Small Group Boutique All-Inclusive Tour (max 12 p) With Captain
Description
Explore Amsterdam's iconic canals on our charming cruise aboard the historic salon boat, Sophie (est 1911). With a maximum of 12 guests, this small-group experience ensures a cozy and personalized journey. Your host and guide for six days a week is Amsterdam native Boudewijn Metzelaar, also known as "Captain Bow." On Saturdays, one of his trusted friends will step in to guide you. Whether you want to seat indoors or outdoors, you’ll be well-prepared to enjoy the cruise, rain or shine, in true Dutch style. Indulge in a variety of (alcoholic) drinks and delicious nibbles as you relax and enjoy the view. With a WC on board, your comfort is fully catered to throughout the experience. Captain Bow’s deep connection to Amsterdam and his unique perspective, shaped by his diverse upbringing, promise insightful stories and engaging conversations. The small group size fosters a warm and friendly atmosphere, making this cruise a truly special way to discover the heart of Amsterdam.
Tour Options
Itinerary
All cruises are captained by myself as the captain/owner of the Drift Away. We depart from the Singel no.7 and we will return to this location at the end of the cruise. I do not offer a fixed route, depending on your wishes as guests I will tailor the cruise to you specifically. Due to the custom design of the Drift Away we have access to even the narrowest canals of Amsterdam and are able to pass even the lowest of bridges. If you do not have any preferences I will put together a route which will give you an overview of the canal belt, a few of the small less travelled canals, the Amstel river and the eastern maritime area. As a born and raised ¨Amsterdammer¨ I have a wealth of knowledge about Amsterdams history, culture and the Dutch way of life in general. I love sharing with you about my hometown in an easy going manner, with a good sense of humor and the typical Dutch straight forwardness!
We will pass through the pitoresque district the Jordaan. The name of the Jordaan finds its origin in the French word Jardin, meaning garden. Many of the streets in the district are named after flowers.
The former warehouse of the Admiralty of Amsterdam features the Maritime Museum. We will also pass by ¨De Amsterdam¨ an enormous replica East India Trading Company ship.
Former tower part of the defense wall surrounding Amsterdam, converted in the 1600 to a clock tower. Features also in a painting by Rembrant van Rijn
We will pass the most famous prostitution district in the world, you will learn the practical features of the usage of red light in the world of prostitution.
The most famous bridge out of the thousands Amsterdam features, why is it famous and who build it?
Tax used to be based on the width of your residence facade. We will pass the smallest house in Amsterdam to show you the builders disdain for paying tax.
One of the oldest canals where all beer was brewed back in the golden age
Old tower which was briefly used as the republics mint.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(612)
Captain John was great! The tour was perfect and a great way to see the beauty of Amsterdam to start our vacation. He was informative and funny. We all had a great time!
Great canal tour with skipper Fokko in a beautiful boat. We sat outside at the front of the boat but there is room under cover inside if the weather is no good. Slightly more expensive than other tours but well worth it to have such a friendly, humorous and informative guide, as well as drinks included. We learnt a lot about the city and canal system and had a lot of fun. Good to have a small group rather than one of the huge boat tours. This was much more personal. We changed our booking time and number of people a couple of times and they were very responsive to my emails. Highly recommend.
Fabulous boat ride through the canals. Jan was fabulous. He provided the kind of intimate details and extra interesting facts you don’t get from a commercial group. It was nice to have the extra 30 minutes above the other tours because it allowed for a slower pace and a more intimate setting. Would highly recommend!
Our guide Jan was incredible. Very friendly guy, knowledgeable and fun. The boat was beautiful as well as comfortable. It was a very fun experience that the whole family enjoyed. Would highly recommend!
This was a wonderful way to see Amsterdam! Our captain, Jan, was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, and he threw in a lot of humor to keep everyone entertained. The cruise lasts exactly 90 minutes, and you get to see LOTS of the city from water level. Jan covered a lot of the history and also included modern details. We were a family of 4, and there were two other groups, but the boat was very comfortable and had plenty of space to move around. Drinks and snacks were complimentary, which was nice touch, and yes, there is a bathroom on board. I would recommend this cruise to anyone traveling to Amsterdam!
Excellent tour with a very engaging captain, a wonderful way to see such a beautiful city
A true highlight of our 3 days in Amsterdam. We took a 7-830pm cruise with Captain "John" on the Sophie. John was wonderful combining an upbeat, fun vibe with history and insights.
Had a great cruise with Captain John. Cruised through many canals which he expertly navigated. He had great knowledge and pointed out all the historical, cultural and interesting sites. Very easy to converse with, we thoroughly enjoyed our time with him. Would 100% recommend this tour
Absolutely exceptional! Our canal tour was truly amazing from start to finish, and so much of that was thanks to our incredible guide, Fons. He went above and beyond to make us feel welcomed, comfortable, and completely catered to throughout the experience. Fons was knowledgeable, engaging, and genuinely passionate about Amsterdam, making the entire tour feel personal rather than just another sightseeing excursion. There was something wonderfully captivating and even a little titillating about the experience—it was fun, fascinating, and memorable in every way. You can tell Fons truly cares about his guests, and that made all the difference. This was easily one of the highlights of our time in Amsterdam, and I couldn’t recommend Fons and this tour highly enough!
Great sunset cruise on board a beautiful boat! Our Captain, Mante, was very knowledgeable and told us so many interesting facts and stories about the city. He was very entertaining and engaging. We only had 7 people on our cruise so it was nice not to be packed onto a boat like sardines as were some of the other companies’ boats we saw. Nicely stocked open bar with snacks. Highly recommended!!
