In its continued fight to limit pollution and over tourism, the Dutch capital has taken the decision to ban cruise ships from the city centre which will lead to the closure of the central cruise terminal.
It comes as Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport seeks to limit the number of scheduled flights.
Amsterdam welcomes more that 100 cruise ships each year and the impact will be felt across the cruise industry.
Politicians say the vessels are not in line with the city's sustainable ambitions. "Cruise ships in the centre of the city don't fit in with Amsterdam's task of cutting the number of tourists," said Ilana Rooderkerk of the liberal D66 party, which runs the city along with the Labour party and environmentalists
Amsterdam has become a victim of its own popularity, attracting 20 million annual visitors - many drawn to its party city reputation. As Open Jaw has reported, the Red Light district and cannabis cafes are perceived as permission to behave badly and Amsterdam has gone as far as to launch a campaign in the UK asking young men to “Stay Away”.
The closure of the downtown terminal does not yet have a timeline, but when it does close, cruising to Amsterdam will continue. Cruisers will still be able to travel to and from the city as many cruise ferry itineraries already use terminals in IJMuiden or Rotterdam to provide a shore excursion to Amsterdam.
