Canal Company

I went with the Canal Company to book a night canal tour of the Festival of Lights because they had the Fast Track option so we wouldn’t have to wait in any lines. I booked online. What I didn’t understand is that you get a voucher that you need to turn in to get your tickets for the tour which I found a bit annoying but we were lucky we got to the station at the right pier and there was no one in line. The boat itself was just ok, it felt much like a school bus in the water and there was no heating as far as I could tell so it was cold inside which was pretty unpleasant for 90 minutes so I suggest if you’re going on a night tour in the winter maybe opt for one of the nicer more expensive tours that have dinner packages.

We stopped by here because we saw a non touristy looking magnet for a friend and the guy seemed very nice. He convinced us to buy van gogh tickets through them because he said once we got there there would be a long line and we could walk right in ahead of the crowd if we already had these tickets. WRONG. We asked 4 different people at the van gogh museum and you actually have to wait in the long line to exchange your canal cruise ticket for the van gogh ticket. So dont listen if they tell you otherwise! We would have taken a cruise with the company but considering the lie cost us an hour long wait in line we skipped out.

I love the idea of seeing Amsterdam through the canals on the boat, but had a subpar experience with the Canal Company. I bought a ticket on their website for the Hop On/​Hop Off boat. It was unclear where to actually get on and we actually went to a different Hop On/​Hop Off spot and was directed to the correct area. Once we got to the ticket booth, the ticketmaster said that our eticket wasn’t accurate, but realized his mistake and issued us tickets. We got on a boat almost right away, but the windows wouldn’t open. Two others tried to get on the boat after the doors had closed but before we had pulled away and they didn’t let them on. The ride itself was smooth and lovely seeing Amsterdam. Later, however, when we tried to catch a boat, we waited for 30 minutes (starting 10 minutes before the time it was supposed to come) and it never came! We ended up having to walk back. I wouldn’t recommend the Canal Company and would try for a different service next time.

Definitely one of the best ways to see Amsterdam & get your bearings when visiting for the first time! We bought a 24-​hour pass so we could hop on & off at our leisure all day.
My only gripe about the 24-​hour pass is that it is really only a daytime pass since the last boats happen somewhere around 5pm. We had to rush to catch the last trip from the Het Scheepvaartmuseum to make sure we could get back to our apartment without hassle.
All that aside, there are many lines to choose from and they were always on schedule, so it was a really easy way to get around the city & see everything. Friendly drivers that gave some commentary on the sights, and really reasonably priced!

This review is for the dinner cruise.
For approx $ 80/​pp this is a pretty good deal for a once in a lifetime sort of experience.
The first part of the boat ride was rather dull, as it starts by the train station and takes you out into the larger waterway. As evening fell, however, and we truly entered the canals, the ride became gorgeous!
Also, our chef (who turned out to be female — girl power!) was quite impressive.
I was so happy to get an amuse of poffertje — tiny, puffy Dutch pancakes topped with goat cheese and honey. Most other dinner cruises were not very authentic seeming, and this really sold me on the experience :)
My husband and I both opted for the meat option!
The parma ham salad was solid and good quality, and I loved the cappuccino made from sweet red pepper more than I can express!
The veal escalope with cauliflower and asparagus was another course executed very well which we both enjoyed.
The strawberries with sabayon were delicious as a dessert, and the fact wine was included in the price was a nice addition.
All the courses were brought out in just the right amount of time. — And as an added bonus, we met some very nice people on the boat! (A much older gay couple from Ohio, a nice couple from France, and some youngin’s from Lithuania!)
Definitely worth the money — and the time!

With just 12pp and the captain on an electric boat how can you go wrong. Pim was funny, informative and his timing was excellent.
A great way to spend 75 minutes and get to see some of the canals that the larger boats can’t get down.

