Amsterdam Light Festival: Canal Boat Tour

Join Captain Dave Amsterdam on a heated boat cruise and experience the Amsterdam Light Festival, a mesmerizing open-air light art exhibition in the historic center of Amsterdam. Don’t miss out on the top winter festival in Europe!

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Herengracht - The journey begins and concludes at Herengracht 124-128.
What's Included
  • 90‑minute Festival of Lights canal cruise with first‑class views of the open‑air exhibition
  • Heated boat with extra blankets for a comfortable evening cruise
  • Personable, non‑scripted local captain — your host and fully licensed guide
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Restroom on board (light use only)
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Don’t miss out on the annual canal boat tour event. During the Amsterdam Festival of Lights, from November 26 to January 17, 2027, the city is beautifully illuminated by international light artists, turning the historic center into a captivating open-air light exhibition—best enjoyed from the water.
Join an evening cruise to experience front-row views as…

Location
Spaces Herengracht
Herengracht
I’ll be waiting for you at our meeting point in front of Herengracht 124–128. Depending on your departure time, you’ll be welcomed on board either the historic Jonckvrouw or the iconic James Bond boat.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(123 Ratings)
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Wendy
Jan 10, 2026
Fab light fest private tour - 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.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pascalbx5664kt
Jan 4, 2026
A Magical Journey Through Amsterdam’s Lights with Captain Dave - 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!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
A987oelarak
Dec 30, 2025
5 out of 5 stars - 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.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dgtraveler_13
Dec 29, 2025
Captain Dave and Crew are Fantastic! - 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!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Suttee_h
Dec 28, 2025
Scenic and Well-Run Light Festival Cruise - 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.
Review provided by Viator
C46ouestellem
Dec 27, 2025
Beautiful! - 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.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Y9060qtgracel
Dec 19, 2025
Fabulous, would recommend - 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!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tilla68
Jan 11, 2026
To big expectations? - 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.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Brenda_b
Dec 30, 2025
Tour Operator was... - Tour Operator was awesome. The light display not as advertised on the various booking sites. Not much to see.
Review provided by Viator
Kris_b
Dec 29, 2025
Could have been better - 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.
Review provided by Viator