15 Cheese Tasting Cruises in the Netherlands to Book First

1.Amsterdam Classic Saloon Boat Cruise with Drinks and Cheese

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 31,825 reviews · from $21Our pick

Spend an hour on Amsterdam’s canals aboard a covered wooden saloon boat. A guide points out the Anne Frank House, Jordaan, Rijksmuseum, Skinny Bridge, and more. Choose a central departure point, add Gouda cheese and mustard with unlimited beer, wine, and soft drinks, and bring a warm layer.

“Excellent customer service! We missed our flight to Amsterdam and couldn't make the boat ride, but we were given a voucher that doesn't expire for when we visit next time. Thank you!”

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2.Classic Saloon Boat Cruise with Cheese & Wine

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 27,035 reviews · 1 hour · from $18Best value

Spend an hour aboard Flagship Amsterdam’s covered electric saloon boat, passing the Skinny Bridge, Golden Bend, Anne Frank House, Old Harbor, and Jordaan. Your English-speaking skipper and hostess share local stories, while the upgraded option adds unlimited Dutch cheese, wine, beer, and soda.

“The tour guide person was knowledgeable and extremely entertaining!”

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3.Evening Candle Light Cruise With Wine & Cheese

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,774 reviews · 1 hour · from $18

Cruise Amsterdam’s UNESCO-listed canals for one hour aboard a covered boat limited to 26 people. Your English-speaking skipper and host guide you past the Jordaan, Prinsengracht, the Golden Bend, Seven Bridges, and the Magere Brug. Add Dutch cheese and either two drinks or unlimited wine, beer, and soda.

“Best canal cruise in Amsterdam. Done a few but this one was just extraordinary. Thanks Starboard 🙏🏻”

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4.Giethoorn Tour Scenic Cruise, Cheese & Free Time

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,461 reviews · 8 hours · from $75

Travel from Amsterdam to Giethoorn by air-conditioned luxury coach, with commentary from guides such as Gilbert, Peter, and Martin. A local skipper leads a one-hour cruise through the village canals, followed by about three hours for lunch, photos, shops, and self-guided exploring.

“It’s beautiful. The canals, the people, the history and houses. 100% going to visit again!”

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5.Cozy Cheese & Wine Cruise Tasting Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,156 reviews · 1h 15m · from $39

Join Stromma at Damrak Pier 5 for a 75-minute cruise through Amsterdam’s Canal Belt. A local captain and English-speaking host serve Dutch cheeses, snacks, wine, beer, or soft drinks while you pass the Anne Frank House, Skinny Bridge, houseboats, and historic canal homes.

“The Cheese and Wine Canal Cruise was a great experience! Our guide was equally hilarious and informative. We took this tour towards the end of our trip and I’m so glad we did! There are so many sights we missed while walking and biking. Seeing the historic buildings from the canals and learning about each canal house from our guide was a great way to end our wonderful time in Amsterdam! Also, the wine and cheese were spectacular! The service was fantastic. 10/10 recommend!”

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6.Wine and Cheese Evening Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 839 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $41

Set off from the LOVERS café by Amsterdam Central Station for a 1.5-hour night cruise through the Canal Belt. Expect illuminated bridges, Golden Age houses, houseboats, Dutch cheeses, bread, and a choice of wine. The English-speaking crew adds music, city facts, and plenty of friendly service.

“After reading the reviews I was a tad worried about the quality of the canal cruise .. but we had the best time!! There was more than enough cheeses, bread, grapes etc … didn’t even manage to finish it! And our lovely lady who was serving everyone on the boat was super attentive and we had more than enough wine. Saw some great sights and it was a wonderful Amsterdam experience… will definitely be booking again when we visit next. Well worth the money! Thank you to all the staff 😊”

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7.Amsterdam Wine and Cheese Evening Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 798 reviews · 1 hour 15 minutes (approx.) · from $40

Settle into a glass-enclosed boat at Damrak 16 for a 75-minute evening cruise through Amsterdam’s Canal Belt. Wine, beer, soft drinks, Dutch cheese, WiFi, and a restroom are included. Expect romantic views, attentive service, and commentary that may be brief on some departures.

“We arrived at the dock in dure need of restrooms and the captain showed us where to go before we'd even checked in for our cruise! The guide was knowledge and funny, which provided for an incredibly enjoyable experience! And the wine steward was prompt with keeping our glasses full.”

