Multiple cruise vessels have postponed their visits to Valencia, Spain, after one of the deadliest floods ravaged the city on October 29.
These include ships owned by Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, and MSC Cruises. Cruise operators opt for other nearby destinations to replace the Spanish port of call.
Here are some of the itineraries that have recently been affected:
| Cruise Ship | Sailing Date | New Port of Call |
| Odyssey of the Seas | November 3 | Palma de Mallorca |
| Explorer of the Seas | November 2 | Cartagena |
| Celebrity Equinox | October 31 | Palma de Mallorca |
| Borealis | October 29 | Barcelona |
| Explora II | October 16 | Alicante |
Passengers of MSC Vessel Advised to Remain Onboard
MSC Seaside was forced to dock at Valencia on October 31 so some passengers could embark and disembark. However, the vessel’s master, Captain Daniola Cha, encouraged other guests to remain onboard in light of the recent disaster.
A message from the captain reads, “Considering these exceptional circumstances, we strongly recommend that transit guests remain on board and enjoy MSC Seaside’s amenities as the city has been devastated by the flood with infrastructure and services massively disrupted.”
Cho assured passengers that the costs of shore excursions would be returned to them as onboard credits. He added that if they still choose to visit the city, the cruise line would not be responsible for their 2.5-mile transportation to and from Valencia.
Railways and roads, including the A-7 freeway viaduct, sustained massive damage. The current state of infrastructure would make passengers’ timely arrivals more challenging.
What Happened in Valencia?
Several news outlets are touting the floods as among the worst in Europe’s history. According to local weather agency Aemet, in only eight hours, the Spanish province was overwhelmed with a year’s worth of water.
Over 200 people were killed in flash floods, bridges collapsed, vehicles piled on top of one another, and farmlands disappeared. Public transportation services and school classes were canceled amid power outages. The local government also advised citizens to avoid travel until further notice.
Earlier this year, Barcelona and 200 other towns in Catalonia declared drought emergencies, limiting their ability to provide fresh water to cruise ships.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reported that extreme weather events—such as flash floods and droughts—have grown in severity and probability due to climate change.
