Anti-cruise protests could impact European trip itineraries

The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has warned that cruise lines may be forced to miss some of the top destinations on their Europe itineraries to protect passengers from protesters.

Destinations at risk of being scrapped include Barcelona, ports in Norway, Brittany in France, and the Spanish Canary Islands. Restrictions for cruise ships are already in place in Venice and Barcelona.

Criticised for its impact on the environment and coastal communities, the global cruise industry is forecast to carry 10% more passengers by 2028 than the 31.7 million who opted for a cruise holiday in 2023.

According to Reuters, the European Director General of the CLIA, Marie-Caroline Laurent, said that the industry had ordered 57 more cruise ships in addition to around 300 now in operation, to meet the projected demand.

With travel on the rise, cruise operators face increasing pressure to combat excessive tourist numbers in crowded European port cities such as Spain’s Barcelona, where protestors sprayed tourists with water pistols earlier this month.

However, in response to the protests, CLIA representatives have pointed out that cruise ship passengers represent just 4% of Barcelona’s tourism population.

Nevertheless, it has acknowledged that cruise line schedules might be subject to revision to prioritise the safety of guests.

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

New research from travel insurance provider AllClear recently outlined the most popular cruising destinations in countries around the world.