Canal Boat Tours, Amsterdam

This is very new, which I heard about in the NYTimes---The Flying Dutchman company leaves from Schiphol Airport in a large comfortable bus and then near the Museums splashes into the canals for a canal tour---specially made buses have been made for this fun tour, so far only from Schiphol to the city and back, so mainly for tourists/travelers who are connecting with another flight at least 3-4 hours later...
Leaving the airport at 9, 12, and 3 and costing 39 euros adults, 19.50 for 4-12, and under 4 free.
Sounds like alot of fun!

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Across from the Railroad Station are several places to sign up for canal boat tours. They are a great introduction to the city and give you an unusual look at the life of the city. Background: wealthy merchants dug the canals during Holland's prosperous period. Distinctive narrow side by side homes line the canals. They have hooks on top to hoist goods fromthe waterways to the upper floors of the home.

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Canal Cruises in Amsterdam are the most popular tourist attraction in the country, with over 3 million passengers a year. A fleet of about 200 specialized vessels offer a variety of services and entertainment - Lunch Cruises - Dinner Cruises - Music Cruise - Theatre Cruise.
An enjoyable and relaxed way of getting around the canals and seeing Amsterdam's top sights like Van Gogh Museum Rijksmuseum and Ann Frank Hous, is to take a CANAL BOAT TOUR.
CANAL-BUS offers 4 routes, with 20 stops. The 24-hour ticket allows to Hop on and off as often as you wish, as does the HOP ON - HOP OFF Canal Cruise.
Almost 20% of all Canal Cruise Boats are now electrically powered. Clean and silent - No engine noise - No gas fumes.

prices 2011

Adults € 8.50 per person
Children 4 to 12 years incl. € 4.50 per child
Groups of 20 or more € 5,- per person

Candlelight
Adults € 25,- per person
Children 4 to 12 years inclusive
€ 12,50 per person
Groups from 20 people
€ 20,50 per person

Reservations via our Parent company
See www.rederijkooij.nl

I used this company a few times when i have discount cards from my work

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This might be the only city in the world that is better seen from the water. Because of this fact no visit is complete without a canal tour. This is the only tourist attraction that is popular with both locals and tourists, old and young folks alike.
From Winston Crurchill to the Beatles and Nelson Mandela, almost all famous guests have made their acquaintance with the city from the deck of a canal cruise boat.

The advance booking is not necessary, indeed, if you have an I Amsterdam Card you get a free canal tour in front of Central Station, at Rederij Noord-Zuid (the blue boat company.) Their boats leave at every 30 minute, and with its duration of 75 minutes, this is the longest cruise. A computerized audio system acts as the guide, using four languages (English is of course one).
If a window seat is important to you, do not board a boat in which none are available. On most rides tips are solicited, but do not feel obligated to contribute.
The tour takes in Central Station, the Golden Bend of the Herengracht, the Harlemmersluis floodgates which are used nightly to flush the canals, many picturesque bridges, including the Bridge of 15 bridges at the crossing of the Reguliersgracht with the Herengracht, the famous Skinny Bridge over the Amstel, and the harbor. The boat trips are at their best when the sun is shining, there are a few seats outside in the back of the boat, where also smoking is allowed.
Do not forget to get a guide book in order to check immediately all what you have seen.

Without the card the 75 minutes tour costs 9.50€ for adults, 5.50€ for children (5 to 12 yrs) and 65+. Children under 4 are free.

Departures
Summer season (April-September):
Every half hour, daily from 10.00am - 6.00pm, and at 7.00pm
Winter season (October- March):
Every hour, daily from 10.00am - 5.00pm

take a boat, join a boat trip, wander around the canals, watching the old houses along the canals, the guy on the boat will tell u the backgrounds of the houses.
day trip and night trip certainly gives two different images.
day trip 1 hour: Euro 9
candle night cruise 2 hours: about Euro 30
(cheese and wine provided)

Here's the canal boat, make sure you don't eat any space cake first and jump in the river. Remember people, this is the morning here, no one looks good in the morning in Amsterdam!

I updated this page in July, 2005 to give some info on one of the operators.

The Day Pass gives you unlimited use of Canal Bus boats until midday the next day. You can hop on and hop off as often as you like! The Red, Green and Blue Line stop close to the following sites:

A - Rijksmuseum (Green/Red)
B - Leidseplein (Green/Red)
C - Westerkerk / Keizersgracht (Red)
D - Anne Frank House / Prinsengracht (Green)
E - Central Station-East (All lines)
F - City Hall (Red/Blue)
G - NEMO Museum (Blue)
H - Maritime Museum / Scheepvaartmuseum (Blue)
J - Artis Zoo (Blue)
K - Tropenmuseum (Blue)
L - Rembrandt House (Green)
M - Gassan Diamonds
N - Rembrandt-plein (Green)
W - Central Station-West (Green/Red)

Check out the site below and play around with it until you find the information you need.

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I highly recommend to take a boat canal tour. With the I amsterdam pass you can choose between Blue Boat Company or Holland International. We took the tour with Blue Boat Company and we enjoyed the trip, they told the history of Amsterdam and informed about the monuments and buildings watched from the boat. The trip takes 1 hour and 15 minuntes and they have 1 tour every hour.

Sin duda recomiendo hacer un tour en barco por los canales. Con la i amsterdam pass puedes elegir entre las compañias Holland Internationa o Blue Boat. Hicimos el tour con Blue Boat y fue una pasada, te explican cosas sobre la historia de Amsterdam y de los monumentos que ves desde el barco. El viaje dura 1 hora y 15 minuto y salen cada 15 minutos

If you want to go your own way at your own pace, it's best to rent your own boat. There's a few companies renting out boats. They are all electric and fit a maximum of six persons. You drive yourself, which is pretty easy even withour a licence. Most of the companies offer free maps. At some companies you can rent a boat by the hour, but is recommended to take some more time. In about three or four hours you can get a pretty good impression of the city with all of it's highlights along the canals. The best value for money is Boaty, see www.amsterdamrentaboat.com. Their rate starts at euro 79,- for three hours.

I think this is the best way to experience the canals in Amsterdam---privately owned boats steered by innovative entrepeneurs and they give a great tour----you can bring wine, jenever, smoke, whatever with you and have a blast cruising the canals in an open boat with a good guide.
Because the cruise is in an open boat, appropriate clothing is a must and these boats are smaller than the normal cruise boats and can get under the lowest bridges to out of the way canals....The captain usually passes a jar for his fee---pay him well when you have a good time!
You need to go into the Boom Chicago Comedy Theatre on the Leidseplein to sign up for these trips and the loading point is not far from that point usually. Just walk in and ask where you sign up for the St Nicholaas cruise, there is a binder on the bar .....