Amsterdam Canal Cruise + Xtracold Icebar Combo: Is It Worth It?
The Amsterdam Canal Cruise and Xtracold Icebar combo bundles a one-hour canal cruise with entry to the Xtracold Icebar — a venue where the walls, furniture, and glasses are all made of ice, kept at −10°C. The combo is typically cheaper than buying both tickets separately. It is a fun and distinctly unconventional combination that works well for visitors who want both the canal ring experience and something unusual to do in Amsterdam.
The Xtracold Icebar and Amsterdam’s canal ring are not obvious travel companions — one is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the other is a tourist venue made entirely of ice where you wear a thermal suit and drink cocktails from ice glasses at −10°C. And yet the combination works, for reasons that say something interesting about Amsterdam as a tourism destination: it is a city that can hold the grandeur of its 17th-century canal ring alongside a frozen cocktail bar in the same afternoon without either element diminishing the other.
This guide covers what the Xtracold Icebar actually is, what the combo ticket includes, whether the bundled price is good value, and who this combination suits best.
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Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Canal cruise | 1-hour sightseeing cruise with audio guide |
| Icebar temperature | −10°C throughout |
| Thermal suit | Provided on entry |
| Drinks at icebar | Included (typically 1–2 cocktails) |
| Icebar duration | Approximately 45 minutes–1 hour |
| Combined saving | Typically €3–€6 vs separate |
| Best for | Groups, couples, novelty seekers |
What Is the Xtracold Icebar?
The Xtracold Icebar in Amsterdam is a bar venue where the walls, ceiling, bar surface, furniture, and drinking glasses are all made of ice harvested from a Swedish river. The temperature inside is maintained at −10°C year-round. On entry, visitors are given a thermal cape and gloves. Cocktails are served in ice glasses. The venue holds approximately 30 to 40 guests at a time and visits typically last 45 minutes to one hour.
The Xtracold Icebar is one of a global network of ice bar venues inspired by the original Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden. It occupies a dedicated space in central Amsterdam, near Leidseplein, and operates year-round — maintaining a temperature of −10°C regardless of the outside temperature.
What the experience involves:
The thermal suit. On entry, each visitor is given a thermal cape or suit and gloves to wear inside the bar. You keep your own clothes on underneath. The thermal layer is necessary — the bar is cold enough that a few minutes inside without protection would be genuinely uncomfortable.
The ice itself. The walls, bar surfaces, chairs, and decorative elements are all carved from ice. The venue is redesigned periodically with new ice sculptures and themes. Cocktails are served in small ice glasses — which you hold with gloved hands. The cold temperature of the glass adds a sensory dimension to the drinking experience.
The cocktails. A drinks package is typically included in the icebar entry — usually one or two cocktails per person. The drinks are specifically designed for consumption in cold conditions: warming spirit-based cocktails rather than the cold, refreshing drinks associated with warm-weather bar experiences.
The duration. Most visitors spend between 30 and 60 minutes inside the icebar. The cold environment encourages a relatively efficient visit — the experience is memorable and unusual, but it is not the kind of venue where you linger for two hours.
The exit. Returning to normal temperature after 45 minutes at −10°C is immediately and pleasantly warming. The icebar exit to the adjacent warm lounge or directly to the Amsterdam street is part of the experience.
Book This ComboDoes the Combo Offer Good Value?
The price comparison:
| Approximate Price | |
|---|---|
| Xtracold Icebar standalone | €22–€28 |
| Standard canal cruise | €15–€18 |
| Combined if bought separately | €37–€46 |
| Combo ticket (approximate) | €32–€42 |
| Saving | €3–€6 per person |
The saving is genuine if both are on your agenda. Like the museum combo tickets, the value proposition is primarily convenience and a modest financial saving rather than a dramatic discount.
The icebar entry price includes the thermal gear and typically one or two cocktails — so the €22 to €28 figure is a complete experience price rather than just entry.
