Portugal Port Strike Shifts Lisbon Cruise Calls Oct. 23-24
Key points
- Two-day port strike hits mainland Portugal, including Lisbon.
- MSC Divina moves embarkation to Málaga with coach transfers.
- Ambassador Ambience skips Lisbon, adds A Coruña call.
- Strike runs midnight-to-midnight, October 23 and 24, WEST.
Impact
- What Changed
- Port-administration workers began a two-day strike impacting several mainland ports, including Lisbon.
- Why It Matters
- Cruise calls are canceled or moved, altering embarkation ports, timings, and independent plans.
- Dates
- October 23-24, 2025, midnight to midnight (12:00 a.m.-12:00 a.m., 00:00-24:00 WEST).
- What To Do
- Monitor line emails, follow port and ship instructions, confirm third-party tours, consider refunds or rebooking.
A two-day strike by Portugal's National Union of Port Administration Workers is disrupting cruise operations at Lisbon on October 23 and 24, 2025. The action runs midnight to midnight both days, 1200 a.m.-1200 a.m. and 0000-2400 Western European Summer Time (WEST). MSC Divina has moved Friday embarkation from Lisbon to Málaga and arranged coaches, while Ambassador Ambience is skipping Lisbon today and adding A Coruña tomorrow. Travelers should expect revised boarding times, coach transfers, or refunds where calls are canceled, and confirm any independent arrangements with operators.
Lisbon port authority strike and affected ports
The strike covers the mainland port administrations of Douro, Leixões and Viana do Castelo, Aveiro, Figueira da Foz, Lisbon, Setúbal, Sines, and the Algarve, plus Companhia Logística de Terminais Marítimos at Sines. It does not cover the autonomous regions of Madeira and the Azores, nor mainland operations directly tied to those regions. Minimum services apply under an arbitral tribunal decision. The union scheduled additional 48-hour windows, but the first runs October 23-24.
Latest developments
MSC Cruises confirmed Lisbon's Friday call for MSC Divina is canceled due to the strike. The ship will dock in Málaga on Thursday, remain alongside until Friday night for embarkation, and MSC is providing complimentary coaches between Lisbon and Málaga for embarking and disembarking guests. Affected travelers may switch to another MSC sailing free of charge or cancel for a full refund. Ambassador Cruise Line's Ambience will miss Lisbon today, spend the day at sea, and call at A Coruña on Friday.
Analysis
Port-administration actions affect pilots, mooring, and traffic control across public terminals, which can pause cruise turnarounds even when a ship and crew are ready. With Lisbon within the strike footprint, lines are either substituting ports or shifting embarkation to a workable alternative, as seen with Málaga and A Coruña. If you are booked to start or end in Lisbon on October 23 or 24, follow your line's emails and app alerts, plan extra ground-travel time to meet revised check-in windows, and keep receipts for eligible costs.
Background: The National Union of Port Administration Workers called intermittent 48-hour stoppages over pay-scale commitments and hourly pay calculations. The union's notice lists the impacted mainland port authorities and sets the daily strike window from 0000 to 2400 WEST.
Final thoughts
The Portugal port strike is altering multiple Lisbon cruise calls on October 23-24. With MSC Divina shifting embarkation to Málaga and Ambassador Ambience rerouting, travelers should monitor direct messages from their line, confirm any independent tours or transfers, and use offered refunds or rebooking where applicable. Staying flexible is the best way to navigate the Portugal port strike.