I tend to always opt for the hop off/​hop off bus tours whenever I visit a major European/​North American city for the first time. This gave me the same flexibility, affordability (less than $ 30), and convenience… on a CANAL BUS!
There are 4 lines and a combination of them will get you to all of the popular sites for first timers including the Van Gogh Museum, the Rijksmuseum, and the Anne Frank House.
Of course, though the pass says its valid for 24 or 48 hours depending on what option you choose, keep in mind that these canal buses only operate for part of the day, usually from 10AM-​6/​7PM. Check their website or ask an employee for their most current schedule.
This was one of my favorite hop on/​hop off tours I have ever taken. Because… boat, breeze, and always an empty seat for a lone traveler in late August.
Free wi-​fi on board, though I’m not sure you should count on it for urgent matters.

Awesome location from our hotel so it was only a 4 min walk … Service was great but pick up times suck … Sometimes you will have to wait more than 1 hour … It says the pass is good for 24hrs but it really isn’t … Only good for like 8 hrs … And they stop operating after 5 – 6 pm… Other than that the tour was cool and got to take some awesome pics … enjoy

This review is for the PADDLE BOATS that can be rented from 3 locales along the canals. We paddled from Rijksmuseum to the Anne Frank house. Nice experience to do once I think. It is easy enough and you have freedom to go where you want along the canals.
It takes about 45min-​1hr to complete this route even if you don’t paddle fast at all, so the 1.5 hour rental extended rental we did was completely unnecessary unless you want to really go slowly and go around more areas.

Canal cruise is literally the best way to see Amsterdam. As part of my Contiki optional excursion, the cruise included all you can drink Heineken or local wine (white or rose). They also blasted music on the boat which made the experience spectacular. I really enjoyed that the cruise was at least an hour but if felt much longer since the sights were so ridiculously beautiful. The captain also made pointed out all the popular sights including the Ann Frank Huis, oldest houseboat in Amsterdam, some fancy hotel that a rich dude bought for his wife, and so on. I especially enjoyed a cultural facts such as the church next door to the Anne Frank Huis is the burial sight of Rembrandt– apparently he squandered his money on women and died penniless in an unmarked tomb inside the church. Neat! I will forewarn that my cruise was probably a better experience than most because I went with a rowdy bunch of Americans, Canadians, and Aussies while we ohh’ed and ahh’ed at almost everything and asked random people on the street to kiss (it did not work) while I noticed that the other cruises seemed a lot more tamed and reserved. Be sure to use the restroom before you partake though, as the restroom on the back of the boat may not work and will get exponentially more discussing by the minute (the curse of all you can drink folks).

I’ve done 2 other cruises in Amsterdam but found the Canal hopper that was limited to 12 people was simply the best experience I’ve had. Our guide was super interesting and explained a lot about Amsterdam that I didn’t even know after living here 1 year.
If you have friends visiting Amsterdam I strongly recommend you book the Canal Hopper (12 seat) tour it’s wonderful. The only downside is there is no toilets onboard so remember to go at the dock before your tour departs.

1^st time to Amsterdam and this was one of the things we did. Enjoyable and a nice way to see architecture not on a bus and not walking a million miles. Good company!

We enjoyed a trip on the hop on, hop off canal boats today, also known as canal busses. They have three different «lines» which take you all over central Amsterdam. The red line probably covers the most central a popular of the trips as it circles the main canal district. The boats feature almost an entire glass enclosure on the top allowing for optimum viewing space. It was rather cold on easter weekend, however it was still warm on the bus. It is about 40 minutes between the next boat if you do get off, so you have to watch the schedule closely if you plan to disembark. We just did the complete trip around the red line. There is a commentary but it is not quite as informative as hop on, hop off trips in other cities although it does give some interesting facts. It plays out in Dutch followed by English. Overall, I would recommend this for those wanting a good way to get acquainted with the city from one of the cities national treasures, it’s canals.

A nice value if you have a long day and want to «hop on and hop off». But you must note that if you want to simply tour around the canals one time for 60 – 75 minutes, you can take a different canal tour for 5 – 7 Euros less.
It was a quality boat with lots of space. Seating is booth style with a table. It was raining outside and the windows fogged up some but that isn’t their fault. The information provided by the recording on the ship was minimal (which some people may like). It was really great but then again, everything in Amsterdam is.
I did like how the line provided three different tour routes and if you had 3 – 4 hours, you can go on as many as you want. I don’t even recall them checking our tickets… very friendly crew.

