{"id":41633,"date":"2026-06-29T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-29T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/denederlanden.com\/?post_type=kennisbank&#038;p=41633"},"modified":"2026-04-28T12:17:04","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T12:17:04","slug":"what-is-included-in-a-dinner-cruise-amsterdam","status":"publish","type":"kennisbank","link":"https:\/\/denederlanden.com\/en\/knowledgebase\/what-is-included-in-a-dinner-cruise-amsterdam\/","title":{"rendered":"What is included in a dinner cruise Amsterdam?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>A dinner cruise in Amsterdam sounds great right away \u2014 but what do you actually get? What&#8217;s included in the price, which boat suits your group, and how does a dinner cruise differ from a regular drinks cruise? Those are exactly the questions we answer in this article, so you know exactly what to expect before making a decision.<\/p>\n<h2>What exactly is a dinner cruise in Amsterdam?<\/h2>\n<p>A dinner cruise is a dining experience that takes place on a boat sailing through the Amsterdam canals. Not a static restaurant with fixed tables and a standard interior, but an evening where the view constantly changes and the atmosphere of the water adds an extra dimension to the meal. You enjoy a dinner while gliding past illuminated bridges, historic canal houses, and the lively quaysides of Amsterdam.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s a popular choice for corporate dinners, anniversaries, team outings, and other occasions where you want to organize something special. The main advantage over a regular restaurant is that you have the entire boat to yourselves. No other guests, no shared space \u2014 just your own private party on the water.<\/p>\n<h2>What is typically included in a dinner cruise in Amsterdam?<\/h2>\n<p>Exactly what&#8217;s included varies by provider and package. But with a well-organized <strong>dinner cruise in Amsterdam<\/strong>, you can generally expect the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>The boat including a skipper<\/strong>: no need to navigate yourself \u2014 an experienced skipper handles the route<\/li>\n<li><strong>A host or hostess on board<\/strong>: for service and a warm welcome<\/li>\n<li><strong>The dinner itself<\/strong>: depending on the chosen package, this may be a walking dinner, a three-course menu, or a buffet<\/li>\n<li><strong>Drinks<\/strong>: with most all-inclusive packages, soft drinks, beer, and wine are included<\/li>\n<li><strong>Exclusive use of the entire boat<\/strong>: you do not share the boat with other groups<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>With a <a href=\"https:\/\/denederlanden.com\/arrangementen\/\">dinner cruise package<\/a> such as a three-course dinner or walking dinner, everything is arranged in advance so there are no surprises afterward. Want something specific, such as a particular menu, extra entertainment, or a specific route? That&#8217;s almost always negotiable.<\/p>\n<h2>What types of boats are available for a dinner cruise?<\/h2>\n<p>The choice of boat largely determines the atmosphere of the evening. There are roughly three categories:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Salon boats<\/strong>: classic, covered boats with large windows. Ideal for a formal dinner or an evening when the weather is uncertain. They accommodate larger groups and typically feature a fixed bar and seating arrangement.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Open boats<\/strong>: perfect for the summer months. More informal and ideal if you really want to feel the city around you. Less suited for an elaborate dinner, but great for drinks and snacks.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Winter boats<\/strong>: boats with an enclosed lower deck and an open upper deck. This means you can step outside even in autumn or winter if you wish, with a warm cabin always available to retreat to.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For a true <strong>canal dinner cruise in Amsterdam<\/strong>, a salon boat or a winter boat is the most logical choice \u2014 especially if you want to serve a multi-course menu or if guests prefer to sit comfortably at a table.<\/p>\n<h2>How many people can take part in a dinner cruise?<\/h2>\n<p>That depends on the boat you choose. On the Amsterdam canals, a maximum capacity of 60 people per boat applies, due to the width of the canals and bridges. For larger groups, multiple boats can be combined so that everyone sails at the same time but in smaller groups on board. This works well for corporate dinners with 100, 150, or even more guests.<\/p>\n<p>For those wanting to sail with a very large group, larger vessels are also available that operate outside the canals \u2014 for example, on the IJ or toward the IJmeer. These boats accommodate 60 to 150 people on a single vessel. If you want to organize a dinner for 200 or more people as a company, combining multiple boats or deploying a larger ship is the solution.<\/p>\n<h2>What are the differences between a dinner cruise and a drinks cruise?