The French Riviera Reconsiders Ban on Large Cruise Ships

After initially declaring that the French Riviera did not want large cruise ships, Mayor Christian Estrosi of Nice has agreed to reconsider and provide a compromise to the industry. In January, Mayor Estrosi signed a decree blocking cruise ships with over 900 passengers or over 190 meters in length from docking in Nice, citing concerns about overtourism and environmental impacts.

While the ban received significant attention, it was noted that Nice is not a major cruise ship port and can only accommodate luxury cruise ships. However, the mayor also sought to extend the ban to Villefranche-sur-mer, where large cruise ships regularly anchor. Industry experts and the cruise line trade group CLIA Europe raised concerns about the economic impact of the ban, estimating significant revenue losses.

Following consultations with local leaders, Mayor Estrosi has now proposed a compromise plan. The new plan, set to be submitted to the local council on March 7, aims to balance public health concerns with the local economy. The compromise would allow cruise ships with up to 2,500 passengers to anchor in the bay and tender passengers ashore. Mega cruise ships would still be directed to Cannes, while small ships with under 450 passengers could call in Nice. The plan also limits calls to one cruise ship per day.

The port authority estimates that the compromise plan would permit approximately 65 of the planned 90 cruise ship calls scheduled for this summer. Similar efforts to limit cruise ship sizes have been seen in other destinations like Key West and Bar Harbor in the United States, as well as in Greece.