Amsterdam bans cruise ships to limit visitors and curb pollution

Costa Medditrannia berthed in Amsterdam photo credit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr)

Amsterdam's council has banned cruise ships from the city centre as the Dutch capital tries to limit visitor numbers and curb pollution.

Politicians said the vessels were not in line with the city's sustainable ambitions.

It means the central cruise terminal on the River IJ near Amsterdam's main train station will close.

It is the latest measure to clamp down on mass tourism in the city.

Cruise ships have become a symbol of the problem, with more than 100 mooring in the capital every year.

The council has been trying to scrub up the city, banning cannabis smoking on the streets of the red-light district.

In March the city launched an online campaign urging young British men considering holding their bachelor parties in Amsterdam to stay away.

Amsterdam has become a victim of its own popularity, attracting 20 million annual visitors - some drawn by its party city reputation.

"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.

Ms Rooderkerk recently compared cruise tourists to a type of "plague of locusts" descending all at once on the city.

Iconic buildings in Amsterdam are great for Photographers credit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr)

Other Amsterdam officials have baulked at that kind of language. But Mayor Femke Halsema complained last year that cruise tourists were let loose for a couple of hours, ate at international chains and had no time to visit a museum, consuming the city but doing little for it.

The other key reason for removing cruise ships is to lower air pollution levels in Amsterdam. A 2021 study of one big cruise ship found that it had produced the same levels of nitrogen oxides (NOx) in one day as 30,000 trucks.

Other mooring sites away from the city centre have been under consideration for some time but no decision has yet been taken.

In a separate development, Amsterdam has announced plans to beef up night-time culture for young people.

The city has outlined its aim to find nightclub locations such as disused tunnels and garages to develop the talent of "creative young people who want to organise something at night".

MSC Euribia to sail from Southampton in 2023

MSC Cruises has revealed that the new ship MSC Euribia will offer sailings out of Southampton from October 2023 and throughout winter 2023/24.

Itineraries will include visits to destinations such as Amsterdam, Bruges and Paris. There will be five-night options, from £359pp, seven-night cruises starting at £499pp and a 21-night itinerary departing on 5 January 2024 and calling at Casablanca, the Canary Islands and Lisbon, with prices starting at £2,399pp.

Launching in 2023, MSC Euribia is set to be “a truly sustainable ship”, the line said.

It will be the second ship in the MSC fleet to be powered by liquefied natural gas. The hull artwork, designed by artist Alex Flämig and called #SaveTheSea , was chosen to represent “MSC Cruises’ message of dedication to helping protect the marine ecosystem”, according to a statement.

MSC Euribia ‘leading sustainability’

MSC Cruises UK & Ireland managing director Antonio Paradiso said: “We are committed to offering the best possible experience for our guests from the UK and Ireland and that is why our newest ship, MSC Euribia, will be in the UK during 2023 and 2024.

“Since our first full ex-UK season back in 2018, we’ve seen a huge demand for stress-free, no-fly cruises from Southampton on board MSC Virtuosa.

“Basing MSC Euribia in the UK will help us to build on this success by offering our UK customers the chance to experience one of the most impressive cruise experiences offering leading sustainability technology and cutting-edge design features.” 

Here Are Holland America Line’s Homeports For 2023

Here Are Holland America Line’s Homeports For 2023

MS Nieuw Amsterdam arriving in the port of Vancouver, Photo credit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr)

With its entire fleet in service again, Holland America Line is planning an expansive global deployment in 2023.

In addition to strong programs from its traditional homeports in the Caribbean, Alaska and Europe, the company is also returning to its long-haul, intercontinental itineraries during the year.

Offering round-trip cruises from U.S. ports, Holland America is also returning to the Amazon, the South Pacific, Africa and more.

Other highlights of the year include a summer program in Canada and New England, as well as returns to South America, Asia, the Far East and more.

Here's a look at the company's planned homeports and their ships for 2023:

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Ships:

- Eurodam (January to April/October to December);
- Nieuw Amsterdam (January to April/October to December);
- Nieuw Statendam (January to April/November and December);
- Rotterdam (January to March/October to December);
- Volendam (January to April);
- Zaandam (January to April/October to December);
- Zuiderdam (January to May/October to December).

Seattle, Washington

Ships:

- Eurodam (April to September);
- Westerdam (May to October).

San Diego, California

Ships:

- Koningsdam (January to March);
- Volendam (October and November);
- Zaandam (January to April).
 