<\/h2>\n<p>Good question, because the line can sometimes be blurry. Here&#8217;s an overview of the key differences:<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Feature<\/th>\n<th>Drinks cruise<\/th>\n<th>Dinner cruise<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Duration<\/td>\n<td>1.5 to 2 hours<\/td>\n<td>3 to 4 hours<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Food<\/td>\n<td>Snacks and finger food<\/td>\n<td>Full meal (1, 2, or 3 courses)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Atmosphere<\/td>\n<td>Informal, standing<\/td>\n<td>More formal, seated or walking dinner<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Price per person<\/td>\n<td>Approximately $50 to $60<\/td>\n<td>Approximately $110 to $130<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Suitable for<\/td>\n<td>Team drinks, networking evening<\/td>\n<td>Corporate dinner, anniversary, client dinner<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>A drinks cruise is ideal if you want a relaxed evening with plenty of room for conversation and networking. A <strong>dinner cruise package in Amsterdam<\/strong> is the better choice if you want to combine a full dinner with the experience of sailing. Both options are available as private charters for your group.<\/p>\n<h2>How far in advance should you book a dinner cruise?<\/h2>\n<p>For a popular date \u2014 such as a Friday evening in May or an evening during the Amsterdam Light Festival \u2014 the earlier, the better. Think at least two to three months in advance. Especially for larger groups requiring multiple boats or a specific vessel, it&#8217;s wise to reserve early.<\/p>\n<p>For <a href=\"https:\/\/denederlanden.com\/en\/boat-rental-amsterdam\/\">renting a boat in Amsterdam for a dinner<\/a> on a weekday or during the low season (November through March), there is often more flexibility. But even then: don&#8217;t wait until the last week. A well-organized dinner cruise requires preparation, both for the catering and for the crew on board.<\/p>\n<p>Do you have a specific date in mind? Request an availability check as soon as possible. That way, you&#8217;ll immediately know whether the desired boat and date are still available.<\/p>\n<h2>How Rederij de Nederlanden helps you organize a dinner cruise<\/h2>\n<p>At Rederij de Nederlanden, we organize dinner cruises for groups of all sizes \u2014 from an intimate client dinner with 20 guests to a large corporate dinner with more than 150 attendees. We offer multiple catering formats on board, from a walking dinner and a plated three-course menu to a custom buffet. The boat is always exclusively yours \u2014 no other guests on board.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Completely private<\/strong>: the boat is reserved exclusively for your group<\/li>\n<li><strong>All-inclusive packages<\/strong>: dinner, drinks, skipper, and host or hostess are all included<\/li>\n<li><strong>Multiple boat options<\/strong>: from salon boats for the canals to larger vessels for the IJ or IJmeer<\/li>\n<li><strong>Scalable<\/strong>: for large groups, we combine multiple boats or deploy a larger ship<\/li>\n<li><strong>Single point of contact<\/strong>: we take care of everything, from the route to the menu<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Rederij de Nederlanden has more than ten years of experience organizing private cruises and corporate dinners on the water. <a href=\"https:\/\/denederlanden.com\/en\/about-us\/\">Read more about who we are and what drives us<\/a>, or request a quote directly through our <a href=\"https:\/\/denederlanden.com\/en\/application\/\">inquiry form<\/a>. We&#8217;d love to help you plan the perfect evening for your group.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Everything included in a dinner cruise Amsterdam \u2014 from dinner and drinks to the perfect boat for your group.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"template":"","categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41633","kennisbank","type-kennisbank","status-publish","hentry","category-geen-onderdeel-van-een-categorie"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/denederlanden.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/kennisbank\/41633","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/denederlanden.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/kennisbank"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/denederlanden.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/kennisbank"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/denederlanden.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/denederlanden.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/kennisbank\/41633\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41859,"href":"https:\/\/denederlanden.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/kennisbank\/41633\/revisions\/41859"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/denederlanden.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41633"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/denederlanden.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41633"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/denederlanden.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41633"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}