Cruiselines Cancel Calls to Amsterdam Over Tourist Tax

This week I was disappointed to receive an email from P&O informing me the 4-night cruise I have booked on Aurora in Nov has had an itinerary change. Instead of having two days in Amsterdam the ship is now docking at the port of Ijmuden in Rotterdam instead.

So why have P&O made this decision?

On the 1st Jan 2019 the city council of Amsterdam introduced a controversial new cruise tourist tax levy of €8 per person per 24 hours.  It does seem unfair when you think cruise passengers also pay substantial port taxes to be in the city and the new tax only applies to cruise passengers. Those arriving by bus, train or cars do not have to pay the tax.

I can understand the logic behind the decision as the new tax could prove very costly for cruise-lines. However,  personally, I would rather pay the tax and keep the original itinerary.  As it is we have decided to cancel our cruise and fly to Amsterdam for the weekend instead.

Holland America has announced they will continue to call to Amsterdam. Whereas CMV and MSC have now also changed too Rotterdam. River cruises which depart from Amsterdam have not been affected.