A 75-min serene cruise on a luxury salon or covered boat, marveling at the Light Festival
A 75-min serene cruise on a luxury salon or covered boat, marveling at the Light Festival
Inclusions
Seeing the lights was incredible. I wished they offered hot chocolate as a beverage, and the they wouldnt over crowd the boat.
Delay, tour too long given the crowds on the canals. Average comfort, wet cushions... slippery boarding pontoon. Too expensive for the service
View original review in French
The meeting point was very poorly described and the boat arrived much too late. The snacks were served in a bowl that was passed around which was quite unappetizing as everyone was reaching in with their fingers. That was a shame...but the guide was friendly and explained everything clearly.
View original review in German
Ric the entertainer was BRAVIOUS in cheering up the cruise. Here's what didn't work: First they announced the change of departure, which we struggled to find (not reported). From the scheduled time we waited half an hour in the cold (scheduled 6:15 pm departure at 6:45 pm). There was some confusion about getting people on (couldn't tell if everyone would fit). The boat had this plastic covering so the view was bad. However, the RIC facilitator was very good at explanations and getting all the people to participate!
View original review in Italian
The prob was the rain with the 30 mns queue and the poor visibility with this rain and the mist which prevented from seeing the outside.
View original review in French
I thought it was pleasant tour with a nice guide! He told a good story about the lights with a funny twist. I missed the red wine (not present) and in terms of appetizers, it was disappointing....
View original review in Dutch
We were given the wrong meeting point of outside a Chinese restaurant. If it wasn't for another person who had contacted the provider we would not have known. We then arrived late because we were given incorrect meeting point information and refused boarding. We then had to wait 1 hour for the next boat. The staff before boarding were unhelpful, disinterested and caused someone with a knee disability to walk further than absolutely necessary. Nothing was done to help this person and it was more of a "sorry, but I'm not really sorry because you arrived late". To mitigate this happening in the future maybe they should station their helpers and ensure information is accurate about meeting points and then trying to put the blame on the customer. The only time things improved was when we were actually on the boat and the 2 ladies were knowledgeable, attentive and had excellent customer service skills. Those dockside, not very much!
Everything went smoothly with ticketing and Headout was great because we had to change the time of our cruise due to some unexpected scheduling issues. The cruise was fun even though it rained. There was plenty to drink and eat. The lights were interesting and spread out over the cruise time.
So the trip was nice and the drivers were great 👍 However, the boats were not yet prepared for departure and the covers were completely wet due to the rain. 🤷♀️ That delayed the departure by about 20 minutes. Otherwise everything was fine 😊
View original review in German
It was a very rainy experience, but the Guide Dean made the trip very pleasant and the skipper Gijs was very professional. The drinks were enough , but we had expectated more snackss
Our guide Sabrina was great fun. The Gluhwein was yummy and abundant. And, of course, the light were great even though there was rain.
Your host, Danielle the student from Germany, was amazing! Absolute pro, and very, very entertaining. I loved it! Nighttime canal rides with endless mulled wine are the way to go in Dam. The perfect end to a perfect day.
It turned out that we were in an extra hired salon boat: smaller and very atmospheric! Only the chaos before departure with several large groups was a bit less.
View original review in Dutch
Best view of Amsterdam is from the canals - our guide was incredible with a great knowledge about the history of Amsterdam as well as the light festival. Loved it from start to finish and would highly recommend as a fun activity whether you're just visiting Amsterdam or have been there all your life.
The guides, the schedule and the drinks were great. We were only disappointed by the small number of light sculptures.
View original review in German
Pleasant hosts, nice little cruise and plenty to drink. Light festival itself very average compared to other experiences in other cities.
View original review in French
Nice ride through Amsterdam with background information about the lights and the whole city. Super nice and helpful crew.
