Travel
‘Plague of locusts’: Which European cities are stopping the swarm of cruise passengers?
Destinations struggling with overtourism are putting a stop to ships that bring toxic emissions and millions of passengers.
Every year, more than 20 million passengers take a cruise.
Before the pandemic, that number was even higher sitting at around 30 million.
As passenger numbers look to breach this pre-pandemic number once again, many European ports where these ships drop anchor are re-evaluating their presence. Some are looking to ban them altogether, citing environmental, social and economic concerns.
The 218 cruise ships operating in Europe in 2022 emitted over four times more sulphur oxides than all of the continent’s cars, according to Transport & Environment. The NGO found back in June this year that these toxic air pollutants from ships are now higher than they were before COVID-19.
And, with their benefit to the local economy up for debate, the millions of passengers they bring to Europe’s cities each year are causing problems for the people that live there.
Venice wants to keep cruise ships out of the city
In 2021, Venice barred large cruise ships from anchoring in its historic centre.
Damage to the lagoon saw UNESCO threaten to put the city on its endangered list unless they were permanently banned.
They argue that the big ships cause pollution and erode the foundations of the city – which already suffers from regular flooding. The ban means that large cruise and container vessels can no longer enter Venice’s Giudecca canal.
There were attempts to stop the large ships before with previous legislation overturned. But pressure mounted when in 2019 a cruise liner crashed into a harbour in Venice, injuring five people.
And by the time of the 2021 ban, even cruise companies were on board. After it was announced, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) said it had “been supportive of a new approach for many years” calling it a “major step forward”.
The reality of barring large ships from Venice has turned out to be more complicated than it may have first seemed, however. Without a new hub outside of the city’s lagoon for cruise lines to use, many are still docking there two years after the ban was brought in.
Which European cities are banning cruise ships?
Pollution and overtourism aren’t just a problem in Venice, however.
Barcelona – as it moves to tackle its own issues – closed its North terminal to cruises on 22 October. Around 340 ships a year will now have to dock at the Moll d’Adossat pier instead which is the furthest from the city’s residential areas.
Following the closure of another terminal located in the Maremagnum and the introduction of a one-ship per terminal rule, just seven cruise ships can now dock in Barcelona at one time.
These measures follow an agreement with local authorities to relocate cruise ships outside of Barcelona’s city centre in an attempt to mitigate the impact of overtourism.
By 2026, the South terminal will also close and all cruises will operate from the Adossat wharf.
The Mediterranean is the second-largest market for cruises outside of the Caribbean and rising passenger numbers are putting increasing strain on local populations.
In 2022, 50,000 people in Marseille – France’s biggest cruise port – signed a petition against cruise ships, according to campaign group Stop Croisières.
Passengers have been met with protests in the Balearic city of Palma de Mallorca and new limits which only allow three ships in its port at once have been introduced.
Santorini and Dubrovnik have also tightened restrictions on cruise companies.
Where else are cruises causing problems?
A crackdown is also taking place at popular ports outside of the Mediterranean.
Cruise ships visiting Scotland will be charged a new tax under plans recently announced by the country’s Green Party. It says the levy will tackle the “twin challenges” of emissions and overtourism.
Lorna Slater, Scottish Green co-leader, also said that she hoped the cruise tax would encourage companies to use less polluting vessels, claiming one ship produces the same emissions as 12,000 cars.
“Operators have been allowed to get away with polluting for too long,” Slater added.
In Amsterdam, the city council has just voted to shut down its cruise terminal in a bid to curb pollution and reduce tourist numbers.
Moving the terminal outside of the centre looks like the most likely resolution. But the vote indicates the city’s feelings about these large passenger ships.
Earlier this year, local political leader Ilana Rooderkerk compared cruise passengers who descend on the city to a “plague of locusts”.
Amsterdam introduced a tax on cruise ship passengers in 2019 – a move that saw some companies replace or cancel stops in the city. More than 100 vessels dock in the Dutch capital every year and they have become symbolic of local overtourism issues.
Do cruise ships bring in money where they dock?
