Cruise ships: love and hate

There was an eerie silence from the local government, which has recently been slammed as “anti-tourist” by the retail and commercial sectors for its war on cruise ships; while the USA was in town, not a word. However, it’s not just Palma where cruise ships are getting a lukewarm welcome.

In Norway, for example, the biggest cruise destination in Europe, it’s all-out war. Although the industry has been adamant that the environmental damage is decreasing due to the introduction of LNG-powered vessels and the promise to be carbon neutral in 2050, protesters in five Norwegian ports met cruise ship passengers this week stating their presence is not wanted.

CruiseNOTWelcome hopes to draw attention to what it calls the detrimental impact the cruise industry has on the environment. The posters stated: “Please go back to your boat and tell all on board that you are parasites. You are NOT welcome in Norway!” others read, “CRUISE? Just don’t!” Will Palma go that far? I doubt it.