Amsterdam Light Festival Canal Cruise 2025 – 2026
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Amsterdam Light Festival Canal Cruise 2025-2026
This year the Amsterdam Light Festival will take place from November 27, 2025 to January 18, 2026. Be amazed! This winter we will cruise you to the world of imagination.
Theme this edition: “Legacy”.
Amsterdam Light Festival has been a yearly tradition for the last 13 years, lighting the city in the darkest months of the year. The coming edition is special, as it coincides with Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary. For a whole year, all over town, residents, districts and institutions commemorate and celebrate the unique spirit of Amsterdam. What custom is more appropriate to mark this special milestone than a Legacy
Why choose Rederij Prinsengracht during the light festival?
- Founder of the Festival
- Luxurious and well-heated saloon boats
- Guide and catering available
- Central boarding location
- Small & large groups with private boat
Amsterdam Light Festival Cruise
This is a special year for the Amsterdam Light Festival. What once started with a large Christmas Canal Parade has now turned into a real light festival. In particular, it is Rederij Prinsengracht that has been the initiator, the founding father of this Festival.
Packages deals Amsterdam Light Festival
Amsterdam Light festival
Private Canal Cruise
- Cruise with drinks all light artworks.
- Private heated boat with toilet
- Including drinks, open bar & mulled wine.
- Extra snacks possible!
- Duration : 1,5 hours
- With music set to the evening
- Starting from 12 guests
Amsterdam Light Festival
Ticket Canal Cruise
- Cruise with drinks
- All light works have a dedicated song!
- Smalll luxury private boat
- Heated Boat
- Embarking Hermitage
- Duration : 90 Minutes
- With music set to the event.
Amsterdam Light festival
Dinner / Buffet Canal Cruise
- 3 or 4 course diner
- Classic laid table in case of dinner
- Luxury private boat
- Heated & with toilet
- Diner up to 16 persons. Buffet up to 32
- Excluding drinks, Choice in wine
- Duration : starting from 2,5 uur.
Amsterdam Light festival
Christmas Cruise
- Christmas Cruise with drinks
- Heated private boat with toilet.
- Including drinks, open bar & mulled wine.
- Extra snacks possible!
- Duration : 2 hours.
- Can be extended!Ask for price
- With Christmas Carols
- Boat set to christmas dressing
- Ideal for private party
Amsterdam Light festival
Gift Card Canal Cruise
- See all the art light works.
- Super service
- Luxury private boat
- Heated with toilet
- Including a drink
- Dress to impress to Christmas
- Duration : 90 minutes
- With music set to the event
- Check starting time
Amsterdam Light festival
New years Eve
- Enjoy new years eve on the Canals!
- See the fireworks.
- With Silent Disco
- Luxury private boat
- Heated with toilet
- Up to 35 persons
- See all the light art objects
- Excluding drinks, wijnkeuze in overleg
- Duration : in consultation
If you want to come with fewer guests than the suggested number of people. Please contact us using the quotation form. Finally, we can always come up with a suitable solution.
Our fully heated Luxury canal cruise
Gentleman’s launch Avanti
- See all the light artworks with guide un to 35 persons
- Private boat with heating and toilet
- Of course with microphone and music
- Silent disco is a possibility
- For nice private gathering , diner, buffet or company outing
Gentleman’s Launch Delphine
- See all the light artworks up t0 10 personen
- Luxury private boat & with guide
- Heated boat
- For intimate gathering, dinner of proposal
- With music on request
If you want to book with fewer guests than the suggested number of people? Please contact us via the quotation form. Finally, we can always come up with a suitable solution.
Enjoy the Light Festival
You can view the Light Festival in two ways. From the water or from the shore. In our opinion it is the most beautiful from the water. Rederij Prinsengracht has various classic luxury heated boats for which we have put together various package deals. You can rent a private boat from us as well as buy tickets for a shared outing.
We also support the Amsterdam Light Festival by making a contribution per person to the Festival. We do not only do this through a contribution. Rederij Prinsengracht was also the initiator in 2009 and can therefore tell you a lot about this light festival.
Amsterdam Light Festival route
We have put together a beautiful route for this special light festival . One with which you can see all the light artworks . Moreover, this year promises to be a special edition. On the right you will find the map where all light artworks can be found. Whether you go by boat or on foot.
The route will mainly run via the Hrenegracht, Nieuwe Herengracht andOsterdok and Westerdok. More information will follow.
COMING SOON
History Amsterdam Light Festival
The roots of the Amsterdam Light Festival date back to 2009. Vincent Horbach, owner of Rederij Prinsengracht, is inspired by the Winterfest in Fort Lauderdale in Florida. A beautiful festival of lights in the warm Florida waters around Christmas. In Amsterdam nothing happened during the winter. All events took place in the summer. And Amsterdam is so beautiful in winter.
Initiators Vincent Horbach and Henk Jan Buchel
In 2009 Vincent contacts Henk Jan Buchel. They then take the initiative for the first Christmas Canal Parade. The decor is magical this year. The city is covered in snow, it’s Christmas Eve and the canals are full of people.
Winter Magic Amsterdam.
But the gentlemen want more and see the potential for the city. The festival empowers solidarity! In Christmas times it displays a beautiful view of the city. That is why in 2010 Felix Gutmann is brought in as reinforcement to bring the event to maturity. A second edition then take places in 2010. With more emphasis on artistic light art. The name of the multi-day event will be changed to WINTER MAGIC AMSTERDAM. Firstly, there is the Christmas Canal parade again, and boats are highlighted by well-known artists. Secondly, various buildings and bridges are artistically highlighted for a longer period of time.
Start Amsterdam Light Festival
In 2011, during the height of the crisis, it was decided to cancel the festival. In the meantime, these “three founding fathers” use the time to make adjustments. And with that, the Amsterdam Light Festival started in 2012. A festival name under which all winter activities can be bundled together. Attention is shifted from entertainment on the boats to artistic light art along the canals.
FAQ – Frequent asked questions
When is the Amsterdam Light Festival?
From 27 November 2025 till 18 Januari 2026. In the mids of winter
Hopefully we have mild weather! Nevertheless, we have well-heated luxury saloonboats. We also serve a nice free glass of warm mulled wine.
Where can we get on and off the boat?
You can join us anywhere. But in consultation. Take a look at our map with pick-up and drop-off locations. Perhaps there is an ideal location for you!
Where is the Light Festival in the canal?
Coming soon
Can we have a private boat for this Festival?
Yes it is certainly possible. Take a look at our private saloon boats for rent. Fully equipped and very luxurious. In addition, they are heated! As well as a toilet!
We just want to buy a single ticket. So not private! Is that possible as well?
Yes that is possible. Just book our boat Delphine
What is the general message or theme of this festival?
Theme this year is called LOADING…
For this festival of lights, they asked artists to think about the effect of technology and artificial intelligence (also known as ‘AI’) on our everyday lives. How we communicate, connect and create is all influenced by technology and AI. What is the impact of this on our humanity? How is society changing due to this digital evolution? And where are the boundaries? The different perspectives are highlighted during this edition with the theme: LOADING… Revealing Art, AI and Tech.
Is smoking allowed on the boats?
This is possible in consultation with other group members. If it is not a private group (a single ticket) then it is not possible.
Is it possible to have drinks or snacks on the boat?
Everything is possible. After all, we have various arrangements. Get in touch and let us know!