View original review in German
Everything was in English, no French audioguide, simply no self-guide impossible to see the sets or the lights, I had to look at photos taken by other people. Vin chaud.... cold the lady didn't turn on the electric thermos
View original review in French
You ask me what I thought of the audio guide, but unfortunately there wasn't one :-( . The guide's voice was weak and covered by the boat pilot's voice. I'm a French speaker, so I need a lot of attention to understand English, which I'm not 100% fluent in, so not being able to hear properly meant I didn't understand any of the explanations, which is a shame.
View original review in French
Great cruise, friendly crew, heated boat with a little plaid for those who are a little chilly, unlimited drinks, soft ambiance. We recommend
View original review in French
Unfortunately, we got into the boat after a heavy shower - you couldn't see the lights, especially at the back of the boat, as there were no windows there, but rather foil windows. The rain stuck to them and was not removed before departure. This meant that they were only partially transparent. The problem was exacerbated by the very bright lighting on board. Loud groups of people were not asked to be quieter, so that some of the explanations were completely drowned out
View original review in German
Thijs was a good guide with good knowledge of Amsterdam. Mo was a good skipper. Was very enjoyable although this time we found the art tour to be little.
View original review in Dutch
The interaction with the tour guide, the great views of the city & the drinks were really good which added to the fun of the cruise!
Magical excursion among the canals and lights reflected on the water, friendly and helpful staff on board. I appreciated the formula with drinks included!
View original review in Italian
The friendly, smiling history student guide Kirsten answered all our questions. She explained the various light installations at the Lichtfestival. The Norwegian skipper, who has a great sense of humor, informed us about many interesting aspects of culture and the digital world. We liked the fact that these 2 hosts got on well with each other and created a good atmosphere for the group. The drinks, chardonnay wine, were very good. The welcome on arrival was pleasant and very clear. In short, I 100% recommend the experience despite the wind and rain during the last 30 minutes. Nathalie and Frans
View original review in French
Choose from four boarding piers & two cruise durations
Choose from four boarding piers & two cruise durations
Inclusions
Exclusions
An evening cruise through Amsterdam's canals is beautiful and highly recommended. The Festival of Light installations/exhibits are also extremely interesting. We liked the responsible, but also humorous, manner of our captain!
View original review in German
It was a bad time for us, as it was a rainy evening, the inside of the boat was very foggy and visibility of the works was not great. What's more, the explanations on the audioguide were only half-translated into French, the other half being in English.
View original review in French
The overall experience was good. The only thing we missed was that the explanation was in several languages or that we could have access to some kind of translation.
View original review in Spanish
Nice in evening through the canal, could for me dwell a little longer at the light pardae exhibits, we sat backwards so was sometimes a little difficult viewing, especially for my elderly mother, but otherwise nice audio tour! And nice and warm in the boat and clean.
View original review in Dutch
The festival is magnificent, and the French commentaries on the town's history are interesting. The inhabitants decorate their houses beautifully, adding to the artistic spectacle. The works of light are not of equal quality, but some are truly moving. The big drawback is that the whole thing lacks organization: you can end up outside the boat without wanting to, and it's not warm in the evening! The works are not commented in French, and the headphones are of poor quality.
View original review in French
The cruise was superb, with covered boats, which comes in handy when it's cold. The lights were superb and with the audio-guide it's interesting!
View original review in French
The captain was knowledgeable, funny and very friendly. The views were gorgeous, definitely reccomend.
The info and conviviality with the guide.
View original review in Dutch
Was weer een mooie tocht, en veel mooie creaties gezien. Dank voor de tocht
Very well organized.
View original review in Spanish
Efficient and good tour. On time
Flexibility when daughter was late and nobody saw a problem with it.
View original review in German
:-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)
This review is translated. Show original review.
Yes, it was interesting, but a little shorter than it said it would be.
