Dutch environmental protesters have prevented and delayed two Royal Caribbean cruise ships from docking in Amsterdam.
On August 10, Extinction Rebellion blocked the locks needed for Jewel of the Seas to safely pass through to the port. Instead, the ship was forced to disembark in Ijmuiden about 25 miles from Amsterdam.
The activist group took responsibility for the protest on their website, stating they demanded an immediate cessation of the destructive cruise industry because of the harm it causes to the environment and its impact on human health.
According to Travel Market Report, they delayed Regent's Seven Seas Mariner by about three hours one day later.
Most recently, Extinction Rebellion returned and delayed Serenade of the Seas' arrival. Footage shared to their live stream channel shows the 90,090 gross registered ton ship attempting to dock. Unsuccessful, the mooring ropes were retracted before Serenade of the Seas backed out of the port into open water.
Carlijn van Essen, a spokeswoman for the Port of Amsterdam, confirmed the Radiance Class ship could eventually resume its route, as Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.
The article continued to explain how police arrived on the scene around 5:00pm to remove eight protestors. They were taken into custody but have been released. A police spokesperson confirmed no arrests were made.
Serenade of the Seas was initially scheduled to arrive in Amsterdam on August 19. However, amidst the disruptions caused by the environmental group, the ship canceled its call at Bergen, Norway, and headed to Amsterdam on August 18.
"We are on Serenade OTS anchored in open water today. The port of Bergen Norway was cancelled on the 'Ultimate Fjords Cruise' so we could attempt to get to Amsterdam and dock early," shared Doug_Texas on Royal Caribbean Blog's discussion forum.
"The climate change protesters are [gluing] themselves to the docks and shutting everything down. Already Jewel OTS was blocked as well as Regent Navigator...This is sad to see"
TikTok user @LittleRatBrain shared footage captured onboard Serenade of the Captain's announcement, in which he explains the goal of arriving before noon and giving passengers an overnight stay.
Surprisingly, many of the comments support Extinction Rebellion. "I don't blame them," wrote TofuNinja, "It's a beautiful place being ruined by large cruise ships."
"Much as I enjoy your account, I completely support these protesters," added lolantherosa.
Katie b said, "I support these protestors. Cruises are disgusting and pollute the ocean."
The protests come a little over one month after the City of Amsterdam announced they'll cap cruise ship visits to just 100 per year (down from 190) starting in 2026. By 2035, the city will end all ocean-going cruise visits.
According to Cruise Mapper, the next ship scheduled to arrive in Amsterdam is Jewel of the Seas on August 22, with Norwegian Prima arriving the following day at 7:00am local time.
Anti-tourism protests aren't new in Europe
Earlier this summer, thousands of protestors marched through Barcelona, soaking vacationers with water guns while they dined al fresco in Las Ramblas. The angry locals were chanting "tourists go home," CNN reported.
The Assemblea de Barris pel Decreixement Turístic (Neighborhood Assembly for Tourism Degrowth) has published 13 proposals to reduce the number of visitors and create a new tourism model, including more regulation for tourist accommodations and the closure of cruise ship terminals.
By November 2028, Barcelona also plans to end short-term rentals to help ensure residents aren't displaced by "overtourism." Reuters reported that the city will revoke all 10,101 apartment licenses approved as short-term rentals.
In April, a protest took place in the Canary Islands. Locals blamed visitors for increasing the cost of living, pricing them out of their homes, and causing environmental damage.
Before that, 15,000 people demanded affordable housing while protesting mass tourism in Málaga, as reported by Euronews.
"Now the city centre is a theme park for tourists,” one of the protestors, Jose, 60, told the news outlet, "What was once ‘El Café Central’ in Málaga’s main square...is an Irish pub full of tourists.”
“I’m not against tourism, but there has to be a limit and control," he says.
Serenade of the Seas is nearing the end of its 274-day Ultimate World Cruise
Serenade of the Seas set sail from Miami, Florida, on December 10, 2023, on an epic 9-month journey. There's less than one month to go, with the cruise concluding on September 10.
The cruise was slated to sail to over 150 destinations in 65 countries, visiting 11 Great Wonder of the World including the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal, and Great Barrier Reef.
While inclement weather and political disruptions have caused them to adjust the itinerary, most notably to Africa to avoid the Red Sea, it's been a memorable experience for those onboard.
In addition to changes in the itinerary, the Ultimate World Cruise has seen its fair share of drama, from an unexpected passenger death to a TikTok user-made bingo card with scenarios that could happen onboard (including a pirate takeover, COVID outbreak, and a minor mystery to solve).
Though nothing's been confirmed regarding dates or ship, Michael Bayley, Royal Caribbean International's President and CEO, said they'd do another Ultimate World Cruise, despite the challenges associated with planning one.
