Amsterdam is considering a ban on large cruise ships by 2035 as part of broader efforts to curb overtourism, reduce pollution, and reshape the city’s waterfront.
Amsterdam’s city government has sought an alternative to docking large cruise ships right in the city center, and now the leading option on the table is a simple one: a complete ban on large cruise ships by 2035.
The city, which welcomes 20 million visitors per year—far greater than its own population of just under one million—has long sought ways to curb growing tourist numbers; it was even named to the Fodor’s No List in 2023. The city has already put limits on new hotel construction and has ended efforts promoting tourism. Of particular concern are so-called “stag” tourists, who come to the city’s red-light district from Britain and the Dutch communities surrounding Amsterdam, drinking and creating a general nuisance.
For large cruise ships, the nuisance is a different one: pollution. The city had sought to move large cruise ships out of the city center on pollution concerns, and because the terminal’s current location would prevent the construction of a planned bridge across the IJ river.
In July, activists belonging to the environmental group Extinction Rebellion blocked the arrival of 2,850-passenger Celebrity Eclipse using inflatable canoes. The activists said they chose that ship because of its performance on international environmental assessments. After a two-hour delay and intervention by port officials, the ship docked, and five activists were arrested by police.
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The city estimates that the loss of large cruise ships would cost €46 million over the next three decades, the cost of an alternative cruise terminal further outside the city center would exceed €85 million, and there would be no guarantee that revenues would ultimately justify its construction.
The current city administration said it would not vote on whether to ban large cruise ships or move the cruise terminal until after local elections are held on March 18, leaving the final decision to the next city administration to issue a final decision, effectively putting the fate of large cruise ships to the city’s voters. The city council decided in 2024 to limit arrivals of large cruise ships to under 100 per year by this year.
A proposed ban would not affect river cruises, which account for significant traffic. Amsterdam has long been a popular turnaround port for European river cruises.
Local party leader Rob Hofland told NL Times that the proposal to ban large cruise ships would benefit the city, “Years after our proposal, we are finally going to free Amsterdam from these floating apartment blocks. They pollute our air, are bad for the climate, bring hordes of tourists into our city, and block a bridge over the IJ. The alderman has shown that relocating the cruise ship terminal within Amsterdam is not possible. That leaves only one option: out of the city. In our view, the right choice.”
A ban on large cruise ships in Amsterdam would not entirely ban cruise tourists from the Netherlands. Large ocean cruise ships also call at Rotterdam—the largest seaport in Europe—roughly an hour away from Amsterdam by rail. Smaller ocean ships also occasionally dock at The Hague.
Governments around Europe are grappling with how to stem the tide of cruise passengers. Greece considered a cruise passenger tax, while Barcelona—Europe’s busiest cruise port—has been shutting down terminals in a bid to reduce daily cruise passenger arrivals by the end of the decade.
The Netherlands is a top tourism destination in Europe, driven largely by interest in Amsterdam, which ranked as the 7th most popular tourism destination in the world in 2025. Inbound visitor arrivals surpassed 2019 levels in 2023 and grew again in 2024. Full year tourism statistics for 2025 are not yet available, but projections indicate another year of growth.
In Summer 2026 several cruise lines, including Celebrity, Carnival, Seabourn, Viking, Oceania, Virgin Voyages, and Ponant are scheduled to dock at the city’s cruise terminal.