Boaty Boat Rental
Boaty Boat Rental
4.5
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Full view
About
Rent a boat and enjoy Amsterdam at its best! With our rental boats you can explore the canals of Amsterdam with your family and friends. A good map of the canals, including route suggestions and highlights on your way, helps to find your way on the water. Your rental boat is electrically driven and therefore silent and free of exhaust fumes.The boats are easy to drive, after a short instruction you will be able to do it yourself, you don't need a licence. Boaty Rent a Boat is located at the Jozef Israelskade behind hotel Okura, in the south of the city center.
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4.5
644 reviews
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Choc_eclaire
Bracknell, UK142 contributions
Jun 2022 • Couples
If you want to do it yourself and have fun trying to navigate the canals this is a great option. We were only 2 in the boat so a bigger party would get good value for money.
The guide showed us how to operate the boat and explained various routes on the map. We did the blue city route covering the inner canals and the Amstel. Would recommend that to gain a whole different view of the sites.
The map is a bit tricky to follow in places and we got lost once coming out of Leidesgracht onto Singelgracht. Turn left, not right!
Plenty of time to do the route in 2.5 hours, the boat is very slow. We even squeezed in a bit of the brown route off the big basin.
The guide showed us how to operate the boat and explained various routes on the map. We did the blue city route covering the inner canals and the Amstel. Would recommend that to gain a whole different view of the sites.
The map is a bit tricky to follow in places and we got lost once coming out of Leidesgracht onto Singelgracht. Turn left, not right!
Plenty of time to do the route in 2.5 hours, the boat is very slow. We even squeezed in a bit of the brown route off the big basin.
Written 24 June 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.
Naomi
Amsterdam, The Netherlands1 contribution
Aug 2020
A great company through and through!
So quick and easy to book online, we booked a morning slot the day before.
On arrival the two staff we were greeted by were very friendly and welcoming. They explained thoroughly how to work the boat and explained to us what routes we could take.
We loved the boat, the engine is super quiet so if you were to take the quieter route up the river Amstel it really is perfect!
The boat itself is easy to use!
Will 100% be renting again from this company!!
So quick and easy to book online, we booked a morning slot the day before.
On arrival the two staff we were greeted by were very friendly and welcoming. They explained thoroughly how to work the boat and explained to us what routes we could take.
We loved the boat, the engine is super quiet so if you were to take the quieter route up the river Amstel it really is perfect!
The boat itself is easy to use!
Will 100% be renting again from this company!!
Written 17 August 2020
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.
Zulkefli S
Singapore31 contributions
Jun 2022 • Couples
Easily booked a self navigate experience on a boat thru the canals of Amsterdam using Get Your guide app. Booking and payment was super easy. Email confirmation from Boaty came immediately with clear instructions of where to go and what to expect. On the day itself, me and my wife was warmly greeted by Ms Noah Nootje who briefed us clearly of what to do, where to go on the map and most importantly how to use the boat. Even for a newbie on a boat, the experience was easy and it was one of the most memorable time for both me and my wife. We brought along some picnic snacks and drinks and we had loads of fun taking pics, vids and feeding the ducks along the way with our biscuits and bread.
A definitely must try activity and Boaty’s price is by far the most affordable. Thanks Noah Nootje for your warm welcome and warm goodbye.
A definitely must try activity and Boaty’s price is by far the most affordable. Thanks Noah Nootje for your warm welcome and warm goodbye.
Written 16 June 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.
Anna
Hamburg, Germany22 contributions
Jul 2023 • Friends
From booking to on-site service (instructions etc.) to the trip, everything was fine.
BUT: A €100 deposit must be paid on site by credit card, which should be refunded after 7 working days. Even after 3 weeks, the deposit was not refunded! After repeated inquiries by email, the organizer assured me that the matter would be taken care of. For the sake of completeness: The boat was of course returned without any defects.
BUT: A €100 deposit must be paid on site by credit card, which should be refunded after 7 working days. Even after 3 weeks, the deposit was not refunded! After repeated inquiries by email, the organizer assured me that the matter would be taken care of. For the sake of completeness: The boat was of course returned without any defects.
Written 9 August 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.
Fernando A
Sao Paulo, SP7 contributions
Sept 2024 • Friends
Last Saturday, September 7th, I booked 269578 for 3 people.
I arrived at the place at around 12.05 p.m. with my two Brazilian friends who don't live here and were visiting. I was very well looked after and received a clear explanation of how the boat works. Everything was very simple and efficient, really very good.
However, as we started the journey towards the Amstel River, we thought the boat was a bit slow and we realized that it was when another Boaty boat passed us. I initially tried to contact them by phone as instructed, but the voice message was that the phone was switched off. So we decided to go back to base because it wasn't that far away. As a reference, I marked on the map with the number 1 where we managed to get to on this first stage and, for information, getting there and back took 1 hour out of the 3 hours we had booked.
