In the last few weeks many of the cruise lines have taken the decision to take Amsterdam from their itineraries and have replaced it with IJmuiden (try saying that after a few wines) or Rotterdam. P&O and Cunard are two of the latest this week to do so.
So why have they done this, as Amsterdam is a highlight of any cruise itinerary and had been a favourite port for as long as there have been cruises and before. It is all down to a new tax that has been implemented by the city of Amsterdam on all passengers arriving into the city by cruises of €8 per tourist per 24 hour stay. On a ship such as Ventura which has capacity for over 3,000 guests this can equate to over €24,000 additional costs, which can often double as Amsterdam is often a port where ships will dock overnight.
To avoid this, P&O and Cunard have taken the decision this week to dock their ships in IJmuiden, approximately 40 minutes outside of the city. They will be offering passengers complimentary shuttle busses in and out of Amsterdam for the duration of their stay in the port. But is this enough?
Cruise lines all have it within their terms and conditions that they can change itineraries for your cruise and they don’t have to provide compensation should they be forced to do so. But when you are docked a lot further away from where you expected to when you booked your cruise, this can have a negative experience on your overall holiday. Especially should you be docked there overnight as Amsterdam is amazing in the evening.
Should P&O have passed on the additional charge to their customers? Would people have minded paying an additional surcharge if it meant that they could dock in the heart of the city rather than on the outskirts. Absolutely!
I think P&O were never going to win in a situation like this, there was always going to be some customers who wouldn’t be happy with any decision taken.
Could this mean that we see Amsterdam featuring less and less on cruise itineraries though? I do hope not. Everytime I have been I have had a fantastic time and could keep going back there as well.
We shall see though.