Amsterdam - (proposed) closing cruise ship terminal

[Roz]

It will take years to implement everything Amsterdam wants to do.  Ships still docking.  

[commodoredave]

12 minutes ago, Roz said:

I'm surprised to see river cruise ships included.  They typically carry 100-200 passengers, so there's not the visible impact that a ship carrying thousands of passengers has.  

 

A  very popular itinerary is Amsterdam to Basel down the Rhine.  Don't know what the river cruise companies will do if they can't start or end in Amsterdam.  

Good point. I recently took a river cruise from Amsterdam and it certainly was a great place to begin or end that type of cruise. However, we did not dock at the main cruise terminal and instead the boat was moored at a tiny dock that was across a bridge and about 10 blocks away from the main terminal. Are you sure that river ships will be part of the ban that will close the main cruise terminal?

[RobertL88]

They'll probably just dock in the port of IJmuiden (25km or 15mi from Amsterdam) and provide shore excursions/shuttles to Amsterdam and other tourist attractions nearby (such as Zaanse Schans), so people still can visit Amsterdam during their cruise.

[Roz]

@commodoredave, I'm not sure of anything. 😁

 

The CNN article I read said this:

 

"In its bid to “limit tourism and prevent nuisance,” Amsterdam also plans to restrict river cruises, convert hotels into offices and impose earlier closing times on bars and clubs."

 

I've cruised with Uniworld and Tauck from the same dock you're referring to.  When I cruise from Amsterdam, I come in 1-3 days beforehand, stay in a hotel, see the sites, book tours, and eat in restaurants.  I contribute to the economy.  

 

Not sure how a city converts hotels into offices if the hotels are privately owned.  And due to Covid, a lot of downtown areas have vacant office spaces with employees still working from home.  

[commodoredave]

32 minutes ago, Roz said:

@commodoredave, I'm not sure of anything. 😁

 

The CNN article I read said this:

 

"In its bid to “limit tourism and prevent nuisance,” Amsterdam also plans to restrict river cruises, convert hotels into offices and impose earlier closing times on bars and clubs."

 

I've cruised with Uniworld and Tauck from the same dock you're referring to.  When I cruise from Amsterdam, I come in 1-3 days beforehand, stay in a hotel, see the sites, book tours, and eat in restaurants.  I contribute to the economy.  

 

Not sure how a city converts hotels into offices if the hotels are privately owned.  And due to Covid, a lot of downtown areas have vacant office spaces with employees still working from home.  

I think what they mean by restricting river cruises is capping capacity so that only the two of us can sail!

[Ashland]

10 hours ago, terrydtx said:

We are still staying in Amsterdam for 3 days prior to our cruise and taking private transportation to Rotterdam in the morning of our cruise departure. 

Care to share the company you'll be using and the price point?

[Ashland]

3 hours ago, kdr69 said:

Amsterdam will no longer allow cruise ships to dock in the center of the city.  I think it was just last week i saw a review where they had docked in the center of the city and now its no longer allowed.  Interesting comment from the Mayor.  

 

"Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema has previously spoken out about the benefit of cruise ship passengers visiting the city, saying the travelers stay for only a few hours, “eat meals at international brands and had little time to visit museums.”

Those that embark from Amsterdam certainly stay longer that a few hours and spend a good deal on hotels, restaurants etc.

[Silkroad]

4 hours ago, kdr69 said:

Amsterdam will no longer allow cruise ships to dock in the center of the city.  I think it was just last week i saw a review where they had docked in the center of the city and now its no longer allowed.  Interesting comment from the Mayor.  

 

"Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema has previously spoken out about the benefit of cruise ship passengers visiting the city, saying the travelers stay for only a few hours, “eat meals at international brands and had little time to visit museums.”

Interesting comment. It’s possible for Europeans to fly in the morning of embarkation, but I doubt that anyone traveling from North America to Amsterdam spends fewer than several nights in the city before embarkation. They’re all spending money on hotels, dining and sightseeing (including museums). The mayor’s comment may be more justified for cruise passengers merely making a port call, but even those passengers tend to go to a museum or restaurant. 

