The International Maritime Organization (IMO) designated certain areas in the North-West Mediterranean Sea as a Particular Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) and is recommending ships reduce their speeds while traversing the PSSA to reduce the risk of collisions with whales and other cetaceans. The recommended speed restriction applies to the area located along the coastlines of France, Italy, Monaco, and Spain. As a result of this designation, a number of Disney Cruise Line’s European itineraries have been modified to comply with the voluntary speed reduction while sailing within the North-West Mediterranean Sea PSAA.

In March, a number of this summer’s Disney Dream’s itineraries were altered, and this week Disney Cruise Line made changes to the following Disney Fantasy’s 2025 voyages with the revised itineraries.

May 24, 2025 – 7-Night Mediterranean Cruise from Barcelona

This itinerary saw the replacement of Toulon, France with Palermo, Italy, as well as swapping the days in which they will visit Naples and Livorno.

1. Saturday May 24, 2025 – Barcelona, Spain
2. Sunday May 25, 2025 – At Sea
3. Monday May 26, 2025 – Palermo (Sicily), Italy (previously Toulon, France)
4. Tuesday May 27, 2025 – Naples, Italy (previously Livorno, Italy)
5. Wednesday May 28, 2025 – Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy
6. Thursday May 29, 2025 – Livorno, Italy (previously Naples, Italy)
7. Friday May 30, 2025 – At Sea
   Saturday May 31, 2025 – Barcelona, Spain (Debarkation)

June 30, 2025 – 12-Night Mediterranean with Greek Isles Cruise from Civitavecchia (Rome) ending in Barcelona

This itinerary saw the removal of Naples, Italy and the addition of Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

1. Monday June 30, 2025 – Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy
2. Tuesday July 1, 2025 – At Sea
3. Wednesday July 2, 2025 – At Sea
4. Thursday July 3, 2025 – Piraeus (Athens), Greece
5. Friday July 4, 2025 – Santorini, Greece
6. Saturday July 5, 2025 – Kusadasi, Turkey
7. Sunday July 6, 2025 – Mykonos, Greece
8. Monday July 7, 2025 – At Sea
9. Tuesday July 8, 2025 – Valletta, Malta
10. Wednesday July 9, 2025 – Messina (Sicily), Italy
11. Thursday July 10, 2025 – At Sea (previously Naples, Italy)
12. Friday July 11, 2025 – Palma de Mallorca, Spain (previously Day at Sea)
    Saturday July 12, 2025 – Barcelona, Spain (Debarkation)

July 12, 2025 – 7-Night Mediterranean Cruise from Barcelona

This itinerary saw the replacement of Cannes, France with Palermo, Italy, as well as swapping the days in which they will visit Naples and Livorno.

1. Saturday July 12, 2025 – Barcelona, Spain
2. Sunday July 13, 2025 – At Sea
3. Monday July 14, 2025 – Livorno, Italy (previously Naples, Italy)
4. Tuesday July 15, 2025 – Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy
5. Wednesday July 16, 2025 – Naples, Italy (previously Livorno, Italy)
6. Thursday July 17, 2025 – Palermo (Sicily), Italy (previously Cannes, France)
7. Friday July 18, 2025 – At Sea
   Saturday July 19, 2025 – Barcelona, Spain (Debarkation)

July 19, 2025 – 5-Night Mediterranean Cruise from Barcelona

This itinerary saw the replacement of the stop in Marseilles, France with a day at sea.

1. Saturday July 19, 2025 – Barcelona, Spain
2. Sunday July 20, 2025 – At Sea (previously Marseilles, France)
3. Monday July 21, 2025 – Livorno, Italy
4. Tuesday July 22, 2025 – Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy
5. Wednesday July 23, 2025 – At Sea
   Thursday July 24, 2025 – Barcelona, Spain (Debarkation)

July 24, 2025 – 7-Night Western Europe Cruise from Barcelona ending in Southampton

This itinerary saw the replacement of the stop in Cartagena, Spain with a day at sea.

1. Thursday July 24, 2025 – Barcelona, Spain
2. Friday July 25, 2025 – At Sea (previously Cartagena, Spain)
3. Saturday July 26, 2025 – At Sea
4. Sunday July 27, 2025 – Lisbon, Portugal
5. Monday July 28, 2025 – Vigo, Spain
6. Tuesday July 29, 2025 – La Coruña, Spain
7. Wednesday July 30, 2025 – At Sea
   Thursday July 31, 2025 – Southampton (Debarkation)

North-West Mediterranean Sea as a Particular Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA)

The North Western Mediterranean Sea Particular Sensitive Area (PSSA) was declared by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in July 2023. A PSSA is an area that needs special protection through action by IMO because of its significance for recognized ecological, socio-economic, or scientific attributes where such attributes may be vulnerable to damage by international shipping activities.

According to Lloyd’s Register, any commercial ships and pleasure yachts of 300GT and above are recommended to apply the following associated protective measures when transiting through the North-Western Mediterranean PSSA (NW Med PSSA):

• Navigate with particular caution within the NW Med PSSA, in areas where large and medium cetaceans are detected or reported and reduce speed to between 10 and 13 knots as voluntary speed reduction (VSR). However, a safe speed should be kept, so that proper and effective action could be taken to avoid collision and any possible negative impacts on the ship’s maneuverability.
• Keep an appropriate safety distance or speed reduction measure from any large and medium cetaceans observed or detected in close quarter situation. The safety distance or speed reduction measure should be adapted to the actual navigation circumstances and conditions of the ship.
• Broadcast on VHF or other available means on scene, the position of medium and large cetaceans observed or detected within the designated NW Med PSSA and transmit the information and the position to a designated coastal Authority or Authorities.
• Report any collision with cetaceans to a designated coastal Authority or Authorities, which should forward this information to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) global cetacean ship strikes database.

You can learn more about the Worldwide PSSAs here.