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Officials see banning cruise ships as an easy win for Amsterdam's ambitious sustainability target of becoming completely emission-free by 2030. One 2021 emissions study found a single big cruise ship produced the same pollution levels in a single day as 30,000 trucks. The crackdown on cruises is the latest move by the city to reduce tourism in the Dutch capital, which has seen numerous recent campaigns to discourage tourists attracted by its infamous party town reputation and reduce group travel.
BBC News Services
Amsterdam targets cruise cutbacks to manage over-tourism - Travel And Tour World
Amsterdam targets cruise cutbacks to manage over-tourism.
Posted: Wed, 17 Apr 2024 11:28:17 GMT [source]
Cruise Port Amsterdam is the company which handles both large ocean cruise ships and long river cruise boats. Her party, the liberal "D66," which governs the city in a coalition with the social democrats "PvdA" and the environmentalist "GroenLinks" party, pointed to the Italian tourist hub of Venice as an example, after it banned cruise ships in 2021. "As the port has publicly stated, cruise ships have not been banned from Amsterdam," CLIA said. “There is certainly no immediate ban on ships, let alone an immediate closure of the terminal,” Dick de Graaff, director of Cruise Port Amsterdam, said in a statement sent to AFAR. He added that the cruise port is expecting to welcome 125,000 cruise ship passengers this year, and 175,000 cruise ship passengers next year.
Night Grand European TourDetails
On a silent Sunday morning or on a summer evening when the old facades are floodlit, the city is magical. Amsterdam’s decision follows a similar move implemented in Venice, Italy, in 2021, when authorities decided to ban ocean cruise ships weighing more than 25,000 tons or longer than 530 feet from entering Venice’s fragile lagoon. “As a result, sulfur emissions have fallen by 80 percent” in Venice, stated Rooderkerk. According to CLIA, of the more than 21 million visitors that Amsterdam receives each year, about 1 percent arrive by cruise ship, with cruise tourism contributing around 105 million euros to the city annually. “The city’s executive branch still needs to work out the details and it was unclear when the measure might be implemented. For now, he said, “It is business as usual at the terminal.” Cruise Port Amsterdam also operates the river cruise terminals near the city center, but it wasn’t immediately clear whether those docks would need to move as well.
Amsterdam to Cruises: ‘Party Time Is Over’
Enjoy endless ocean views, catch some sun, and play your favorite outdoor games on a ½ acre of real grass at The Lawn Club. You’ll feel refreshed in The Spa, which features soothing treatments to invigorate the senses. Celebrity Apex, the second ship in our revolutionary Edge® Series, takes our one-of-a-kind outward-facing design further than ever, creating an intimate connection between you, the sea, and every exciting place you’re about to visit. Expansive open-air spaces let you soak up the sun, the sea air, and the spectacular scenery to the max. Sail through Europe with an award-winning cruise line—Travel Weekly has named Celebrity the 2023 Best Cruise Line in Europe. Explore ancient ruins, legendary art, natural wonders, and diverse cuisines.
Where You're Docked?
You can also purchase an iAmsterdam card at the tourist office in front of Central Station. The card will give the holder discounts on bus tickets, museum admission and entrance to other places of interest. The official currency of the Netherlands is the euro, and you’ll find that credit cards are accepted in most places. Some smaller shops and restaurants will only accept debit cards with a pin code. When it comes to tipping, leave a 10% tip at restaurants, or 5% if you’re ordering a coffee or snack. For taxi drivers, it’s polite to round up to the nearest euro, or tip 5% to 10% of your fare.
Hotels near Amsterdam Cruise Port
Waterlooplein is home to the Jewish Museum, the Muziektheater, the city's handsome concert hall, and Amsterdam's biggest flea market; the Hermitage museum and Rembrandt's House are also nearby. The Jordaan, a bohemian neighborhood with unusual shops and galleries, can be found by looking for the Westerkerk Church and the Anne Frank House. There are eight different historic windmills scattered in and around Amsterdam, so why not make a day of seeing each one? Grab your bike or rent a car and hop from windmill to windmill, stopping for lunch, coffee, or a local brew along the way. From moors and mountains to gorgeous glens and rugged coastlines, the British Isles offer a diverse array of landscapes and things to do.
The move also comes as the city attempts to reduce what it describes as nuisance tourism.
