Tours/Amsterdam/Amsterdam: heated Light Festival Cruise | Incl. Drinks Option
Viator · group up to 54 pax

Amsterdam: heated Light Festival Cruise | Incl. Drinks Option

4.4(139)Amsterdam1 hour
VIATOR3.7(16)TRIPADVISOR4.4(123)

Description

Experience the Amsterdam Light Festival from the water during a 75-minute cruise past the light artworks with or without unlimited drinks, you can pick your preferred package. Board at the Anne Frank House or Central Station (depending on your chosen ticket) and sail comfortably on a heated, covered boat with a toilet on board. Enjoy the fantastic view from the lounge back deck or through the panoramic skylight. The official audio guide in English and Dutch tells you everything about the light artworks. Perfect for the most beautiful photos and a unique evening!

Tour Options

No Drinks option
  • Departure: Anne Frank House: Prinsengracht 261A, Amsterdam Starting point: Prinsengracht 261a, 1016 GV Amsterdam, Netherlands
Unlimited Drinks option
  • Departure: Central Station: Prins Hendrikkade 33A, Amsterdam Starting point: Prins Hendrikkade 33A, 1012 TM Amsterdam, Netherlands

Itinerary

Pass by

We welcome you in the old neighborhood de 'Jordaan'. A charming area of Amsterdam.

Pass by

You will go to the Unesco Canals of Amsterdam

Pass by

The Anne Frank House (Dutch: Anne Frank Huis) is a writer's house and biographical museum dedicated to Jewish wartime diarist Anne Frank. The building is located on a canal called the Prinsengracht, close to the Westerkerk, in central Amsterdam in the Netherlands. During World War II, Anne Frank hid from Nazi persecution with her family and four other people in hidden rooms at the rear of the 17th-century canal house, known as the Secret Annex (Dutch: Achterhuis). She did not survive the war but her wartime diary was published in 1947. Ten years later the Anne Frank Foundation was established to protect the property from developers who wanted to demolish the block

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The Westerkerk is a Reformed church within Dutch Protestant Calvinism in central Amsterdam, Netherlands. It lies in the most western part of the Grachtengordel neighborhood, next to the Jordaan, between the Prinsengracht and Keizersgracht.

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At the Houseboat Museum, you get the chance to experience first-hand what it’s like to live in a houseboat on an Amsterdam canal. The museum is located in the “Hendrika Maria”, a former cargo ship built in 1914. The cargo hold is now a cosy living space featuring all the conveniences and a surprising amount of space and comfort.

Pass by

Leidsegracht is a canal in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. It is a cross-canal in Amsterdam-Center that connects Herengracht, Keizersgracht, Prinsengracht and Lijnbaansgracht and flows into the Singelgracht at Marnixstraat.

Pass by

De Beulingsloot is one of the oldest and shortest canals in the center of Amsterdam. It is located within the Grachtengordel.

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The Melkmeisjesbrug is a fixed bridge in Amsterdam-Center. There has been a bridge here for centuries. Balthasar Florisz. van Berckenrode (1625), Joan Blaeu (1649) and Daniël Stalpaert (1662) signed her on their maps. The modern history of the bridge starts in 1883. A pedestrian drawbridge was then replaced by a permanent bridge. This was possible because shipping here had largely ended. Nevertheless, the passage turned out to be too narrow. The abutments and bridge were renewed in 1903 by the construction of a so-called paraboolligger bridge with iron sickle girders. The bridge looked slender and fit in well with the street scene. The new version of the bridge, this time made of steel, from 1966 also shows these properties. The bridge is named after the milk market that was once held here. Later a catering establishment was built here, which had an image of a milkmaid as a sign. The bridge is probably the place where the first (type) Amsterdammertje was placed.

Pass by

The Amstel is a river in the province of North Holland in the Netherlands. It flows from the Aarkanaal and Drecht in Nieuwveen northwards, passing Uithoorn, Amstelveen, and Ouderkerk aan de Amstel, to the IJ in Amsterdam. Annually, the river is the location of the Liberation Day concert, Head of the River Amstel rowing match, and the Amsterdam Gay Pride boat parade. The Amstel was formed around 1050 BC when a freshwater river cut into a tidal channel of the IJ which are now Damrak and Rokin.

Pass by

Hermitage Amsterdam is a branch museum of the Hermitage Museum of Saint Petersburg, Russia, located on the banks of the Amstel river in Amsterdam. The museum is located in the former Amstelhof, a classical style building from 1681. The dependency displayed small exhibitions in the adjacent Neerlandia Building from 24 February 2004 until the main museum opened on 19 June 2009. It is currently the largest satellite of the Hermitage Museum, with a total area of 12,846 m2 and fits with the museum's plan to make its collections accessible to more people.The exhibition area covers 2,172 m2 and is contained within two large exhibition halls and smaller exhibition rooms. The remaining space holds lecture halls, offices and staff accommodations and a restaurant.

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The Stopera is a building complex in Amsterdam, Netherlands, housing both the city hall of Amsterdam and the Dutch National Opera and Ballet, the principal opera house in Amsterdam that is home of Dutch National Opera, Dutch National Ballet and Holland Symfonia. The building was designed by Wilhelm Holzbauer and Cees Dam. The name is an abbreviation of the protest slogan "Stop the Opera" and not a portmanteau of "st"adhuis (Dutch: "city hall") and "opera" as is often claimed. Because the word 'Stopera' was a name for the protests against the building, the theater has never used this name in their communication.