What an excellent way to discover the beauty of the CITY dubbed the Venice of the North which is AMSTERDAM… by taking the Hop On Hop Off Canal Cruise. A Canal Cruise is a MUST-​DO in Amsterdam. It’s the perfect way of getting around the city and best relaxed way too. It took us past all of Amsterdam’s top sights. Historical Buildings from the imposing Westerkerk where Rembrandt was buried, to the city’s crooked houses, the major museums such as the Van Gogh, The Rijksmuseum and the Anne Frank’s House.
A days pass is 22.00 euros/​24 hour is 24.00/and 48 hr is 34 .The Cruise takes you pass the city’s highlights and a perfect introduction to the 17^th century Amsterdam and it’s possible to hop-​on-​hop-​off at one of the many stops. Be amazed at the breathtaking views, the beautiful bridges, the mansions, the houseboats, floating gardens. I probably took a hundred photos on this cruise alone.
There are also evening cruises, A great way to spend the evening, A lot of choices, depends upon your situation & your budget. There is the Candlelight Cruise, 2 hr duration for 32.50, serves special cheese and your choice of red or white wine. The Cocktail Cruise, also 2 hr duration for 35 euro and includes your favorite cocktail w/​Nacho & Guacamole for snacks. Pizza Cruise 1 ½ hr duration and serves your favorite Pizza of course baked right there unlimited beer /​wine with dessert. and the last is the very famous Dinner Cruise, for 2 ½ hours, 75 euros includes a 4 course dinner on board, fine wine and the chef prepares the food right on your table! .
We explored Amsterdam in a very comfortable open boat shielded with glass, which allowed us to see a panoramic view and admire the magnificent architecture of the city in its entirety. We also came across a wedding reception done right in the canal… you can hire a boat for any occasion for 340 euro for 2 hr, for every hour extension 275 euro…
We were coming back from a week stay in Brussels and Brugges and Amsterdam was our last stop before heading home to Germany (my son lives there), taking a few days rest then continue our European escapade this time to France.

Wetter nicht so toll in Amsterdam? Was nun tun?
Hop-​on-​Hop-​off-​Busse gibt es ja in jeder Stadt. Also machen wir das Amsterdam-​like mit dem Canal-​Bus, dachten wir uns.
Grundsätzlich: schlecht ist das nicht, es hat uns auch Spaß gemacht.
Negativ: auf jeden Fall der Preis, siehe auch meine Vorredner bzw. Homepage. Blöd auch der Fahrplan zur Mittagszeit. Muss man sich vorher genau anschauen, ob man überhaupt so weiterkommt, wie man denkt, oder ob das Boot irgendwo eine halbe Stunde stehenbleibt und Pause macht.
Positiv: Bei wechselhaftem Wetter (wie im April z.B.) wird das Dach am Boot je nach Regenlage geöffnet oder geschlossen. Die Durchsagen sind nicht schlecht, wenn man sich an den Skipper hält, bekommt man auch noch mehr Infos.

The Canal Bus on/​off pass was a fantastic way to see Amsterdam. 20 Euros gave us a pass for unlimited on/​off on all three lines (Red, Green and Orange) and we used it as we went around town. We were touring in December and the boats were enclosed and heated (but the top rolls open, so I expect they’re comfortable year-​around). They have stops near all the major tourist sites. My only complaint was that the schedule is a bit sparse on weekdays other than Friday. Highly recommended, and we’re going to take it again when we return in warmer weather.

