New Greek Cruise Ship Fees Unfair, GEPOET

If the increase of port charges are passed on to the consumer, cruise passengers would most likely cancel their bookings and prefer other locations because the Greek product will have become too expensive, according to the General Pan-Hellenic Federation of Tourism Enterprises (GEPOET).

In late December the federation criticized a recent decision of the Piraeus Port Authority in regards to substantial increases in port charges, effective as of 2011, to Greek cruise ships that execute itineraries with Piraeus as their homeport.

In a letter to the authority’s president, Yiorgos Anomeritis, GEPOET verified that any taxes levied on Greek cruise ships are passed on to consumers.

According to GEPOET, transit passengers on a Greek cruise ship that homeports in Piraeus in 2011 will have to pay three euros (from 0,873 euros) and incoming and outgoing passengers have to pay 8,4 euros (from 4,742 euros).

Meanwhile, transit passengers on a cruise ship that homeports in Istanbul, Turkey, pay 1,4 euros while incoming passengers pay 3,5 euros and outgoing passengers are charged 2,10 euros.