Sightseeing Cruises

Amsterdam Light Festival: 90-min Extended Traditional Cruise with Optional Wine & Snackbox

Illuminated bridge over canal during Amsterdam Light Festival cruise.

Evening cruise boat on Amsterdam canal with illuminated building during Light Festival.

Illuminated swan sculptures on water during Amsterdam Light Festival cruise.

Amsterdam canal cruise boat during the Light Festival at dusk.

Duration

1 hr 30 mins

Free cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience

Book now, pay later

Book now without paying anything. Cancel for free if your plans change.

Audio guide

Enhance your experience with multilingual audio guide

4.8/5(1,842)

Ragsana A

Solo

Verified booking

Jan 2026

The Amsterdam Light Festival cruise was a very enjoyable and well-organized experience 🌉.🌃 I truly appreciated seeing the light installations from the water and learned many interesting facts about the artists and their creations. The atmosphere was relaxing, and the installations were even more impressive in person than in photos or videos. Inside the boat, the guide commentary was played out loud and was clear, but since we were sitting outside, we had to use the phone audio guide. One small downside was that the information sometimes played before reaching the light installations, so it was easy to forget the details by the time we arrived 😄. Inside the cabin, the windows were a bit foggy 🌫️, although they could be opened for photos and videos. We chose to sit outside at the back of the boat, which offered a great view, but it became quite cold by the end of the tour 🥶. Staying outside for the entire cruise may not be the best option unless you are well prepared. Overall, it was a high-quality experience that I truly appreciated and would recommend 👍🏻.

Helena Z

Couple

Verified booking

Jan 2026

We were well looked after, but had to be escorted to another boarding point because of the fog. An excellent boat (the Tulp), whisper quiet, which is very pleasant because you can hear everything clearly. A big ten out of ten as far as I'm concerned, and definitely worth repeating.

Joost V

Couple

Verified booking

Jan 2026

It's always nice to see the city from the water and enjoy the light artworks of the Amsterdam Light Festival. Good explanations and a pleasant captain. Warm welcome. It's a shame that drinks cannot be ordered and served on board.

Suze B

Group

Verified booking

Jan 2026

It felt cozy on the boat. Nice temperature and friendly captain. The light on the water was beautiful. An evening cruise is a completely different experience. The boarding point was also great!

J B

Couple

Verified booking

Jan 2026

Delicious cheeses, nice wine, good company, fun to sail the route in the dark. It's a shame there were only eight people on board, but that didn't make it any less enjoyable! 😃

Pavlos B

Couple

Verified booking

Jan 2026

Quite nice descreption in the earbuds and also outside in the back the experience is even more amazing and beautiful cuz of the landscapes and the light show

Longer than most cruises, the 90-minute experience allows deeper immersion in the fourteenth edition’s Legacy theme across UNESCO-listed canals.

Choose your departure point at Hard Rock Cafe or A’DAM Tower, both centrally located and convenient to suit your evening festival plans.

Covered and heated seating keeps you warm in the winters, while the glass roof offers great visibility of festival artworks across Amsterdam’s canals.

With official narration in three languages (Dutch, English, or German) and onboard toilet facilities, this cruise balances information and comfort during your journey.

Turn your cruise into a more delightful experience by adding a yummy cheesebox, snackbox, or wine to enjoy as you sail.

90-minute cruise along the official Amsterdam Light Festival route

Board from near Hard Rock Cafe or A'dam Tower (as per your selection)

Covered and heated boat

Official Amsterdam Light Festival audio guide (Dutch, English & German)

Toilet on board

Snackbox (as per option selected)

Wine & Cheesebox (as per option selected)

Snack box (chips, popcorn, stroopwafels, nuts, water or soft drink) and drinks (available for purchase)

TOTAL DURATION1 hour 30 minutes
2 Boarding points
Stadhouderskade 501
Get direction
Badhuisweg 4
Get direction
Sights covered
IJ River, Amsterdam
Herengracht
Westerkerk
The Amstel
Magere Brug
Het Scheepvaartmuseum
VOC Ship Amsterdam

You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.

1,842 reviews
How do we collect reviews?
These ratings include verified reviews from both Headout guests and our trusted partners who operate this experience locally. All reviews come from real travelers who've taken this experience.
1.5K
270
25
6
9
Guests from France, United Kingdom, Germany and over 26 countries have loved this experience
What our guests say
Ragsana A
Solo
Verified booking
Jan 2026
The Amsterdam Light Festival cruise was a very enjoyable and well-organized experience 🌉.🌃 I truly appreciated seeing the light installations from the water and learned many interesting facts about the artists and their creations. The atmosphere was relaxing, and the installations were even more impressive in person than in photos or videos. Inside the boat, the guide commentary was played out loud and was clear, but since we were sitting outside, we had to use the phone audio guide. One small downside was that the information sometimes played before reaching the light installations, so it was easy to forget the details by the time we arrived 😄. Inside the cabin, the windows were a bit foggy 🌫️, although they could be opened for photos and videos. We chose to sit outside at the back of the boat, which offered a great view, but it became quite cold by the end of the tour 🥶. Staying outside for the entire cruise may not be the best option unless you are well prepared. Overall, it was a high-quality experience that I truly appreciated and would recommend 👍🏻.
Helena Z
Couple
Verified booking
Jan 2026
We were well looked after, but had to be escorted to another boarding point because of the fog. An excellent boat (the Tulp), whisper quiet, which is very pleasant because you can hear everything clearly. A big ten out of ten as far as I'm concerned, and definitely worth repeating.
Joost V
Couple
Verified booking
Jan 2026
It's always nice to see the city from the water and enjoy the light artworks of the Amsterdam Light Festival. Good explanations and a pleasant captain. Warm welcome. It's a shame that drinks cannot be ordered and served on board.
Suze B
Group
Verified booking
Jan 2026
It felt cozy on the boat. Nice temperature and friendly captain. The light on the water was beautiful. An evening cruise is a completely different experience. The boarding point was also great!
J B
Couple
Verified booking
Jan 2026
Delicious cheeses, nice wine, good company, fun to sail the route in the dark. It's a shame there were only eight people on board, but that didn't make it any less enjoyable! 😃

What to bring

Have your entry tickets, and ID ready for a seamless experience.

Carry your earphones for an immersive audio guide experience.

What’s not allowed

Outside food & beverages, sharp metallic tools or objects, and large bags and luggage are not allowed on this experience.

Due to venue restrictions, pets cannot tag along for this experience.

Accessibility

This experience is wheelchair and pram/stroller accessible, but you must make a prior reservation to let the providers know.

Additional information

Food and additional drinks are available for purchase on board.

The boat is heated and covered, but outdoor areas may still be cold during winter months.

The cruise operates during the Amsterdam Light Festival, with various departure times throughout the evening from November 27, 2025, through January 18, 2026.

Visibility of light installations may vary due to weather and crowding on the boat.

Your voucher will be emailed to you shortly.

Display the voucher on your mobile phone with a valid photo ID at the starting point.

Please check your final voucher for the starting point details & specific instructions.