The Mayor of a city in France really doesn't want Royal Caribbean's ship to visit.
A dramatic scene unfolded in the French Riviera this week as the Mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, grandstanded abord a police boat to personally confront Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas.
He claims a new ban on large cruise ships means Voyager cannot visit.
The incident was captured on video as Estrosi shouted at the ship’s crew after they refused to accept a letter demanding the ship's immediate departure.
Showdown in France
Voyager of the Seas arrived off the shore of Villefranche-sur-Mer around 6:30 am on July 3.
The Royal Caribbean ship had 3,114 guests and approximately 1,200 crew members on board. According to port officials, the visit was a pre-approved stop.
However, on July 1st, the cities of Nice and Villefranche had enacted new rules banning cruise ships carrying more than 2,500 passengers from disembarking in the area.
Estrosi, who is both the mayor of Nice and president of the regional government, viewed the ship's arrival as a direct violation of that ban.
Estrosi boarded a police boat with a television crew and approached Voyager of the Seas at anchor. He requested to board the ship to deliver an official letter instructing the captain not to let passengers ashore and to leave the area.
Here's a copy of the letter:
Dear Captain,
It has been brought to my attention that your ship, owned by Royal Caribbean Group and currently anchored off Villefranche-sur-Mer, is carrying a number of passengers on board that exceeds the limit of 2,500 people. This threshold was set as part of the policy framework of the Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur, the port authority for the Nice-Villefranche Santé maritime station, aimed at strictly regulating cruise ship traffic.
In accordance with these publicly announced commitments, I formally request that you refrain from disembarking any passengers from your vessel at the Villefranche maritime station or at any other metropolitan facility.
Given your clear non-compliance with our environmental and territorial regulations, I am bringing this matter to the attention of the Minister for Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion, as well as the Maritime Prefect of the Mediterranean. I am asking them to take, without delay, all necessary measures to order the immediate departure of your ship from the waters off Villefranche.
I therefore urge you to arrange, without delay, for your anchor to be lifted and to leave territorial waters within the day.
The Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur intends to strictly enforce decisions aimed at combating maritime pollution, preserving air quality, and protecting the living environment of residents and visitors.
Thank you for your understanding, and please accept, Captain, the assurances of my highest consideration.
Christian Estrosi
President of the Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur
The crew refused to grant him access or accept the letter, and the officer on the landing platform motioned for him to leave.
Visibly frustrated, Estrosi was caught on video shouting, "Where is the captain?" and telling the crew to "get out of here" and "you are nobody." He later accused Royal Caribbean of ignoring local regulations and described the crew’s behavior as "arrogant."
Mayor Estrosi introduced the cruise ship restrictions earlier in 2025 as part of an effort to "combat air pollution, reduce maritime emissions, and preserve quality of life for coastal residents".
The original proposal sought to limit ships to fewer than 900 passengers and under 690 feet in length. He later compromised by setting the cap at 2,500 passengers.
Villefranche has also capped total cruise visits to one ship per day and no more than 65 calls per year. Meanwhile, neighboring Cannes plans to enforce its own cap of 1,000 passengers per ship starting in January 2026.
Estrosi argued that large vessels like Voyager of the Seas should instead dock in cities better equipped to handle them, such as Marseille.
Estrosi isn't done yet. In a statement to local reporters, he said, "I will not give up. I intend to strictly enforce the decision." He has since contacted national officials and France’s Minister for Ecological Transition, asking for firm support in upholding the regional cruise limits.
Despite the confrontation, Voyager of the Seas left Villefranche as scheduled on the evening of July 3 and continued its cruise to Ajaccio, Corsica. It will then visit Cannes and Marseille later in the voyage.
Cruise industry response
In response to the incident, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) criticized Estrosi’s approach, calling it "apparently illegal" and inconsistent with the industry’s Sustainable Cruise Charter for the Mediterranean, which Royal Caribbean and other lines signed in June.
The organization is urging French national authorities to intervene and provide guidance, citing the importance of legal clarity and consistency for international cruise operations.
