Cruises are an excellent way to see the world, but there are a few cities you’ll have to leave off the list if local governments get their way.
Prior to the pandemic, a whopping 30 million people would hit the decks of cruise ships each year. Although that number has dropped to just under 5 million, it is still a significant number of tourists.
Cruises may be popular with passengers, but not all city officials feel the same. Venice implemented a ban on all cruise ships in 2021, citing pollution and damage to caused by the large vessels.
It is now expected that other major cities may follow suit.
The incumbent mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, has highlighted how thousands of disembarking passengers cause mobility issues each time a cruise docks for four to eight hours in the port. Studies have shown that these people do not actually contribute much to the local economy as food, drinks, and other items are already offered on the ships. The average spend on land comes in at a mere €23.
Amsterdam, Marseille, Santorini, and Dubrovnik have also expressed concern over the pollution caused by the cruises, with 50,000 residents of the French city having signed a petition to ban them.