Amsterdam may be known by many for their hedonistic Red Light District, but it’s so much more than that. This historical city is known for its renowned art museums, beautiful canals, phenomenal architecture, and so much more.
Being quite the foody hotspot, you’re bound to have tons of dinner options – however, if you want something unique, we can’t recommend an Amsterdam dinner cruise enough.
There are many different options, depending on if you’re looking for fancy, casual, romantic, educational, or just plain fun! No matter what you choose, these are the top experiences that are worth your time and money.
Be sure to see our reviews of Canal Cruises, Red Light District Tours and Windmill Tours.
Best Dinner Cruises in Amsterdam
| Luxury Dinner Cruise in Amsterdam | Amsterdam: 3-Course Dinner Cruise | Private Dinner Cruise Amsterdam - incl. drinks & 2-course dinner | |
|---|---|---|---|
Best Sightseeing Dinner Cruise | Best Budget Dinner Cruise | Best Private Dinner Cruise | |
 | |||
 |  |  | |
| Departure: | Zwanenburgwal 20, 1011 JC Amsterdam | Prins Hendrikkade 25 Amsterdam | Oosterdokskade 8, 1011 AE Amsterdam |
| Start: | 6:30 PM | 7:30 PM | 6:00 PM, 8:30 PM |
| Duration: | 3 hours | 2 hours | 2 hours |
| Includes: | 3 course dinner, all fees and taxes, aperitif, 3-hour cruise | 3-course meal (fish, meat or vegetarian), drinks, including beer, wine, and soft drinks | 2-course dinner, alcoholic Beverages, soda/Pop, coffee and/or tea |
Quick Answer: The 5 Best Rated Amsterdam Dinner Cruises For 2024
- Luxury Dinner Cruise in Amsterdam
- Amsterdam 3-Course Dinner Cruise
- Private Dinner Cruise Amsterdam – incl. drinks & 2-course dinner
- Amsterdam Private BBQ Cruise with Personal Chef & Drinks
- Amsterdam Evening Canal Cruise with Pizza and Drinks
Amsterdam Dinner Cruise Reviews
1. Luxury Dinner Cruise in Amsterdam
- Duration: 3 hours
- Departure: Zwanenburgwal 20, 1011 JC Amsterdam
- Departure Time: 6:30 PM
- Includes: 3 course dinner, all fees and taxes, aperitif, 3-hour cruise
Whether you’re looking to celebrate a special occasion or are simply in the mood for a fantastic evening, we’d be shocked if there’s anyone who doesn’t love this cruise.
Just being around the Amsterdam canals is wonderful, but the best way to enjoy them is easily from the water. Put on your dress jacket or heels, because the Luxury Dinner Cruise in Amsterdam Tour is one of the most elegant ways to do it.
Instead of heading to a packed restaurant, board a comfortable boat and get ready to take in some magnificent views, service, and food, of course! With a maximum number of just 16 guests allowed on the boat, you can expect personalized, top-notch service.
However, this configuration also makes it great for making friends with people at the other tables! Upon boarding, you’ll be welcomed with a festive aperitif right after departure.
You’re going to be cruising around Amsterdam’s UNESCO-listed city center, to see some of the most gorgeous sights in the country. Admire the landmarks from one of the best viewpoints, without having to deal with crowds or waiting in line.
Your 3-course dinner comes straight from one of the city’s most popular restaurants, and includes a starter of either steamed mackerel rillette, Russian salad, or vegetarian carpaccio.
For your main, you can choose either sea bass, chicken, grilled brisket, or ravioli. Dessert is absolutely phenomenal, and we highly recommend the apple crumble and panna cotta!
Everyone deserves to feel a little “VIP” sometimes, and this tour absolutely accomplishes that.
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
Other Experiences You May Enjoy:
2. Amsterdam: 3-Course Dinner Cruise
- Duration: 2 hours
- Departure: Prins Hendrikkade 25
- Departure Time: 7:30 PM
- Includes: 2-hour canal cruise on the historic Amsterdam canals, 3-course meal (fish, meat or vegetarian), drinks, including beer, wine, and soft drinks
Up next, we have another tour with many similarities to the first excursion we spoke about. However, it’s slightly shorter, making it ideal for those with packed schedules – clocking in at just 2 hours.
Consistently rated as having some of the best service and food around, the Amsterdam 3-Course Dinner Cruise Tour can turn even the most mundane of evenings into a memorable one.
Once you arrive down to the canal, you may notice that there are often many people lined up. For this cruise, you have a skip-the-line ticket, so you get to board while others wait for their other boats.
The first thing you’re likely to notice is how professional and friendly the staff is, paying attention to detail and doing whatever they can to make sure your night is special.
Sit down at your table as you’re greeted with a glass of beer, wine, or soft drink of your choice. Departing from Centraal Station, you’re already in a pretty iconic area – you’ll see some of the most well-known landmarks from the merchant houses to Skinny Bridge.
Your views will be even sweeter once the 3-course meal is ready, though their starter of freshly baked bread with soup and butter is nothing to balk at!
