Three Docks, One Hour Cruise

Three Docks, One Hour Cruise is one of thirteen canal cruises compared on this site, it runs 1 hour, and the live listing opens at $15 a person. It carries 4.3 from 21,335 reviews, reproduced here exactly as the operator publishes it.

Overview

This cruise runs three separate boarding points, one near Amsterdam Centraal, one by the Anne Frank House and one at the Rijksmuseum, and the route you get depends on which dock you choose. All of them put you on a heated boat for a full hour through the canal ring, with a GPS-triggered audio guide in 19 languages doing the explaining. Because each departure follows a slightly different loop, two travellers who board at opposite ends of the centre will come back with photos of different bridges.

The route sweeps past the usual suspects. Expect the Westerkerk, the Anne Frank House from the water, the Magere Brug, the Stopera and stretches of the Prinsengracht, plus views of the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum area, the Heineken Experience, the A'DAM Tower across the IJ and the NEMO Science Museum. Nothing is disembarked for; you stay seated and everything passes by on either side.

It suits first-time visitors who want a low-effort orientation before exploring on foot, and anyone pairing a museum visit with a rest on the water, since the docks sit close to several major sights. Reviewers repeatedly single out the captains, who several describe as funny as well as informative. Families are well catered for: children under four travel free if they sit on a lap, and tickets for ages four to thirteen are priced as child tickets. Arrive a quarter of an hour before departure, because boarding adds time and the whole outing can stretch to 90 minutes in peak season.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Choose your dockPick one of three departure points: near Amsterdam Centraal, the Anne Frank House or the Rijksmuseum. Your meeting point depends on the option selected.
2. Board and departBe present 15 minutes in advance. Boarding takes time, so the total experience can run up to 90 minutes in peak season even though the cruise itself lasts 1 hour.
3. IJ and Centraal stretchThe itinerary lists the IJ with scenic views, Amsterdam Centraal, the NEMO Science Museum, the Amstel, the Stopera, the H'ART Museum and the Magere Brug among the pass-by sights.
4. Canal ring coreThe cruise passes along the Prinsengracht, by the Westerkerk, and passes the Anne Frank House from the water.
5. Museum quarter viewsPassing sights include the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, the A'DAM Tower across the water and the Heineken Experience.
6. Return to your dockThe boat drops off at one of the three locations, depending on the option selected. No attractions are entered along the way.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points make the difference between a good hour and a cramped one on this cruise.

• Arrive early. The listing asks you to be at the dock 15 minutes before departure. Boarding takes time, and in peak season the total experience can run to 90 minutes rather than the hour on the water.
• Mind the commentary. Go in knowing the narration can be patchy at times.
• Roof matters. One reviewer specifically praised having a roof during heavy rain. The boats are heated too, so this works in poor weather when a walking tour would not.
• Bring nothing extra. The cruise, audio guide and sightseeing are included. Pets are not allowed, though assistance dogs are welcome if identifiable.
• Late departures. One reviewer recommended the evening departure, taking the 7:00 pm sailing when sunset fell at 8:37.
• Kids and laps. Children under four go free if they do not occupy their own seat, and ages four to thirteen pay the child rate.

Common issues. The commentary is the main recurring gripe. Some reviewers found the live captain talked over the recorded audio guide, duplicating information or making it hard to hear, and others wished for better synced commentary and more reliable headsets. Pets are not permitted, apart from identifiable assistance dogs.

Questions People Ask