When we arrived at the dock, we explained the situation and were offered a new boat to complete the remaining 2 hours. We changed boats and changed routes, but unfortunately once again the boat wasn't performing and other Boaty boats passed us by. For reference, I marked as number 2 how far we got (a little after the Rijksmuseum) after 35-40 minutes or so and we decided to turn back, because we figured it wouldn't be possible to get to the dock in time given the boat's slow speed.
Unfortunately, it was an extremely frustrating and disappointing experience for me and my friends who were visiting. We scheduled it because the day was wonderful and ended the afternoon extremely disappointed, to the point that we delivered the boat before the contracted 3 o'clock. We tried changing boats, changing positions on the boat and nothing made sense. All three of us are talking about about 280kg and we've seen boats with more people and possibly more weight with much better performance.
I arrived at the place at around 12.05 p.m. with my two Brazilian friends who don't live here and were visiting. I was very well looked after and received a clear explanation of how the boat works. Everything was very simple and efficient, really very good.
However, as we started the journey towards the Amstel River, we thought the boat was a bit slow and we realized that it was when another Boaty boat passed us. I initially tried to contact them by phone as instructed, but the voice message was that the phone was switched off. So we decided to go back to base because it wasn't that far away. As a reference, I marked on the map with the number 1 where we managed to get to on this first stage and, for information, getting there and back took 1 hour out of the 3 hours we had booked.
When we arrived at the dock, we explained the situation and were offered a new boat to complete the remaining 2 hours. We changed boats and changed routes, but unfortunately once again the boat wasn't performing and other Boaty boats passed us by. For reference, I marked as number 2 how far we got (a little after the Rijksmuseum) after 35-40 minutes or so and we decided to turn back, because we figured it wouldn't be possible to get to the dock in time given the boat's slow speed.
Unfortunately, it was an extremely frustrating and disappointing experience for me and my friends who were visiting. We scheduled it because the day was wonderful and ended the afternoon extremely disappointed, to the point that we delivered the boat before the contracted 3 o'clock. We tried changing boats, changing positions on the boat and nothing made sense. All three of us are talking about about 280kg and we've seen boats with more people and possibly more weight with much better performance.
Written 9 September 2024
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.
tytandy
Los Angeles5 contributions
Mar 2020
I was very much looking forward to our trip to Amsterdam and renting a boat from Boaty, which came highly recommended by a friend. Unfortunately, we had to cancel our trip due to the coronavirus pandemic. In light of the circumstances, Boaty revised their cancellation policy and refunded our reservation. It was a very kind gesture during a stressful time. It makes me want to support their small business even more. If you are able to rent a boat from them any time soon, please do so. You can tell a lot about a business (and person) by how they respond when things go wrong, not only when business is usual and you can tell this is a great company. Thank you. Hope we can visit you soon.
Written 16 March 2020
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.
Ed
2 contributions
Sept 2022
My wife and I are back from our first trip to Amsterdam. It was a blast. We traveled the week of Sept 11. We did a large boat tour the first morning we arrived so I was reluctant to do another. I'm so glad my wife insisted we do this . We booked early in the morning so it felt like we had the canals to ourselves. After a quick but informative instruction on the operation of the boat we were off. It was 3 hours of pure heaven. It was peaceful and relaxing. The pace was just right and we had the ability to stop and even go back to see the things we wanted to. The perspective from a small boat was completely different than the larger tour. We were greeted by J.P who explained how to operate the boat and the suggested routes we could take. He's was very nice. We arrived early and had a wonderful conversation about Dutch culture . In spite of paying attention to everything we got lost. That was half the fun. This is where Isa Jp's coworker shined. We called her when we realized we couldn't find our way back. She asked us what was around us and quickly got us back on track. If you can make your way over to Vondelepark when your done there's a nice restaurant there. The pizza was amazing.
Written 20 September 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.
James M
Champaign, IL66 contributions
Aug 2022
Renting through Boaty was easy and fun. Reserved on line, went to the dock (at the Hotel Okura in De Pijp), got a map and a quick lesson in operation, and went off using a route that they suggested. It was fun for the whole family. We all took turns piloting. The boats are truly slow, so is hard to get into trouble, but it is also hard to get out of trouble quickly if another boater comes upon you in some of the tight canals and bridges where you take turns passing. However, everyone was friendly and no one seemed in a hurry, so all was well. The Amstel is quite a river, with working boats moored as well as in operation, and the boat felt a little small out there, but there were no real problems and you don't have to go out on the river if you take a different route. Some turns on the map were unexpectedly small, but with kids and a smartphone we missed none of them. Go and have a good time. 3 hours is plenty for their routes, even with a quick stop for a coffee. The Boaty staff were friendly and spoke English well (like most folks we met in Amsterdam).
Written 20 October 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.
Steven De Best
1 contribution
May 2022
When we arrived we were served with a warm welcome and left confident after receiving clear instructions on using the boat and sailing the canals. We had a fantastic and unforgettable afternoon. What a Joy to do this. We got lost due to festivities and exceeded time way to much. We kept the sweet lady waiting in here own tine on us but it did not seem to bother us. She was happy that we enjoyed it so much. What an experience!!
Written 6 May 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.
