Have you ever planned a special family outing or romantic date, only to end up squeezed into an overcrowded, touristy event—feeling packed in like sardines and losing that personal touch you were hoping for? We’ve definitely been there too.
It was that time when we stood in front of the Mona Lisa surrounded by other visitors and turned out the Mona Lisa is extremely tiny, postcard anyone? And okay, there’s a market for everyone. But on these types of events you want to feel like you are making a memory that will last a lifetime. Or at least will look amazing in a photo book.
You’re planning a special moment in Amsterdam and don’t want it ruined by a mass-tourist trap.
Well, as we feel we are like the ambassador’s of Amsterdam, we like to prevent that sort of a situation for you.
In this post, I’ll help you find the kind of canal tour that gives you those ‘core memory’ vibes.”
Tired of Tourist Traps? Here's What to Look For:
Tip #1: Choose a Small, Locally-Owned Tour with a Real Guide
✨ Planning a special moment in Amsterdam?
Search for small group tours (10–12 max)
When you’re planning a trip to Amsterdam, take a few minutes to search for small boat tours with a maximum of 10–12 guests. These tours tend to be more relaxed, more personal, and offer something the bigger boats usually don’t: a real, live guide.
Live narration makes all the difference
Mass-tourist boats often rely on pre-recorded narration—sometimes still cassette tapes! And the timing’s usually off, so you’re hearing about a building you’ve already passed. A live skipper-guide, on the other hand, brings the city to life with stories, local insight, and space for your questions. It’s the difference between listening to a museum audio guide… and having a conversation with a passionate local.
Avoid party boats with open bars
Watch out for “all-you-can-drink” cruises—unless you’re specifically after a party vibe. These boats often attract groups looking to celebrate (which is totally fine!) but the focus shifts away from meaningful storytelling or sightseeing.
Open-bar cruises tend to attract people who are more into the drinks than the destination—so if you're looking for a more relaxed, story-rich experience, it's good to steer clear.
Choose boats that explore the Jordaan and small canals
Big boats can’t access the smaller, more picturesque canals—like the ones in the Jordaan neighborhood. And that’s a shame, because those quieter waterways are often the most charming. If a tour shows you a unique route through hidden parts of the city, that’s a great sign you’re getting something special.
A personal story from Carla
Before I met Paap, I used to take a canal cruise every year on one of the big boats. It was fine—but once I experienced a smaller, slower, more personal tour, everything changed.
I remember one big boat cruise in another city—we thought we were just halfway through when suddenly we docked. The tour had been cut short by 15 minutes!
It’s like dining out. You don’t know what you’ve been missing until you taste real food. Small boats just hit different.
The best tours aren’t always at the top of Google
Some of the most personal, heartwarming boat tours won’t show up on page one. Why? Because small, locally-run businesses (like ours!) often don’t have huge marketing budgets to compete with the big platforms.
So take your time, scroll a little deeper, and look beyond the ads—you might just find a hidden gem that gives you the experience you were really looking for.
Tip #2: Private Boat Tours Aren’t Just for the Rich—They’re Budget-Friendly Too
Private tours are affordable with small groups
The first thing to know about this is, the most budget friendly option for a group above 6 is most often a private boat tour.
When you’re planning your trip, make sure to budget at least 120 euros an hour (up to 6 people). For more than 6 people you’ll pay at least €200 per hour. Which if you divide per ticket is a very good price. Because the mass tourist boats usually go around €10-15 per person and It’s usually shared, separate tickets.
Book direct—skip the commission fees
This step is important because you don’t want to overpay, but also not underpay and get a lesser quality boat tour.
The best way to approach is by booking directly at the tour provider and not through a platform or tourist office, because they will charge a commission.
Mass boats feel like city buses—uninspired
We’ve heard from guests who tried the big boats first and felt like something was missing—until they discovered the difference of a more intimate, guided experience. It’s kind of like taking one of these giant tour buses—you think you don’t notice the difference until you experience it. And then after you take a tour with a private guide and you realize you’ve learned and seen so much more from the city. It’s the same for the boat tours. So that already is reason to not go on one of these big boats.
The big thing to remember here is that If you are with a group of friends of max 10, then just go for the private boat tour option, because it’s a lot more budget friendly.
If it sounds too good to be true—it’s probably packed with tourists or not licensed.
Bottom line: treat yourself to a private boat tour!
📌 Ready to compare options?
Mass tours leave from tourist-heavy spots
The first thing to know about this is, is that it’s easy to book an inpersonable mass-touristy tour. Because they will be at the most touristic spots, usually offer shared tickets and they depart from major locations like Central station or Leidseplein.
Fixed routes = Fixed experiences
Also they have mostly fixed tours which you can see on maps they hand out.
Look for longer tours (90+ mins)
If you want to avoid mass-tourism boat tours, here’s what you need to do:
- Go for a slightly longer boat tour that lasts at least 90 minutes
- Check the itinerary beforehand, are the routes fixed or can you get some cute detours like sailing through the Jordaan area or Burgwallen area.
This step is important because knowing what you want and how to recognise it, is part of the solution.
Beware of cassette tape guides
A perfect example of this is the narration on board of a boat tour. Imagine this: you’re in the middle of your boat tour, and suddenly you realize there’s a cassette tape being put on and worse the narration is not synchronous to the sights.
The big thing to remember here is when you know what to look for in a tour, you’ll get a better experience.
Tip #4: Book Early to Avoid Disappointment
Big events = Early bookings
When you’re planning your trip, make sure to check out first if there are any major events going on at that time.
If there’s a major event, like King’s Day, you need to reserve at least 3 months ahead of time, so in January.
For Saturdays and holidays, think 2–3 months ahead
For regular tours on regular days we usually advise you to reserve your tour 2 weeks or 1 month ahead of time.
For Easter I would advise to book 2 months ahead of time.
The best way to approach this is by contacting a boat tour provider directly.
Don’t wait till the week of—tours will be sold out
The best way to approach this is by contacting a boat tour provider directly.
We’ve seen people make this mistake of not booking in time when they wanted to do a tour on a Saturday or in Easter weekend and getting the sold out answer.
If there’s one thing you take from this, let it be reserve your boat tour well in advance to avoid disappointment.
Tip #5: Where to Find the Hidden Gems
Use Tripadvisor and Google reviews wisely
The best way to approach this is by doing a simple Google search or heading over to Tripadvisor.
Usually the good tours have a good rating on Tripadvisor.
Ask friends and locals for recommendations
Another good way to find a great tour is Word of Mouth. A huge part of our guests come from word of mouth by their friends and family.
Avoid booking through walk-up tourist traps
If you want to avoid mass touristy attractions, then don’t click through on the Google ads and don’t do the walk-in tours at central station.
The private tours will go by reservation.
Bottom line: You find the hidden gems by going beyond page 1 of Google.
🚤 Looking for something truly special?
The Bottom Line: It’s About Memories, Not Masses
The best Amsterdam canal tours aren’t the biggest—they’re the ones that feel personal, authentic, and created with care.
Now that you know what to look for, take a moment to browse our boat tour options or reach out with any questions—we’d love to help you plan your perfect day.
We’d be honored to show you the real Amsterdam—one peaceful canal at a time.
💌 Have questions or want to book your spot?
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