What should have been a routine day of arrivals and departures on the Mediterranean island of Corsica instead turned into a logistical headache for hundreds of passengers when protests halted ferry and cruise traffic.

Fishermen protesting rising fuel prices blocked access to several Corsican ports on April 7, 2026, preventing ferries and cruise ships from docking and leaving tourists stranded on the island or at sea.

Princess Cruise Line’s 4,300-passenger Sun Princess was one of the affected ships unable to arrive to Port Ajaccio due to the blockade.

A passenger on board said the Captain attempted to negotiate with the fisherman and was told they could enter but would not be allowed to leave, eventually forcing Sun Princess to abandon the port stop.

Instead, the ship continued its 7-night voyage from Barcelona and is making its way to its Genoa, Italy, call. It will also visit La Spezia for an overnight visit before concluding in Civitavecchia (Rome) on April 11.

Hopefully, the vessel will be allowed to stop in Corsica on its return voyage, scheduled for April 28.

The demonstrations are part of a growing movement by maritime workers who say soaring diesel costs from Middle East tensions are threatening their livelihoods.

Passengers hoping to leave Corsica or arrive by ferry and cruise ship faced cancellations and long delays as the blockade unfolded, beginning at 6 a.m. Some cruise and ferry routes were suspended while authorities assessed the situation.

The disruptions come at the start of the island’s busy travel period, when ferries regularly connect Corsica to mainland France and Italy and serve as a key gateway for tourists exploring the Mediterranean.

AIDA Cruises, a sister cruise line to Princess Cruises under the Carnival Corporation umbrella, also features Corsica’s Port Ajaccio on its current season, with AIDAcosma’s April 8 arrival in question.

Corsica Ports at Center of Protest

Corsica, the mountainous French island in the Mediterranean Sea between mainland France and Italy, is one of the region’s most-visited cruise and ferry destinations. Its ports, including Ajaccio, Bastia, and Porto-Vecchio, serve as a major gateway between the island and mainland Europe.

Ferries connect to Corsica to cities such as Marseille, Toulon, and Nice in France and to Italian ports, including Livorno and Genoa. Cruise ships frequently include the island on Western Mediterranean itineraries.

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Both Sun Princess and AIDAcosma have multiple calls to Ajaccio scheduled in April, along with Oceania Cruises’ Oceania Marina, Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Seven Seas Splendor, Marella Cruises’ Explorer 2, Azamara Club Cruises’ Azamara Quest, and Saga Cruises’s Spirit of Discovery.

It is unclear how long the fisherman plan to block the port or if local authorities will be able to regain control. The protests could broaden beyond the fishing industry, with the Corsican agricultural union saying farmers are facing similar pressure.

Fisherman and agricultural groups are warning they may expand demonstrations, potentially forcing further cruise itinerary changes and cancellations.

Driving up fuel costs is the volatility in global fuel markets tied to the recent tensions in the Middle East, which already forced cruise lines to abruptly end seasons early and reroute vessels from the region.