I’m glad that I bought the I AMSTERDAM CARD. A whole book of coupons, freebies and goodies plus an electronic bus pass with unlimited rides. The I AMSTERDAM card costs about $ 60 and comes with a lot of free tickets to tours, sight seeing, museums and of course… the Canal Tour.
The tour lasts about 65 minutes overall. The only thing is that the boat smogs really badly. But the multi-​language pre-​recorded tour and the water view of the dams were amazing. Thumbs up

My brothers and sisters with our parents and I were on a European tour. On a beautiful day in this city called «The Venice of the North», this Canal Cruise became one of the best ways to see the city of Amsterdam in The Netherlands. We got on a glass-​covered boat for more of an hour public cruise-​tour around the city’s canals aided by an electronic tour guide directing us to special sights of the city’s major attractions with its commentaries. It felt more than an hour because I was mesmerized by the whole experience. The ride was exhilarating and tremendously informative. It took us under bridges as it meandered on the waterways along the city’s sidewalks. There’s no splash of wetness. No hairs flying in the wind. Shielded by glass. Smooth ride. There are many ways to do the cruise: pub, romantic, breakfast, lunch, dinner and theme cruises with drinks and meals and even a candlelight tour. There’s also a Canal Bus Boat which stops along the waterways’ route. It’s hopping on boat and hopping off boat which can be boarded with a full day pass day ticket. Then walk into the city’s major attraction or shopping areas and back on boat again. Had learned more of the fact that besides Venice in Italy, Amsterdam is water country, too. Besides, walking, or biking around the city, cruising the canals via a canal cruise boat is highly recommended. Zip-​ah-​doo-​yeahey!

Since we travel alphabetically, Amsterdam was next on my list. (followed by Brazil) And water would factor into the equation.
I flew into Shippol via JFK. Went downstairs and caught a train to Centraal Station in Amsterdam.
Walked outside and crossed the street because I saw what… water.
Or more specifically a canal. So like Ponce de Leon finding Florida, I had stumbled into the Canal Company.
Which became my preferred choice of water travel.
CC offers a variety of tours along with several different types of water craft. All of which I will breakdown in a few. But first…
Prior to arriving I had read that Amsterdam was known as the Venice of the north. So from the giddy-​up I was intrigued and had planned to put that claim to the test.
See those who know me, understand that I have a thing for water.
No not a, out at sea for months on end, in the middle of the ocean with no land in site, waves as tall as buildings kinda thing. I’m talking bout a Swimming in it, Living near, Riding on, Bathing and or Showering with, Making love to Dweena in, or just simply watching, kinda thing.
Amsterdam did not disappoint.
Oh and when i found out about the one, two and three day canal passes it was a wrap. I became a boat riding fool. Most of my days were spent either walking the city or my rusty butt was on a canal bus as they are called them.
A real nice thing is that most of the major attraction in Amsterdam are on or within walking distance of one of the canal lines, and a canal pass is good for ALL three lines.
But the key is to slow down. Leave NYC behind and adopt a European mindset.
Some people find the canal buses to slow. Their internal clocks are still churning to a New York time frame. Some are equally disturbed by the long wait between stops.
Me, I chill while I’m on vacation. So both slow boats and long waits suited me just fine.
See I was there for nine days and was not pressed for time. If I got off a boat i already knew I would not be getting back on for at least an hour or two. Also I had downloaded a canal map onto my iphone and knew were all stops were. If i had missed a boat, I’d stroll to the next stop and sight see along the way.
After all I was in Amsterdam. One of the most beautiful city’s in the world. For the expressed purpose of taking in the sights, what better way to do so then in a smooth fashion.
Allow me to illustrate Amsterdam Smooth. Picture this, during the days, if it’s not a special tours they feature, the basic function of CC’s boats is getting people from point to point. Museum Head that I am, That Get off Get On at any stop, all day long long was mad smooth for me. I’d hit three museums a day, ate meals and got some sight seeing in. And the prices of a pass is cool, you just gotta work it right.
Aah but at night… at night they break out the sit at a candle lit table across from your boo, serve you food, (a snack really), along with your choice of Wine or beer, (some are BYOB) site seeing kinda boats.
Those are stay on’s, designed for looking at the lights and sites of the city, getting your sip on all the while looking into (fill in the blank, but in my case) Dweena’s pretty eyes and chillin.
You know selfishly, I feel they must of had me in mind for the night time cruse.
Now that’s how they do. Amsterdam smooth via Canal Company tours.
Oh and for all Y’all «I’m not having a good time less I’m drunk folks, Canal Company also offers at least five different drinking cruses so you can get yo drunk on.
About that Venice of the north thing, well I got a long way to go before I get to the V’s. So I cant speak on it just yet. But this I can tell you, Amsterdam is a Beautiful, Friendly city, so for right now, I have no need to make a comparisons to ANY other.
Besides, I got a thing for water. So you already know Dweena and I are going back.
Done

