Netherlands » Amsterdam

Amsterdam Light Festival Cruise & Unlimited Drinks

1h 15m ★★★★★★★★★★ 4.73 (263 reviews) 86% rated it 5 stars Free cancellation

1/13

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Gliding Past Amsterdam's Lit Canals on an Electric Boat with Drinks Flowing

You board an electric boat in Amsterdam and spend 75 minutes cruising the Amstel River and eastern canals while unlimited drinks flow from the bar. The route passes the Herengracht, NEMO museum, and Amsterdam Central Station, ending near Rembrandt Square. A local skipper guides the journey, the boat stays covered and heated, and you choose your own pace through the winter light festival.

Prices and availability checked: 2026-08-17

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see Amsterdam's winter lights from the water without arranging your own transport or worrying about what to drink — the open bar and local skipper take both off your hands, and the 75-minute length fits into an evening without eating your whole night.

1h 15m

Step-by-step itinerary

Board fully electric boat
Cruise along Amstel River
Sail past romantic Herengracht bridge
View Amsterdam Central Station building
Pass NEMO Science Museum
End cruise near Rembrandt Square
Enjoy unlimited drinks option

The Experience

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.73 (263 reviews)

You step onto a fully electric boat and the Amstel River opens up in front of you. The skipper casts off, and for the next 75 minutes you're moving through Amsterdam's east side with the city's winter lights reflecting off the water. The boat is covered, heated with blankets stacked on every seat, and there's a bar running the whole length — beer, wine, glühwein, hot chocolate, coffee, tea, soda. You order what you want when you want it. No tabs, no limits. The boat stays small enough that there's always room to move, to step outside onto the deck if the cold doesn't bother you, to stand at the bow and watch the NEMO museum's angular roofline slide past.

The route takes you down the Herengracht, Amsterdam's most romantic bridge arching overhead, then along the water where Amsterdam Central Station rises from the opposite bank. Your skipper and host know the city the way locals do — they point out which buildings light up first as the sun drops, which canal corners get crowded with tourists and which ones stay quiet. You pass under low bridges, glide past the NEMO Science Museum with its copper-green hull catching the festival lights, and the whole thing moves at a pace that lets you actually see instead of just rush through. The Amsterdam Light Festival cruise ends near Rembrandt Square, where the bars and restaurants spill out onto the streets and you can walk straight into the evening if you want to keep going.

The electric boat means no diesel smell, no engine noise cutting through conversation. It's the kind of detail that doesn't sound like much until you're on the water and realize you can actually hear the skipper's stories, hear your friends, hear the city. The blankets matter too — Amsterdam in winter is wet and cold, and sitting wrapped up with a hot drink while the lights move past is the whole point. Groups stay manageable, which means the boat never feels packed, and families with small children or strollers fit without anyone having to fold anything up.

What’s included

Your 75-minute cruise includes unlimited beer, wine, glühwein, hot chocolate, coffee, tea, and soda served throughout.
A welcome snack is provided.
The boat is fully electric, covered, and heated with blankets.
A local skipper guides the route past the Amstel River, Herengracht, NEMO Science Museum, and Amsterdam Central Station, ending near Rembrandt Square where restaurants and bars are within walking distance.
All fees and taxes are included in the price.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Starboard Boats