Edited July 22, 2023 by Silkroad

[Silkroad]

6 hours ago, commodoredave said:

The cruise industry has brought some of this on itself by building ever-bigger mega-ships with too many passengers on them, and sailing too many of them into the same ports on the same days and weeks.

Some ports brought this on themselves by building new, larger cruise ports to attract cruise lines. The “cruise industry” does not sail “too many” ships into ports without receiving permission from the respective port authorities. The ports offer a service for which they expect to be paid. It is up to them to limit the number of ships/passengers per day if that is their wish.

[terrydtx]

3 hours ago, Ashland said:

Care to share the company you'll be using and the price point?

We use Welcome Pickups all over Europe. We have them booked for our September Apex cruise. They are charging about 200 Euros for the 4 in our group, picking us up at our hotel and dropping us off at the ship in Rotterdam. They have Minivans for 4 to 5 people and sedan for 2-3 people,

 

Welcome - Making travel easy, friendly, personal (welcomepickups.com)

[terrydtx]

1 hour ago, Silkroad said:

Interesting comment. It’s possible for Europeans to fly in the morning of embarkation, but I doubt that anyone traveling from North America to Amsterdam spends fewer than several nights in the city before embarkation. They’re all spending money on hotels, dining and sightseeing (including museums). The mayor’s comment may be more justified for cruise passengers merely making a port call, but even those passengers tend to go to a museum or restaurant. 

More cruise ships use Amsterdam as a embarkation and debarkation port than ones only doing a one-day port stop.

[Silkroad]

28 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

More cruise ships use Amsterdam as a embarkation and debarkation port than ones only doing a one-day port stop.

That has been my impression also.

[Ashland]

4 hours ago, terrydtx said:

We use Welcome Pickups all over Europe. We have them booked for our September Apex cruise. They are charging about 200 Euros for the 4 in our group, picking us up at our hotel and dropping us off at the ship in Rotterdam. They have Minivans for 4 to 5 people and sedan for 2-3 people,

 

Welcome - Making travel easy, friendly, personal (welcomepickups.com)

Thank you so much...hoping this doesn't become necessary but we'll see.

[LadyL1]

19 hours ago, terrydtx said:

Celebrity has already moved most Amsterdam cruises to Rotterdam which is only 30 minutes from Amsterdam. Our September Apex cruise departure was moved there months ago,

City centre to city centre is just over 50 miles, and will take at least an hour. If you are travelling at peak periods it will be longer if by car. 
if you have time, visit the cube houses in Rotterdam, which are near the port.

[JeanieC,Aston]

They have been moving cruise ships out of Amsterdam for a while now,
To Rotterdam for the big ships and Ijmuiden for the smaller ships.

P&O moved from Amsterdam a long time ago,,,they run shuttles from Ijmuiden to Amsterdam.

Even the UK to Amsterdam ferries never actually docked in Amsterdam,,,,they docked in Ijmuiden by the locks to the North Sea.

The P&O ship Iona in Rotterdam…..they will never stop cruise ships docking in Rotterdam,,,,it’s the biggest port in Europe and can handle any number of ships.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 22, 2023 by JeanieC,Aston

[Bill Y]

15 hours ago, JG&Lcruisingnewbies said:

I’m not sure about years

 

between Venice authorities agreeing a ban, and implementing the ban, it was only 4 months.

 

before they manage to sort out Sloterdijk terminal, they’ll just say use Rotterdam Or IJmuiden

The Venice decision to restrict size, numbers or ban cruise ships went on for years, In 2014 P&O (UK) were advertising last chance to visit Venice on a big ship (Ventura), Then Venice were saying that the ban on Grand class ships and above was immanent,

Edited July 22, 2023 by Bill Y

[commodoredave]

9 hours ago, Silkroad said:

Some ports brought this on themselves by building new, larger cruise ports to attract cruise lines. The “cruise industry” does not sail “too many” ships into ports without receiving permission from the respective port authorities. The ports offer a service for which they expect to be paid. It is up to them to limit the number of ships/passengers per day if that is their wish.

I agree. The greed and short-sightedness is shared between some ports and cruise lines. Eventually something had to give and we are now beginning to see the consequences.

