Looking for a small, relaxed canal cruise in Amsterdam without large crowds or standard audio guides? At Rederij de Wester, you’ll enjoy a personal canal cruise with a local Amsterdam skipper, all-inclusive drinks, and typical Dutch snacks like bitterballen all from a comfortable small boat with max. 16 guests. It’s the perfect way to experience Amsterdam in a calm, authentic, and social atmosphere.
± 2 hours
Rederij de Wester is a small, independent family run canal cruise company in the heart of Amsterdam not a large operator behind a “small brand,” but a truly local business built on personal service and quality. What started as a modest idea has grown into one of the top-rated canal cruise experiences on Airbnb, Viator, and Tripadvisor, known for its authentic atmosphere, friendly hosts, and real local stories. We specialize in small group canal cruises with passionate Amsterdam skippers, offering a relaxed, personal experience that feels more like being on a boat with friends than a traditional tour.
See the latest photos and stories on our Instagram.
The boarding location is Keizersgracht 401, in front of the House of Marseille. Please wait outside by the green wooden bench at the canal side. Do not enter the building. Your skipper will pick you up directly at the water.
Your cruise includes unlimited drinks (beer, wine, soft drinks and in winter hot chocolate and mulled wine), authentic Dutch snacks including bitterballen, cheese and stroopwafels, and a comfortable electric boat with cozy seating that is heated in winter.
Yes, the boat is fully electric. It sails silently, produces no emissions and offers a smooth, comfortable cruise through Amsterdam’s canals.
Our cruises are small scale, with a maximum of 15 guests. This ensures a relaxed atmosphere and plenty of personal attention from the skipper.
Posted on Chloe WillardTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Oh captan, my captain!!! We had the best time on this canal cruise! It was our first time in Amsterdam and Captan Erik was so knowledgeable and shared so much on the Dutch culture and history, both personal and public. The wine was A+ and so was the surprise snack he brought aboard! Highly recommend this excursion if you’re taking a trip here.Posted on Linda perronTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Just spent a lovely evening cruising the canals with Captain Stephan at the helm. Friendly and very knowledgeable, he provided a pleasing variety of snacks and drinks, as well as lots of interesting information about Amsterdam and the Netherlands. The boat was very clean and comfortable, and I appreciate the more personal, interactive experience that a smaller craft/smaller group provides. I also appreciate that this cruise ran exactly on time and lasts a full 2 hours, which is longer than most of the others that seem to run 60-90 minutes. Recommend!Posted on Vickie GibsonTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 1st time visiting Amsterdam and we went on the canal cruise we highly recommend it. Eric was a fantastic host and you get to find out lots about the beautiful city. Plenty of nibbles and drinks on board too. We had an amazing time thankyou Eric. We went 28th feb 2026Posted on Grey WalkerTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Mare was amazing! This was completely unexpectedly the best experience in Europe. Cannot recommend enough. There were unlimited non alcoholic beer, regular beer, several wines, liquor, cheese and stroopwaffel trays, a stop for bitterballen and restroom break; just an excellent plan and experience. Mare is a natural at history and fun facts and driving the boat while doing it. Please treat yourself even if you think a tourist group isn’t for you, this one is.Posted on Alyssa SeidlTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Stephan did an incredible job! 1000% recommend for amazing city knowledge and great food and drinks!Posted on Allison OwenTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Mare was incredible. So knowledgeable, friendly, and kind.Posted on Colleen SandersonTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We’ve cruised with this crew two years in a row. Both times were fabulous, and neither was a repeat. We always learned something new, and had lots of laughs along the way.Posted on Claire StenerTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We really enjoyed our canal cruise with Stefan. He was so knowledgable about Amsterdam and The Netherlands as a whole! The 2 hours flew by and the snacks and drinks were very welcome too especially the gluhwein to warm us up on a very cold day. Thank you!Posted on H LTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Totally fantastic 2’hour Amsterdam small boat canal cruise. BUT, the best part was our guide STEPHEN! I have taken about 10 boat cruises with different guests of mine in Amsterdam and this was by far the best. He was SO knowledgeable and the 2 hours flew by! We learned so much!! THANK YOU Stephen!! I would love contact information to do private boat tours with future guests of mine here with you if possible again.