amsterdam canal cruise blue boat company

Blue Boat Company - Boat Trip

Discover Amsterdam through an unforgettable canal cruise along the historic canals ! Set off from the iconic Heineken Experience and immerse yourself in a world of beauty and history.

Why Choose Blue Boat Company ?

Historical beauty and photogenic moments.

Discover why the Amsterdam canals have been awarded the UNESCO World Heritage status. Let yourself be enchanted by the splendour of Dutch architecture and capture every enchanting moment with your camera. Admire the old merchant houses, the Anne Frank House , and the Skinny Bridge , each with their own unique story and charm.

A Unique View of Amsterdam

The 75-minute canal cruise takes you past all the city's highlights. From the luxury boats, you enjoy a unique vantage point for the most beautiful photos.

Audio Stories

During your canal cruise , enjoy an immersive audio story in one of the 19 available languages, including Dutch, English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Russian, Arabic, Japanese, and Turkish; available via the Personal Audio System onboard.

Wheelchair-Accessible Fleet

Blue Boat embraces inclusivity, comfort, and accessibility. A portion of the fleet is specially adapted to also offer a fantastic experience to less mobile visitors. We strive for accessibility for everyone.

Visit the website for more information and to book your canal cruise online .

Furthermore Blue Boat Company is near the following sights: Heineken Experience (±20 m), Albert Cuyp Market (±350 m), Rijksmuseum Gardens (±400 m), Rijksmuseum (±450 m) & Museum van Loon (±600 m).

For information

Location of blue boat company.

Hop on board and discover Amsterdam in all its glory during your canal cruise

At Blue Boat Company, we offer you a unique experience on the famous canals of Amsterdam.

Canal cruises in Amsterdam

City Canal Cruise

• Family friendly
• Wheelchair accessible

Kids Cruise

Evening Cruise

Group arrangements.

Cruise arrangement

Looking for a nice canal cruise arrangement in Amsterdam? No need to look any further! At Blue Boat, we love the city of Amsterdam and fun outings.

• Minimum of 25 people

Dinner cruise

Sit back and enjoy the beautiful canals of Amsterdam while we serve you a delicious dinner. Book our high-quality catered dinner cruise now!

• 120 minutes

Lunch cruise Amsterdam

Book a nice lunch cruise in one of our iconic blue boats, where you can view all the beauty of Amsterdam and enjoy a delicious lunch.

Buffet cruise

Blue Boat has created some delicious buffet cruises especially for buffet lovers. Ideal for family celebrations, company outings or anniversaries!

Do you always crave BBQ when the sun is shining? Or do you always appreciate a nice grilled hamburger? Then our BBQ cruise is for you!

Drinks cruise Amsterdam

During this one and a half hour cruise, you'll enjoy the beautiful views that Amsterdam has to offer and a delicious drink arrangement!

Amsterdam is waiting for you

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Our customers give us a score of 4,3/5

Laid back and very romantic, great trip on amsterdam’s canals.

The evening canal cruise was beautiful and the sailor did his job excellently. It’s a tour I’ll remember my whole life. Thank you Blue Boat Amsterdam 🙂

Blue Boat Company

Review Highlights

“ I can't compare this company to other canal tours, but a canal tour is definitely worth it. ” in 6 reviews

“ I took the cruise it is really fun it last 75 min and they explain everything on different languages!!! ” in 14 reviews

“ 35 euros and up at other places, even with a groupon, children under 4 are free, and their staff gives descriptions in both Dutch and English . ” in 6 reviews

Location & Hours

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Stadhouderskade 30

1071 ZD Amsterdam

The Netherlands

Museumkwartier, Zuid

Amenities and More

Recommended reviews.

• 1 star rating Not good
• 2 star rating Could’ve been better
• 3 star rating OK
• 4 star rating Good
• 5 star rating Great

Select your rating

Overall rating

I was dropped off at the wrong location and had to walk a little ways to get to the boarding in Amsterdam. Just follow the canal. No problem. It was a nice scenic walk. On arrival I was checked in and boarded. We were told that we could listen via the headsets for the presentation of the tour. It is a 90 minute ride and worth ot. The only downside was a group in front that decided that they should open a window on a chilly night. The route was scenic and very informative. It is lit up and beautiful at night. Exiting the boat was interesting. We all went the wrong way. The guide finally opened the correct gate. I am glad I finally did this and would definitely recommend.

