Guests planning to sail on one of Disney Fantasy’s 2025 European cruises may have been notified by the family-friendly cruise line that their itinerary has been revised.
Five different European Cruises – all of which sail through the Mediterranean – have been impacted. The affected sailings fall between May 24, 2025 and July 31, 2025.
The reason behind the change is that the North-West Mediterranean Sea has been designated as a Particular Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
This designation, which was given in July of 2023, means that this portion of the ocean needs special protection because of its ecological or socio-economic conditions that are vulnerable to damage by ships.
In this part of the Mediterranean, there is a higher risk for collisions with whales, other crustaceans, and rocky shoals. Additionally, this area is known for strong currents that swiftly distribute larvae, making it an important resource for local fisheries.
In order to protect the region, cruise ships have been asked to reduce speeds by between 10 and 13 knots. Disney is complying with the voluntary reduction, which has resulted in the need to rearrange and remove ports from Disney Fantasy’s European itineraries.
“While the Disney Dream is sailing in the PSSA, the ship will reduce its speed to comply with the IMO’s recommendation and help protect the local whale population. Due to the ship’s reduced speed, it will be necessary to modify your sailing’s itinerary,” Disney wrote in an email to impacted passengers.
“We apologize for any disappointment regarding this change. We know this revised itinerary will provide guests with the first-class experience they have come to know and expect from Disney Cruise Line,” concluded the email.
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This is also not the first time a cruise line has had to alter its itineraries in order to safely traverse PSSAs – or even a first for Disney Cruise Line. Disney Dream, the sister-ship to Disney Fantasy, also had several of her summer European itineraries altered for summer 2024 for the same reason.
Just a few weeks ago at the end of April 2024, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Getaway was also delayed in returning to her homeport due to whale zone speed restrictions.
Disney Fantasy’s Impacted Itineraries
Five different European itineraries have been adjusted due to Disney’s decision to follow the speed restrictions set by the IMO.
The first sailing, which is scheduled to embark from Barcelona, Spain, on May 25, 2025, is a 7-night, round-trip Mediterranean Cruise. This cruise saw the originally scheduled port of Toulon, France, replaced with Palermo, Italy, and saw the visits to Naples, Italy, and Livorno, Italy, switch places on the itinerary.
The next cruise, which embarks from Rome, Italy, on June 30, 2025, and concludes in Barcelona on July 12, 2025, saw minimal changes to its 12-night itinerary. Instead of calling on Naples, Italy, as the voyage’s final port, the 2,500-guest ship will visit Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
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The subsequent sailing is a 7-night voyage to and from Barcelona that begins on July 12. This revised itinerary replaced Cannes, France with Palermo, Italy, and swapped the days in which they will visit Naples and Livorno.
Following that is a round-trip, 5-night Mediterranean sailing based out of Barcelona, which is due to set sail on July 19, 2025.
Originally, the port-heavy sailing was supposed to have only one day at sea, but now the previously planned visit to Marseilles, France, will become a second sea day. The cruise still calls for stops at Livorno, Italy, and Rome, Italy, as was originally scheduled.
Last but not least, a 7-night Western European cruise that begins in Barcelona on July 24 and ends in Southampton, UK, on July 31 also got an extra sea day. Cartagena, Spain, which was supposed to be the first port call of the voyage, will now be skipped.
