The activist group Extinction Rebellion is creating problems in approaching the port of Amsterdam, protesting against their impact on the environment and overtourism.
On August 10, RX prevented Royal Caribbean’s Jewel of the Seas from calling at Amsterdam port, closing the locks and forcing the cruise ship to change course and dock at Ijumuiden. The passengers were transported to the Dutch capital by bus.
The next day, August 11, activists delayed entry into the port of IJmuiden for more than four hours on Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ cruise ship Seven Seas Mariner. However, the ship managed to dock at the port after police removed the protesters.
On August 18, the activist group attempted to prevent the Serenade of the Seas, with a capacity of 2,490 passengers, from docking at the port, which was carried out with the intervention of the police.
On the same day that the port of IJmuiden was occupied by Extinction Rebellion, Ambassador Cruise Line was forced to divert the ship Ambition to avoid planned protests.
The same group also succeeded in blocking the 16,500 dwt-registered tanker Sten Neptun, which is registered in Portugal and operated by Stenersen in Norway since acquiring it in 2022.
Meanwhile, the Disney Dream cruise ship, which was due to arrive in Amsterdam on September 6, will bypass the Dutch capital and travel to Bruges, Belgium, via Hamburg, where it will now stay for two days instead of one, Disney Cruise Line said in an email to customers.
Due to the change in itinerary, the company offers travelers a credit of $ 250 (about 224 euros).
Cruise ships have also been the focus of protests in France this summer. About 20 activists from the groups Stop Cruises BZH Collective and Extinction Rebellion united to prevent another Regent ship, the Seven Seas Voyager, from entering Concarneau in northwestern France.
CLIA’s opinion
“The cruise industry has a clear and proven commitment to sustainable and responsible cruise operations. It invests billions in environmental technologies and practices that deliver powerful results. Already, today, cruise lines are building and presenting the ships of the future, which will operate with new, more sustainable engine technologies,” a CLIA spokesperson said.
“While we respect people’s right to hold and express different opinions, we disagree when expressing those views ignores the facts, interferes with the rights of others, or worse, raises safety and security concerns,” he added.
After welcoming the responsible, productive commitment to achieving common sustainability goals, he expressed the view that the most effective path is a collaborative approach rather than sensationalist tactics that hinder the rights or safety of holidaymakers.
