Amsterdam Icebar Ticket & Lovers Canal Cruise Amsterdam

Amsterdam’s Icebar puts a chilly twist on the usual city stop: inside, the walls, sculptures and even the glasses are made of ice. This ticket pairs that short, unusual visit with a one-hour cruise along canals such as the Keizersgracht, Prinsengracht and Herengracht.

I like two things about the combination: the three included drinks make the Icebar visit feel more complete, and the canal cruise gives you a calmer look at Amsterdam’s handsome canal belt. One consideration: you’ll need to plan around a timed Icebar entry, and the main bar reaches -10°C, so the warm coat and gloves are essential, not just props for a photo.

At a glance

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• Three drinks are included: one in the heated bar and two in the ice bar, with alcoholic and non-alcoholic options.
• The cold is part of the attraction: the Icebar is kept at -10°C, and warm clothing is provided.
• The cruise lasts one hour: look for canal views of the Keizersgracht, Prinsengracht and Herengracht.
• You can choose the order: take the cruise before or after your Icebar visit, but both activities are valid on the selected date.
• Plan ahead for your time slots: arrive at the Icebar 20 minutes early and at the cruise 15 minutes before departure.
• This is an adults-only bar visit: participants must be 18 or older, and you may need to show valid ID.

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Two Amsterdam experiences in one ticket

This combo works because the activities offer different ways to meet the city. The Icebar is compact, theatrical and decidedly not a lesson in Dutch history. The cruise, by contrast, lets you take in Amsterdam’s canals and architecture from the water, with time to notice how the old merchant houses line the waterways.

At a starting price of $43.15, the ticket can be good value if you want to do both activities. It bundles Icebar admission, three drinks and the one-hour LOVERS canal cruise. If you would choose only one of those stops, compare the cost with booking it separately before deciding. The value is in combining a playful indoor attraction with a proper stretch of sightseeing by boat.

The activities do not have to happen in a fixed order. You can take the cruise before or after your Icebar time slot, which gives you some freedom to fit the pair into your day. But the Icebar entry is timed, and the cruise departure must be arranged for the selected date. Treat the two as appointments, not stops you can wander into whenever you like.

Inside the Icebar: three drinks and a sharp drop in temperature

Your visit begins in a heated bar, where you have your first included drink. Then you move into the ice bar, where the temperature is -10°C and the walls, sculptures and glasses are made from ice. You receive clothing to help keep warm, including a coat and gloves.

The drinks are included in the ticket, and you can choose alcoholic or non-alcoholic options. One is served in the heated bar and two in the icy room. That arrangement gives you a little time to settle in before the cold becomes the main event. It also makes the visit more than a quick look at an ice sculpture: you get a chance to enjoy the unusual setting with a drink in hand.

A useful tip: arrive 15 to 20 minutes before your timed entry. That gives you time to check in and enjoy the first drink in the warmer bar, rather than rushing straight through the experience. The formal check-in advice is to be there at least 20 minutes early.

The Icebar is open every day from 11:45 a.m. to 1 a.m., with last admission 40 minutes before closing. Those broad hours give you options, but they do not remove the need to follow the time on your ticket. The voucher is valid only for the selected date, and the Icebar portion is time-slotted.

The main drawback is right there in the concept: -10°C is very cold. The supplied coat and gloves help, but you may want to keep the visit focused rather than treating it like a long bar stop. If you dislike cold rooms, or prefer a quiet, traditional drink, this is probably not your ideal place to linger. If you enjoy novelty and a bit of spectacle, the ice-built interior makes for a memorable contrast with the heated bar.

The Icebar is restricted to people aged 18 and over. Bring valid ID, since staff may ask you to prove your age. Management can refuse entry if someone is underage, intoxicated or unable to show proof of age. Those rules are straightforward, but worth knowing before you arrive.

The one-hour cruise through Amsterdam’s canal belt

The LOVERS cruise gives you a full hour on the water, a good length for seeing several parts of the canal belt without committing half a day. You’ll pass along canals including the Keizersgracht, Prinsengracht and Herengracht. From the boat, the perspective shifts: instead of looking up at the canal houses from the street, you can see their fronts arranged along the water.

