Private Cruise - Amsterdam Light Festival
Your own covered electric boat for up to 30 guests, with blankets and a live guide
Exceptional
1,188 reviews
What guests loved most
Kaylee R.
“Had an amazing time with Oliva and Larkin!! Amazing people and such an informative tour”
À partir de €395.85
·1 hour 15 minutes
À propos de cette excursion
15th Light Festival • Private covered boat for up to 30 • 75 min
Book the whole boat for your group and see the 15th Amsterdam Light Festival from the water. The cruise takes about 75 minutes and starts at the Starboard Dock on the Amstel. The route runs along the Amstel and through the canal belt.
The boat is electric and covered, so you stay dry on a winter evening. There are blankets on board. Nobody else is on board. Your guide explains the artworks in English as you pass them.
Drinks and food
You can book the boat with or without an unlimited drinks option. The drinks option covers unlimited beer, wine, soda and glühwein, and includes the Amsterdam Light Festival fee. Without the drinks option, the festival fee is an extra 9 euros per adult and 6.50 euros per child. Food and snacks are not included. Private cruises can include catering on request.
What's included
- The whole boat for your group, up to 30 guests
- A skipper and a live English-speaking guide
- A covered boat with warm blankets
Good to know
- The festival runs from 26 November 2026 to 17 January 2027. The lights are on from 16:30 to 23:00 every day, and until 21:00 on 31 December.
- Cancel more than one month before your cruise for a full refund. Cancel up to one week before and you get a voucher for the next edition or a regular cruise instead of a refund. Within one week there is no refund.
- Dogs are welcome on private cruises.
- Bringing your own food and drinks is not allowed.
- The boats are not wheelchair accessible.
- Some private boats have a small toilet. Tell the operator when you book if you need one, and they will confirm whether it is possible.
- In the holiday period a departure can be up to 30 minutes late because of canal traffic.
Meeting point
Starboard Dock, Amstel 178, 1017 AE Amsterdam. Arrive at least 15 minutes before departure.
“Had an amazing time with Oliva and Larkin!! Amazing people and such an informative tour”
Boissons & collations à bord
Politique d'annulation
Politique d'annulation
- Cancel at least one month before your booking for a full refund
- Cancel one week to one month before your booking for a 75% refund
- Cancel less than one week before your booking and get no refund
- Cancel more than one month before your cruise for a full refund. Cancel up to one week before and you get a voucher for the next edition or a regular cruise instead of a refund. Cancel within one week and there is no refund.
What guests say
Kaylee R.
August 2026
“Had an amazing time with Oliva and Larkin!! Amazing people and such an informative tour”
Mary
August 2026
“Hervorragend weil: Unkomplizierte Buchung direkt beim " Kapitän", supernette Guide Constanze, die flexibel die Sehenswürdigkeiten auf Englisch und Deutsch beschrieb inkl. Hintergründe ohne zu überfrachten. Herzlichen Dank”
Benjamin K.
August 2026
“We booked a canal pride boat experience through Get Your Guide with Starboard Boats. The map location sent to by Get Your Guide was incorrect today. We paid almost $400 usd for this and we never got to experience it. After thinking about this for a little bit I think both companies share equal responsibility for the poor communication about the location today. After reading some reviews about Starboard I would say that they seem like a good company. I just wanted to warn people about booking any Amsterdam Pride canal boat VIP experiences through them. If I had seen a review like this I would have booked with a different company.”
M. R.
July 2026
“Great canal cruise with lots of interesting information. Relaxing, well organized, and highly recommended!”
Juan D.
July 2026
Tom D.
July 2026
“Great crew”
Kayra C.B.
July 2026
“Our cruise with Michael as host and Vivien as skipper was extraordinary!!!! At every time we felt secure, welcomed and had a great time! Both were very attentive, friendly, and informative! 11/10, would recommend.”
Nikki B.
July 2026
“Great trip, fabulous hostess, very knowledgable about Amsterdam. Would highly recommend xx”
Tania H.
July 2026
“We had such a great experience with Starboard! The boat tour was fantastic, and our guide was absolutely amazing, friendly, knowledgeable, and made the whole experience so much fun. It was a wonderful way to explore Amsterdam. Highly recommend!”
Adriano F.
June 2026
“It was well worth it, in summer choose to do the tour after 6pm, it will still be very light out but the sun will have gone down already. An hour-long tour through several canals of Amsterdam.”
Tiffani H.