One of the biggest arguments supporters make for keeping cruise ships is their contribution to the local economy.
But do guests on these giant vessels actually spend money in the towns they dock at?
Several studies have shown that passengers disembarking from ships don’t contribute as much to the local economy as you might think. With all the food, drink and souvenirs they could ever want available on board, the money stays at sea.
It’s unsurprising when you learn that the world’s biggest cruise ship, the Wonder of the Seas, has a staggering 20 restaurants, a 1,400-seat theatre and shops selling everything from fine watches to high fashion. Depending on which package you pick, food and drink are often included and purchases are tax and duty-free.
An even bigger ship, the 365-metre-long Icon of the Seas, is due to launch next year.
A study from Bergen, Norway – a popular stop for fjord tours – found that up to 40 per cent of people never left the ship. For those who did go ashore, their average spend was less than €23.
More research from the Norwegian city in 2013 discovered that length of stay was probably one of the biggest factors in how much passengers spend.
The average port stay lasts around eight hours but this can vary massively depending on the itinerary of the ship. For some – like Barcelona – it can be as short as a four-hour stop.
And spending remains low even when passengers are given more opportunities to splash their cash.
The cruise industry argues that a passenger’s average contribution to the local economy is much higher than the Bergen estimate at around $100 (€91) a day.
One way to bridge the gap would be to raise the passenger tax levied at ports, which currently tends to be around €4 to €14 per person.
The cruise industry says it is making moves to improve both its environmental and social impact.
Cruise lines were among the first companies in the maritime sector to commit to cutting carbon emissions by 40 per cent by 2030, according to CLIA. Some have even signed up to pledges to reach net zero by 2050.
The electrification of ports so that ships can turn off their engines and limit toxic emissions could also help. It is something Barcelona is factoring into its plan to move cruise ships outside of the city by 2026 by allowing vessels to plug in at Adossat Wharf.
Whether these targets will be enough to appease fed-up locals in port towns, however, is yet to be seen.
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Tourists have been caught smuggling all kinds of stolen souvenirs home from holidays, from artefacts picked up in Pompeii to sand from Italy’s famous pink beach on the island of Sardinia.
The Belgian city of Bruges is the latest victim of keepsake crime, but the item visitors have taken a fancy to is unexpected.
The city council has reported the theft of dozens of cobblestones from the city centre, and suspects tourists are the culprits.
Tourists suspected of pilfering Bruges’ cobblestones
Bruges’ cobblestones are increasingly being pilfered from well-known spots in the UNESCO-designated historic centre, public property councillor Franky Demon reported this week.
“At iconic locations such as Minnewater, Vismarkt, Markt and Gruuthusemuseum, it is estimated that 50 to 70 pieces of cobblestone disappear every month. And that number could be even higher,” Demon told press.
“The phenomenon increases significantly, especially during busy tourist periods such as spring and summer,” he added.
For this reason, authorities suspect visitors are pocketing the stone as souvenirs.
‘Leave that cobblestone where it belongs’
As well as damaging a valuable part of the city’s heritage, the stolen stones have created safety issues.
The gaps from removed stones present trip hazards for pedestrians – and are costly to repair.
“It’s unfortunate that our employees constantly have to go out to fix potholes and loose stones. This causes a lot of additional work and costs: about 200 euros per square metre of reconstruction,” explained Demon.
The councillor urged visitors to respect the historical environment of Bruges.
“We simply ask for respect. Anyone walking through Bruges crosses centuries of history. Leave that cobblestone where it belongs,” he said.
Bruges’ cobblestones are apparently not the only sought-after street souvenir.
Along the famous Paris-Roubaix cycling route, tourists are known to pilfer parts of the pavement.
While Rome’s iconic ‘sampietrini’ – cobblestones made of solidified lava – have also disappeared into suitcases over the years.
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Travel
‘Inequality and infinite growth’: Canary Islands anti-tourism protests reignite amid record arrivals
This weekend, residents of Spain’s Canary Islands are coming out in force to protest against mass tourism.
People on the archipelago have been growing increasingly vocal about its struggles with visitor numbers.