Blue Boat does canal boat tours. I used my I amsterdam city card to get on for no additional fee. The process is different from buying tickets directly from Blue Boat. You can't do it online. I went to a ticketing office, showed them the I amsterdam app and the QR code. They scanned it and gave me a boarding pass. The boarding pass let me on the boat. They give you free ear buds. You can listen to an audio tour in one of about 20 different languages. The audio tour didn't have much; the captain spoke a lot more (and in English). There are a few different location. I started at the dock near the Heineken Experience. The 75 minute tour went around the center of the city. Up to the Keizergracht, up to the Ij river, east to the Nieuwe Herengracht, south along the Amstel, then back to the starting point. You get some views that you can't normally get just by walking around. Even without the I amsterdam card, it doesn't cost much. I can't compare this company to other canal tours, but a canal tour is definitely worth it. I would recommend wearing sunglasses.

See all photos from Jonathan C. for Blue Boat Company

We took the evening canal cruise last night starting at 7:30pm. I assumed that there would be AOME amount of info given or input from the captain but there was Zero. All commentary was through a headset which seems years old and was uncomfortable. The seating was also extremely uncomfortable with hard seats, and straight backs, and no way to really relax. We were at the front and disability was somewhat limited, so that was a disappointment as well. There were several main sites the audio pointed out, but nothing about cool places to go or visit or suggestions of what to do for our first time in Amsterdam. The city is beautiful with amazing architecture, and the canals are just picturesque, and all of that is of course wonderful. This was pretty basic and boring.

We picked this tour because it's across the street from the Heineken Experience. The boat was clean and the driver had no issues. What we didn't like was there was no live guide, just a prerecorded audio guide which really gave next to no detail of the city or canals. The boat was crowded and you were stuck in a booth with strangers. Would not recommend. Look for a different tour with a live guide who will give you details of the city, which is what a tour should be. Also, many other tours include food and drink. This one included nothing at same price point.

Well organized boat touring company, with a retail shop/ticket office across the street from the Park Centraal Amsterdam. Easy to get tickets in the moment, and because they have boats going every 15 minutes at peak. Cost is about €23 for the night tour per adult. They have disposable earbuds for audio tour that you can plug into a transmitter, with different channels for many languages. The seating is situated booth style with a table (i.e. it can be used for dinner cruising)...but it means half of the folks will be going backwards, which does add a bit to possible seasickness. It also is completely enclosed, so very comfortable on a brisk night. About an hour and 20 minutes round trip. I had taken this trip one other time, and I enjoyed that trip a lot more. Trying to figure out why: This time it was a larger (taller boat) that was enclosed, so I'm pretty sure there were bridges we could not go under that I had gone before. This time the audio was pre-recorded commentary, whereas before, we had the driver giving out his perspective. The biggest missing piece was the canal with the very colorful houses...didn't go this time. Recommendation: if possible, go during the day (the daylight does wonders for the views), and take a open air lower height boat on hopefully a pleasant day, where you are seated facing forward. I think Blue Boat has that as well, but thinking they only used the big boats because it was night and very chilly. Totally understandable.

This is one of many boat companies that do canal cruises. Their standard boat is a longer, slower boat where you sit inside a covered ceiling. We chose this company due to their affordable price and convenient location near Damrak. The cruise on the canal was informative, though relatively boring overall. I think if I was to do one of these ever again, I would go for a smaller boat with an open top.

We selected the Blue Boat Company as we'd purchased a voucher with a discount through "Booking". Our tour was about 75 minutes in length. We sat near the center of a long boat. The roof was mostly open. We sat at a table for 6. Lucky for us - only 4 sat at our table. Six would have been tight. There was an audio guide through the use of ear buds. The narration was sparse. I would have preferred a live English speaking guide but I understand the tour has tourists who speak many different languages, so the ear buds was the best fit. I was able to go to the back of the boat and stand outside for some pictures. Other pictures, I just stood up and raised my camera up over the boat roof. The canal tour was decent, but honestly, you see most of the same things as you walk around the city. The exception was when we hit the main waterway near the main train station. And that was cool to see the station from the water and other landmarks in that area.

