise. We chose an open top one so we’d have a better view and are glad we did. Unless it’s pouring out, the open top boats are great. 

[Mrs.Dukes]

We’ve taken a few canal tours in Amsterdam. Our favorite was Flagship Amsterdam. 

[Ine]

Another populair ons is Blue boats. https://www.blueboat.nl/en/

[caripoo]

Use THOSE DAM BOAT GUYS

[RNCheryl]

Agree with caripoo.  Entertaining and informative

[DebbieCruises]

On 5/9/2023 at 12:35 PM, Mrs.Dukes said:

We’ve taken a few canal tours in Amsterdam. Our favorite was Flagship Amsterdam. 

I jus found the Flagship tour.  It looks great!  But I have a couple questions.  I hope you can answer for me. How far was it from the ship to the place where they start the canal trip?  Did you meet in front of the Anne Frank house or the Central Station site?  Did you walk from the ship or take a taxi?  Thanks!

[Mrs.Dukes]

30 minutes ago, DebbieCruises said:

I jus found the Flagship tour.  It looks great!  But I have a couple questions.  I hope you can answer for me. How far was it from the ship to the place where they start the canal trip?  Did you meet in front of the Anne Frank house or the Central Station site?  Did you walk from the ship or take a taxi?  Thanks!

We took it from the Anne Frank house. We walked from the ship. It’s a pretty good walk.

[DebbieCruises]

4 minutes ago, Mrs.Dukes said:

We took it from the Anne Frank house. We walked from the ship. It’s a pretty good walk.

Thank you, Mrs. Dukes!  I hope we'll have good weather that day.🤞

[CCJack]

I would recommend a small boat experience rather than the larger glass covered boats, even though you will pay a bit more for the smaller boats.

 

Both Flagship Amsterdam and Those Damn Boat Guys appear to be smaller boats, as is Floating Amsterdam, which we went on and can recommend.   Floating Amsterdam is a bit closer walk than Anne Frank house, although all walks in Amsterdam are enjoyable.

 

Unrelated comment, I hope you consider watching A Small Light - recent mini series, before visiting the Anne Frank house.   It was very good. 

 

 

 

[DebbieCruises]

19 minutes ago, CCJack said:

I would recommend a small boat experience rather than the larger glass covered boats, even though you will pay a bit more for the smaller boats.

 

Both Flagship Amsterdam and Those Damn Boat Guys appear to be smaller boats, as is Floating Amsterdam, which we went on and can recommend.   Floating Amsterdam is a bit closer walk than Anne Frank house, although all walks in Amsterdam are enjoyable.

 

Unrelated comment, I hope you consider watching A Small Light - recent mini series, before visiting the Anne Frank house.   It was very good. 

 

 

 

Thanks for your suggestions.I think we are going to book Flagship group.  I'm sure we'll enjoy the wine and cheese along with the sites.

We just found "A Small Light" on HULU.  We'll start watching it tonight. I appreciate your help!

[Dorh]

We will be in Amsterdam staying at Banks Mansion 2-3 days (pre-cruise) the later part of August. We are looking for a canal tour. Should we book the tour prior to our arrival or can we just find a tour once we arrive. Any suggestions on the best canal tours are welcome. 

TIA

[moscow123456]

On 7/1/2023 at 1:08 PM, Dorh said:

We will be in Amsterdam staying at Banks Mansion 2-3 days (pre-cruise) the later part of August. We are looking for a canal tour. Should we book the tour prior to our arrival or can we just find a tour once we arrive. Any suggestions on the best canal tours are welcome. 

TIA

I don't know if there is a "best" tour, since they are all so different.  But we took - and really enjoyed - the tour by Captain Dave.  

[CruiserBruce]

There are so many boat tour options. There are Hop on Hop off, tour boats with bars, party boats, and other choices as well. We were at DoubleTree Centraal on a Friday night, and right across from the hotel is a boat dock for party boats. The action on a Friday night was crazy!

[Ine]

15 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

There are so many boat tour options. There are Hop on Hop off, tour boats with bars, party boats, and other choices as well. We were at DoubleTree Centraal on a Friday night, and right across from the hotel is a boat dock for party boats. The action on a Friday night was crazy!

Unfortunately no more hop on off boats in Amsterdam since Covid. But indeed plenty of companies at various locations.

[CruiserBruce]

Just now, Ine said:

Unfortunately no more hop on off boats in Amsterdam since Covid. But indeed plenty of companies at various locations.

Was just on one June 16th.

[Dorh]

5 hours ago, moscow123456 said:

I don't know if there is a "best" tour, since they are all so different.  But we took - and really enjoyed - the tour by Captain Dave.  

Thank you, Is it necessary to book in advance? We'll be in Amsterdam 8/25-8/27.

[moscow123456]

22 minutes ago, Dorh said:

Thank you, Is it necessary to book in advance? We'll be in Amsterdam 8/25-8/27.

Yes.  You can set it up very easily on-line, though.

[Ine]

13 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

Was just on one June 16th.

I am very surprised about that. Which company or at which location?

[CruiserBruce]

5 hours ago, Ine said:

I am very surprised about that. Which company or at which location?

CitySightSeeing. We took it from from the Centraal Train station area. Had the two day bus/boat pass.

[Cotswold Eagle]

3 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

CitySightSeeing. We took it from from the Centraal Train station area. Had the two day bus/boat pass.

Did you feel the bus part was good value? They get terrible reviews, but I just don't think a hop-on, hop-off bus is worth anything in Amsterdam. On the other hand, if I'm doing my maths right, for 48 hours it's only €17-50 more for the combo than the boat only ticket?

https://www.citysightseeingamsterdam.nl

[CruiserBruce]

Just now, Cotswold Eagle said:

Did you feel the bus part was good value? They get terrible reviews, but I just don't think a hop-on, hop-off bus is worth anything in Amsterdam. On the other hand, if I'm doing my maths right, for 48 hours it's only €17-50 more for the combo than the boat only ticket?

https://www.citysightseeingamsterdam.nl

We liked the boat tour quite a bit more than the bus. If you have read the TripAdvisor reviews, we are one who said it was not the best Hop on/Hop off service we have used...website a bit misleading, customer interactions a bit clunky. Our bus didn't stop at two stops...for no known reason. 

 

You are correct on the pricing...they do make it enticing with the price break.

[Cotswold Eagle]

6 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

We liked the boat tour quite a bit more than the bus. If you have read the TripAdvisor reviews, we are one who said it was not the best Hop on/Hop off service we have used...website a bit misleading, customer interactions a bit clunky. Our bus didn't stop at two stops...for no known reason. 

 

You are correct on the pricing...they do make it enticing with the price break.

Interesting, thanks. I think I'd probably go with a 2-day GVB ticket (trams, buses, metros) for €15, combined with the hop-on, hop-off boat or a simple canal cruise, and trade convenience for commentary!