What BoatNow does

BoatNow B.V. is an Amsterdam-based online marketplace that connects customers with licensed boat captains and rental operators for private canal cruises and boat experiences in Amsterdam. The platform aggregates 90+ boats across categories (open sloepen, salonboats, classic boats, and large event vessels up to 500 persons) and lets customers browse, request quotes, and book directly via a multilingual website (Dutch, English, German, French, Spanish) and native iOS/Android apps. Core technology is a booking platform with real-time availability, multi-location pickup across 100+ public docks spanning Amsterdam's districts, OAuth/Google sign-in, reCAPTCHA protection, and WhatsApp/phone support integration.

The company operates a hybrid revenue model: in some transactions it takes a marketplace commission from captains on completed bookings, while in other cases it sells fixed-price occasion packages directly (Lunch Tour €85/person, Drinks Tour €48/person, Dinner Tour €130/person, Wedding/Proposal packages €499-€850, corporate event packages €35-€112.50/person). Go-to-market is dual-track: a self-serve consumer channel targeting tourists and individuals, plus a dedicated corporate sales motion serving enterprise clients including Google, Adidas, Booking.com, Mylan, Adobe Systems, Shell, and Philips. Customer segments are horizontally diversified across tourists, corporate events, weddings/proposals, holiday celebrations (Kingsday, Pride, Light Festival, Christmas/NYE), and school groups via the CJP culture card program.

Founded in 2016 as the thesis project of Freek van Koolbergen (a 12+ year Amsterdam canal captain), BoatNow remains founder-owned, has recorded only a single disclosed funding round (~$153k in July 2018), and operates with 1-10 employees. The platform reports 12,000+ bookings and 4.9/5 ratings on Trustpilot, Google, and TripAdvisor.

Name

BoatNow

Legal name

BoatNow B.V.

Website

https://boatnow.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

BoatNow B.V. is an Amsterdam-based online marketplace connecting customers with licensed captains and 90+ boats for private canal cruises, corporate events, weddings, and themed package experiences across the city's UNESCO canal ring.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Boat charter and canal cruise marketplace

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (487210), Coastal and Great Lakes Passenger Transportation (483114)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Tourist & Sightseeing Cruise Operators (Day Cruises) (TLAFALAF)

Keywords

• Boat rental platform
• Canal cruise tours
• Private boat charter
• Maritime tourism marketplace
• Amsterdam boat experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Commission from Captains: BoatNow acts as an intermediary platform. In some cases, captains pay BoatNow a commission (small percentage of boat price) after the service is consumed. In other cases, captains do not pay commission. The company facilitates the connection between customers and captains but the direct payment relationship is between customer and captain.
2. Package and Add-on Sales: Revenue from bundled packages including lunch tours, drinks tours, dinner cruises, and entertainment options. Additional revenue from add-ons like catering, decoration, and special arrangements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

BoatNow operates an Amsterdam-based online marketplace that connects customers with licensed boat captains and rental companies for private boat tours and canal cruises. Its platform lists 90+ to 500+ boats across Amsterdam's districts, offering captain-included private rentals, themed packages (lunch, drinks, dinner, burgers), and occasion-based experiences for tourists, couples, corporate clients, and school groups. The service covers UNESCO canal ring routes with bundled catering, drinks, entertainment, and multilingual skipper options.

Product overview

BoatNow is Amsterdam's #1 platform for private boat rentals and luxury canal cruises, operating as a marketplace that connects customers with over 90+ boats and local captains. The core offering consists of private boat rentals with included captain and shared canal tours, supplemented by various themed packages including Lunch Tour, Drinks Tour, Dinner Tour, and Burger Boat meal packages. The platform specializes in occasion-based experiences such as weddings and proposals, business events, Kingsday celebrations, Pride Canal Parade, Festival of Lights, and Christmas/New Year cruises. Additional services include gift cards, self-drive boat rentals (via third-party providers), school educational tours (CJP), romantic cruises, entertainment options (tastings, music, silent disco), and catering arrangements. BoatNow provides an online booking platform accessible via website and mobile apps, with customer support available via WhatsApp and phone.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Private Boat Rental (with captain)

Quantifiable outcome

• 12,000+ successful bookings processed
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• CJP (Cultuurkaart)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial partner accepting CJP culture card budget for school educational tours. BoatNow is listed as an approved provider on cjp.nl, enabling schools to book educational canal experiences using CJP budget.
• Boaty BootverhuurminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSelf-drive boat rental partner offering open and partially covered electric boats near Okura Hotel in Amsterdam-Zuid.
• Boats4rent SloepverhuurminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSelf-drive boat rental partner with boats departing from Westerpark area, easy access to main canals and Jordaan district.
• Mokum BootminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSelf-drive boat rental partner offering open electric boats from multiple locations in Amsterdam.
• SloepDelenminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSelf-drive boat rental partner with modern electric boats modeled after traditional open sloeps, available from two locations near city center.
• Catering Partners and RestaurantsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoatNow works with selected caterers and restaurants known for quality, providing food and beverage services on boats including breakfast buffets, lunches, dinners, BBQs, and local snacks like bitterballen and sushi.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• GetYourGuide: Global tours and activities marketplace offering canal cruises, boat tours, and local experiences across European cities including Amsterdam. Competes directly with BoatNow for tourist bookings via a larger, venture-funded platform.
• Viator (TripAdvisor): Major OTA for tours, activities, and attractions worldwide, with significant Amsterdam canal cruise and private boat tour inventory. Competes for the same tourist and corporate leisure customers through a global marketplace model.
• Klook: Asia-founded tours and activities platform expanding aggressively in Europe with Amsterdam experiences including canal cruises. Targets similar tourist segments with multi-language booking flows.
• Stromma: Established European canal cruise and sightseeing boat operator with strong Amsterdam presence offering canal tours and private boat rentals. Direct operator-level competitor rather than a pure marketplace.
• Blue Boat Company: Long-standing Amsterdam canal cruise operator offering both scheduled and private boat tours. Competes for the same Amsterdam tourist and corporate customers with its own fleet rather than a marketplace aggregation model.
• Headout: Global tours and experiences marketplace with growing Amsterdam inventory including private boat tours. Targets last-minute and mobile-first travelers via a discovery-led marketplace similar to BoatNow's positioning.
• Lovers Canal Cruises: Dedicated Amsterdam canal cruise operator with a significant fleet of sightseeing vessels. Competes directly with BoatNow for tourist canal tour bookings through its own operator-led model.

Broad incumbents

• Airbnb Experiences: Experiences marketplace run by Airbnb connecting hosts with travelers for unique local activities. Offers boat experiences in Amsterdam including private canal tours, competing for the same tourist demand at a global platform scale.
• TUI Musement: Global tours and activities platform owned by TUI, offering Amsterdam canal tours and private boat experiences. Competes with BoatNow via a broader portfolio and scaled corporate distribution.

Regional players

• Amsterdam Boat Center: Local Amsterdam canal cruise operator offering both scheduled tours and private boat rentals with its own fleet. Comparable offering to BoatNow's core product through a traditional operator model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BoatNow