How to Plan a Day Including Both
The Xtracold Icebar is near Leidseplein in central Amsterdam — within easy walking distance of the Leidseplein canal cruise boarding dock. A practical day sequence:
Option A — Canal cruise first, icebar after: Morning canal cruise from Central Station or Leidseplein. Walk to the Xtracold Icebar (approximately 5 minutes from Leidseplein). Visit the icebar in the afternoon. The temperature contrast — from a mild canal cruise to −10°C inside the bar — is part of the sensory experience of the day.
Option B — Icebar first, canal cruise after: Less common but equally workable. Visit the icebar in the late morning. Take a canal cruise in the early afternoon. The warming effect of leaving the icebar makes an afternoon on the water feel pleasant in a specific way.
Combining with nearby attractions: Leidseplein is also adjacent to the Rijksmuseum (10-minute walk), Van Gogh Museum (12-minute walk), and Vondelpark (7-minute walk). A full day might include the Van Gogh Museum in the morning, a canal cruise from Leidseplein at midday, and the icebar in the afternoon — three distinctive Amsterdam experiences in a single day.
Who Is This Combo Best For?
Groups of friends on a city break. The icebar is a social experience — the shared novelty of being in a −10°C bar together, the ice glasses, the thermal suits — that creates a specific group memory. Combined with a canal cruise, it makes for a varied and memorable Amsterdam day.
Couples who want a range of experiences. The canal cruise provides the cultural and visual dimension; the icebar provides the unusual and experiential dimension. The contrast between the two is part of what makes the combination work.
Visitors looking for something beyond the standard tourist circuit. Amsterdam has extraordinary culture and history. It also has a frozen cocktail bar. The fact that both are available in the same afternoon in the same city is part of Amsterdam’s particular character.
First-time Amsterdam visitors who want to maximise variety. The canal cruise is the essential Amsterdam orientation; the icebar is a supplementary experience that adds something different to the day without requiring a significant time investment.
It is less compelling for visitors who primarily want to focus on Amsterdam’s cultural and historical depth — for whom the icebar’s novelty value is secondary to the canal ring, the museums, and the canal houses.
Is the Xtracold Icebar Worth It?
Honestly: it is an experience rather than an attraction. It is worth experiencing once — the combination of the cold environment, the ice architecture, and the cocktail in an ice glass is genuinely unusual and memorable. It is not worth returning to repeatedly. If it is on your Amsterdam itinerary and the combo ticket saves money while simplifying booking, book the combo. If you are trying to decide between the icebar and another Amsterdam experience, it depends entirely on whether novelty value or cultural depth is your priority for that slot in the day.
The one clear argument in its favour: it is fun. Amsterdam is a serious city with a profound history. The Xtracold Icebar is not. Having both in your Amsterdam day is a reasonable and enjoyable way to balance the serious and the playful.
How to Book
For the full range of Amsterdam canal cruise combo tickets and all other cruise options, see our complete canal cruise tickets guide.
Book This ComboFrequently Asked Questions
How cold is the Xtracold Icebar?
The bar is maintained at −10°C year-round. Thermal gear is provided on entry — the cape and gloves are sufficient for a standard 45 to 60-minute visit.
Are the cocktails included in the entry price?
Yes — typically one or two cocktails per person are included in the icebar entry fee, which is part of the combo ticket price.
Is the icebar suitable for children?
The icebar is typically open to children accompanied by adults, though the cold temperature and the cocktail focus make it less appropriate for very young children. Check the specific age policy when booking.
How long does a visit to the icebar last?
Most visitors spend 30 to 60 minutes inside the icebar. The standard session typically has a maximum duration — usually one hour — before guests are asked to exit so the next group can enter.
Is the Xtracold Icebar in Amsterdam the original icebar?
No — the original icebar concept was developed at the Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, in the 1990s. The Xtracold Icebar in Amsterdam is part of a global network of ice bar venues inspired by the original. It is not a replica of the Swedish Icehotel but a permanent ice bar venue using the same concept.
Do I need to book the combo in advance?
Yes — icebar sessions are time-slotted and capacity is limited. Booking in advance guarantees your slot and is typically cheaper than walk-up entry.
