Anti-Cruise Protests May Lead to Itinerary Adjustments in European Cruises

The European chief of cruise trade body CLIA has warned that member cruise lines may have to skip some of Europe’s top cruise destinations to protect cruise ship guests.

This announcement comes as protests against overtourism have intensified in numerous cities, targeting the cruise industry.

The affected destinations include Barcelona, various locations in Norway, Brittany in France, the Spanish Canary Islands, as well as areas already imposing cruise ship restrictions like Venice and Barcelona.

In Barcelona, local protestors have gone as far as squirting tourists with water pistols, and a hunger strike was held earlier this year.

“There will be some consideration of adapting the itineraries if we feel that all passengers will not be well-treated,” said Marie-Caroline Laurent, European director of the CLIA.

The Cruise Lines International Association acknowledged that cruise ship itineraries may need to be revised if guest safety cannot be assured.

Barcelona’s Mayor recently stated that the city is nearing its limit regarding cruise ship visits.

The CLIA responded by pointing out that cruise guests account for only about 4% of visitors.

Additionally, the Greek Prime Minister has announced plans to impose restrictions on the number of ship visits to the popular islands of Santorini and Mykonos.