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Amsterdam Centraal was designed by Pierre Cuypers, who is also known for his design of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. While Cuypers was the principal architect, it is believed that he focused mostly on the decoration of the station building and left the structural design to railway engineers.

Pass by

The IJ is a body of water, formerly a bay, in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is known for being Amsterdam's waterfront.

Highlights

Friendly skippers with unique stories
Unlimted drinks: beer, wine & soda’s (if option chosen)
Toilet on board
Panoramic skylight
Audio guide in English & Dutch
Lounge on the back deck for the best views
Heated & covered boat
75-minute cruise

What's included

Included
Friendly skippers with unique stories
Unlimted drinks: beer, wine & soda’s (if option chosen)
Toilet on board
Panoramic skylight
Audio guide in English & Dutch
Lounge on the back deck for the best views
Heated & covered boat
75-minute cruise
Not included
Snacks (A small selection for sale on board or at the boarding location, such as nuts and chips.)

Traveller Ratings

4.4
139 reviews
5
100
4
13
3
12
2
4
1
10

Important Information

  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • To board, you have to climb a few steps. Therefore, it can be difficult for people with reduced mobility to board.

Reviews(139)

G
Glen_H
February 3, 2026
Missing Cruise Company

The description for the meeting point shows near the Centraal Station. There were many other boats there doing a similar tour, but no one from our booked cruise company was any where to be found. We called the phone number, it said it was out of service. We called Viator, they received the same out of service message. I am not sure if this company exists. I would be careful when booking with this company, this may be an old listing for a company that no longer exists.

R
R6483HCandreap
January 22, 2026
Heating broken, windows fittings, bad experience.

We had specially booked with friends in a heated boat with roof and windows, it was freezing cold, the windows were continuously fogged so we could see the light artworks and the canal houses very badly. Only afterwards was it said that the heating was broken! It sucks. The skipper's lame jokes weren't fun, he should have said what was going on. What do you mean heated boat? I want at least half my money back.

E
esX2208FY
January 20, 2026
Very moderate

Not too good, no toilet, beer that ran out during a drinks including canal, not 75 but 55 minutes of canal cruise, during Amsterdam Light Festival, too many people packed together and windows that you could barely see through, this was really a travesty, the skipper probably couldn't help it, but this was really not okay. A passenger who went to hand out the drinks instead of someone from staff serving. Pretty unabashed that you're asking us for a review, but anyway, this is what it was. A (partial) restitution would be appropriate as far as we are concerned. You go with a boat like that to see something and if you can't see through the windows it's pretty pointless. If I'm being honest, it was a waste of our time and money

A
AnnaMarie_E
January 5, 2026
A little disappointed

Did a similar boat cruise with a different company in October but booked again to see the light festival. The boat was too overcrowded we all were crammed in. Couldn't really see out the windows. We were sat next to a table of people who did not stop talking loudly between themselves and had their family on loud speaker on the phone doing the tour, so unable to hear commentary.No option of outside seating deck as advertised. We were a family of 3 adults and 3 older children. Can definitely get tickets cheaper just turning up to boats by central station.

A
adap2026
January 4, 2026
Boat trip

With friends and family the new year started with a boat trip through the canals of Amsterdam! Nice boat, friendly staff, good explanation. Totally awesome.

Operator response

Beste gast, Hartelijk dank voor uw feedback en voor de vijf sterren! Wat fijn om te horen dat u samen met vrienden en familie het nieuwe jaar heeft begonnen met een plezierige boottocht en dat u onze boot, het personeel en de uitleg heeft gewaardeerd. We hopen u in de toekomst weer aan boord te mogen verwelkomen! Met vriendelijke groet, Het Amsterdam Circle Line Team

K
Kristine_A
December 30, 2025
Arrive early - there are...

Arrive early - there are no drinks on the boat, and you will need to take to-go beverages from a nearby cafe.

A
Alexander_F
December 30, 2025
Sylvester and Amsterdam

Amsteedam visited from the water with great impressions. The experience at dawn was unique.

S
Safari03086068262
December 26, 2025
She's experimenting.

Good experience , very friendly staff! We arrived late but they were able to give us another slot. Thank you so much!

Operator response

Dear customer, Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback and the 5-star rating! We’re really happy to hear you had a great experience and that our team could assist with the timing. Your kind words mean a lot to us. We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you again in the future! Best regards, Amsterdam Circle Line Team

L
Lizwin1
December 19, 2025
Fantastic cruise!

Fantastic cruise with Captain Alex and service from Sofie. No 5 stars because the boarding location was not clearly indicated. From CS it is right and not left.

Operator response

Beste Lizwin, Hartelijk dank voor je feedback! We zijn ontzettend blij dat je genoten hebt van de rondvaart met kapitein Alex en de service van Sofie. We waarderen je opmerking over de opstaplocatie en zullen dit voor toekomstige gasten duidelijker maken. Nogmaals bedankt, en we hopen je snel weer aan boord te mogen verwelkomen! Met vriendelijke groet, Amsterdam Circle Line Team

C
C425IMchloec
December 15, 2025
Enjoyable but not suitable for a group

was enjoyable but not handy with a group as there is no guided seating so you cannot sit together. Additionally if you’re outside you don’t hear the audio, and the tickets do not include app access to see the stories behind the art installations.

Operator response

Dear Customer, Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re glad to hear that you enjoyed the experience. Your comments help us identify areas where we can improve for future visitors. We hope to welcome you again and provide an even better experience next time. Kind regards, Amsterdam Circle Line Team

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