Amsterdam is the home port of ShipParade and it was here that the first cruise ships were visited back in the eighties. A lot has changed on the Amsterdam waterfront in the past decades, culminating in the construction of a dedicated state of the art cruise terminal capable of handling two large cruise ships simultaneously.

Located on an artificial island in the IJ river, the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam (or PTA) is part of a brand new development that includes offices, a hotel and a striking music theater with panoramic views of the river.  

Amsterdam is one of Europe's most distinctive capital cities and is known the world over for its beautiful canals, gabled houses, bicycles, tolerant lifestyle and Indonesian "rijsttafel" dinners. But there is so much more to see and do in this fascinating melting pot of cultures. Rent a Canal Bike to explore the canals from water level, climb the tower of the Wester Church for a stunning view of the city. Don't miss the Anne Frank House - the wait to get in might be long, but it is a must-see. Visit the Van Gogh Museum. And don't miss the Rijksmuseum to admire Rembrandt's huge "Nightwatch".  

ShipParade was first envisioned in a 17th century house in the quaint, canalside village of Velsen-Zuid. Part of the village had to be demolished when the North Sea Canal was widened in the sixties. What remains today is a wonderful collection of immaculately restored buildings. Thousands of years ago the Romans actually built a fort here and reminders of their presence are displayed in the village museum. 

At the exact same location where steam ships discharged their cargo back in the 1870s, Amsterdam now welcomes large cruise ships with a draft of up to 10m (33 ft). Connected to the main terminal building by glass walkways, cruise ship visitors may catch a coach on the front doorstep. Alternatively, there is a tram stop directly in front of the building for the short ride to the Central Station and further into the center of Amsterdam.  

Up until 1876, ships that called at Amsterdam had to make their way to the capital city by means of the Zuyderzee (now IJsselmeer), which is now an inland sea after being closed off by a long dike in 1929. On November 1, 1876 King William III officially opened the North Sea Canal. Dug by mostly English laborers between 1865 and 1876, the 21 km (14 m) long canal cuts through the narrowest part of Holland. During the construction of the canal, the seaside town of IJmuiden formed.

The town of IJmuiden (pop: 68,000) has developed into an important industrial center. The huge Corus steelworks dominate the horizon and the fishery port is one of the largest in the Netherlands. The town is also a popular ferry port, with daily connections to the United Kingdom. To regulate the water level in the North Sea Canal three sets of locks were built. The largest sea lock was inaugurated in 1929 and is 400 m (1,312 ft) long and 50 m (164 ft) wide, which makes this lock a lot larger that anything you will find in the Panama Canal. Sailing time from the IJmuiden locks to Amsterdam is approximately 2 hours. To avoid the time consuming passage of the North Sea Canal, IJmuiden is now promoting itself as cruise ship port. For more information, have a look at our IJmuiden page here.