Amsterdam canal tour advice

I can't say that one is better than another. They are located throughout the historic center and I'd just pick one that is convenient to you and has the services and timing you want.

The canal boats have to keep moving, so they only give you a brief description of what you are seeing, along with a basic history of the city. They are fun to take but your not gonna get any sort of PHD from them:)

If you want something more specific and in depth, best to do a walking tour.

We did an open boat tour, which was a bit more but I really enjoyed not being enclosed by windows. The company we used was Canal and their guide was great. We only had 4 other people on our boat.

What made it especially memorable was the intense but short rain shower we went through soaking everything that wasn't covered by a poncho or umbrella. Honestly, it was like 1 minute and just a complete downpour but we hid our cameras and laughed and laughed. The captain had umbrellas for everyone, but by the time my partner handed them out to everyone else I was soaked and the burst was over.

I think that most boats follow a similar route. Maybe the open top boats could go a few other places because they are smaller (you had to duck under a couple of the bridges)? I'm not sure.

It's a lovely way to get acquainted with the city and have some unique vantage points for photos.

I agree with Sam.
However, you can chose between a nonstop cruise or one that is more 'hop on-hop off', so you can get off for the Hermitage, etc, when your feet are tired! I enjoyed the rest after miles of walking.
https://www.canal.nl/en/canal-bus

Jenny,
I'll leave it to others on here to comment on specific tour company's , however, I would like to say that our preferred choice with cruising the canals is by taxi. We usually catch a taxi near Our Lord in The Attic in the Red Light District and talk specifics on route and price beforehand. During our discussion, you can get a sense of how entertaining and knowledgeable the driver is. It is an easy way to way to get to see the city and get to know someone. If you have 3 or more people, the price can be close to an organized canal tour and much more personalized.

Check out Those Damn Boat Guys(www.thosedamboatguys.com)