French Senate Approves New €15 Cruise Passenger Tax

The French Senate has passed a new measure that would introduce a nationwide tax on cruise operations, according to a report from Le Figaro.

Approved on Monday, the proposal requires each cruise passenger to pay a fee of €15 for every stop made in France. Although the Senate has endorsed the measure, the draft legislation will continue to move through parliamentary discussions until mid-December.

Le Figaro reported that the tax is designed to support efforts to protect and enhance France’s coastlines. The measure narrowly passed and is expected to generate more than €75 million in annual revenue for the French government.

Senators who put forward the tax said it aims to compensate for the “particularly heavy externalities” cruise ships impose on coastal and port communities. Jean-Mar Délia noted that the annual CO2 emissions from cruise vessels are comparable to those produced by one billion vehicles, adding that similar taxes already exist in parts of Europe and other regions.

Délia also stated that the new fee should not reduce France’s appeal as a cruise destination.

France remains a major player in European cruising, with popular ports in both the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. Its overseas regions—including Martinique, Guadeloupe and French Polynesia—also receive significant cruise traffic. It remains unclear whether the tax will apply to all French territories worldwide.

The proposal faced resistance from France’s Minister of Public Accounts, Amélie de Montchalin, who argued that the text of the measure does not distinguish between cruise ships and ferries.

In related developments, the Côte d’Azur region recently approved its own restrictions on cruise activity. Introduced in October, the policy caps both the number of ships allowed and the passenger capacities of vessels calling in the region.