See all photos from Jim B. for Blue Boat Company

We used them in the morning of a cold weekday. The boat was super empty but they still proceeded with the tour. People were friendly. But beware; buying the tickets in advance from their website will cost you $5 less per person. Felt like it was a ripoff but here's your heads up.

We ended up buying tickets (32 EUR for 2) for the canal cruise after we visited Heineken. We were scheduled to leave at 1:45pm. We lined up to get on the boat and they oversold tickets for the time slot. We had a seat but we ended up giving it up to a group that was having a bachelorette party so they could sit together. We were told we could go on the other boat - which we did and it was horrible. The boat was OLD and the guy giving the tour we couldn't even understand. 3 stars is because it is cool to cruise through the canals and see all the houseboats and neat buildings but I would choose a different company if I were you!

Don't bother buying a ticket at your hotel. You will have to exchange it for a real ticket at the company and then schedule your trip. The canal is polluted with litter--water bottles, plastic, and corn cobs. They have made little to no effort to clean it up. If you sit outside you don't get the audio and even worse they don't enforce no smoking so smokers come out and light up. Pretty disgusting. A better deal would be to get a smaller boat with a personal guide which is what we wish we had done.

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Book Blue Boat Amsterdam Cruise Tickets

Select Your Experience

What is blue boat.

Take a Blue Boat Amsterdam Canal Cruise to immerse in a unique opportunity to capture the city highlights as you enjoy a full-course meal while witnessing some of the finest monuments created on earth. Pick your Amsterdam Canal Cruise with Blue Boat, one of Amsterdam's top boat tour companies. The company offers a fleet of luxurious, glass-canopy boats of two kinds, sightseeing boats, and dinner boats. A well-liked choice for the tour of the Amsterdam Canals, Blue Boat allows tourists to board and get off popular locations: This is Holland, Centraal Station, Heineken Experience, Hard Rock Cafe, and Anne Frank House. Blue Boat offers sightseeing cruises, evening cruise, cruises with meals and combo tours with audio commentary in up to 21 languages.

Why take a Blue Boat Amsterdam Canal cruise?

• Explore Amsterdam from an entirely new perspective: Explore the Venice of the North on modern glass-paneled boats with audio guide access, providing glimpses into its past. Blue Boat offers easy, scenic day transportation with a soothing ambiance.
• Savour delicacies as you sail along the Amsterdam Canals: Blue Boat's dinner cruises are renowned for promptly prepared authentic cuisines, superb five-star hotel-like service, and live music—ideal for a romantic evening on the Amsterdam Canals.
• Grab amazing deals with Blue Boat: Maximize value with Blue Boat's Amsterdam Canal cruise combos, offering access to a luxurious boat and admission to iconic sites like the Van Gogh Museum, the Rijksmuseum, and the Heineken Experience.

Things to know before booking your Blue Boat cruise tickets

• Want a fun yet informational cruise ride? Consider booking a sightseeing cruise offering live commentary or audio guide facilities. 
• Most Blue Boat cruises can be canceled 24 or 48 hours before the experience. However, combo cruises cannot be canceled or rescheduled so be mindful before booking your tickets.
• Amsterdam in the evening looks immensely different than in the daylight. For a more romantic and magical experience, choose an evening cruise. 

Types of Blue Boat Amsterdam Canal cruise tickets

Sightseeing cruise

Capture the city’s top attractions all in one go by hopping on the Blue Boat sightseeing cruise experience. Step away from the crowded streets to discover the mesmerizing monuments at your own pace as you pass by each of them one after the other while sailing through the Amsterdam Canals.

Cruises with meals

Make the most of your visit to Amsterdam by getting onboard the Blue Boat Amsterdam Canal cruise as you indulge in a full-course luxurious dining experience or a cruise with snacks. Sip some wine as you cruise by some of the eye-catching buildings while spending a lazy evening relaxing with your loved ones.

