#13 of 233 Boat Tours & Water Sports in Amsterdam

Boat Rentals

Similar Experiences

Canal Motorboats

Booking unavailable on Tripadvisor

Want other options you can book now?

Show options

Travelers talk about

“”

(9 reviews)

Contribute

Write a review Upload a photo

Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.

Popular mentions

5.0

1,166 reviews

Excellent

1,017

Very good

109

Average

17

Poor

7

Terrible

16

Alexis

1 contribution

Great value option

Aug 2022

This was my second time using canal motorboats having originally been recommended to them by a friend. There are a number of companies in Amsterdam that offer similar types of boat rental, and of the ones I've tried they are the best. Their pricing is extremely competitive, perhaps because their location although still central central is less obvious than some of their competitors. Their laid-back style could potentially be a bit frustrating if you are on a tight schedule, but in my opinion this is more than made up for by the benefits of a relaxed and flexible trip. Like all such rental boats, they are (too?) sensibly speed limited. For the uninitiated, that might be a bit frustrating, but it is no different elsewhere. In fact, their boats have been on the good end of the spectrum in my experience.

Written September 27, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

nahnum

Auckland Central, New Zealand15 contributions

Self-drive boat highly recommended!

Aug 2022 • Couples

Great experience being able to drive the boat yourself! Super easy to drive (all electric) and the very helpful guys recommend a route for the duration (our trip was 2 hrs) but you can choose 3 or 4 hrs too. Went down Prinsengracht to Amstel and back up via Herengracht. Highly recommend this experience!

Written August 5, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nestless

San Pedro de Alcantara, Spain275 contributions

What a great way to experience Amsterdam - 5 Stars

Aug 2021

I booked a 3 hour rental which was really easy to do via their website. The rental location is about a 25 minute walk from the centre which was really nice as you basically walk along the Prince. We (3 of us) were joined by another family with their 2 children so I booked the larger of the boats. The boat was really easy to drive, the rental people gave good instructions and a map of the canals which was easy to follow.

We bought along drinks and snacks for our 3 hour tour and really enjoyed the whole afternoon. As it takes about 15mins to boat into the centre, I would recommend booking for at least 2 hours, however we found 3 hours to be the perfect amount of time.

Written August 22, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Roxanne B

Germany5 contributions

Rude and racist

Jul 2021 • Couples

Our supposedly awaited day gone to worst. We were very excited to have our first canal cruise experience but the staff who assisted and gave instructions was way ruuuddddeeeee and racist. This guy should not allowed to work at this kind of job. We are your customers and you should always treat us properly. This guy (short guy wearing black and with scratches on his leg) who gave instruction spoke to us in a very rude way and full of arrogance. Dude a little advice, when giving an instruction to your FIRST TIME customer, you should pinpoint exactly where was the way AND not only giving it by words (scripted) specially we are not familliar with the street’s name. Your arrogance will lead you nowhere. This guy belittle and insulted us infront of other customers ( showing off to the ladies besides us by insulting us) saying we dont speak english? And we are not so sure if we really know how to speak english? He said it thrice! Check of how you give instructions first. We are professionals dude! And you are not! basing alone with how you treat your customer. It doesnt mean that we are Asians you will treat us that way. We paid for your services and we did not pay to be maltreated of someone like you. I cant express enough my dismay to this company. I will not ever recommend this company to others, feeling superior! You should train your staff to treat customer properly and fairly and not base on their race. We went to Amsterdam to enjoy and not to be a victim of self centered little guy! This company does not deserve even 1 star. (Btw, Alfred was very nice and accomodating, I hope he will receive kudos that he deserved)

Written July 22, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Michael B

3 contributions

Boat rental

Oct 2022

Other than the rain, this was very fun! Since we went more off season, the canals were very open. I can see things getting pretty crowded during peak season. Because we were the only one renting at the time, we were upgraded to a blue boat with steering wheel which was very nice. I would recommend getting a boat with steering wheel vs the tiller style. Much more control and can sit straight more comfortably. We are boat people so if the weather was nice, I could see easily renting for 4 hours to stop and eat or shop.

Written October 18, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Evan Reeves

1 contribution

Characteristic boat rental experience

Jul 2021

The employees here at this team were very helpful and friendly. They gave us a clear and concise explanation about the rules and regulations regarding the boat.

The boat was in good operational order and clean. We had enough room (on the "Green Boat") for 6 adults and 4 young children comfortably. The boat turns easily enough and was easy to navigate on some very narrow canals.

If there was one suggestion to offer it would be to have a separate throttle for the boat instead of on the motor. As a result you have to twist the throttle on the boat the entire time of the ride. Other boats that I've rented have a separate lever for throttle, which makes it nice so that you can relax and enjoy the views.

Be sure to arrive a few minutes early if you want to maximize your time. It takes some time to go through the registration and instructions before you're able to ride.

Written July 26, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

CalMo

1 contribution

The best way to see Amsterdam

Apr 2022

Awesome day out & good way to take in the sights. Electric boat was 70 euro for two hours between five of us, very fairly priced. Staff were really cool & made the whole process very simple. Highly recommend !

Written April 22, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Teresa M

1 contribution

Boating the canals of Amsterdam

Aug 2022 • Family

We rented a canal boat from Canal Motorboats and it was a great experience. Fons was very helpful, kind and patient with us and explained everything that we needed to know, and the boat was excellent and easy to handle. We rented the boat for one hour (but I would rent for 2 hours next time) and we enjoyed the beautiful canals of Amsterdam. Highly recommend!

Written August 18, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Timea V

7 contributions

Friendly, uber-helpful staff

Sep 2021

We rented a Blue boat (with a steering wheel and comfier seat compositions) for 6 of us. Upon arrival, our Boat assistant (Ties) was exceptionally helpful and lenient, while advising us on the must-know swiftly, to the point yet with a hint of humour.
We had a great time, the boat worked well (once you get used to its nuances :) and we made it back after our little cruise :)

Written September 24, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Katy Y

Vancouver, Canada18 contributions

Lovely intimate canal option!

May 2023 • Friends

Really beautiful canal ride, and so nice to have an intimate space with friends!! It was absolutely beautiful and I certainly recommend. A couple things to note is that the boat goes quite slow (~5km/hr), though we thought that was relaxing. Also, other boat rentals might be easier to drive, but this one is good for its price and manageable. Bring food and enjoy with friends!

Written May 21, 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

2

…

Showing results 1-10 of 751

Similar Experiences

Canal Motorboats (Amsterdam) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go