Drinks on an Amsterdam dinner cruise: poured free or paid?
Drinks change the bill on an Amsterdam dinner cruise more than the food does. Two of the four cruises here pour without limit, one starts a tab after the welcome glass, and the private boat says different things on its two listings.
Who pours what
The quickest way to compare these cruises is by the glass. This table follows each listing, and where the two booking sites disagree, both versions are shown.
| Cruise | From | Included | Paid on board |
|---|---|---|---|
| LOVERS, 4-course dinner | ~$99 | Unlimited beer and wine, plus soft drinks, with dinner | Nothing listed |
| Rederij Aemstelland, saloon dinner | ~$134 | One welcome Prosecco (alcohol-free available) | Every drink after the first glass |
| Stromma, pizza cruise | ~$39 | Unlimited wine and beer, plus soft drinks and nuts | Nothing listed |
| Boat Boys, private boat | ~$432 for the boat | Viator lists wine and beer; GetYourGuide a welcome drink, coffee or tea and water | Champagne by the bottle (Viator) or the minibar (GetYourGuide) |
Spirits are not listed as included on any of the four. If a gin and tonic matters to your evening, ask the operator before you board rather than counting on one.
LOVERS, wine and beer through four courses
The LOVERS cruise at ~$99 includes unlimited beer and wine, plus soft drinks, for as long as dinner lasts. Over 2 hours and four courses, the fare comes close to the whole bill. The meat, fish and vegetarian tables all get the same pour.
A free bar on a big shared boat has a downside. One reviewer said loud tables drowned out the captain's commentary, and that is more likely late in the evening than early.
Gratuities are optional and not included on its Viator listing. If the crew kept your glass filled all night, a tip at the end is the usual thanks.
Stromma, a free bar with a pizza
Stromma's pizza cruise at ~$39 pours wine and beer without limit, with soft drinks for anyone not drinking (one reviewer mentions orange juice). Nuts sit on board, which rules the boat out for nut allergies.
In 1.5 hours you drink less than on a longer cruise, but the free bar still makes this the lowest real cost on the canals. Gratuities are included on its Viator listing, which also asks guests to be at Damrak Pier 4 15 minutes before departure.
The low fare with an open bar
Stromma's pizza cruise from Damrak Pier 4, with one pizza each and wine, beer and soft drinks poured for the whole 1.5 hours.
Families take this boat often, since soft drinks are free too. Our guide to cruising with children covers the rest of what suits younger guests.
Aemstelland, a Prosecco and then a tab
Aemstelland at ~$134 starts with a glass of Prosecco, or an alcohol-free version, alongside small bites. After that, every drink is bought on board.
The review summary on GetYourGuide says guests wanted clearer drink prices, including whether bottled water is charged. Ask the crew for the drinks list when you sit down, so nothing on the bill comes as a surprise.
For a couple sharing a bottle of wine, the real cost moves well above the listed fare. Our price comparison sets that next to the all-inclusive cruises.
Boat Boys, two listings and two answers
Boat Boys (~$432 for the boat) describes its drinks differently on each site. Viator includes wine and beer, with champagne by the bottle at an extra charge.
GetYourGuide lists a welcome drink, coffee or tea and water, with other drinks from a minibar at a cost. Read the inclusions on the listing you book and ask the operator if the wording is unclear.
On a private boat the drinks bill is shared by the group, which softens it. Our private boat guide runs through the cost per head.
If you do not drink alcohol
On the all-inclusive boats, non-drinkers pay the same fare as everyone else. Soft drinks are poured as freely as the wine, but the value of the evening then rests on the food and the canals.
Aemstelland suits a sober evening better than its price suggests. The welcome Prosecco comes in an alcohol-free version, and after that you pay only for what you order, which may be very little.
Boat Boys includes coffee or tea and water on its GetYourGuide listing. For a group of drinkers and non-drinkers, agree before the cruise how the minibar bill will be split.
Age, water and a steady pace
The legal drinking age in the Netherlands is 18. Teenagers on the all-inclusive cruises get the soft drinks, which are poured as freely as the wine.
Drink at a steady pace on a boat at night. Quays are often wet and the bridges are low, and the evening ends with a step off the boat in the dark.
Water is the drink to ask about. It is included on the Boat Boys GetYourGuide listing, while Aemstelland guests were unsure whether it was charged, so ask when you order.
Matching the bar to the evening
If you plan to drink wine with every course, the LOVERS cruise is the clearest sum and our pick. If you drink little, Aemstelland's food may suit you better, since you pay only for the glasses you order.
For a dressier evening, read what to wear on board. For the boat itself, our saloon boat or glass roof guide compares the two kinds of room you will eat in.