Coast Guard medevacs U.S. citizen passenger from MS Nieuw Amsterdam cruise ship 100 miles - U.S. Coast Guard
Coast Guard medevacs U.S. citizen passenger from MS Nieuw Amsterdam cruise ship 100 miles.
Posted: Tue, 16 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Amsterdam city council votes to ban cruise ships; no plans for immediate closure

ATM's are plentiful; a machine can be found just to the left as you exit the cruise terminal, as well as at the airport, train station and dozens of banks. On your European cruise, few cities can match the sophistication and picture-perfect beauty of Amsterdam. Artsy travelers will love the city’s emphasis on fine artists like Van Gogh, Vermeer, and Rembrandt, whose works are displayed at museums across the city. Hop on a rented bike and explore the city on two wheels, whether you’re riding along the canal or going windmill spotting across the city. On your Amsterdam cruise, you’ll discover this is a place that embodies a slower lifestyle, where enjoying simple pleasures is part of the daily routine. If you’re planning on exploring attractions & museums, make use of the efficient, safe, and extremely clean public transport system.

Personalize your cruise experience once you’re on the ship with our free mobile-friendly tool. Plan your daily activities, browse and purchase shore excursions, view restaurant menus, make dining reservations, check your account balance and more. Though vendors usually appear in the terminal when a ship arrives, there is far more to do, see and buy nearby in town. The port offers a welcome market in the terminal, where you can buy access cards for various attractions.
Your Holland America Line ship’s Casino offers a wide array of gaming options. Whether you prefer slot machines or want to try your hand at blackjack or poker, our dealers and staff are available to provide complimentary instruction — and we offer many engaging tournament options. Cruise liners are not the only mode of transport facing restrictions in Amsterdam. The national government also has announced plans to cut the number of flights at Schiphol Airport, the busy aviation hub that serves the city. Outdoor markets, selling everything from postage stamps and parakeets to "junk-tiques," are another intriguing facet of the city.
Lines tend to be long to get into the museum, so be sure to buy a ticket in advance. The region has another port about 18 miles east in IJmuiden that will not be impacted by the ban. "The municipality of Amsterdam is going to investigate how this proposal can be implemented," a spokesperson for the Amsterdam Tourist Board told Cruise Critic.
The card includes transportation, access to museums, a canal cruise as well as various discounts from merchants around Amsterdam. Venice—The Italian city banned cruise liners in 2021 to protect the environment and its heritage, Reuters first reported. Ships that weigh more than 25,000 tons are no longer allowed down the Giudecca Canal, which passes the Palazzo Giustinian Recanati, several famous churches and the Dogana da Mar art gallery. In 2019 the city introduced a tourist tax on cruise ship passengers which, at the time, led to lines including MSC Cruises, P&O Cruises and Cunard replacing or canceling calls at Amsterdam.
It’s fine dining in a romantic but airy space, making the restaurant an ideal place to dine after a day of museum tours. This card is best for those who aren’t interested in access to museums, as it’s just for transportation. Mary Roeloffs is a Forbes reporter who covers breaking news with a frequent focus on the entertainment industry, streaming, sports news, publishing, pop culture and climate change. She’s covered Netflix’s hottest documentaries, a surge of assaults reported on social media, the most popular books of the year and how climate change stands to impact the way we eat.
In the evenings, Step One Dance Company, vocal sensation Cantaré, BBC Earth in Concert and more take the stage. Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam and Rotterdam bring the World Stage experience to the next level by surrounding you in spectacular sight and sound with a two-story, panoramic LED screen. Dick de Graaff, director of Cruise Port Amsterdam that operates the terminal in the city center, told the AP the company had taken note of the vote and is awaiting the municipality's next move. The city's multitude of river cruise vessels dock behind the Central Station on the River IJ, along a long street called de Ruyterkade. Major museums and the classic Concertgebouw concert hall are near the Museumplein, just beyond the canals.
For Rooderkerk, banning cruise ships is about more than just reining in tourism. AMSTERDAM — Amsterdam wants to move a cruise liner terminal out of the heart of the historic capital city as the latest step in its ongoing battle against pollution and hordes of tourists clogging its narrow, cobbled streets. The Passenger Terminal Amsterdam (PTA), near the start of the new Eastern Docklands development, is a 10-minute walk or a five-minute ride from Central Station, where all of the city's bus, trolley and boat lines can be boarded.