The Greek government is working overtime to make sure that Santorini, the “Jewel of the Aegean”, is ready for the start of cruise season. But after recent earthquakes have caused evacuations and damage to the port city, it remains to be seen if it will be ready in time.
Over one million cruise passengers visit the iconic Greek cruise port of Santorini every year, but that number could drastically change for 2025.
According to recent news reports, Santorini is already facing a downtrend in tourism, with about 20% less tourist activity compared to previous years.
The downturn is due to more than 20,000 earthquakes that have rattled the city, with some measuring up to 5.3 in magnitude.
The seismic activity has shut down the famous Santorini cable car leading up to Fira near the cruise port, and it’s expected to be inoperable for another three months while earthquakes are monitored.
This is a big deal because Greek authorities have said that cruise ships should not dock at the main Fira port and instead should dock at Athinios Port due to safety concerns.
Santorini’s cruise season starts in late March with just a handful of cruise ship visits, and activity starts ramping up a lot more in April and onward. The 2025 schedule shows:
Current Cruise Schedule for Santorini
- April: 28 cruise visits from 14 lines
- May: 69 cruise visits from 23 lines
- June: 82 cruise visits from 18 lines
- July: 90 cruise visits from 24 cruise lines
- August: 85 cruise visits from 26 cruise lines
- September: 79 cruise visits from 26 cruise lines
While monitoring seismic activity, the Greek Government is doing everything it can to make sure the cruise season starts on time and that the city is ready and safe for cruise passengers.
Cruise Tax
But earthquakes aren’t the only thing shaking things up. The port city recently decided to add an additional cruise tax of up to 20 euros to incoming visitors as well.
The passenger fee would actually be 20 euros during peak summer months (June-September), 12 euros in the shoulder seasons (April, May, October), and 4 euros during the off-season (November-March).
Over the next few weeks, local officials are expected to make a decision about the new tax and how it will be applied. The earthquakes put a temporary hold on discussions about the cruise tax, but now it could add another layer to the complexity of cruising to this popular port.
For now, local port officials are more concerned with safety. The Foreign Office recently gave advice about earthquakes in the city with this message:
“The area around the Cycladic islands of Santorini (Thira), Anafi, Ios and Amorgos, is currently experiencing frequent earthquakes which may continue for several weeks. The Greek authorities advised people in those areas not to attend large indoor gatherings, to avoid old or abandoned buildings and the ports of Amoudi, Armeni, Korfos and Old Port (Paleos Limenas) in the area of Fira and to choose safe routes when travelling, particularly in areas where the landslide risk is high.”
