Amsterdam Light Festival Cruise

“We’ve just been on a wonderful tour with the lovely Beer! It was really entertaining and a great way to spend the time! We’d book it again in a heartbeat.”

“Bo showed us the less traveled canals & shared insights & stories from her experiences growing up in Amsterdam. We saw magnificent houses, beautiful gardens, 1970’s houseboats, historical buildings & landmarks. The boat was comfortable and evening was fun and relaxing. Highly recommend!”

Arend

July 2026

“Thanks for a beautiful evening canal trip :) Lovely boat, and great to see Amsterdam from the water with local knowledge & information”

“We thoroughly enjoyed our small boat private tour with Beer. He was knowledgeable and passionate about his home. We traversed many small canals, discussed history, the homes along the canals and were dropped near our next scheduled tour so the timing was perfect. He had some bubbles that he provided which made the tour more fun! Because we were with a small independent company, we were able to reschedule when our flight was cancelled, and we had to switch tour days. If we had booked with a large company that convenience and flexibility would not have happened. We would have lost our money on the tour. Go local whenever you can! There are usually perks included!”

“Delightful!”

“Beer does a great job. Very personal experience you won't get on the big boats with all the same amenities ready for any weather situation.”

Derek

May 2026

“The tour was a 10. Exactly what we were looking for. Our guide Bas was incredibly nice. He made sure we were comfortable in every way. Told us all about the city and the history. Bas told us about local things that were happening right now to check out. The boat was really clean and beautiful it was relaxed and private. I watched many of the large tourist boats go by and all the long lines of people waiting to go on tours. This experience was intimate. We truly felt like a local friend picked us up and showed us around their city.”

Trond Soltvedt

May 2026

“antastic service! Our booking agency made a scheduling error, so our tour wasn't actually available when we arrived. As soon as the crew at Off-Canal Cruise realized the issue, they jumped right into action. They immediately contacted other local companies and managed to secure us a spot on a different cruise for the exact same time slot. The new tour was a bit more expensive, but Off-Canal Cruise completely covered the difference! It wasn't even their fault that the booking agency messed up, yet they still went the extra mile to save our day. Highly recommend their incredible customer support. Thank you!”

Sepatu Studios

May 2026

“Great accommodating service. With a more original tour than the usual tourist boot ride. I highly recommend supporting small/familiy businesses in Amsterdam for a more authentic experience :)”

Fulco Vrooland

May 2026

“Had a lovely evening touring the canals of my own city Amsterdam, quiet spots I had never been before. Thank you, Captain Beer, for your interesting background stories.”

Riley Evans

May 2026

“The cruise was fantastic, and the captain was genuinely friendly throughout. Highly recommend to any tourists visiting for a new perspective of the canals!”

Nicole Tolman

May 2026

“Zeker een aanrader om de stad op een enorm relaxte manier te verkennen! Prachtige en goed verzorgde boottocht gehad op een mooie boot met een verhaal. De schipper was erg vriendelijk en wist op een leuke manier veel te vertellen over de stad en de grachten. De drankjes waren goed verzorgd en de borrelplank was enorm uitgebreid. We hebben heerlijk genoten van een gezellige tocht van twee uur waarbij we veel hebben kunnen zien vanaf de waterkant.”

“We truly enjoyed our private boat ride. The ride was peaceful and relaxing. Just what we needed. The canal was amazing. We highly recommend it.”

“Lovely Canal Cruise, the boat was really cozy and captain Beer was really nice. Would definitely recommend this cruise”

“Lovely boat, very classy and comfortable. Fantastic guide, she was brilliant and so knowledgeable. We both thougholy enjoyed the trip.”

“This was one of the best decisions of our first trip to Amsterdam. We wanted a low key experience and a small group setting to explore Amsterdam from the canals - this absolutely delivered. Beer was such a wonderful host - clearly knowledgeable and passionate about his city. We were fortunate enough to have the boat to ourselves, and we had great conversation the whole time. We had so many questions, and Beer was so kind and patient to address every single one. Architecture, the locks, history, real estate, the Red Light District... anything was on topic. True to the description, there was no scripted tour, and no dull moments. We learned so much about the canals and culture of the city. The boat, itself, is beautiful. And because it was small, I felt we could go anywhere, and that we DID go anywhere that supported our questions and conversations. I saw a cat on a house boat, and Beer changed course so I could get a picture, lol. I'd go again on another visit, and feel that I'd see something completely new the next time. My recommendation is to go early in your trip, because then when you are walking the city later, it sparks connections to how you saw the city from the water. They also give you a curated list of places to try across the city - the awesome local places you may not stumble upon with a Google Maps search. If you love living like a local, this is the answer - stop scrolling, this is the canal tour you want!”

“Lovely view from the boat, Jannah was a great captain! Beautiful boat, lovely experience , definitely would recommend surely be back!”

“Lovely canal ride that is perfect for those looking for more personal service and real insight into the area and the canals. Beer shared interesting information and was gracious with all of our questions. The perfect way to relax for an hour and see Amsterdam from the point of view of the canals. Also would make a great start to your tour of Amsterdam as you get excellent suggestion on some of the lesser known sites which are often the best things to do in a city.”

“I am so glad that we chose the "Off the Beaten Path" canal cruise for our boat trip in Amsterdam. The boat itself is gorgeous and so comfortable. Our skipper Beer was so kind, knowledgeable, relaxed and thoughtful. He encouraged us to kick our shoes off and put our feet up, had drinks and umbrellas for shade on hand and generally made us feel right at home. The cruise itself was so wonderful. He took us first through areas which no other boat tour goes through and we got to see where and how the real locals live which was not only beautiful and fascinating but also so quiet and peaceful, it was like medicine to the soul. He also took us through the Jordaan area (stunning) and then past the Anne Frank Haus and a little of the more usual tour areas which was great to do too. My daughter and I were also the only people who'd booked for that session so we had the boat to ourselves, what a treat! And with a full 90min trip it was unbelievably good value. By far the best canal trip I've done here. So, do yourself a favour and book it! I cannot recommend this trip highly enough. NB. When we arrived early for the trip I was a little unsure I was in the right place as Beer was yet to arrive and there was no sign or anything on the little jetty to indicate we were in the right place but if you're on a little jetty next to a little play park on Brouwersgracht with a chic restaurant on the corner by the bridge, hold your nerve, you are in the right place!”

“Our tour was very relaxed and beautiful. Beer has told us many exciting stories about the city & answered all our questions. The little trip on the water felt like visiting friends. We will never forget the ride and heartily recommend it.”