We're Dutch Boat
Tours
Three boats, twenty crew members, and a genuine love for the Zaan river. Come get to know us.
About
Dutch Boat Tours
We're Ilija and Maurice — the founders of Dutch Boat Tours. We started in 2017 out of a shared love for the Zaan river and a genuine belief that Zaanse Schans deserved to be seen from the water, not just from the banks.
We'd spent years in and around Dutch tourism and hospitality and knew the industry well. We knew the Zaan. And we knew that a small, personal boat tour — done properly — would be something visitors would talk about for years. So we bought our first boat, built a dock, hired our first skipper, and launched.
Eight years later, we've grown to a fleet of three boats and a team of 20 staff members — skippers, guides, and the crew that keeps everything running. Every member of the team is local, knows the river personally, and genuinely cares about giving every group a great experience.
We keep our tours small and personal on purpose. We'd rather run fewer tours and do each one properly than scale up and lose what makes us different. That philosophy shows up in every review we receive.
We’re hiring
Work at
Dutch Boat Tours
We’re a small, close-knit team working on the water at one of Holland’s most iconic locations. Whether you want to be out on the river every day or work with guests at the dock — we’d love to meet you.
No experience on the water? No problem. We train everyone from scratch. What matters most is that you’re friendly, reliable and genuinely enjoy spending time with people.
Positions currently open
Skipper
On the water
Sales & Dockmanager
Dock
Why work with us
Work outside
Spend your days on the water at Zaanse Schans — no office, no desk, just the Zaan river and windmill views.
Great team
A small, close-knit crew who genuinely enjoy working together. Good atmosphere, no nonsense.
Flexible hours
We run 7 days a week and have shifts to suit most schedules — great alongside study or other work.
Good pay
Competitive rates, paid on time, with extra earning potential in peak season.
Meet the world
Our guests come from all over — you’ll have conversations with people from dozens of countries every single day.
Iconic location
Zaanse Schans is one of Holland’s most visited spots. Hard to beat as a place to go to work every morning.
What our guests
say about us
"We had such a wonderful time on the windmill cruise! The views were beautiful and it was such a relaxing way to take in the scenery. Our guide did an excellent job — super knowledgeable, engaging and made the whole experience even more enjoyable. Highly recommend!"
"Frits went out of his way to include my 6-year-old daughter — even letting her help steer the boat, which completely made her day. It’s rare to find someone who connects so naturally with children. Highly recommend, especially for families."
"The windmill cruise was fun and informative. We could not have had a better captain than Frits. He had just the right blend of knowledge and calm, confident enthusiasm. One of the highlights of our entire trip to the Netherlands!"
"George provided an excellent experience — humorous, lively and a true gentleman. He assisted everyone on and off the boat and made sure everyone felt safe and welcome throughout. A truly memorable tour."
"We had a private tour and thoroughly enjoyed every moment. Sjors is a fantastic skipper who took his time with us. Our compliments for the complete organisation of the tour from start to finish. Absolutely worth it."
"Amazing experience — captain Frits explained the history of the place and the mills, and even tried to translate a few words into Italian for my mom. Great captain, great tour. We would book again without hesitation."
"Kevin was a great skipper — very knowledgeable, kind, polite and friendly. The trip was made all the better by the weather, the scenery and the great people we met on board. My wife and I had a wonderful time."
"Loved it! Anna and Kevin were very nice to talk to and explained the history of the windmills and houses really well. Super conversational and engaging the whole time. Would recommend to anyone visiting Zaanse Schans."
"We had such a wonderful time on the windmill cruise! The views were beautiful and it was such a relaxing way to take in the scenery. Our guide did an excellent job — super knowledgeable, engaging and made the whole experience even more enjoyable. Highly recommend!"
"Frits went out of his way to include my 6-year-old daughter — even letting her help steer the boat, which completely made her day. It’s rare to find someone who connects so naturally with children. Highly recommend, especially for families."
"The windmill cruise was fun and informative. We could not have had a better captain than Frits. He had just the right blend of knowledge and calm, confident enthusiasm. One of the highlights of our entire trip to the Netherlands!"
"George provided an excellent experience — humorous, lively and a true gentleman. He assisted everyone on and off the boat and made sure everyone felt safe and welcome throughout. A truly memorable tour."
"We had a private tour and thoroughly enjoyed every moment. Sjors is a fantastic skipper who took his time with us. Our compliments for the complete organisation of the tour from start to finish. Absolutely worth it."
"Amazing experience — captain Frits explained the history of the place and the mills, and even tried to translate a few words into Italian for my mom. Great captain, great tour. We would book again without hesitation."
"Kevin was a great skipper — very knowledgeable, kind, polite and friendly. The trip was made all the better by the weather, the scenery and the great people we met on board. My wife and I had a wonderful time."
"Loved it! Anna and Kevin were very nice to talk to and explained the history of the windmills and houses really well. Super conversational and engaging the whole time. Would recommend to anyone visiting Zaanse Schans."