[ontheweb]

While Amsterdam may be closing their cruise port sometime in the future, in the immediate future, next month, our Prima cruise is actually docking there 2 days instead of 1 as they have cancelled the port of Zeebrugge for low tides.

[Globaliser]

10 hours ago, Silkroad said:

It’s possible for Europeans to fly in the morning of embarkation, but I doubt that anyone traveling from North America to Amsterdam spends fewer than several nights in the city before embarkation.

 

8 hours ago, terrydtx said:

More cruise ships use Amsterdam as a embarkation and debarkation port than ones only doing a one-day port stop.

 

You don't need to spend long reading either this board or the Cruise Air board to see that one pre-cruise night is typical, and that those who are disembarking are typically keen to get out of Europe and back to North America as fast as possible on the same day.

 

As for the difference between turnaround days and port call days, remember that the number one reason given is pollution, and the docked ship will generate the same amount of pollution regardless of whether it's a turnaround day.

[LifeonMars]

18 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Why no mention of adding shore power capability to the Amsterdam port to solve the pollution issue?  Many other ports are doing this, and most new cruise ships are built with shore power capability.

Yes it does

Quote 

“Cruise Port Amsterdam provides added value to the economy: through the spending of passengers, shipping companies and crew; the tourist tax and the creation of employment.

“Our unique terminal on the river IJ is just a stroll away from the historic Amsterdam City Center. Ideal for the independent traveller who can start exploring the city by foot. As well as strategically positioned to start an excursion to visit the famous Dutch highlights.”

A spokesperson for the Cruise Lines Industry Association said: “We are aware of the media reports about the future of cruise in Amsterdam. As the port has publicly stated, cruise ships have not been banned from Amsterdam.

“Furthermore, the port and Passenger Terminal Amsterdam have already pledged to undertake investments worth millions of euros in port infrastructure and shoreside electricity for the long-term. 

 

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/amsterdam-ban-cruise-ships-city-091936330.html?guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9ib2FyZHMuY3J1aXNlY3JpdGljLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAGRO92SOIR41oH7HTBeYTYAU6LP00wQDiqpRDFPFjVVixPhRM9QyB5LuAhSy_F9gpnhvHmD-LQp76N521s_K2RaySlcm-16nhVVA4rwTtSt1Zm1A_xqeLM0OfwtgBrS6qAZC2OIY3r0DBWTO0rO5DLa359oox2hjb_HrdmZgHN4l

Edited July 22, 2023 by LifeonMars

[JG&Lcruisingnewbies]

2 hours ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

P&O moved from Amsterdam a long time ago,,,they run shuttles from Ijmuiden to Amsterdam.

we were in Amsterdam Central on P&O Ventura (3200 Capacity) in April. It does a lot of Overnighters there. Iona & Arvia wouldn’t be able to go I don’t think. because I don’t think they’d fit in the Sea Lock we needed to use . The Ventura only just fits! It’s the largest sea lock in the world, finished In 2022. Cool experience going through it!

It’s a 10 min walk to the centre from where we docked

Holland America certainly go central too- we had to wait for a Holland America ship to leave so we could dock. (They were late leaving due to a medical emergency- hope that person is ok)

 

it’ll be a shame to not be able go to there anymore. Glad we had the chance. Easy to do when you’re in UK. Was A mini 4 night cruise from Southampton. 

 

[HamOp]

Amsterdam’s city council has approved a proposal banning “polluting” cruise ships as part of the city’s latest move to clamp down on overtourism.

A spokesperson for Amsterdam Deputy Mayor Hester van Buren, who has responsibility for the city’s port, told CNN that the council approved a proposal on Thursday to close the city’s cruise ship terminal.

 

Read it Here  https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/amsterdam-cruise-ship-ban-intl-scli/index.html

 

 

[FlaMariner]

Sad. 

 

If this keeps up, only the "elites/$$$" will be able to travel.....

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

But I don't think they have figured out how to implement the proposal. It could be years.

[FlaMariner]

Let's hope so.....perhaps we get to finish our bucket list but the grandkids are out of luck.....