Will the growing anti-tourism lead to problems for Cunard at ports?

[exlondoner]

3 minutes ago, TowandaUK said:

We live 30 mins from the Jurassic coast so know it well shoreside. It would be good to see it from the sea, but the main reason for going is to try out QM2, we’ve been on Anne, and have Victoria booked, but would like to try QM2. 

If the sun shines, it will be lovely. But I do wonder how close you’ll get. Mind you, there is so much to do on QM2 usually, you may not have time to look out much.

[*Miss G*]

I’m guessing they will want to get out of territorial waters pretty quickly so there won’t be much of a view. Does the description say they’ll do a scenic cruise of the coast? That would be nice if they do. It’s very pretty.

[TowandaUK]

It’s titled Scenic Jurassic Coast Voyage. Having read the descriptions of the scenic part of the naming voyage I am under no illusions that we shall be in sight of the shore despite the title. 

[Winifred 22]

10 hours ago, TowandaUK said:

We have a 2 nighter booked on QM2 in 2026. It just cruises along the Jurassic coast for a couple of days and returns to Southampton. We are using it as a taster for QM2. It is immediately after a dry dock so we are aware that it could be cancelled if the dry dock over runs. 

Prior to a voyage to Norway last year I was most concerned about anti tourist protests and posters reported in the news. We never had any problems whatsoever, and never saw a single poster despite prior warnings that they would be plastered everywhere in the ports. 

I have booked that too. I am a bit more inland than you - New Forest but thought it sounded a good opportunity for a short break. My daughter lives by the sea in Devon so I am hoping we will go that far. 

[TowandaUK]

1 hour ago, Winifred 22 said:

I have booked that too. I am a bit more inland than you - New Forest but thought it sounded a good opportunity for a short break. My daughter lives by the sea in Devon so I am hoping we will go that far. 

That’s lovely. Good to know you will be onboard too. 

Edited July 23 by TowandaUK

[edgeoftheworld]

On 7/22/2024 at 5:01 PM, ShipboardSteve said:

This appeared in one of the main news media in the UK a short time ago from Barcelona quoting local newspaper: "

El Pais newspaper: "We are going to propose... substantially increasing the tax for stopover cruise passengers.

"In the case of stopover cruise passengers (less than 12 hours) there is intensive use of public space without any benefit for the city and a feeling of occupation and saturation. We want to have tourism that is respectful of the destination."

 

Some lines might change their itineraries so that they spend longer in port, say 2 full days instead of 1. A Balearic cruise could work well, with 2 days Barcelona, 2 days Palma, 1 day Ibiza, & a day somewhere else.

[WantedOnVoyage]

Really?  I not sure why one would aspire to spend longer in Barcelona or Palma which are the two most anti tourist ports in Spain?  I still love Palma but you can keep Barcelona, thanks very much.  The nice thing about this "anti tourism" fad is that some of us dislike being in some of these places as much as they do having us.  

[Germancruiser]

I very much dout that they woulde stay more than one day- say in Barcelona- the cost for a docked ship are horendous - so I heard.

" Stopp cruisers" that sign said. Yes, well and when nobody shows up the outcry is even more loud, tourists bring in money, even cruisers- if not so much in restaurants etc. Also some places, which are complaing did everything to lure the tourists into their places. " The ghosts I called...."!

[ace2542]

It all depends if any country bans cruise ships completely and it would only take one or two countries to ban like Spain and Italy or Greece though unlikely to effect Cunard. A ban by Spain for example might force RCI into chapter 11 and others. After all any ships they can't port no one else could they would have to be scrapped.

 

Southampton banning ships would be a problem too.

[Victoria2]

2 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

It all depends if any country bans cruise ships completely and it would only take one or two countries to ban like Spain and Italy or Greece though unlikely to effect Cunard. A ban by Spain for example might force RCI into chapter 11 and others. After all any ships they can't port no one else could they would have to be scrapped.

 

Southampton banning ships would be a problem too.

Realms of fantasy...for the time being.

[exlondoner]

12 hours ago, WantedOnVoyage said:

Really?  I not sure why one would aspire to spend longer in Barcelona or Palma which are the two most anti tourist ports in Spain?  I still love Palma but you can keep Barcelona, thanks very much.  The nice thing about this "anti tourism" fad is that some of us dislike being in some of these places as much as they do having us.  

I agree (!!!) that Barcelona is one of the most disagreeable of all ports, but my impression is that the majority of ships that call there are turning round, meaning quite a lot a the passengers might well spend a few days there. I’m not sure whether this makes it better or worse.

[david63]

31 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Barcelona is one of the most disagreeable of all ports,

I would not disagree about Barcelona as a "destination" port but as a cruise terminal it is one of the better ones around - certainly better than Southampton and 100 times better than Civitavecchia.

 

There is no way that Barcelona is going to stop cruise ships as they are building a sixth terminal