Cruise Lines Give Amsterdam Up After Passengers Get Targeted by New Taxes

The Day tourist tax in Amsterdam will be applying to in transit river and ocean cruise passengers as well

From January 1, the city of Amsterdam has enforced a new tourist tax specifically targeting cruise visitors. Usually, tourist taxes apply to overnight stays, so cruise passengers are excluded. However, Amsterdam has started charging a tax from all in transit cruise passengers, meaning those who arrive and leave by ship, as a means for this type of tourists to also contribute to the local economy.

Therefore, cruise operators must pay the cost of €8 per person for passengers staying 24 hours or less, which is passed onto customers. Meanwhile, those who embark or disembark their cruise in Amsterdam will not get charged.

As a result, two main cruise lines, Cruise and Maritime Voyages (CMV) and MSC Cruises, have replaced or cancelled their stops in the city of Amsterdam for summer 2019 and 2020, and replaced them by a stop in Rotterdam, affecting 50,000 passengers. Andy Harmer, director of CLIA UK & Ireland pointed in particular to the late notice given, with the new tax only confirmed in November 2018.

MSC had also decided to withdraw calls in Amsterdam in 2019, while Cruise Line International Association (CLIA UK & Ireland) said that they were extremely disappointed that the City of Amsterdam had introduced a day tourist tax.

 

Source: telegraph.co.uk