The stunning city of the French Riviera is bringing “dramatic actions” to cruise ships to combat overcrowding and pollution. World famous for its international film festival, Cannes will ban ships carrying more than 1,000 people from the port starting January 1st next year.
French hotspots are now the latest city to take part in a global backlash against overtourism. Cannes councillors who voted for the measure on Friday called the new restrictions “dramatic restrictions.” The city council says cruise tourism aims to be “lower, bigger, less pollution and more aesthetics.”
Under the new restrictions, only ships with fewer than 1,000 passengers will be allowed at the port, with up to 6,000 passengers disembarking per day.
The larger ship is expected to transfer passengers to a small boat to enter Cannes. Cannes received a significant influx of cruise passengers in 2024, with 318,000 visitors arriving by ship.
City lawyer Mayor David Lisnerd says the move is not to ban cruise ships, but to regulate them.
“Cannes has become a major cruise ship destination that offers real economic benefits. It's not about banning cruise ships, it's about regulations, organising and setting guidelines for navigation,” Mayor Lisnard said in a statement.
The Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) has expressed concern about these restrictions and calls it harming destinations and passengers.
Nearby cities in Nice are scheduled to begin on July 1st. Nice Mayor Christian Estrósi said the luxury liner will be banned, carrying more than 900 passengers from the ornate resort where cruise ships dock to visit the city and the picturesque town nearby. He previously referred to cruise ships as “sea monsters” that “pollute and throw away low-cost customers” as “monsters.”
Venice banned large liners from reaching the city centre in 2021, followed by Amsterdam and Barcelona in 2023.
