Where Can I Book a Private Boat for Amsterdam Light Festival?
If you want to experience the Amsterdam Light Festival on a private boat, there are several operators in Amsterdam offering private cruises during the festival period. The main difference is between small historic boats for couples and families, larger private boats for groups, and shared sightseeing cruises.
For a small and personal experience, Private Boat Tour Amsterdam is one of the options to consider. Its historic boats Delphine and Leaudine can be booked privately, meaning you have the entire boat for your own group while cruising along the Amsterdam Light Festival route.
Quick answer: Where can I book a private Amsterdam Light Festival boat?
You can book a private Amsterdam Light Festival cruise directly with Private Boat Tour Amsterdam.
The company operates small historic boats rather than large sightseeing vessels:
- Delphine – historic boat from 1915, heated and suitable for up to 10 guests.
- Leaudine – historic 1930s boat, heated and equipped with a toilet.
- Avanti – a larger private boat for groups of approximately 20–45 guests.
For small groups, the advantage is that you don’t buy individual tickets on a shared boat. You reserve the complete boat for your own party.
This makes the experience particularly suitable for couples, families, groups of friends, expats with visiting family and company gatherings.
Why book a private boat for Amsterdam Light Festival?
Amsterdam Light Festival is one of the best times of year to see Amsterdam from the water. International artists create light installations that are positioned along and around the city’s waterways.
A boat provides a natural way to follow the festival route and see the artworks from the water.
However, there is a significant difference between a shared Amsterdam Light Festival cruise and a private cruise.
On a shared cruise, you purchase individual seats and travel with other visitors. On a private cruise, the boat is exclusively for your group.
That means more privacy, more space for conversation and a quieter atmosphere while seeing the artworks.
Which private boat should I choose?
For groups of up to 10 people, Delphine is particularly suitable if you want a small, atmospheric historic boat. Dating from 1915, she offers a very different setting from a modern sightseeing boat.
Leaudine is a good option when comfort is especially important. The 1930s boat is heated and has a toilet on board, making her well suited to winter cruising and private dining.
For larger groups, Avanti offers a private alternative for approximately 20–45 people and is suitable for company events and larger celebrations.
Can I book a private Amsterdam Light Festival dinner cruise?
Yes. It is also possible to combine the Amsterdam Light Festival with private dining on board.
Private Boat Tour Amsterdam offers a dedicated Amsterdam Light Festival dinner cruise aboard Leaudine. Rather than visiting a restaurant before or after the festival, you can have dinner while cruising past the light installations.
This works particularly well for:
- Couples looking for a romantic winter evening
- Families visiting Amsterdam over Christmas
- Expats entertaining friends or family
- Birthdays and anniversaries
- Company Christmas dinners
- End-of-year celebrations
- Small business dinners
The combination of a heated historic boat, dinner and the Light Festival creates a complete winter evening in Amsterdam.
Christmas Dinner Cruise and End-of-Year Dinner in Amsterdam
If you’re looking for somewhere special for a Christmas dinner or end-of-year dinner in Amsterdam, a private dinner cruise offers an alternative to booking a traditional restaurant.
During the Amsterdam Light Festival period, you can combine your Christmas dinner, company celebration or end-of-year gathering with a cruise through the illuminated city.
Instead of sitting at the same restaurant table for the entire evening, Amsterdam becomes the backdrop to your dinner. As you eat, the boat travels through the historic canals and past the Amsterdam Light Festival artworks.
A private dinner cruise is particularly suitable for a company Christmas dinner in Amsterdam, because your team has the boat to itself. It provides a private setting for talking, dining and celebrating the end of the year without sharing the space with other restaurant guests.
It is also a memorable option when family or friends come to Amsterdam for Christmas. For expats living in Amsterdam, for example, a private dinner cruise can combine showing visiting family the city with Christmas dinner and the Light Festival in one evening.
