P&O Cruises cancelled the scheduled October 18, 2026, port call at Le Havre, France, on the seven-night cruise of its ship Iona departing Southampton on October 17, 2026. The cancellation was caused by ongoing protests and civil unrest across France, where more than 600 protests took place on October 17, 2026, some turning violent with clashes and damage, notably in Paris.
Revised Itinerary Shifts Spain Visits
The cancelled day at Le Havre was replaced by an additional day at sea. The ship’s call at Vigo, Spain, was moved earlier from October 20 to October 19. Iona then arrived in A Coruña on October 20 and
stayed overnight until October 21, extending the original stay and giving passengers more time in the Galician city. The Bilbao-Getxo call on October 22 remained unchanged. Iona is scheduled to return to Southampton, United Kingdom, on October 24, 2026.
Passenger Notification and Refunds
Passengers were notified of the itinerary changes before embarkation. P&O Cruises is refunding shore excursions booked through the company for Le Havre. Independent bookings for excursions or transport in Le Havre will require passengers to contact providers directly. This cancellation removes the only French port on Iona’s seven-night itinerary and affects passengers who booked mainly to visit Normandy or Paris.
Protests Impact Cruise Schedule and Safety
The
protests disrupted public transport and access to tourist areas in multiple French cities, including Paris, where restrictions and curfews were implemented. P&O Cruises cited passenger and crew safety as the primary reason for the itinerary change, considering challenges posed by unrest and disrupted road transport. The cruise line monitors such situations carefully to decide operational safety measures.
Passenger Response and Regional Context
Passenger feedback on social media was generally positive about the itinerary change. As one anonymous passenger noted, “Swapping Le Havre for an overnight in A Coruña isn’t a bad trade. Paris was a 2.5-hour ride each way from the port anyway, and A
Coruña has the Tower of Hercules, the oldest Roman lighthouse still in use, plus a full evening ashore for seafood.” The Tower of Hercules in A Coruña is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
No other scheduled cruise calls to French ports, aside from Iona’s Le Havre visit, have been reported cancelled as of the publication. Cruise operators must ensure safe passenger transfers amid civil unrest, making the decision in France unique to this voyage.
