On Saturday there will be four cruise ships in Palma that have a combined maximum passenger capacity of over 15,000. The limit per day that was set by the 2022 agreement between the Balearic Government and the CLIA cruise lines association is 8,000.
Under this agreement there are meant to be no more than three ships per day with 500 or more passengers, with only one having in excess of 5,000 passengers. Of the four ships scheduled for Saturday, the Seabourn Ovation is the smallest (600 passengers). The Marella Voyager has capacity of 1,900. But then are two ships - AIDAcosma and MSC Virtuosa - that are in the 'mega' category. Both have absolute maximum capacities over 6,000. The exact capacities of all four ships combined is 15,504.
The agreement, as the Balearic tourism ministry is pointing out, has no legal obligation. It was "a memorandum of good practices" and a sign of commitment to tourism containment policies in Mallorca. The Balearic Government couldn't establish a legal obligation as it does not the power to do so; that resides with the Spanish Government via the transport ministry and the State Ports.
While the government is noting the lack of legal obligation to explain the ships on Saturday, the CLIA has offered no explanation.
Jaume Garau of the Palma XXI pressure group says: "This is not the first time they have overstepped the limit; they have done it before." Margalida Ramis of the environmentalists GOB questions the usefulness of an agreement that is not binding. "This is an agreement that lacks any solidity and is not a legitimate tool. There must be an agreement that goes beyond good intentions."
The agreement is due to expire at the end of 2026. For its renewal, the government is waiting on the findings of a study into the impact of cruise ship restrictions before making a final decision. The Platform against Mega Cruise Ships advocates a maximum of one ship per day with no more than 4,000 passengers and is demanding civil society participation in the decision.
The weather forecast for Saturday is reasonable. There may be some cloud with an outside chance of a drop of rain in some areas, but doesn't look as if it will mean whole loads of visitors descending on Palma, which typically happens on cloudy days. There have been occasions this summer when large numbers of cruise passengers have coincided with cloudy weather and have therefore added to 'saturation' in the city.