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8.Evening Canal Cruise in Amsterdam with Wine & Cheese Option

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 781 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $23

Cruise Amsterdam’s UNESCO-listed canals, the IJ, and the Amstel for 90 minutes aboard a Blue Boat Company vessel. Expect candlelit views, an audio guide in up to 20 languages, and optional snacks, soft drinks, or wine and cheese. Confirm the departure point carefully before setting out.

“Meeting point is easy to find. Very informative and beautiful in the evening, cruise very much enjoyed”

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9.Amsterdam Wine and Cheese Guided Evening Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 236 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $42

Board a glass-enclosed Lovers Canal Cruises boat near Amsterdam Central Station for a 90-minute evening ride. Enjoy Dutch cheeses, bread, and a choice of wine while passing the Golden Bend, Magere Brug, De Wallen, Oosterdok, and other landmarks. Commentary and service can vary.

“Great sites, good commentary. Lovely boat. Staff friendly. Disappointed that the unlimited wine & cheese wasn't unlimited. 1 small tray of cheese and 1 glass of wine. Had to find the staff to ask for a refill and no more cheese was available. This would have been OK if it had said that in the title and not implied you could have more.”

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10.Amsterdam Canal Cruise with Cheese and Wine

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 209 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $43

Cruise Amsterdam’s canals on a traditional wooden boat while a live English-speaking guide shares city stories. Expect wine, beer, soft drinks, and cheese, with departures from two locations and boats holding up to 25 people. Guides such as Dean, Kevin, and Sam have earned praise for warmth and humor.

“The boat is small and intimate in a good way. Sit in the back and you can see everything without any windows in the way. The snacks are delish. The guide is personable and funny. The ride gave us a good overview of the area and oriented us to the city center.”

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11.Amsterdam Small-Group Evening Canal Cruise Including Wine, Craft Beer, Cheese

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 205 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $95

Spend 90 minutes on Amsterdam’s canals with up to 24 people, three drinks, European wine, Amsterdam craft beer, soft drinks, and a shared cheese board. Hosts such as Mischa, Martin, Jasper, and Bert add local stories as the boat passes the Jordaan, Anne Frank House, Amstel, and 7 Bridges.

“We were with great people and our captain, Robert was excellent! I thought that there could have been a bit more cheese and crackers for each couple!!”

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12.Historical Canal Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 158 reviews · 1h 15m · from $18

Spend 75 minutes on Gouda’s Jan Salie or Jan Kordaat, traditional Dutch tow barges with covered and open decks, a toilet, and minibar. Your Dutch or English-speaking skipper follows the old trade route through the monumental center and past the Museum Harbour.

“Het was zotte zaterdag tijdens onze vaartocht waardoor de bemanning verkleed was. Dat was al een bonus maar de reisgids was een ook nog eens een hele leuke verteller. Wij hebben genoten van de reis en raden deze van harte aan.”

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13.Open Boat City Canal Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 156 reviews · 1 hour · from $21

Set out from Kleiwegplein for a one-hour open boat ride through Gouda’s historic canals. Your skipper guides you along the old north-south water route, past nine historic sites and sections missed by other cruises. English and Dutch are offered, though language support may vary.

“Heel enthousiaste gids met veel weetjes over de geschiedenis van Gouda. Echte aanrader!”

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14.Amsterdam Small-Group Bike Tour With Canal Cruise, Drinks, Cheese

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 84 reviews · 3 to 4 hours (approx.) · from $72

Ride through Amsterdam with a guide such as Claire, Rob, or Emma, passing De Gooyer Windmill, ARTIS, Museumplein, Vondelpark, and the Jordaan. Then make your own way to the canal dock for an approximately one-hour cruise with cheese and drinks. The bike tour suits confident cyclists best.

“The bicycle tour was excellent. In the catalog it did not specify that the river cruise was at a different time and unfortunately I was able to go on it do to a schedule conflict.”

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15.Groningen: Evening Cheese and Wine cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 54 reviews · 1 hour · from $35

Spend one hour on Groningen’s canals with an English-speaking guide, a cheese platter, and an open bar. You’ll pass Central Station, Hoge en Lage der Aa, and Noorderhaven in a small group of up to 15. Guides such as Jelle and Huib add lively local detail, weather permitting.

“Het was een erg leuke rondvaart. De gids vertelde vol passie over de stad Groningen en wij vonden het erg leuk en leerzaam! De kaas en wijn was ook top! Wij zouden het zeker aanraden en wij willen Jelle enorm bedanken voor deze leuke ervaring!”

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