Stromma - Damrak — Local services in Amsterdam

When we spoke with the staff member at the office by the boats, we had asked how many people would be on board, and what type of boat it would be. They said that the boats fit 12, and pointed out one that was currently docked. Everything looked and sounded good - so we booked the tour for 6 of us for the following night.

On the night of the tour, there were two other families (one of 5, one of 4), one family of three, and one couple (total of 14 people plus the 6 of us) that were waiting for the boat - which was surprising. When we asked about how many boats were going, we were then informed that we would be going on a much larger boat that fit 30 - which was never discussed during our conversation with the staff the prior day. While that was not necessarily a deal-breaker, it was not good news to us as we thought we were getting a much smaller group. But since it was our last night in Amsterdam, and we really wanted to take a canal tour at night, we were willing to continue.

However, as we began to board, another group of 10 young men arrived and proceeded to board as well, which turned the entire cruise into a problem. Throughout the entire English-speaking tour, the men were loud and were talking in another language over the captain / guide, to the point that multiple people had to ask them multiple times to keep their voices lower - but they largely ignored everyone's requests. Their states of intoxication had them not really caring what anyone was saying...and it made it worse that most of them bought more beer prior to boarding. Halfway through the tour there were empty beer cans being blown around with the light wind, which really was annoying as well. The captain / guide should have said something to them or had them disembark - but he did not help at all, despite multiple families asking him to.

We were definitely sold one product, then given another. Had that been the only problem, I likely could have let that go. But with the state of the 10 young men permitted to board a boat with nearly all families, and two families with young children, a member of the staff should have noticed the problem in the first place - and at a bare minimum, the captain should have been much more assertive at getting them in line, or removing them...

HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE! First boat reeked from the bathroom which had the strong stench of urine and poop, like it hadn’t been cleaned in months. An employee encouraged us to wait and take the next boat where we could get seats away from the bathroom, so we did. There were three couples in our group and we were the first to board the next boat. We all took forward-facing seats, but the Captain came came over to us and said one couple should move to backward-facing seats in case other passengers wanted the seats we were in. We were shocked (as were other passengers seated near us). We said we paid for the seats we were in and weren’t moving. After a ridiculous back and forth with the obnoxious captain one couple in our group agreed to move when the captain said the boat wouldn’t move until one of us did. In retrospect we should have just gotten off and demanded a refund. After leaving the dock the couple moved to empty forward-facing seats. A thoroughly unpleasant and needless situation created by the Captain who lacked any sense of customer experience skills. Between the foul-smelling first boat and the foul personality of the second boat’s captain, what should have been a pleasant highlight of our trip to Amsterdam was anything but. Be forewarned. There have to be much better...

Did the Pizza canal tour as part of my husband birthday trip to Amsterdam.

The cruise left on time. It was SO cramped in the boat that it was actually quite uncomfortable - you can't even pull your chair out properly. I had an American woman sat behind me and every time she flicked her hair, sat back in the chair or did anything I could feel it in my back. I understand it is to maximise capacity but they could do with taking one or two tables out for their customer's comfort and it would have been a much nicer cruise.

The tables are also in groups of 4-6 and I didn't realise this when booking, so you have to just sit with complete strangers and make conversation for an hour and a half. Luckily, we were paired with a really nice Scottish couple but I can see how this could make the experience uncomfortable if you are booking as a group of 2, like us.

Our captain said less than I thought he would - I thought there would be some more information included but he was funny and a nice guy. The other staff on board were attentive and helpful.

The pizza was tasty enough and you could choose from I think 5/6 options so that was great and the drinks were included and nice too. I had some white wine.

Overall, I definitely wouldn't do it again but it was an okay way...