Leemstar Amsterdam — Attraction in Amsterdam

We booked the Leemstar on a bit of a whim. It was a rainy set of days in Amsterdam and we wanted something to do that would be memorable but not just default to wandering museums with our son (13 years old).

I spoke to the gentleman who owns/runs Leemstar - a local Amsterdammer who lives close to the Leemstar dock. When I called to check availability on the first rainy day he was incredibly helpful, even suggesting other tour boats for us, since there were no bookings available. Instead, we decided to book with Leemstar for the next day. .

The next day we went down in the early afternoon and boarded Leemstar. It's a gorgeous boat. Old Amsterdam in just the right way. We also had a relatively new captain to the Leemstar fleet - Skip - who was absolutely fantastic. He was incredibly knowledgeable about the history of Amsterdam, easy going, and had our son co-pilot with him to keep him engaged and interested.

This boat is absolutely perfect for small groups or private parties. We floated through the historic core of Amsterdam and learned more on this tour than in the guide books. Would I go again? Yes, without even a...

We booked this cruise as we were promised a premium experience and we didn't want to do one of the big tourist boats. We were looking forward to unique views of the city and canals. Sadly, there were soft plastic windows pulled down over the cabin which made a clear view impossible. I asked that they be opened and was told it would be too cold. Almost every other boat on the water touring that evening was either windowless, had its windows open, or had nice glass windows. The captain did not have a jacket so I'm sure it was largely for his benefit. My wife and I sat on the back of the boat without a bench or cushion so that we could enjoy the view. Adding insult to injury we had to listen to the captain lecture us on the evils of social media, his economic and political philosophies, and why his children were special for not being allowed any screen time. At least there was a "bar." Actually it was just Heineken, cheap wine or Prosecco. Definitely take a canal cruise while you are in Amsterdam, just...

I read this was the best canal tour in Amsterdam and I understand why now. The meeting point was easy to find (as shown on google maps). There was only 5 of us on the boat so it was peaceful and yet fun with drinks and snacks. We chose the 1921 saloon boat which was beautiful. There was seating inside as well as out and you could move about during the trip.

Arnout was such a great captain - both patient and kind. I liked the style of cruise where he provided facts and interesting stories along the ride. I was impressed and surprised by how much he knew and how many of our questions he was able to answer. You don’t find good guides like him often.

We left feeling very fortunate as it was such an enjoyable experience. The sights were of course beautiful but we also wouldn’t have learned nearly as much about what we were seeing on one of the regular crowded...