Whittier, Alaska

Ships:

- Nieuw Amsterdam (May to September);
- Noordam (May to September).

Boston, Massachusetts

Ships:

- Zaandam (May to September);
- Zuiderdam (August and September).

Canada

Ships:

- Koningsdam: Vancouver (April to October);
- Nieuw Amsterdam: Vancouver (April to September);
- Noordam: Vancouver (May to September);
- Volendam: Vancouver (May to September); 
- Zaandam: Montreal (April to September);
- Zuiderdam: Quebec City (September).

Europe

Ships:

- Nieuw Statendam: Barcelona, Civitavecchia, Copenhagen, Piraeus and more (April to October);
- Noordam: Barcelona, Lisbon, Trieste, Piraeus and more (April to October);
- Rotterdam: Amsterdam and Rotterdam (April to September);
- Zuiderdam: Rotterdam (May to July).

Australia and New Zealand

Ships:

- Noordam: Sydney and Auckland (January to April/October to December).

Asia and Pacific

Ships:

- Westerdam: Singapore, Yokohama and Hong Kong (January to April/October to December). 

South America

Ships:

- Oosterdam: San Antonio and Buenos Aires (January to March/November and December). 

Norwegian Cruise Line Cancels the Norwegian Prima’s Inaugural Voyage

Norwegian Cruise Line Cancels the Norwegian Prima’s Inaugural Voyage

Norwegian Cruise Line has cancelled the Norwegian Prima’s first voyage due to supply chain challenges.

According to an email sent to guests, as a result of supply chain challenges, the company was forced to cancel Norwegian Prima’s inaugural cruise.

The Norwegian Prima was scheduled to depart on August 17 on an eight-night cruise from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Reykjavik, Iceland, ahead of the ship’s christening.

Guests will automatically receive a full refund with no further actions required on their part.  

Furthermore, the company offered all guests a 25 per cent off discount on their next cruise, to be used on bookings from May 2, 2022, through May 2, 2023.

Katy Perry as godmother of new-ship Norwegian Prima

As godmother, Perry will not only fulfil the maritime tradition of blessing and officially naming the vessel, but she will perform during the christening ceremony in August before the vessel embarks on its inaugural voyage from Reykjavik.
 

Harry Sommer, president and chief executive of NCL, said the brand was "excited" to welcome the "one-of-a-kind artist" as godmother of Prima.

 

"We are so incredibly proud that she will be part of the Norwegian Cruise Line family and look forward to launching our beautiful, innovative ship with her in August," he added.

Perry said her favourite form of a holiday with her family was on the water. "Every morning that you wake up, you get to experience an incredible new view," she added.

 

"I love that I get to christen her with my good vibrations, and I’m so excited for this new, beautiful, high-end, high-tech ship to take the seas, and provide once-in-a-lifetime vacations for so many families."

 

Prima will offer inaugural voyages to Northern Europe from Southampton, Amsterdam and Reykjavik from 12 August, sailings to Bermuda from New York from 6 October and Caribbean itineraries from Texas and Miami beginning 27 October. 

MSC Cruise to sail Winter Itineraries from Southampton

MSC Magnifica in Queensferry Edinburgh photo credit Spacejunkie2

Sailing from mid-November until April, MSC Magnifica will call at Hamburg, Ijmuiden (Amsterdam), Zeebrugge, Le Havre and Southampton during a series of seven-night cruises.

 

The line said the itinerary had been created following the popularity of UK-based “sea-cations” this summer as the cruise sector made its comeback and "ongoing demand" for Northern Europe.

 

Passengers will benefit from extended stays in the port of up to 12 hours and embarkation will be possible in each city visited - sales open on Wednesday (6 October).

 

MSC’s the UK and Ireland managing director Antonio Paradiso said the Northern Pearls programme would offer Brits "direct and convenient access" to some of Europe’s best cities "for a great winter cruise"

 

All guests aged 12 years and above must be fully vaccinated and passengers aged 2-11 must provide proof of a negative PCR test or antigen taken within 48 hours of their cruise departure.

View Magnifica photos 

A trio of Cruise Ships Drydocks To Start 2021

The cruise ship drydock market will be hot for 2021, as operators push scheduled refits and class surveys forward ahead of returning to service

Work scopes are expected to be mandatory class surveys, inspections, and technical and safety maintenance, as the majority of big projects scheduled for 2020 and 2021 have been pushed back, Cruise Industry News reported in its 2021 Drydocking and Refurbishment Report.

