Where Amsterdam canal dinner cruises board
The four dinner cruises we compare board at four different spots, all in the old center and three of them close to Centraal Station. None offers hotel pickup, so the dock is yours to find. Below, each address as the listings give it, and the easiest way there.
Four cruises, four boarding points
Each company runs its dinner boats from its own dock, and every cruise ends where it began. That makes the trip home easy to plan, since you step off at the same quay you left a couple of hours earlier.
| Cruise | Where you board | Getting there | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| LOVERS | LOVERS café, Prins Hendrikkade 25 | Opposite Centraal Station | ~$99 |
| Rederij Aemstelland | Dock in front of Zwanenburgwal 20 | 5-minute walk from Nieuwmarkt | ~$134 |
| Stromma | Damrak Pier 4 (Damrak 22) | 3-minute walk from Centraal Station | ~$39 |
| Boat Boys | Oosterdokskade 8, next to Sea Palace | Map the address before you go | ~$432 per boat |
Three of the four sit within a short walk of Centraal Station. Aemstelland is the odd one out, further south near Nieuwmarkt. If you are weighing what each fare includes, our price guide sets the four side by side.
LOVERS, across the road from Centraal Station
LOVERS checks you in inside its own café at Prins Hendrikkade 25, facing the main station building. Coming off a train, you cross the road and you are there, which makes this the simplest start of the four.
Viator gives the dock itself as Prins Hendrikkade 20A, a few doors along, so follow the staff from the café rather than hunting for the boat. The Viator listing runs Wednesday to Saturday at 7:00 pm, and GetYourGuide may show other days.
The cruise lasts 2 hours, with four courses and beer and wine poured as you eat. Sold as Tours & Tickets on both partner sites, our pick is the 4-course cruise from ~$99, rated 4.4 from 1,800+ reviews on GetYourGuide.
Stromma's pizza boat at Damrak Pier 4
Stromma boards at Damrak Pier 4, listed as Damrak 22, a 3-minute walk from Centraal Station. Damrak is the broad street that runs from the station toward Dam Square, with tour boat piers along the water beside it.
Viator asks you to be there 15 minutes before departure. Seating is planned before the boat leaves, with each booking at its own table, so arriving early is about boarding calmly rather than grabbing a good spot.
At 1.5 hours with one pizza each, this is the shortest and cheapest dinner on the water. The pizza cruise from ~$39 holds 4.5 from 3,100+ reviews on GetYourGuide. It is also the easy choice with children, as our guide to cruising with kids explains.
Aemstelland, near Nieuwmarkt and the Amstel
Rederij Aemstelland boards at the dock in front of Zwanenburgwal 20, a 5-minute walk from Nieuwmarkt. The square has its own metro stop and trams reach the area too, so there is no need to start from Centraal Station.
Starting further south suits the route. The saloon boat heads along the Amstel and past Magere Brug (the Skinny Bridge), and it stops briefly at the partner restaurant Le Hollandais to collect each course warm.
A quieter start near Nieuwmarkt
Aemstelland's saloon boat takes at most 20 guests, each party at its own window table, with Prosecco before three courses. Drinks after that are bought on board, so compare both listings before you book.
Boarding away from the station crowds is part of the appeal. The boat itself, with wood paneling and white tablecloths, is described in our saloon or glass-roof guide.
Boat Boys at Oosterdokskade, by Sea Palace
Boat Boys meets its private groups at Oosterdokskade 8, on a wooden dock next to Sea Palace, a floating Chinese restaurant. Look for the restaurant on the water first, and the dock sits beside it.
The listing gives no walking time, so put the address into a map app before you set off. The ~$432 price covers the whole boat rather than each seat, which is why our private boat guide splits the cost by group size.
With the boat to yourselves, the dock is also where you meet your captain, who doubles as your guide for the 2 hours. Dinner comes from a restaurant your group picks before the night.
Getting there without a hotel pickup
No hotel pickup appears on any of the four listings, and Viator names it as not included. Plan your own way to the dock, and leave spare minutes for the busy streets around the station in the evening.
Trams and the metro run to Centraal Station from most parts of the city, and the metro also stops at Nieuwmarkt. From the Jordaan or the museum area, a tram to the station is the obvious way in.
Cobbled quays get slippery in rain, and there are steps down into the boats. Flat shoes help, and our guide to what to wear covers the evening chill by the water.
Arriving early has a second benefit at the station piers. You get a few minutes by the water before boarding, and the light on the canals changes fast in the evening, as our guide to timing shows.
Choosing by the dock
- LOVERS from ~$99 if you arrive by train or stay near the station
- Stromma's pizza cruise from ~$39 for a short evening on a tight budget, 3 minutes from the station
- Aemstelland from ~$134 if you stay near Nieuwmarkt or the Amstel
- Boat Boys, ~$432 for the boat, for a group that wants a boat of its own
The walk to the dock should not decide the evening on its own. The gap between a pizza and a three-course dinner matters far more than ten minutes on foot, so choose the food first with our menu comparison.