Recently, Disney Cruise Line modified two Disney Dream itineraries scheduled for this summer which included the port of Amsterdam, Netherlands and Sadnes, Norway replacing both with alternate ports.
August 19, 2023 – 7-Night Norwegian Fjords Cruise from Southampton
The August 19th departure replaces Amsterdam with Rotterdam as well as Sandnes, for Mekjarvek (Stavanger), Norway. The revised schedule itinerary is as follows:
- Saturday August 19, 2023 – Southampton
- Sunday August 20, 2023 – Rotterdam, Netherlands (previously Amsterdam)
- Monday August 21, 2023 – At Sea
- Tuesday August 22, 2023 – Skjolden, Norway
- Wednesday August 23, 2023 – Nordfjordeid, Norway
- Thursday August 24, 2023 – Mekjarvik (Stavanger), Norway (previously Sandness)
- Friday August 25, 2023 – At Sea
Saturday August 26, 2023 – Southampton (Debarkation)
Below is a copy of the email sent to a guests booked on this sailing.
September 3, 2023 – 7-Night Northern Europe and Norwegian Fjords from Southampton
The Disney Dream’s September 3rd departure replaces Amsterdam with Zeebrugge (Brussels), Belgium as well as Sandnes, for Mekjarvek (Stavanger), Norway. The revised schedule itinerary is as follows:
- Sunday September 3, 2023 – Southampton
- Monday September 4, 2023 – Zeebrugge (Bruges), Belgium (previously Amsterdam)
- Tuesday September 5, 2023 – At Sea
- Wednesday September 6, 2023 – Copenhagen, Denmark
- Thursday September 7, 2023 – Oslo, Norway
- Friday September 8, 2023 – Mekjarvik (Stavanger), Norway (previously Sadnes)
- Saturday September 9, 2023 – At Sea
Sunday September 10, 2023 – Southampton (Debarkation)
At this time, there remains one 2023 Disney Dream cruise with Amsterdam on the schedule, the August 8th, 11-Night Northern European Cruise from Copenhagen. As for Sandnes, Norway, there are no savings scheduled.
We’re on the 8/19 cruise. I actually noticed this on the DCL site before the email arrived. The 2 changed port stops have more time in port than the original itinerary. Rotterdam is 11-8 (vs 1:30-7:30 Amsterdam), and Mekjarvik is 8-8 (vs 9:15-6 Sandnes). Looks like port fees have decreased as well… hopefully our final bill will reflect that.
It’s not just DCL making changes in Amsterdam. Celebrity has also changed calls in Amsterdam to Rotterdam for sailings this year.
I believe that many cruise lines are now skipping Amsterdam and going to Rotterdam. This is primarily due to the new tax on visitors of roughly $9/day per person visiting. This on top of already high port fees have pushed several lines to go to Rotterdam. Additionally, at times port access is limited due to the prolonged period of drought and lack of ice melt resulting in low river levels that impact the usage of the lock used to access the port at Amsterdam. Between the two issues, it is just easier and cheaper for cruise lines to go to Rotterdam instead.