Without passengers on the ship, the drydocking is when the cruise lines pounce to make any changes ranging from repair to hotel and facility upgrades.

Among the cruise ships that recently drydocked is the 1,778-guest Marella Explorer 2. She is staying at Damen in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

The Marella Explorer 2 has had her cabin ceilings and walls resprayed, bathrooms updated. Some of her suites got brand new solid wood floorings, and the Market Place got a contemporary resin floor.

The 2,600-passenger Sapphire Princess, which is operated by Princess Cruises, is currently drydocking at the Sembawang Shipyard in Singapore. The ship was previously scheduled for a drydock in April 2020, which got postponed after the start of the pandemic.

Finally, Dream Cruises’ 1,804-passenger Explorer Dream is not drydocking yet but will be between Feb. 19 and 25. The works will take place in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Fred. Olsen New Ship Bolette Arrives In Rosyth

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has completed its fleet by welcoming Bolette to Rosyth, Scotland, just two weeks after taking delivery of another new ship, the Borealis.

The ships are the former Amsterdam and Rotterdam from Holland America Line.

The Bolette arrived at Babcock’s Rosyth Facilities on Thursday sailing under the Forth and Queensferry bridges.

Peter Deer, Managing Director at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines said:

“It is wonderful to have sister ships Bolette and Borealis together in the same place, joining the rest of our fleet.

“They have already had such a warm welcome from our guests who have been following our Virtual Cruising programme on Facebook and on our website. Now, we can get to work getting both ships ready, in true Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines style, for when our guests step aboard for the first time.

“This is a hugely exciting time for us, and taking ownership of these ships is a clear indication of our plans to bounce back stronger than ever, once the time is right to start sailing again.”

Venice Asks Other Cities to Join in Effort to Curb Cruise Ships

PHOTO: A cruise ship sailing through Venice, Italy. (photo via Jan-Otto/iStock Unreleased)

Venice officials have asked several of Europe's other popular cruise destinations, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Dubrovnik and Marseille to join them in working toward the enforcement of new rules that would require cruise lines to adapt their ships to reduce the potential for injury to people as well as environmental impact.

The MSC Opera suffered a mechanical issue before crashing into a Uniworld riverboat and a dock in Venice in early June, injuring at least four people, while video surfaced last month of the Costa Deliziosa narrowly missing a yacht and the dock while being towed by a tugboat during a storm.

"I have written to all European cities that share our experience with cruise tourism and that find themselves having to balance economic development with environmental sustainability," Pino Musolino, chairman of the northern Adriatic Sea port authority, said in a statement Thursday.

"The growing size of vessels, their environmental impacts on the areas surrounding the ports and the 'burden' that the increasing number of tourists...are creating a situation of conflict," he wrote in a letter to eight fellow port authorities.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site and bucket list destination for many, Venice is slowly sinking, with officials blaming cruise ships for contributing to the growing problem.

Venice is no stranger to over-tourism struggles with city officials implementing controversial policies to battle the frequent visitor crowds in recent years.

The city has even called on UNESCO to add Venice to the World Heritage site blacklist of endangered destinations.

14 Cruise Ships Received a Perfect 100 Health Score

PHOTO: Disney Fantasy by Disney Cruise Line. (photo via Marina113 / iStock Editorial / Getty Images Plus)

According to the CDC, 14 cruise ships earned a perfect health score during their surprise inspections in the last year.

The ships can be found among 10 different cruise lines and include Celebrity Summit, Rhapsody of the Seas, Norwegian Gem, Disney Wonder, Seabourn Quest, Viking Star, Auroa, Disney Fantasy, Noordam, Sea Princess, Disney Dream, Amsterdam, AIDAVITA and Emerald Princess.

All cruise ships that sail to or from the U.S. must undergo a surprise health inspection by the VSP or Vessel Sanitation Program.

Everything from the medical facilities to the swimming pools, portable water systems, child centres, rooms, ventilation systems and common areas of the ship are inspected.

There are 44 items on the VSP’s checklist, so to get a score of 100, the cruise ship had to receive perfect scores on every single item.

Alternatively, a score of 85 or below is considered failing which occurred with the following ships: Ocean Insignia, Ocean Dream, Silver Spirit, Safari Endeavor and Le Boreal.

