There may be relative calm on the streets of Magalluf this summer, but all the new bylaws can do little to stop the booze cruises and party boats from setting sail. A host of new companies offering booze cruises have popped up and it appears that business is extremely brisk.
In theory the booze cruises should comply with a set of requisites laid down in the tourism and maritime transport laws but, according to Pepe Tirado, the president of Acotur, the association of tourism businesses, the majority do not. There are strict controls regulating noise, the quality of food and drinks served, the number of people on board at any one time and, of course, safety and security.
One company in particular operated 74 booze cruises last summer and, after a winter of heavy online promotion and advertising, the booze cruises are fully booked during June, July and August. Tirado said that the majority of the companies organising these events are British and they are failing to comply with the required norms and regulations and are therefore "illegal competition" to the rest of the entertainment sector.
Tirado said that his association has reported the booze cruises to the ministry of tourism and the central government delegate on a number of occasions in an attempt to prompt inspections being carried out. "But nothing has happened yet. However, it will, but only once we’ve had a tragedy," he said.
Tirado also stressed that these cruises are not good for the island’s image. "They stagger off the boats like sacks of potatoes and these cruises totally clash with Calvia's attempt to eradicate anti-social behaviour. They’ve managed to curtail pub crawls but it looks like now they’re going to have to do something about booze cruises."