Boat Tour in Bruges

al the boats in Bruges make the same route no matter where you get on. I don't think they are different companies. One is as good as the next.

I only have taken one boat trip in Ghent, several years ago, and my memory is that there are fewer joining points than in Bruges but that the same applied about the same route.

I preferred the one in Bruges although the one in Ghent started opposite my hotel and I could see my room!

I agree with Nigel. The boats all appeared the same and took the same route through the canals It was a nice ride and gave a different perspective when looking at the buildings. We picked up our boat at Boat tours - "Venetië van het Noorden" at Huidenvettersplein 13, but there are pickup places in a number of locations.

It’s too long ago I had lunch in Damme or Sluis for having a recent experience, but in general you can find good restaurants in both places. Between Damme and Sluis is the Syphon a very popular place for decades for diner or lunch, so can be busy around noon. If budget is no problem La Trinité is one of the best in Sluis. You have to book in advance. Restaurants around the very end of the canal there offer outdoor seating along the street, but La Trinité offer outdoor seating at the backsite, so less hustle and bustle.
https://www.latrinite.nl/
https://www.siphon.be/en

From the Syphon on the way to Sluis is Oostkerke worth a detour and finally worth too is biking a few km further from Sluis to lovely Sint Anna ter Muiden, very cute. De Vijverhoeve there has a good reputation too. https://www.restaurantdevijverhoeve.nl/

Just watch your head when the boat goes under bridges, especially if you are tall or sitting on the side of the boat (not in the middle). It is a really tight clearance on the boat I was on in 2017 when going under the smaller pedestrian bridges. I was sitting on the side and had I not ducked, I would have hit my head.