Amsterdam Mulling Potential Ocean Cruise Ship Ban

Image: Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas cruise ship heading to the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam, The Netherlands. (Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/NAN)
Image: Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas cruise ship heading to the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam, The Netherlands. (Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/NAN)
Lacey Pfalz
by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 1:25 PM ET, Fri January 23, 2026

Amsterdam is continuing its fight against overtourism with a new proposal: ending ocean cruise visits by 2035. 

According to our sister publication, Travel Weekly, the Dutch city is heading towards municipal elections this March, after which the new municipal executive will be able to decide the fate of the city’s cruise tourism. 

The plan would cost the city 46 million euros in lost revenue over thirty years following the ban on ocean cruising. 

"The municipality will further develop the precise consequences of ending sea cruises, including the loss of direct and indirect jobs, in the coming months," a city press release said. "This will be done carefully and in collaboration with the national government and other involved partners."

Amsterdam has been combatting the negative effects of overtourism in a variety of ways in recent years, banning large cruise ships in the city center, banning new hotel construction and reducing the number of river cruise ships able to dock in Amsterdam annually. 

“Moreover, we prioritize sustainability and livability,” said Amsterdam’s deputy mayor, Hester van Buren. “All of this means that we will be better exploring the option of ending sea cruises in Amsterdam."

Amsterdam is currently in the middle of celebrating a year-long 750th anniversary.

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Lacey Pfalz

Lacey Pfalz

Associate Editor

Lacey Pfalz is Associate Editor at TravelPulse. She's a passionate advocate of responsible travel and believes the best travel experiences happen outside of a planned itinerary. Lacey currently lives in rural Wisconsin. She can be reached at [email protected].

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