Greece Plans Fee Hike for Cruise Passengers to €10 at Top Destinations

The disembarkation fee for cruise ship passengers in Greece is set to increase at popular destinations such as Santorini, with the fee expected to reach 10 euros per visitor.

Speaking recently to the media, Greek Deputy Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy Stefanos Gikas addressed the issue of overcrowding in tourist hotspots like Santorini, where daily cruise arrivals can reach up to 14,000 passengers. Gikas stated that the government aims to alleviate the impact on these popular island destinations.

“We support both traditional tourism and cruise ship arrivals… We are looking to increase the disembarkation fee to 10 euros per passenger at Santorini and other popular destinations,” Gikas commented to Greece’s SKAI TV, addressing the issue of overtourism.

Details regarding the increased fees for cruise ships at various ports are expected be announced in the weeks following August 15.

Deputy Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy Stefanos Gkikas.

Initially, the fee increase will apply to Santorini, with plans to extend it to Mykonos by the end of the year, according to Economou.

Also touching the subject recently, Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni had noted that Greece’s disembarkation fees are currently among the lowest compared to its competitors.

“Even though we have the most attractive destinations,” she said, adding that the fee may possibly increase.

Kefalogianni also mentioned that due to the environmental impact of large numbers of cruise passengers on many islands, there may be limits on the number of disembarking passengers to mitigate effects on local communities.

Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni.

Coastal shipping ticket prices spark reactions

In response to concerns about high ferry ticket prices, Deputy Minister Gikas acknowledged the issue, particularly with high-speed ferries and inter-island travel.

“There are three major companies controlling 50 percent of the ships, which transport more than 63 percent of passengers and over 70 percent of vehicles,” he said.

To address this, a “Fare Monitor” will be introduced at the Maritime Affairs Ministry, requiring ferry companies to report ticket price increases within 72 hours.