Cruise Ships in Small Historic Ports

The question

How to approach this advantages and disadvantages question

An advantages and disadvantages essay weighs both sides. Some questions also ask whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages: then you must pick a side.

1. Introduce the trend and say what you will cover.
2. One paragraph on the advantages, with an example.
3. One paragraph on the disadvantages, with an example.
4. If asked "do the advantages outweigh...?", give your answer in the conclusion and the introduction.

How to plan this answer

Structure

1. Introduction: paraphrase the arrival of large cruise ships in small historic towns and state whether you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
2. Body 1: advantages, such as income for shops, restaurants and port authorities, with one specific example.
3. Body 2: disadvantages, such as crowding, pollution from ships and damage to historic streets, with a concrete case.
4. Body 3: weigh the two sides, explaining why short visits make the local economic gain small compared with the disruption.
5. Conclusion: give a clear answer and a practical recommendation, such as a daily cap on arrivals.

Idea bank

• Venice: from 2021 large cruise ships were banned from the Giudecca Canal near the historic centre, after concerns about pollution and damage to the lagoon.
• Short visits: passengers ashore for only a few hours often buy souvenirs and a quick meal, so the spending reaches fewer local businesses than overnight visitors would bring.
• Crowding: thousands of arrivals in a few hours can fill narrow streets and make everyday life harder for residents.
• Emissions: ships running engines while docked can affect local air quality near the harbour and the old town.
• Port income: port fees and passenger taxes can help pay for maintenance of quays and public services, a genuine benefit.
• Management: a daily cap on arrivals, or a higher charge per passenger, could spread visitors out and keep the benefits while limiting the damage.

Useful vocabulary

• to dock at: Large ships dock at small ports for only a few hours at a time.
• overtourism: Overtourism can make a historic town feel crowded for residents all year.
• a daily influx of visitors: A daily influx of thousands of visitors strains narrow streets.
• to strain local infrastructure: Large arrivals strain local infrastructure such as buses and toilets.
• to generate revenue: Port fees generate revenue for the local authority.
• short-stay visitors: Short-stay visitors usually spend less per head than overnight tourists.
• to be sustainable: Tourism is only sustainable if spending reaches local businesses.
• to erode the character: Mass arrivals can erode the character of a historic town.
• to impose a cap: Authorities may impose a cap on the number of daily arrivals.
• to bring a net gain: Whether the visits bring a net gain depends on how much money stays locally.

Common mistakes

• Listing one or two advantages in vague terms such as 'it is good for the economy' without explaining how money reaches the town.
• Not answering the question of whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
• Using examples from large capital cities instead of small ports, which is the focus of the question.
• Repeating the introduction in the conclusion without adding a supporting example.
• Failing to explain why short visits matter, when that is the central link between the cruise ships and the local economy.

Examiner tip: Use topic sentences that name each side, judge which side carries more weight and explain why, then support the conclusion with one concrete example.