Cruise Lines May Skip Ports Over Anti-Tourist Protests

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has cautioned member cruise lines of possible disruptions to cruise schedules in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. CLIA’s European director, Marie Caroline Laurent, said cruise lines may need to drop some popular European ports due to rising anti-cruise protests.

Anti-Cruise Sentiment Growing Across Spain

The cruise industry is on the firing line as over-tourism protests grow in size and frequency. Spain has seen major demonstrations in Barcelona and the Balearic and Canary Islands. In Palma de Mallorca, there have been beach blockades and demonstrations outside hotels, protesting overtourism in general.

In Barcelona, cruise guests were reportedly sprayed with water pistols while demonstrators wielded “tourists go home” placards.

“Tourism-phobia is not only a problem in Spain, but also in France and other Mediterranean countries,” Laurent said. “Visitors are increasingly sensitive and scenes that have been seen in places like Barcelona have an impact on the reputation of the destination.”

Protests have also occurred in Scandinavia and France, while Venice and Amsterdam have already limited the cruise ship visits. The Greek Prime Minister recently announced tentative plans to cap cruise ship calls on the popular islands of Santorini and Mykonos.

Protesters Have Targeted Cruisers

“There will be some consideration of adapting the itineraries if we feel that all passengers will not be well-treated,” Laurent added.

Barcelona city officials say the city is almost at breaking point for cruise ship visits, although CLIA points out that cruise guests account for only 4% of total visitors to the city. Barcelona’s resentment of spiraling visitor numbers extends far beyond day-tripping cruisers.

Along with crowded streets and congestion, the main issue is the vast number of short-term rentals catering to tourists, causing a major shortage of affordable housing for residents.