There are four good reasons to celebrate the Amsterdam Light Festival privately with your team: you have the boat entirely to yourself, you can combine food and drinks with the festival, you set the pace and atmosphere yourself, and the logistics are much simpler than with a shared ticket. That makes a private cruise especially attractive for company outings, Christmas drinks, and end-of-year parties where you really want to create something special. Below we answer the most frequently asked questions about a private cruise during the Amsterdam Light Festival.
Why is a private boat better than shared tickets for the Amsterdam Light Festival?
With a private boat, you have the entire boat exclusively for your group. No strangers beside you, no shared agenda, and no compromises on pace or atmosphere. That is the biggest difference from a shared ticket, where you board a boat together with other visitors and follow the cruise as planned.
With a private boat during the Amsterdam Light Festival you decide when you depart, how long you cruise, and what you eat and drink on board. Want to stop quietly next to an artwork to take a photo? No problem. Want to raise a toast to the team halfway through? Go right ahead. That freedom is not available on a shared cruise.
Shared tickets are great for couples or small groups of up to six people who want to book flexibly and have no specific requirements. But as soon as you are going with a group of fifteen or more people, or as soon as you want to combine food, drinks, and atmosphere, a private boat is the logical choice. You are then paying not just for the cruise, but for a complete group experience.
What makes a private cruise during the Amsterdam Light Festival so suitable as a company outing?
A private cruise combines three things that a great company outing needs: a special setting, food and drinks, and an activity. All in one place, without anyone having to organise how the group gets from A to B. That is exactly why the Amsterdam Light Festival by boat is so popular as a Christmas drinks event or end-of-year party.
The festival itself runs every year from late November to early February and features around twenty light artworks along the Amsterdam canals. From the water you see those works at their best: up close, without crowds, and with the reflections in the water alongside them. That makes the cruise itself an experience.
What makes a private cruise as a company outing extra special is the combination with catering. At Rederij De Nederlanden you can choose from several catering options on board: from luxury drinks snacks and a hot-and-cold buffet to a walking dinner or a fully served three-course dinner with a chef on board. The boat is always completely exclusive to your party, creating a relaxed atmosphere where colleagues can truly connect.
Moreover, the logistics are simple. Everyone boards at the same location, the evening takes place in one spot, and no one has to move to a different restaurant or venue halfway through. For an HR manager or event organiser who wants a smooth evening, that is a major advantage.
How large can a group be for a private cruise during the Light Festival?
There is no strict upper limit on group size for a private cruise during the Amsterdam Light Festival. The boat is matched to the number of participants, and for larger groups multiple boats can be combined. The private cruise packages start from fifteen persons.
Small groups of fifteen to twenty-five people are well served by one of the fixed packages with a clear price per person. Think of the Drinks & Bites Cruise from €47.50 per person, or the Art & Lights Buffet from €84.50 per person. These are straightforward packages where everything is clear in advance.
Larger groups or groups with specific requirements, such as a custom choice of catering, a particular boarding location, or a specific boat, are better served with a tailor-made private cruise for groups. That offers more flexibility and the ability to arrange everything exactly as you wish. At Rederij De Nederlanden there are more than 150 possible boarding locations in Amsterdam, making it easier for larger groups to choose a logistically convenient spot.
What is the difference between a fixed package and a custom cruise?
A fixed package, also known as a private cruise package, has a set price per person and a predetermined format: a duration, a type of catering, and a clear overview of what is included. A custom cruise, the custom private cruise, offers complete freedom in boat, catering, drinks, timing, and boarding location.
The fixed packages are ideal if you want to book quickly and do not want extensive coordination. You choose a package that suits the group and the occasion, and the rest is taken care of. This works well for company outings where the requirements are fairly standard: drinks with snacks, a buffet, or a dinner on the water.
The custom cruise is the better choice if you have specific requirements. Do you want a particular boat, a custom menu, entertainment on board, a specific boarding location, or a different duration? Then a tailor-made solution offers more scope. The custom private cruise starts from €250 per hour with a minimum of two hours.
A practical rule of thumb: choose a fixed package if you want everything taken care of and a clear price per person. Choose a custom cruise if the group is large, the requirements are specific, or if you want something that differs from the standard options. Both options are fully private: the boat is always exclusive to your party.
When should you reserve a private boat for the Amsterdam Light Festival?
The Amsterdam Light Festival is one of the busiest periods for private cruises in Amsterdam. Booking early is strongly recommended, especially for dates in December and around the holidays. Those who book in October or November have the greatest choice of available dates, boats, and time slots.
The festival typically runs from late November to early February. The most popular evenings, such as Fridays and Saturdays in December, are often fully booked weeks in advance. For company outings and Christmas drinks events, many companies start planning in September or October, which means availability in November decreases quickly.
Do you want a specific date, a particular boat, or a boarding location close to the office? Then booking early is especially important. The later you book, the smaller the chance that everything will be exactly as you wish. An overview of the Amsterdam Light Festival dates helps you to pick the right evening in good time.
How Rederij De Nederlanden helps with a private cruise during the Amsterdam Light Festival
We provide private cruises along the official Amsterdam Light Festival route, past around twenty light artworks on the Amsterdam canals. All boats are covered and heated, so the evening is comfortable even in winter. Here is what we specifically offer:
- Private Cruise Packages: fixed packages with a clear price per person, from €47.50 pp, suitable for groups from 15 persons. Including boat hire, skipper, crew, and catering of your choice.
- Custom Private Cruise: fully tailor-made, with your own choice of boat, catering, drinks, time slot, and boarding location. From €250 per hour, minimum 2 hours. Ideal for larger groups or groups with specific requirements.
- Shared Tickets: for small groups of up to 6 persons or individual visitors. A 75-minute cruise along the official route, with an English-speaking guide, three departures per day, from €32 per person.
- More than 150 possible boarding locations in Amsterdam, so you can always choose a convenient departure point.
- Catering on board ranging from drinks snacks and buffet to walking dinner and three-course dinner with chef.
Would you like to book a private cruise for your team, Christmas drinks, or end-of-year party? View the Amsterdam Light Festival packages or go directly to our company outing options for a complete overview. Prefer to discuss directly? Contact us and we will be happy to think along about the best solution for your group.