Carnival's Cvijetic Takes Top Honors at Bacardi Competition

Sanja Cvijetic from Carnival Cruise Line won the 2019 Bacardi Legacy Cruise Bartender of the Year competition with her own signature cocktail, the Purple Sunset.

She now goes on to the global finals in Amsterdam, where she will compete against 38 domestic market winners for the overall global title. 

Sanja scooped the ultimate prize from thousands of entries in the cruise sector, winning the Bacardi Legacy cruise final in Puerto Rico earlier this month. 

Zachary Sulkes International Key Account Manager (Cruise), Bacardi Global Travel Retail, commented: “Sanja has really impressed us all with her inspired creation.  Her understated professionalism, talent and hospitality skills demonstrated in the competition prove what a great example she sets for bartending leadership in the cruise industry – an increasingly important channel for the premium drinks industry.” 

Cvijetic said: “Winning the Bacardi Legacy Cruise Bartender of the Year 2019 is beyond everything I ever dreamed, especially as it’s the first bartender competition I have entered.  It’s been an amazing experience throughout and I’ve especially enjoyed spending time in Puerto Rico, visiting the Bacardi distillery and experiencing the story and heritage behind the iconic Bacardi brand.  The competition has shown me that I really can achieve anything I want to and I will be using my learnings from the cruise stage to focus on the global final in Amsterdam.”

Eddie Allen, Vice President of Beverage for Carnival Cruise Line, added: “Sanja is a fantastic role model for our team of bartenders across the fleet and she has made a very positive impression with our guests who respond to her warm hospitality and her amazing bartending skills.  We are very proud of her and look forward to supporting her at the global finals in Amsterdam.”

Purple SunsetIngredients:
60ml BACARDÍ Superior
22ml Monin® Lavender Syrup
15ml lemonade
15ml fresh lime juice
Splash of MARTINI Prosecco
Fresh rosemary bunch

Preparation Method: Gently muddle fresh rosemary bunch. Place all ingredients (except MARTINI Prosecco) into the shaker. Add ice and shake up to 10 seconds. Double strain into a chilled glass. Add a few more drops of lavender syrup and a splash of MARTINI Prosecco. Garnish with fresh rosemary.

Amsterdam Axed as a Cruise stop.

Cruise liners cancel trips to THIS popular destination due to new tourist tax

Cruises: A new tourist tax in Amsterdam has meant cruise ships are changing their itineraries (Image: Getty)

CRUISES travelling through Amsterdam have been cancelled for passengers who book holidays with MSC Cruises or Cruise and Maritime Voyages due to a new tourist tax introduced in the city.

Cruise passengers looking for a trip to Amsterdam may find themselves short for choice thanks to a new tourist tax. The city has announced a €8 head tax per day for tourists arriving by cruise, affecting passengers who stay for 24 hours or less, or €16 for those staying more than 24 hours. This has resulted in a number of cruise liners removing Amsterdam from their itineraries choosing another Dutch city instead. Thousands of passengers travelling in 2019 and 2020 could find their trips drastically altered.

Earlier this year, MSC Cruises announced they will change their overnight calls from Amsterdam to Rotterdam.

Central Station in Amsterdam. photo credit Dave Jones

Gianluca Suprani, head of global port development and shore activities at MSC Cruises, warned Amsterdam could lose thousands of pounds of spending by the loss of passengers.

He told Seatrade Cruise: “We decided to pull our business in 2019 and as a result, Amsterdam city stands to lose between €50-100 per passenger in respect of potential spend.”

Cruise and Maritime Voyages has followed in their footsteps and announced their 2019 and 2020 port calls to Amsterdam will also now be at Rotterdam.

This means 37 of their cruises will make the move, with 30 Columbus ships and seven Magellan ships avoiding the city.

Costa Mediterranea in the Port of Amsterdam. photo credit Dave Jones

According to Seatrade Cruise, more than 50,000 passengers will be affected.

CMV CEO Christian Verhounig warned of the last minute changes for customers who will have already booked for 2019, advising 80 per cent had already been purchased.

“The local politicians have failed to acknowledge or understand that the cruise industry plans their budgets two to three years ahead and have been unwilling to look into a proper implementation schedule,” he warned.

“The late introduction of these new and un-phased charges are therefore not budgeted and simply cannot be absorbed.”

Passengers travelling with either cruise liner should check for any changes to their trips.