Combo cruise

make the most of your busy schedule by booking combo tickets. Dive into the authentic Amsterdam experience while exploring some iconic Dutch landmarks. Immerse in an unforgettable ambiance as you admire the glorious city and its atractions. 

Sights covered on your Blue Boat cruise

Anne Frank House

Blue Boat cruise timings

• Amsterdam Canal Sightseeing Cruise Timings: 10am to 8pm Duration: 1 hr - 1 hr 15 mins
• Amsterdam Canal Evening Sightseeing Cruise Timings: 5:15pm to 10pm Duration: 1 hr 30 mins

• Amsterdam Canal Open Boat Cruise with Optional Wine & Cheese Timings: 10am to 10pm Duration: 1 hr
• Amsterdam Canal Dinner Cruise Timings: 7:30 pm Duration: 2 hr
• Amsterdam Canal Booze Cruise with Unlimited Drinks Timings: 10am to 10:15pm Duration: 1 hr

• Van Gogh Museum + Amsterdam Canal Cruise Tickets Timings: 9am to 9pm Duration: 1 hr 15 mins
• Rijksmuseum + Amsterdam Canal Cruise Tickets Timings: 9am to 5pm Duration: 1 hr 15 mins
• Heineken Experience Direct Entry + Amsterdam Canal Cruise Tickets Timings: 10:30am to 6:45pm Duration: 1 hr 15 mins

Blue Boat boarding points

Address:  Badhuiskade, Amsterdam

• By ferry:  F3 Nearest stop:  Buiksloterweg

Address:  Prins Hendrikkade 25

• By metro:  51, 53, 54 Nearest stop:  Central Station
• By train:  Intercity, Sprinter Closest stop:  Central Station

Address:  Stadhouderskade 550

• By tram:  1, 7, 19, 24 Closest stop:  Vijzelgracht
• By metro:  52 Closest stop:  Vijzelgracht

Address:  Stadhouderskade 501

• By tram:  1, 3, 7, 19 Closest stop:  Rijksmuseum

Address:  Prinsengracht 261A

• By metro:  51, 53, 54 Closest stop:  Central Station
• By tram:  13, 17 Closest stop:  Westermarkt

Visitors tips

• Amsterdam Canal cruises are always in high demand and remain booked for months. Hence, it is recommended to make a booking quite in advance to ensure that your slots are reserved on time.
• You can listen to the commentary in the language of your choice by connecting to the WiFi service made accessible within the boat. Guests are advised to carry their headphones to limit direct contact. 
• If you are making an on-site booking, contactless payment is preferred over cash.
• It is highly recommended to carry a jacket or sweater as it can get a little chilly in the evening.
• You are also required to dress modestly. Short skirts, bermuda shorts, etc. are not entertained.
• The cloakroom on board may not allow for bigger luggage, so plan accordingly before you head for the cruise. 

Frequently asked questions about Blue Boat Amsterdam Canal cruises

The Blue Boat Amsterdam Canal cruise offers three types of tickets: Sightseeing cruises, cruises with meals, and combo experiences.

Most Blue Boat Amsterdam Canal cruises offer a flexible cancellation and modification process. However, it can vary for different experiences, so check each ticket individually.

The Blue Boat Amsterdam Canal cruise tickets will only be valid for the date and time that you book for.

Yes. In sightseeing cruises, guests can avail of audio commentary available in 21 languages as they board the cruise. Ensure that you carry headphones before arriving at the venue.

Your Blue Boat cruise timings vary depending on the type of ticket and experience you book. Check your ticket information before booking your experience.

While it depends on each experience, most cruise tours are suitable for individuals with reduced or impaired mobility.

Home Rondvaarten Amsterdam Kids Cruise

Kids Cruise

• Wheelchair accessible
• Family friendly

About this activity

Important information, the blue boat kids cruise: a super fun canal cruise for kids.

Welcome on the kids cruise, Matey! My name is Johnny the mouse and I’m a pirate. There’s not much that scares me. My friend Harold the cat is a different story… He wants to be a pirate too, but he is afraid of water! I want to help him get over his fear, but I need some help. Can you help me?

What is the Kids Cruise?

