Tag Archives: Rotterdam

Amsterdam Axed as a Cruise stop.

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

Cruises: Amsterdam trip change

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.

Holland America’s next ship to be called Nieuw Statendam

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Nieuw Koningsdam

Holland America Line said its next ship due in 2018 will be named Nieuw Statendam.

HAL officials made the disclosure at the Rotterdam christening ceremony of its latest ship, Koningsdam. Nieuw Statendam will be a sister ship to the 2,650-passenger Koningsdam.

Last year, the 1,258-passenger Statendam was transferred to the fleet of P&O Cruises Australia and renamed the Pacific Eden.

Five previous ships in HAL history have carried the Statendam name.

Damen Entrusted with MSC Magnifica’s Refit

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Damen Entrusted with MSC Magnifica's Refit

Damen Shiprepair Rotterdam, part of Damen Shiprepair & Conversion, has been awarded a cruise repair and maintenance contract from MSC Cruises.

The 2010-built cruise ship MSC Magnifica arrived in Rotterdam on October 20 and is berthed at the yard’s largest drydock, where the ship is expected to stay for 18 days.

The repair scope includes extensive steelwork, cleaning, painting and replacement piping, as well as the entire renewal of the rudder system.

The vessel is 293 m long and has a capacity for more than 2,500 passengers.

Khalil Benjelloul, Cruise Vessels Product Manager of Damen Shiprepair & Conversion, said  that the project is certainly a challenge given the timeframe. “During the drydocking the 700-strong crew will largely stay on the vessel and they have to be able to carry out their normal activities safely, so it is quite a logistical operation.

At the same time, there could be up to 300 of our workers and subcontractors dealing with the project.”

“Rotterdam was the preferred yard because it offers the large capacity needed and additionally, the MSC Magnifica will sail straight on to Hamburg, where she picks up her passengers for her next cruise.

“Every hour is needed to get the vessel ready on time. For the cruise industry, getting the job done within the deadline is crucial. We cannot have thousands of passengers waiting.”

Press Release