The food they serve is top quality, and you get to choose from either a meat, fish, or vegetarian menu so everyone is accommodated. Everyone gets tiramisu for dessert, and it really seals the deal on what was already a wonderful evening.
We appreciated the food, views, and the staff who even offered commentary on the notable landmarks as you pass by.
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
Other Amsterdam Experiences To Try:
3. Private Dinner Cruise Amsterdam – incl. drinks & 2-course dinner
- Duration: 2 hours
- Departure: Oosterdokskade 8, 1011 AE Amsterdam
- Departure Time: 6:00 PM, 8:30 PM
- Includes: Alcoholic Beverages, Soda/Pop, Coffee and/or Tea
Okay, this is one for the history and architecture nerds! Many cruises don’t include information on the famous locations you pass by, but some of us really want to learn about the city we’re in!
With the Private Dinner Cruise Amsterdam – 2hrs Boat Tour, you’ll feel like you and your party are the only people on the canals! To start off the 2-hour tour, you’ll hop onboard and get seated onto a comfy, padded seat surrounded by windows so that you don’t miss out on any views.
Right from the beginning, you’ll be doted on by the staff, who truly provide a fine dining level of service. Before the actual cruise starts, everyone will select which restaurant they’d like to eat from, among the selections the tour offers.
Each selection includes a 2-course meal along with drinks like coffee, tea, sodas, or even beer and wine. Now start off on the cruise down the canal, passing by important sites like the Anne Frank House, Magere Brug, Red Light District, Bridge of 15 Bridges, and many more.
As you pass them, a member of the staff will tell a little bit of history and cultural relevance of each one. It’s a great way to see things from a local’s perspective, as they’ll also point out some “hidden gems” that aren’t necessarily on a tourist’s lists of things to do.
Not only that, but traveling by water makes it so you can avoid sidewalk crowds that make it hard to get a clear view of the landmarks.
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
4. Amsterdam: Private BBQ Cruise with Personal Chef & Drinks
- Duration: 2 hours
- Departure: Sea Palace Chinese restaurant
- Departure Time: Between 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
- Includes: Unlimited beer, wine and soft drinks, Private BBQ cruise with local skipper, Live cooking aboard, BBQ menu
Not every Amsterdam canal cruise has to be for special occasions or fancy clothing – sometimes you just want to relax and eat some good barbecue!
The Amsterdam Private BBQ Cruise with Personal Chef & Drinks Tour is one of those tours you’re likely to find yourself doing everytime you visit the city. It’s a great way to get acquainted with Amsterdam in one of the most relaxing, delicious ways!
Sure, the Netherlands probably isn’t what first comes to mind when you hear the word “barbecue”. Let me tell you, though, these guys sure know what they’re doing when it comes to good food.
You’ll have the option of chowing down on pepper steak, shashlick, 2 chicken satay skewers, sausages, and hamburger. You can’t have a proper plate without sides though, so you can choose a raw veg salad, potato, Russian, and cucumber salads.
There are also plenty of sauces to choose from, as well as perfectly-grilled Focaccia bread and herbed butter. If you’re vegetarian, don’t worry, you won’t be left out with veggie burgers and chicken, vegetable satay, skewers, and more!
The live cooking onboard is quite fun to watch while sipping on unlimited beer, wine, and soft drinks! As this is a private cruise, you’ll get great service while learning all about the history of Amsterdam, as well as specific landmarks.
The skipper is full of fascinating stories and anecdotes, really offering insight into what a unique past this city really has.
No matter the weather (Amsterdam sure loves to rain), you’ll be nice and comfortable thanks to the canopy and padded seats with pillows and blankets should you need.
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
5. Amsterdam Evening Canal Cruise with Pizza and Drinks
-
- Duration: 1.5 hours
- Departure: Stromma Damrak, Pier 5
- Departure Time: 6:00 PM
- Includes: Canal cruise, 1 New York pizza, All drinks included
Warning: once you try this cruise you’re going to be craving another every weekend. Okay, now that we’ve got that out of the way, we present you with the most laidback cruise of the bunch – the Amsterdam Evening Canal Cruise with Pizza and Drinks tour!
Lasting 1.5 hours, it’s the perfect alternative to heading to a restaurant or bar and easy to fit into busy schedules! Start by meeting at Pier 5 and hop on your boat and find the seating that works best for you and your group.
Whether you’re with your significant other, family, or friends, we find this cruise is a favorite among everyone. It’s casual, educational, and honestly just a great time from the very get-go.
Once you board, you and the rest of your party get to choose pizzas from 5 different options, along with 2 included drinks of either wine, beer, or soft drinks. The crew onboard is super friendly, experienced, and it was only helped by the funny captain!
We’re big believers in atmosphere playing a big role in our rating, and the atmosphere here was impeccable. Check out the UNESCO World Heritage area of the city, as you munch on some tasty New York pizza with great company.
We appreciated that there was an open area to take in the sun, as well as a covered glass section of the boat just in case it starts raining. If you’re looking for a romantic night out or a way to get ready for a night on the town, this cruise is the perfect starter!
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
Sites Seen
Foods Prepared
Value
The Luxury Dinner Cruise is our Editors Choice for the best dinner cruise in Amsterdam,