View original review in Spanish
Indulge in local cheeses from Kaasbar with paired wines
Indulge in local cheeses from Kaasbar with paired wines
Inclusions
Better organization in the separation of customers, those who had a ticket with food and drink were together with another group
View original review in Portuguese
The lıght ın Amsterdam ıs magnıfıcent. Wıth the rıght company package they offer, ıt wıll be an experience of a lıfetıme. I gıve ıt a 4 star. ıf ı have to do ıt agaın, ı wıll do ıt on an open and a small boat. Overall, ıts a 8/10.
The wine was good It was very easy to get a ticket
This review is translated. Show original review.
Inclusions
We came to Amsterdam expressly for the Festival of Lights and were disappointed by how little light there was, contrary to what we'd seen on the internet. Also, the audio guide was in French, but there was no commentary.
View original review in French
A beautiful warm boat. Neat Captain and a wonderful experience which we recommend to everyone. Only message came through the app when we were already home. We had the boat trip at 18h in the evening and at 20.30 came the mail so that should be faster but otherwise Chapeau!
View original review in Dutch
It was great fun and simply wonderful
View original review in German
Loved the lights, it was so warm and the cabin looked nice inside
In the publicity they said they had an audio guide in Spanish, but later on the ship they did not give it in that language.
View original review in Spanish
Captain spontaneous, boat was very clean, friendly staff
View original review in Dutch
Nice and warm and neat boat. The botist sometimes told something extra even and sailed slowly on nice spots
View original review in Dutch
Recommended tickets:
Recommended tickets:
Recommended tickets:
Recommended tickets:
Amsterdam Lights Winter Walking Tour
The Amsterdam Light Festival is organized with installations of artworks that are created especially for the festival. Along with all that, special education projects in which primary students and Breitner Academy take part, are installed. The artworks are displayed in public spaces all over Amsterdam near the canals, making them easily accessible.
As the festival spreads from the Sloterplas to the city district South, several light art installations displayed on the different editions of the Amsterdam Light Festival also find their place in the permanent collection. It includes works of artists like Tijdmakers and collaborators like Uilenstede University Campus.
The light art displayed at the Amsterdam Light Festival is too good to be stored away once the festival is over. So to ensure that they receive their due recognition, most of the light artworks become part of an international collection that is temporarily displayed all over the world, managed by the Light Art Collection, illuminating cities, and exhibitions worldwide.
This is the current project of the Amsterdam Light Festival, in which the area of Amsterdam Nieuw West will see a major change as it gets redesigned as the Municipality of Amsterdam. It will also find an installation of permanent light art, with several other artworks finding their place in public spaces in the near future.
This new light artwork by OSSO encourages visitors to find a quiet calm in this work when we live in a world of constant pace of movement.
Amsterdam Light Festival: Daily from November 28 to January 19
Opening hours: 5pm to 11pm
Tourists and visitors can enjoy the light festival in several ways. You can either choose a walking tour or book an Amsterdam canal cruise. It is a long walk, around 6.5 km. If you have limited mobility or toddlers, and infants with you, it is best to book a canal cruise. Not only are you in a warm space, protected from the rain, but you can also enjoy free Wi-Fi and multilingual audio guides on a canal cruise.
Yes, the cruise is family-friendly and a great way to introduce children to art and culture. Kids will love the colorful light displays, and some cruises even offer discounted family tickets.
The cruise operates in most weather conditions since the boats are covered and heated. However, in case of extreme weather, the cruise might be canceled, and you will be offered a rescheduled time or a refund.
Yes, several providers offer private boat rentals for groups. This option is perfect for corporate events, family gatherings, or anyone looking for a more intimate experience. You can email the cruise operator to book your cruise directly.
The boats are typically glass-topped enclosed or semi-open electric boats, offering panoramic views of the light installations while keeping passengers warm and dry.
Definitely! The Amsterdam Light Festival cruise is a fantastic option for solo travelers looking to explore the city’s culture and art scene in a relaxed and scenic setting.
Tipping is not mandatory, but if you enjoyed the service, a small tip for the crew is always appreciated.
Some cruises may have small souvenir shops near the departure points. Alternatively, you can find festival souvenirs at local shops near the departure points.