Palma Crams Cruise Ships: New Passenger Limits Announced

Palma, a popular holiday destination in Mallorca, Spain, will soon impose significant limits on the number of cruise ship passengers it receives. Between June and September annually, from 2027 through 2029, the daily average number of permitted berths will decrease from 8,500 to 7,500. For the remainder of the year, the limit will stay at 8,500 passengers. This agreement was reached between the Balearic Government, Palma City Council, and twenty cruise lines.

The new regulations also stipulate a maximum of three cruise ships per day docking in Palma's port. Furthermore, only one of these vessels will be permitted to carry more than 5,000 passengers on any given day. These changes are a direct response to growing concerns over overtourism. Last July, tens of thousands of residents marched through Palma to protest issues like rising rents and severe overcrowding.

Palma is not the first European location to introduce such restrictions. Cannes, France, has banned large cruise ships carrying over 1,000 passengers since last summer. Nice has also implemented limits, banning large ships to avoid what its mayor termed 'low-cost clientele.' Venice banned large liners in 2021, with Amsterdam and Barcelona following suit in 2023, highlighting a broader trend across Europe to manage the impact of the cruise industry on popular destinations.