June 2026
“So many options to choose from in Amsterdam but we enjoyed this one. It was extremely hot this day but they had water on board and umbrellas to help. We did the unlimited drinks and it was worth it as we both enjoyed 3 beers. It was cool to see the city by boat. Our skipper (forgetting her name) and guide (Stella) were great. Stella is from the states but has been living in Amsterdam a few years now and knew a lot about the city. It was only us and another group of 2 so it was basically a private ride which was really cool as well.”
Yoad D.P.
June 2026
“Great experience professional staff and nice unique way to experience Amsterdam! Highly recommended!”
CJohnson
June 2026
“Great experience and lots of historical information. We ended up getting there 3 minutes before launch without reservations and it went smooth. Drink was included with the 25€ price per person”
Никола Н.
June 2026
Sabin M.
June 2026
“Excellent experience. Edward was an awesome guide, that not only taught us about the city but knew how to answer all of the other questions we had about the city - a well read, funny and careful individual. Thank you! Kees is an amazing skipper who was also calm and collected even with our kids playing around the boat. He also helped 2 passengers get off to make it to an appointment they had”
Billy W.
June 2026
“Had an absolutely fantastic experience with Edward and Julian on the 90 minute unlimited drinks cruise. Best money we spent on our 4 day trip, would highly recommend.”
Alyssa M.
June 2026
“What a wonderful and unforgettable experience! The crew was so lovely, welcoming, and fun! I’ve never laughed so hard. The conversation was great and not only did I learn so much about this city but also about dutch culture which was so refreshing. A shoutout to Boris for making this experience feel so special! You have to take this tour if you are ever visiting, it is definitely a must!”
Maja E.
June 2026
“Best boat ever<3 the captain is a legend”
Ilgaz D.
June 2026
“Our tour boat guides Josha and Toine were so nice and friendly. It was a great experience.”
Alice
May 2026
“We took a cruise through the canals of Amsterdam, a beautiful experience, drinks included. We discovered this company thanks to Giorgio, whom we met on the street in the city and who kindly explained the different cruise options to us. Would do it again!”
Pour qui ?
Great for
- Groups who want the whole boat to themselves
- Celebrations and group outings (up to 30 guests)
- Rainy days — the boat is covered
- Visitors who want to see the Amsterdam Light Festival from the water
Maybe not for
- Anyone hoping to join an existing group — the whole boat is booked at once
Questions fréquemment posées
Where does this cruise depart from?
Private Cruise - Amsterdam Light Festival departs from Amstel 178, 1017 AE Amsterdam.
How long is this cruise?
The cruise lasts 1 hour 15 minutes.
How many people can join this cruise?
Private Cruise - Amsterdam Light Festival is a private charter for up to 30 guests — you have the whole boat to your own group.
How much does this cruise cost?
Prices for this private charter start at €390.
What is included on this cruise?
This cruise includes Private boat for up to 30 guests, Skipper and live English guide, Covered boat with warm blankets and Unlimited drinks option (beer, wine, soda, glühwein).
What happens if it rains?
This boat has rain cover, so you stay dry on board if the weather turns.
Can I bring my dog on this cruise?
Yes, this cruise is pet-friendly, so your dog is welcome on board.
Who operates this cruise?
Private Cruise - Amsterdam Light Festival is operated by Starboard Boats BV and can be booked directly through BoatLocal.
What is the cancellation policy for this cruise?
This operator's policy: Cancel at least one month before your booking for a full refund.; Cancel one week to one month before your booking for a 75% refund.; Cancel less than one week before your booking and get no refund..
Can we customize our route, or celebrate a special occasion on board?
Yes — as a private charter, you have the boat to yourselves and can work with the captain on the route within your booked time. Celebrating a birthday or other occasion? Let us know in advance (or in the booking note) and we'll do our best to help set things up.
Can I book last-minute, and how fast is my booking confirmed?
Yes, as long as a time slot is still open for booking on this page. Every booking is confirmed instantly online — no waiting to hear back. Each available time shows its own booking cutoff, so grab a spot before it closes if you're booking for the same day.
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À propos de Starboard Boats BV
Starboard Boats BV
Starboard Boats was founded in 2018 by Timo, Guy, Stefan and Wilfred, launching with their first boat, De Manke Monnik, from an office on Amsterdam's Herengracht canal belt. The fleet is now fully electric with partial weather covering and an onboard bar, and every cruise is staffed with both a skipper and a host. Starboard is now part of The Fun Group and rated 4.9/5 on TripAdvisor. Shared cruises run from €18 per person and private charters from €390, departing from Amstel 178 or Oudezijds Voorburgwal 230.
View all cruises by Starboard Boats BV