Crystal Cruises redeploys new river vessels away from France

Crystal Cruises redeploys new river vessels away from France

The new river cruise arm of Crystal Cruises is delaying plans to deploy two new vessels on rivers in France.

Instead Crystal River Cruises is to increase its presence on the Danube, Main and Rhine, deploying four of its planned new build ‘river yachts’ in the region in 2017 and 2018.

The shift in focus means redesigning and enlarging the company’s two Paris-class river vessels - Crystal Debussy and Crystal Ravel - as Rhine-class boats, and redeploying them east in 2018.

Previously, Crystal Debussy and Crystal Ravel were to travel along the Seine, Rhone and Dordogne rivers in France from June and August 2017 respectively.

No mention was made of recent terrorist incidents in France and the extension of the country’s state of emergency for six months following the deadly truck attack in Nice earlier in July.

The luxury line, which draws a large proportion of passengers from the US, said the change away from France was based on passenger feedback “lauding the itineraries planned in Germany, Austria, Belgium, Amsterdam and Holland”.

As a result, “the company has elected to delay its entrance into the French river cruise market, choosing instead to prioritise its offerings in the German/Austrian region in order to meet travellers’ demand for those experiences”.

Chief executive and president Edie Rodriguez said: “Unlike an ocean-going ship that can accommodate a change in itinerary with short notice, a river ship operates within more confined parameters and is unable to re-route easily.

“We are listening carefully to what travellers are telling us and have concluded that the best way to anticipate, meet and surpass their expectations is by making this move earlier rather than later.”

The line is offering a series of compensation packages to people who have booked 2017 voyages on Crystal Debussy and Crystal Ravel including on board credits and future cruise credits worth up to $1,000.

No details were given of how many bookings the line has received for the sailings in France.

The new design places the vessels as part of the line’s 106-passenger Rhine-class series currently comprising Crystal Bach and Crystal Mahler, which are due to enter service June 18 and August 29, 2017 respectively.

Crystal Debussy and Crystal Ravel are now due for maiden voyages in April 2018 and May 2018 respectively with detailed itineraries to be announced shortly, the company said.

They will be increased in size from 110 metres to 135 metres, the maximum size permissible on the Rhine, Main and Danube. The increased length allows for the addition of a swimming pool with a sliding glass roof and more large suites.

The move follows the recent launch of the line’s first luxury river cruiser, Crystal Mozart.

Koningsdam to sail Norwegian cruises during inaugural season

Holland America Line said its Koningsdam ship will sail seven- and 14-day Norwegian cruises from Amsterdam in the summer of 2016, after its initial inaugural cruises in the Mediterranean.

The Norwegian season starts in late May, after a 13-day repositioning cruise from Civitavecchia, Italy. In addition to Norway, Koningsdam will sail the British Isles and in the Baltic. 

At the end on the season, Koningsdam sails from Amsterdam to Civitavecchia (Rome) on a 12-day journey that visits England, Gibraltar, Portugal and four ports in Spain. 

On Oct. 24, the ship repositions to Fort Lauderdale for a 14-day voyage that crosses the Atlantic following calls at Alicante, Malaga (Granada) and Huelva (Seville), Spain; and Funchal, Madeira.

MSC Cruises set to double UK capacity next autumn

By Hollie-Rae Merrick 

MSC Cruises is set to double its capacity from the UK in autumn next year, with a second ship operating out of Southampton.

The line's product and operations director Oliviero Morelli said the decision demonstrated a commitment to the British market.

The cruise line is sending a second ship, MSC Magnifica, to join MSC Opera in Southampton, for four seven-night cruises in September and October 2014.

The seven-night cruises, covering five Northern Europe destinations including Zeebrugge, Amsterdam and Hamburg, will start from £429.

Morelli said: "MSC continues demonstrating its commitment to the British market by bringing a second and bigger ship to the English shores for the very first time.

"In addition to MSC Opera already based in Southampton during the summer 2014, MSC Magnifica is providing additional capacity to a market that has considerably grown in the recent years.

"MSC Cruises has also seen a sustained increase of its own bookings and, with MSC Magnifica, is hoping to respond to the demand of its own customers."

The vessel has a maximum capacity of 2,518 guests, with a choice of 17 bars and five restaurants on board.

The cruises include free parking in Southampton or free coach transfers. The sailings will embark from Southampton on September 17, September 24, October 1 and October 8.