Mit dem Canal Bus kann man an beliebigen Stationen auf alles Linien ein– und aussteigen, wie man denn möchte. Was theoretisch gut klingt, ist in der Praxis aus meiner Sicht nicht ganz so der Knüller. Um sich wirklich von a nach b zu bewegen, gibt es 1000 bessere, bequemere und vor allem auch schnellere Möglichkeiten als den Canal Bus. Wer einfach eine Grachtenrundfahrt möchte, der findet hingegen geschätze 10 günstigere Anbieter, die womöglich die Durchsagen auch so hinbekommen, dass man sie verstehen kann.
Wir zahlten im August 2010 für eine 24-​Stunden-​Karte 22 Euro für einen Erwachsenen und 11 Euro für ein Kind über 4. Kinder darunter sind kostenfrei.

Der «Canal Bus» lohnt sich zur Stadterkundung. Für 26 EUR bekommt man ein Tagesticket für alle Canal Bus Linien plus alle Nachverkehrslinien der Stadt (22 EUR nur Canal Bus). Damit kann man wirklich überall aussteigen, sich alles in Ruhe ansehen, mit der Tram eine Station weiterfahren, wieder in die Boote einsteigen und weiterschippern. In den Booten laufen mehrsprachige Ansagen zu den passierten Sehenwürdigkeiten. Für die Ersterkundung also optimal und an leicht regnerischen Tagen umso besser. Natürlich bekommt man auch günstigere Tickets mit weniger Flexibilität.

Eigentlich wollte Dolly diesen Bericht schreiben, aber Omapflichten halten sie im Moment davon ab.
Also soll ich schreiben.
Ich erwähnte ja schon, dass wir in Amsterdam eine Grachtenfahrt unternahmen, von dieser möchte ich euch nun erzählen.
Direkt neben dem Haubtbahnhof findet ihr den Canal-​Bus der zu den Grachtenfahrten einläd. Es gibt drei Routen zur Auswahl:
Red Line, Green Line und Blue Line.
Die grüné und die rote Linie dauern je 90 Minuten, die blaue nur 75 Minuten.
Wir wählten die grüné Linie mit einem Fahrpreis von 18,00EUR p.P.
Man sollte rechtzeitig zu den Abfahrtzeiten bereit stehen, denn es wird immer sehr voll.
Sitzplätze sind deshalb nicht immer garantiert. Doch wir ergatterten drei gute Plätze.
Die Fahrt ging von der Central Station West über Anne Frank Haus (Prinsengracht) Rijksmuseum, Leidseplein, Rembrandtplein, Rembrandt Haus und zurück.Man kann fährend der Fahrt an allen Stationen ein-​und aussteigen, sooft man will. Das Ticket ist bis zum nächsten Tag 12.00h gültig.Gruppentickets ab 10 Personen für 12.00EUR p.P.
Ihr seht alle wichtigen Museen, Einkaufsgebiete und Sehenswürdigkeiten schon mal vom Wasser aus.
Ihr könnt auch kombinierte Tickets kaufen, z.B. Canal-​Bus &eines der Museen für 27,-EUR
Ausserdem könnt ihr auch eine Pizza-​oder Jazz Cruise buchen 34,50EUR/45,-EUR.
Es ist viel Spass bei diesen Grachtenfahrten angesagt. Na denn mal Ahoi!
Die obige Adresse und Karte ist der Sitz der Canal-​Company,
die Anleger sind direkt rechts neben dem Bahnhof.
Habe bei den Bildern noch einpaar Amsterdameindrücke eingestellt. Die Brazil-​Tänzer waren aber überwiegend Holländer.