Last year, locals held multiple protests to highlight overtourism’s strain on local infrastructure and housing availability. They look set to continue again this summer as residents say little has been done to tackle the problem.
Protests planned across Spain against overtourism
On Sunday, 18 May, residents of the Canary Islands will take to the streets to join protests organised by campaign group Canarias tiene un límite (The Canary Islands have a limit).
Demonstrations will be held on all the islands of the archipelago as well as in several cities across Spain.
Protests will begin at 11 am on the seven main Canary Islands – El Hierro, La Palma, La gomera, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura – and at 12pm on mainland cities including Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia.
Residents in the German capital of Berlin are also planning to take to the streets in solidarity.
Why are residents of the Canary Islands protesting?
The organisers say they are protesting to oppose the current economic model “based on overtourism, speculation, inequality and the infinite growth on very limited land”.
Instead, they want a transition to a people-centred, environmentally responsible model that respects the archipelago’s ecological and social needs.
Specifically, they are calling for a halt to destructive hotel projects across the islands and the building of a motor circuit on Tenerife; a moratorium on new tourist developments; guaranteed access for residents to healthcare and housing; and a functional ecological tourist tax.
The group also wants the immediate introduction of measures to curb marine pollution and the creation of an environmental restoration law.
Canary Islands receive record number of tourists in March
Earlier this month, authorities announced that the Canary Islands received more than 1.55 million foreign visitors in March, up 0.9 per cent on the record set in the same month last year.
The figures were released by the Canary Islands National Statistics Institute (INE), which added that the total number of international tourists for the first quarter of 2025 was 4.36 million, an increase of 2.1 per cent year-on-year.
The tourist influx comes despite dozens of protests staged last year by Canary Island residents against mass tourism.
Similar demonstrations have already taken place this year. Over Easter, around 80,000 hospitality workers in Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro walked out in a dispute with unions over pay.
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A 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of the Greek island of Crete early this morning, Wednesday 14 May.
Authorities issued a tsunami alert in the area shortly after the tremor, which was felt as far away as Israel, Syria and Egypt.
Tourists are being warned to stay away from coastal areas in the popular holiday spot.
Here is the latest travel information from the local government.
Tourists in Crete urged to move away from coastlines
The earthquake was at a depth of 35 kilometres with its epicentre near the islands of Kasos and Karpathos in the Aegean Sea.
Greece’s Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection issued a precautionary tsunami warning for the area, including the east coast of Crete and the island of Rhodes.
Authorities urged residents and tourists on the island to keep away from the coastline and move to higher ground.
“A magnitude 5.9 earthquake occurred 48km SE of Kasos. Risk of possible Tsunami in your area,” the Ministry posted on its X account this morning. The magnitude was later updated to 6.0.
“Move away from the coast immediately. Follow the instructions of Local Authorities.”
Samaria Gorge, one of Crete’s most popular hiking routes, is temporarily closed as officials check for any damage done to the route.
“The Natural Environment and Climate Change Organisation announces that due to the earthquake that occurred today south of Kasos, the gorge will remain closed to visitors in order to check the route for possible rockfalls,” authorities said. “A further announcement will be made late this afternoon.”
Crete earthquake: Is it safe to travel and am I entitled to compensation?
Foreign governments have not issued travel advisories as yet, so it is currently still considered safe to visit Greece and its islands.
This also means that, should you choose not to go ahead with your trip, you are unlikely to receive compensation.
Depending on your travel insurance policy, you may be able to receive a refund for some or all of your trip if it includes compensation for cancellations due to natural disasters. Check with your provider and read your terms and conditions carefully.
There have been no reports so far of injuries or major damage from the earthquake, but authorities are monitoring the situation closely and have warned people should remain vigilant.
If you are on holiday in or about to travel to Crete, Kasos or Karpathos, make sure you stay up to date with the latest information.
Crete and its surrounding region are considered one of Europe’s most seismically active zones.
In October 2021, a 6.3 magnitude earthquake shook the island just weeks after another tremor killed one person and injured several others.
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