During the Amsterdam Light Festival, there are five popular group activities: a private cruise along the illuminated canals, a walk along the light art installations, a dinner at a nearby restaurant, drinks at a traditional brown café or tasting room, and a combination of cruising and dining on board. Which activity suits best depends on group size, budget, and whether you want a fully arranged package or prefer to put something together yourself. Below we answer the most frequently asked questions about group activities during the festival.
What activities are there to do during the Amsterdam Light Festival?
During the Amsterdam Light Festival, there are several ways to experience the festival. The most popular options for groups are a canal cruise for groups, a walk along the artworks, a dinner or drinks nearby, or a combination of multiple activities in one evening. The festival attracts large numbers of visitors each year and offers something suitable for every type of group.
Below are the five most popular group activities at a glance:
- Private cruise along the illuminated canals – the boat is exclusively for your group, you sail past approximately 20 light art installations, and you can combine food and drinks on board with the cruise.
- Walk along the light route – the festival has an official walking route past all the artworks. Free to access and easy to combine with a stop at a café or restaurant along the way.
- Dinner at a restaurant in the Jordaan or city centre – the neighbourhood around the canals has many restaurants that are easily accessible from the festival route. Think of the Jordaan, the Negen Straatjes, or the area around Leidseplein.
- Drinks at a traditional brown café or tasting room – Amsterdam has plenty of characterful pubs near the light route. Drinks before or after the festival is a low-key and enjoyable option for groups.
- Combination of cruising and dining on board – a private cruise where dinner or drinks take place on board, so the activity and catering come together in one location. Popular as a company outing or Christmas drinks event.
What makes a boat cruise the most popular group activity?
A boat cruise is the most popular group activity during the Amsterdam Light Festival because you see the light art installations from the water, which offers a completely different perspective than walking. Moreover, a private cruise combines the activity, drinks, and dinner in one location, making it practical and complete for groups.
From the water, you see artworks that have been specially designed to be experienced over the water. Many installations are placed along or above the canals, so you see them at their best from a boat. In addition, a boat is logistically simple for a group: everyone is together, no one gets lost, and you don’t need to combine reservations at multiple venues.
For corporate groups, it also matters that a private cruise offers a unique setting you won’t easily forget. The combination of the illuminated canals, a heated covered boat, and food and drinks on board makes it a complete evening. Our boats are always covered and heated, so the weather plays no role. Groups of up to 60 people can travel on one boat, and for larger groups, multiple boats can be combined.
How does a private cruise differ from a shared boat tour?
With a private cruise, the boat is reserved exclusively for your group. With a shared boat tour, you share the boat with other visitors you don’t know. The difference lies in privacy, flexibility, and the ability to fully tailor catering and the cruise to your group.
A shared boat tour is suitable for couples, individual visitors, or small groups of up to 6 people. The cruise follows a fixed route, departs at fixed times, and has an English-speaking guide on board. We also offer Shared Tickets: a 75-minute cruise along the official Amsterdam Light Festival route, bookable directly online from €32 per person, with three departures per day.
A private cruise is a different experience. The boat is entirely for your party, you choose the arrangement yourself, and catering and drinks are on board. This makes it suitable for company outings, Christmas drinks events, and larger groups who want to organise something special together. With a private boat during the Amsterdam Light Festival, you can choose between fixed arrangements with a clear price per person or a fully customised cruise.
Which group activity suits a company outing best?
For a company outing during the Amsterdam Light Festival, a private cruise suits best. You combine activity, drinks, and dinner in one location, the boat is exclusively for your group, and everything is arranged for you. This saves organisational effort and makes it a complete evening without any hassle.
Other options such as a walk or a restaurant dinner are also possible, but require more coordination: reservations at multiple locations, groups that need to stay together on busy evenings, and less flexibility in timing. A private cruise solves this by bringing everything together in one place.
Want an idea of what’s possible? We offer various arrangements for corporate groups:
- Drinks & Bites Cruise – 1.5 hours, luxury snacks on board, from €47.50 per person. Suitable for an informal drinks event or team outing.
- Art & Lights Buffet – 2 hours, hot and cold buffet, from €84.50 per person. Popular as a company outing with a full dinner.
- Dinner Cruise – 2 hours, three-course dinner with a chef on board, from €129.50 per person. Suitable for Christmas dinners and client events.
- Walking Dinner Cruise – 2 hours, multiple small courses, chef on board, free to move around and network, from €132.50 per person.
For larger groups or specific wishes regarding catering, drinks, or boarding location, a Custom Private Cruise is the most flexible choice. With a Christmas cruise during the Amsterdam Light Festival, you can also opt for a fully customised arrangement.
When does the Amsterdam Light Festival begin and end?
The Amsterdam Light Festival takes place annually in winter, typically from late November through mid-January. In 2026, the festival is expected to run from December 2025 through January 2026, in line with the fixed festival period of recent years. The exact dates are announced each year via the official festival website.
The festival thus lasts roughly six to seven weeks and coincides with the Christmas period and the New Year. This makes it a popular period for company outings, Christmas drinks events, and end-of-year parties. Because demand is high during this period, booking early is strongly recommended. Popular dates in December fill up quickly, especially for private cruises and group arrangements.
More information about the dates of the Amsterdam Light Festival can be found on our festival page, where we keep the current festival period up to date.
How do you book a group activity during the Amsterdam Light Festival?
The easiest way to book a group activity during the Amsterdam Light Festival is to decide in advance what kind of evening you want: a fixed price per person with a complete arrangement, or a fully customised cruise. You then contact the provider to check availability and confirm the details.
For shared boat tours, tickets can often be booked directly online. For private cruises and group arrangements, it is common to get in touch via a request form or by phone, so that group size, the desired arrangement, and the date can be properly aligned.
Practical tips for booking a group activity during the Amsterdam Light Festival:
- Book early – the most popular dates in December fill up quickly, sometimes months in advance.
- Determine the group size – this determines which type of boat and arrangement is most suitable.
- Choose between a fixed arrangement or custom package – a fixed package is simple and clear; custom options offer more flexibility for specific wishes.
- Take into account a festival surcharge and VMR entertainment tax – these are calculated separately and are not included in the base price per person.
How Rederij De Nederlanden helps with group activities during the Amsterdam Light Festival
We are an official partner of the Amsterdam Light Festival and provide private cruises for groups of all sizes. Whether you want an informal drinks event or a fully catered Christmas dinner on the water, we arrange it for you. Here is how we help:
- Private Cruise Packages – fixed arrangements with a clear price per person, including boat hire, skipper, crew, and catering. Easy to book, no surprises afterwards. From €47.50 per person with a minimum of 15 people.
- Custom Private Cruise – fully tailored: choose your own boat, put together catering, determine the boarding location, and align the timing. Suitable for larger groups or groups with specific wishes.
- Shared Tickets – for couples and small groups of up to 6 people, bookable directly online from €32 per person.
- Heated and covered boats – winter-proof, with a toilet on board and more than 150 possible boarding locations in Amsterdam.
- One location for activity, drinks, and dinner – no hassle with multiple reservations or locations.
Want to know what we can arrange for your group? View the group options or contact us for a no-obligation custom proposal.