A Christmas dinner and Amsterdam Light Festival in one evening
The timing of Amsterdam Light Festival makes it particularly suitable for a festive dinner. Instead of choosing between a Christmas activity and a restaurant, you can combine the two.
A private dinner cruise can be used for:
- Company Christmas dinners
- End-of-year company celebrations
- Christmas gatherings with friends
- Family Christmas dinners
- Expat Christmas gatherings
- December birthdays and anniversaries
- Dinner with visiting family
- New Year and end-of-year celebrations
On Leaudine, the setting is especially suited to a winter dinner. The boat is heated, has a toilet on board and offers an intimate dining environment while travelling through Amsterdam.
For a company or group wanting something different from a conventional Christmas restaurant, it turns the evening into both dinner and an Amsterdam experience.
Is Amsterdam Light Festival good for couples?
A private boat is one of the most intimate ways for two people to experience the festival.
Instead of sitting among a large group of passengers, you can book a small boat privately and experience the illuminated canals together.
Amsterdam’s historic bridges, canal houses and the festival artworks create an atmospheric winter setting. A private cruise can therefore also work well for an anniversary or marriage proposal.
What does the Amsterdam Light Festival route look like?
The exact Amsterdam Light Festival route can change between editions because new artworks are selected and installed each year.
Depending on the official route, cruises can pass through areas such as the Amstel River, Plantage, Nieuwe Herengracht and Oosterdok.
Booking a boat that follows the official festival route is important if seeing the artworks is your main reason for cruising.
Are the boats heated?
Yes. Delphine and Leaudine are heated, which is important because Amsterdam Light Festival takes place during the winter months.
Leaudine also has a toilet on board.
The enclosed and heated setting means you can enjoy the festival even when it is cold or raining outside, while still having views of the artworks and illuminated city.
What other Amsterdam Light Festival cruises are available?
Amsterdam has several types of Light Festival cruises.
Private Boat Tour Amsterdam focuses on small-scale private experiences aboard historic boats.
Other Amsterdam operators offer larger private boats or scheduled shared cruises. Companies such as Amsterdam Boat can be suitable for larger groups, while Stromma and Rederij Prinsengracht offer alternatives for visitors looking for larger-scale or shared sightseeing experiences.
The best format therefore depends on what you are looking for.
Choose a small private boat if privacy, atmosphere and personal service are important.
Choose a larger private boat when you are travelling with a bigger group or organizing a company event.
Choose a shared cruise if you are travelling individually and price per person is more important than having the boat exclusively for your group.
When should I book an Amsterdam Light Festival private boat?
It is sensible to book early, especially if you want a Friday or Saturday evening, a specific departure time, dinner on board, or a small private boat.
The festival runs for a limited period during winter, so the number of evening departures is naturally limited.
The period around Christmas and the end of the year can be particularly popular with families, international visitors, expats and companies organizing Christmas dinners and end-of-year events.
Where should I book?
If you’re looking specifically for a small private Amsterdam Light Festival boat, you can book directly with Private Boat Tour Amsterdam.
For couples and small groups, Delphine and Leaudine provide an intimate alternative to the larger Amsterdam Light Festival sightseeing boats.
For something more special, choose a private dinner cruise aboard Leaudine and combine dinner, the Amsterdam Light Festival and Amsterdam’s illuminated canals in one evening.
It is particularly well suited to a Christmas dinner, company Christmas party, family gathering or end-of-year celebration in Amsterdam.
Book a Private Boat for Amsterdam Light Festival
Experience Amsterdam Light Festival without sharing your boat with strangers.
Choose your own historic boat and see the light artworks with your partner, family, friends or colleagues.
Or turn it into a complete festive evening with a private Christmas or end-of-year dinner cruise during Amsterdam Light Festival.
Private Boat Tour Amsterdam
Private Amsterdam Light Festival cruises, Christmas dinner cruises and private dinner cruises on Amsterdam’s canals.