Amsterdam Light Festival Cruise by Captain Dave
Description
Don’t miss the annual canal boat tour event. During the Amsterdam Festival of Lights (from November 26 to January 17, 2027), the city is illuminated by international light artists, transforming the historic center into an open‑air light exhibition —best experienced from the water. Join us for an evening cruise and enjoy front‑row views as Amsterdam’s canals, bridges, and buildings glow with light art. The Festival of Lights is one of the Top 10 winter festivals in Europe — The Guardian We sail on two exceptional boats. The historic Jonckvrouw (1928), once used by presidents, mayors, and the Dutch royal family, offers a warm and intimate setting. Selected departures also take place on the iconic James Bond boat with wide views over the water. Both boats are fully electric and heated, with sliding windows, a sunroof, an open aft deck, and a light‑use toilet on board. Book direct for the best experience and come join us on the water. Captain Dave Amsterdam #captaindaveamsterdam
Tour Options
Itinerary
We depart from Herengracht 124-128 where we will also end the cruise
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Not recommened for travelers with acute intestinal problems
Reviews(123)
It could be that I had to big expectations due to the high ratings. Captain Dave did not join us this evening and his replacement was a nice guy , but a very ‘fast speaker ‘ He also was a bit stressed I think… Forgot to mention that we needed to help our self with the drinks since he was busy being the captain. The lightarts was beautiful, but not spectacular. Nice to have a boattrip on the canal so we will for sure do that again when we come back to beautiful Amsterdam in spring.
Captain dave light fest tour was fab. We had gone last year with them too and this year even better- the commentary/skipper on board karim but also captain dave mgmt/hospitality/troubleshooting. Comfortable warm boat in freezing weather. A must to go again and spread the positive word.
The Amsterdam Light Festival Cruise with Captain Dave was truly a magical experience. Our captain navigated the boat, which, despite its nearly 100 years, is still in impeccable condition, with remarkable skill. The intimate atmosphere of the small tour, with only five passengers aboard, made the experience even more special. Captain Dave, an incredibly knowledgeable and charming woman, shared her extensive insights about the city and the stunning light art, entertaining us wonderfully. Included in the price were delicious snacks and an excellent selection of beverages, which made the journey even more enjoyable. This tour is a fantastic opportunity to explore the city from the water. We wholeheartedly recommend Captain Dave!
Beautiful boat! Our guide was wonderful. Beverages and snacks were better than expected! This is definitely worth going on, small private group experience is worth it.
Tour Operator was awesome. The light display not as advertised on the various booking sites. Not much to see.
It all sounds spectacular--Amsterdam Light Festival-- but it was rather unspecial. We remained inside during the wintry cruise and the views were limited because of the windows, the rain, and all the other passengers. Our Captain was good at the steering wheel but referred to everyone as "Guys" about a 100 times during the hour+ trip. The wine/food offerings were meager: stale Pringles and questionable vintages. It could have been better with Christmas jazz and bigger windows. The lights were pretty but not breathtaking.
Great experience. Researched different boats and picked Captain Dave. It’s a smaller boat (12 people) than most of the massive commercial tours and we were able to take some side options while others were waiting in traffic on the canal. Lots of great/fun/interactive information. Didn’t need a boat with all the food, we had snacks and plenty of drink options. Would definitely recommend Captain Dave and crew. Fantastic!!
The Light Festival boat tour with Okka as our captain was a wonderful experience. Having a small group was perfect. It combined informative commentary with breathtaking views of the canals and light art. The boat was comfortable and warm, with an outdoor deck for fresh air, and offered a nice variety of drinks and light snacks.
Beautiful little cruise on the canals, warm in the beautiful boat. Karim the captain is great, he fascinates us with his anecdotes about his heart town. The lights are magic! We highly recommend to discover the city in one evening.
I had a great time on this cruise. Easy meeting instructions, very friendly captain and a lovely boat. Very comfortable, plenty of drinks and snacks. Captain (Roman) had plenty of interesting stories and was happy to answer questions about the boat and Amsterdam in general. The group was very small (max 12) which made the experience even better - we sailed past many other much larger canal boats and I was very glad to have chosen Captain Dave instead. Would recommend!!
