During the Amsterdam Light Festival, extensive custom options are available for a private cruise. You can choose a fully tailor-made cruise, where you select the boat, catering, drinks, timing, and boarding location yourself, or you can opt for one of the fixed packages with a clear price per person. Below we answer the most frequently asked questions about the options.
What custom options are available for a private cruise during the Amsterdam Light Festival?
For a private cruise during the Amsterdam Light Festival, there are two main options: a Custom Private Cruise where you put together virtually everything yourself, and a Private Cruise Package with a pre-determined arrangement at a fixed price per person. With both options, the boat is fully exclusively reserved for your group. There are no other guests on board.
The Custom Private Cruise is the most flexible choice. You choose the boat that suits your group size, put together the catering, decide on the drinks option, and even specify the boarding location. This arrangement starts from €250 per hour with a minimum of two hours. Would you rather not think too much and simply arrange a complete evening? Then a Private Cruise Package is the easiest route: you choose an arrangement, pay a fixed price per person, and we take care of the rest.
For couples, individual visitors, and small groups of up to six people, there is also the option of Shared Tickets. This is a shared cruise along the official festival route, with an English-speaking guide, for €32 per person. Ideal if you don’t need the entire boat to yourself.
How does putting together a custom arrangement work?
Putting together a custom arrangement works through a request. You indicate how many people will be on board, on which date, what your wishes are regarding catering and drinks, and whether you have any specific requests such as a particular boat or boarding location. We then draw up a proposal that perfectly matches your wishes.
With a Custom Private Cruise you have the most freedom. You choose the boat yourself from our fleet of historic salon boats and city tenders, determine the sailing route (within the possibilities of the Amsterdam Light Festival), and put together the catering entirely to your own taste. This can range from an informal drinks reception with snacks to a fully served three-course dinner with a chef on board.
Would you prefer to keep it simpler? Then choose one of the fixed Light Festival private packages from our package range. You then know in advance exactly what you get and what it costs, and only need to confirm. That saves a lot of organizing, especially if you are arranging things on behalf of a company or larger group.
What are the options for food and drinks on board?
The options for food and drinks on board during a private cruise along the Amsterdam Light Festival are extensive. From an informal drinks reception with luxury snacks to a fully catered three-course dinner with a chef on board: the choice is wide and depends on the type of arrangement you choose.
Within the Private Cruise Packages, the following catering options are available:
- Drinks & Bites Cruise (1.5 hours): luxury snacks, ideal for an informal drinks reception or team outing. From €47.50 per person for 15 to 25 people, or €45.50 per person for 25 or more.
- Art & Lights Buffet (2 hours): hot and cold buffet, suitable for group dinners and corporate outings. From €84.50 per person for 15 to 25 people, or €78.50 per person for 25 or more.
- Italian Buffet Cruise (2 hours): Italian buffet, popular for festive gatherings. From €89.50 per person for 15 to 25 people, or €85.50 per person for 25 or more.
- Dinner Cruise (2 hours): three-course dinner with chef on board, suitable for Christmas dinners and business dinners. From €129.50 per person for 15 to 25 people, or €124.50 per person for 25 or more.
- Walking Dinner Cruise (2 hours): multiple small dishes, chef on board, free to move around and network. From €132.50 per person for 15 to 25 people, or €124.50 per person for 25 or more.
With a Custom Private Cruise you put together the catering entirely yourself, including options such as an open bar, selected wines, or winter drinks. Drinks with the fixed packages are settled on actual consumption or via an open bar, depending on your preference.
Can a large group travel together on one boat during the festival?
Yes, large groups can travel together on one boat during the Amsterdam Light Festival. The boat is always matched to the group size, so everyone fits comfortably on board. For very large groups it is also possible to combine multiple boats.
Our fleet consists of boats with a capacity ranging from small groups to large parties. With a Custom Private Cruise you can choose the specific boat you want to reserve, so you can be sure the space is right. Would you like to cruise with a large group of, for example, 80 or 100 people? Then get in touch so we can look at which combination of boats suits best.
An important advantage of our Light Festival group cruises is that the boat is always fully exclusive to your group. No strangers on board, no shared spaces, and maximum freedom to fill in the programme as you see fit.
Which route does the boat take during the Amsterdam Light Festival?
During the Amsterdam Light Festival, the boat sails along the official festival route through the Amsterdam canals, passing approximately 20 light artworks. The exact route may vary due to weather conditions, traffic on the water, and the chosen boarding location.
The Amsterdam Light Festival spreads the light artworks across multiple canals and waterways in the centre of Amsterdam. Our skippers know the route well and ensure that you get to see the most beautiful works as well as possible. With a Custom Private Cruise there is a little more room to adjust the route based on your boarding location, but the festival route always forms the basis.
We have more than 150 possible boarding locations in Amsterdam, which means that in most cases we can board close to the location of your event or meeting. That saves travel time and makes logistics considerably easier for groups departing from a hotel, office, or conference venue.
What is the difference between a fixed package and a fully custom cruise?
The main difference is the degree of flexibility and the way of booking. A fixed package offers a pre-determined arrangement with a clear price per person, while a Custom Private Cruise is put together entirely according to your wishes, including your own choices for boat, catering, drinks, and timing.
A Private Cruise Package is the most practical choice if you want to arrange a complete evening without much hassle. You choose an arrangement, know what you get, and pay a fixed price per person. That makes it easy to get internal approval and to communicate to participants. Packages are available from 15 people and start from €47.50 per person.
A Custom Private Cruise is the better choice if you have specific wishes that don’t fit into a standard package. Think of a particular boat, a specific boarding location, a custom catering composition, or entertainment on board. This arrangement starts from €250 per hour with a minimum of two hours. The total price depends on the duration, the group size, and the chosen options.
Not sure which option suits best? A rule of thumb: choose a package if you want to keep it simple, and choose custom if you have a large group or specific wishes regarding catering, timing, or location.
How Rederij De Nederlanden helps with custom arrangements during the Amsterdam Light Festival
Whether you want to organize a Christmas drinks reception, a corporate year-end party, or a festive group outing: we help you combine the Amsterdam Light Festival with a complete evening on the water. Here is what we can arrange:
- A private boat that is fully exclusive to your group, with no other guests on board
- Choice of fixed arrangements with a clear price per person, or a fully tailor-made cruise
- Catering ranging from luxury snacks and buffets to a three-course dinner with a chef on board
- Heated and covered historic salon boats, so the cold doesn’t spoil the evening
- More than 150 boarding locations in Amsterdam, matched to your location
- Professional skipper and crew included with every arrangement
Would you like to know which option suits your group and wishes best? View our Christmas arrangements for the Amsterdam Light Festival or get in touch directly for a custom quote. We are happy to think along with you. Contact us and we will send you a proposal within one working day.