Our Kids Cruise is an audio tour for our smallest visitors. This interactive audio story comes with a booklet with games, pencils & a pair of real pirate-binoculars and is included with every children’s ticket. During the regular cruise, the kids listen to their own story (available in Dutch & English through our free Personal Audio System) and enjoy an adventure with our friends Harold & Johnny. And hopefully become certified Freshwater Pirates!

Optional: add a snack box to your booking and enjoy some snacks and drinks during your canal cruise! The snack box includes chips, popcorn, stroopwafels, salted peanuts and a drink of your choice.

What is included with the Kids Canal Cruise?

The Kids Canal Cruise in Amsterdam is not a seperate cruise, it’s an audio tour with a complimentary activity package that you get for free with every child ticket for the City Canal Cruise of Blue Boat Company. This way kids don’t get bored: after all, they’re listening to an exciting audio story while working on fun tasks in the booklet. Also great for parents who are looking for some peace and quiet and want to enjoy the beautiful views of Amsterdam without having to entertain their kids! After all, the canal belt is UNESCO World Heritage and worth admiring!

Our Kids Canal Cruise:

• 75 minute Kids Canal Cruise in Amsterdam.
• Audio story in Dutch or English.
• Includes a fun booklet, pencils and pirate binoculars.
• Complimentary earphones; if possible please consider using your own earphones or headphones to listen to the audio commentary on board. Blue Boat is committed to saving the environment one canal cruise at a time.

Is the Kids Canal Cruise in Amsterdam also wheelchair accessible?

Yes, Blue Boat is the only canal cruise company that has wheelchair accessible boats. If there’s a passenger in a wheelchair in the group, a reservation must be made in advance. Select one of the following time slots to get on a boat that is wheelchair accessible: 10:30 AM, 12 PM, 2 PM, 3:30 PM and 5 PM. Then contact our reservations department to inform us that there is a wheelchair in the group as we can only have 3 wheelchairs on board at the same time. Our reservations department can be reached via + 31 20 679 1370. You can also send us an email on workdays at [email protected] .

Where can I book tickets for the Kids Canal Cruise in Amsterdam?

You can easily book tickets for the Kids Cruise on our website. Our booking tool lets you book tickets for both adults and children. You will then receive a confirmation email with your tickets from us. You can show your ticket on your mobile phone while boarding – no need to print it out!

Of course you can also book your tickets on site at the ticketing office, but then there is always the possibility that our boats are already fully booked. For this reason, and to avoid crowds at our cash registers, we always recommend that you book your tickets online in advance. Also, keep in mind that you pay the full price for a kids canal cruise ticket at the cash register. Visiting Amsterdam with kids? Then a kids boat cruise is the best way to explore Amsterdam. Book your tickets now!

Do you have a promo code? Then make a separate booking for each person and promo code.

Do you have an iAmsterdam City Card? It is not possible to make a reservation via our website. You can only book a timeslot at our ticket office. Please visit one of our ticket offices to book a timeslot or to hop on the first available cruise.

Where do I board my City Canal Cruise with kids?

We have two docks that are located central in Amsterdam. Both departure locations are close to all kinds of attractions and museums.

Location 1: Blue Boat dock at Stadhouderskade 550 (opposite the Heineken Experience) Location 2: Blue Boat dock at Stadhouderskade 501 (opposite the Hard Rock Cafe)

We kindly request you to be present at your boarding location 15 minutes in advance.

Did you know that the majority of our fleet sails electrically? This way we can contribute to a better environment.

Which other cruises does Blue Boat offer?

At Blue Boat Company, we have been providing quality canal cruises in Amsterdam for many years. In addition to our well-known City Canal Cruise (and our Kids Canal Cruise as an accompanying package), we also offer an Evening Cruise or you can sail with our Open Boat in Amsterdam. In addition, we have fun group arrangements, such as our Dinner Cruise or Lunch Cruise . Which of our boat tours are you going to book? Let’s discover the canals of Amsterdam together! Amsterdam with kids is a lot more fun with our canal cruise that is designed for kids.

Book your tickets

City canal cruise - dock hard rock café.

A maximum of 10 city cards can be bought per booking.

City Canal Cruise - dock Heineken Experience

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