OllyM528
Bristol, UK112 contributions
Aug 2024 • Family
We loved our 3hrs on the water. We booked it when it was a 30 degree heatwave so it was perfect. Brilliant way to discover the canals. The only gripe was the speed. Everything was overtaking us. Even the other hire boats. Was definitely the slowest higher boat on the water and we were passed by a lot. However this didn’t affect us as the sun was shining and we were relaxing! We arrived 30mins late and it wasn’t an issue. Would recommend
Written 16 August 2024
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.
Hello there, I would like to ask a few questions about your boat rental service. Firstly how many people do your boats hold, is there prior booking required? How old must you be to drive one and what sort of downpayments are required? Cheers
Written 17 May 2019
Please check the website call and check with Sebastian, he knows everything!
Written 1 March 2020
Yes it is!
You don't need any license or experience to drive our boats.
Upon arrival you will receive a personal welcome and a clear instruction about the boat and the basic rules. Furthermore we provide a detailed map containing recommended routes, points of interest and other useful information. After our instruction, it is great fun and really easy to drive our boats.
Written 4 June 2018
Can you please quote me a price for a couples trip this upcoming Saturday (19 May) mid morning or lunch time.
Written 13 May 2018
Hey I think you have accidentally sent me this question and you wanted to send it to Boaty...i was a Boaty customer and have nothing to do with the company.
Written 17 May 2018
Ilkaluz
Rio de Janeiro, RJ
Boa tarde, gostaria de saber o valor do aluguel do barco em agosto/2017.
Quantas horas de passeio?
Vai alguem pilotando o barco ou nós é que pilotamos?
obrigada,
Ilka
Written 17 May 2017
Dear Ilka,
Many thanks for your request! Since I don't speak Portugese I hope you don't mind I answer in English ;-)
Our boats are easy to drive yourself. You don't need any license or experience for that. Before departure we will give you a short personal instruction about the boat, the basic rules and nice routes.
You can rent our boats for a period of three or four hours or a full day. Our rates start at euro 79,- for a three hour morning rental. Our rates are all-in and the best your will find in Amsterdam.
On our website you can see the available time slots and rates. You can directly book the time slot that you like online. After that you will receive a confirmation via e-mail.
I hope all is clear like this. If you have any other questions, please let us know.
Best regards to Rio from Amsterdam,
Jan Pieter, Boaty Rent a Boat
Written 19 May 2017
Please can you qoutr me a price on rental for an afternoon nxt weekend
Regards
Helen
Written 20 November 2016
Dear Helen, thanks for your request. I'm sorry to let you know that we are closed for winter. Too cold to be out on an open boaty... I would advise to buy a ticket for a canal tour on a large covered boat, e.g. at Kooij or Lovers. Best regards, JP, Boaty
Written 20 November 2016
What is the latest time in the evening the boat has to be returned ?
Written 10 September 2016
Thanks for your request!
We always have to close shortly before sun set.
At the moment the latest available time slot is 16.30-19.30 hrs.
This will get earlier as the days are getting shorter.
You can always see the availability and book the time slot of your liking on our website (sorry, Tripadvisor does not allow to include a link to our website).
Best regards from Amsterdam, JP, Boaty
Written 11 September 2016
What is the latest time in the evening the boat has to be returned ?
Written 10 September 2016
Thanks for your request!
We always have to close shortly before sun set.
At the moment the latest available time slot is 16.30-19.30 hrs.
This will get earlier as the days are getting shorter.
Here you can see the availability and book the time slot of your liking on our website (sorry, Tripadvisor does not allow to include the link).
Best regards from Amsterdam, JP, Boaty
Written 11 September 2016
Hi I would like to rent an electric boat on 15th may afternoon, but I'm scared of the Amsterdam's weather. What will happen if it will rain? Do you have some solutions? Thanks
Written 14 April 2016
Bonjour Melle M.
Sur la plupart des bateaux que propose Boaty Rent, il y a un large toit qui supporte les cellules photoélectriques nécessaires à la recharge des batteries. Pas de soucis donc pour la pluie, par contre pour le froid, n'oubliez pas d'emporter avec vous une petite couverture car au bout de 2 heures de navigation dans le froid, il n'est pas facile de se réchauffer.
Written 14 April 2016
jay875
Blackburn, United Kingdom
Hi I'm really interested in doing this but what if you need to toilet while your out?? 4hrs is quite along time. So what if you get caught short is there any places that you can stop by? Thanks Jay
Written 24 October 2015
Dear Jay, many thanks for your request! I'm sorry for the delay in my reply. The reason dor that is that we are closed. During winter it is too cold to go out on an open boat. For this time of year I would recommend a tour on a closed boat, like Canal, Amsterdam Canal Cruises, Kooij or Lovers.
Written 3 November 2015
How much does it cost to rent one of the electric boats?
Written 26 June 2015
Hi there, thanks for your request! We have rates for a minimum of three hours. They are Always between euro 79,- and 99,-, depending on the exact day and time. Our rates are all-in and the best you will find in Amsterdam.
Written 27 June 2015
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.