The canal belt is part of Amsterdam’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed waterways. Its grand houses reflect the wealth of spice merchants during the Dutch Golden Age. The cruise is a useful way to take in that architecture as a group, rather than trying to cover several canal streets on foot. You can watch the city pass at an easier pace and spot details you might otherwise miss while navigating the streets.

The route is described as scenic, with views of landmarks and less obvious corners along the waterways. Exact stops and a detailed route are not specified, so think of this as a one-hour overview from the boat, not a stop-by-stop walking tour. No guide or commentary details are provided, so if you want in-depth historical explanation, check what is offered on board before you book.

You need to arrange your cruise departure time at the Tours & Tickets office at Damrak 26 when you arrive in Amsterdam. You may take the cruise before or after the Icebar visit, but both parts of the combo are valid on the selected day. Leave enough time between them to get from one activity to the other and to be at the cruise check-in point at least 15 minutes before departure.

Dogs are not allowed on the canal cruise, except service animals with valid identification. If you are travelling with a dog, this is a practical restriction to sort out before you plan your day.

Planning the order of your stops

There is no single best order for everyone. If you have an early Icebar slot, start there and schedule the cruise for later. If your cruise departure suits the morning, take the boat first and head to the Icebar afterward. The flexible sequence is helpful, but the fixed date and timed Icebar entry mean you should build the rest of your day around those details.

The Icebar and cruise are both at Amstel 194, 196, 1017 AG, according to the meeting-point information. For public transport, tram 14 and metro lines 51, 53 and 54 stop at Waterlooplein. Check the map and your chosen departure details as you plan, rather than assuming the cruise leaves from the exact same point as the Icebar.

The check-in buffers matter. For the Icebar, arrive at least 20 minutes early; one useful approach is to aim for 15 to 20 minutes before your booked slot so you have time for the first drink in the heated bar. For the cruise, arrive at least 15 minutes before departure. A relaxed connection is better than trying to race across town with a boat time approaching.

Who will get the most from this combo?

I’d consider this ticket if you want a light, varied outing rather than a full day of museums or guided sightseeing. The Icebar is well suited to friends, couples and adults who enjoy an unusual setting. The cruise gives you a scenic break and a way to see the canal belt without doing all the walking yourself.

It is also a practical choice if both activities are already on your Amsterdam wish list. The ticket bundles admission, drinks, clothing and the cruise, so you do not have to arrange each piece separately. The starting price is most appealing when you make use of both parts.

It may be a weaker fit if the cold sounds unpleasant, if you are under 18, or if your schedule is too tight to work around a timed entry and a selected cruise departure. The single published customer rating is five out of five, but it comes from one review, so it is not enough to settle whether the outing suits your tastes. The useful tip attached to it is more concrete: arrive early enough to enjoy your first drink in the heated bar.

Should you book it?

Book this combo if you like the idea of pairing a playful, frosty bar visit with an hour of classic canal views. The included drinks and warm clothing add useful value, and the cruise brings a more traditional Amsterdam perspective to balance the Icebar’s novelty.

Skip it if you only want a serious historical tour, are uncomfortable in very cold rooms, or cannot spare time for the scheduled entry and departure. If you do book, arrive early, bring ID, and choose the cruise time with enough breathing room around your Icebar slot.

FAQ

How many drinks are included?

Three drinks are included: one in the heated bar and two in the ice bar. You can choose alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks.

How cold is the Icebar?

The ice bar is kept at -10°C. A coat and gloves are provided to help keep you warm.

How long is the canal cruise?

The LOVERS canal cruise lasts one hour.

Can I take the cruise before the Icebar?

Yes. You can take the canal cruise before or after your Icebar visit. The activities are valid on the selected date, and you arrange the cruise departure time at the Tours & Tickets office at Damrak 26.

What time should I arrive?

Arrive at least 20 minutes before your Icebar time and at least 15 minutes before the canal cruise departure.

Can anyone enter the Icebar?

No. Participants must be at least 18 years old. Valid ID may be required, and staff can refuse entry if you are underage, intoxicated or unable to prove your age.