Cruise

Greek ports are expected to welcome more than 5 million cruise passengers this summer, with the ports of Piraeus, Santorini and Corfu leading the activity.

The Piraeus port recently welcomed two of the largest cruise ships in the world: Royal Caribbean’s “Spectrum of the Seas” and Ponant’s “Bougainville”.

Greek yacht charter company Mykonos Yachting has enhanced its website with modern new tools, aiming to further upgrade the experience of users.

Thanks to increasing home-porting actions, the Cretan town of Heraklion marked a 39 percent rise in cruise traveler numbers in 2018 against 2017.

Greece’s TV show MasterChef recently held its cooking challenges at sea, on the ultra-modern “Cosmos” vessel of Evermore Cruises.

A 600-million-euro investment for the expansion of Piraeus Port is up in the air after a decision by the Central Archaeological Council.

Greece’s cruise comeback will be discussed by some of the industry’s leading companies and experts at this year’s Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum in Athens.

The Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) underscored the global cruise industry’s commitment to sustainability, during recent events in Abu Dhabi and Berlin.

Celestyal Cruises launched its three- and four-night “Iconic Aegean” cruises on March 15, aiming to extend the tourism season in Greece beyond the summer months.

MSC Cruises’ newest state-of-the-art cruise ship has been named “Belissima” by its “godmother” and Hollywood icon Sophia Loren.

The Greek island of Corfu was the first port of call for Costa Cruises’ newest ship, Costa Venezia, which recently departed on its maiden voyage from Italy.

Demand for luxury cruises has been on the rise during the last few years, a trend continuing into 2019, according to Athens-based agency Cruiseway Travel.

Τhe 2019 Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum, to be held May 28-29 in Athens, will focus on the industry’s renewed optimism for cruising in the East Med.

Cruise ship arrivals at the Piraeus Port for 2019 are expected to grow by 15.8 percent, according to the Piraeus Port Authority (PPA).

Travel receipts for the nine months to September 2018 increased by 8.4 percent compared to the same period in 2017, according to final data released by the Bank of Greece.

Cruise ship calls to the Dodecanese islands appear to be decreasing, according to data on 43 Greek destinations recently released by the Hellenic Ports Association (ELIME).

Greek tourism broke all records in 2018, paving the way for an even stronger dynamic in 2019, according to Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura.

Recreational boat owners in Greece operating in “high seas” will be exempt from VAT, according to amendments made to a ministerial decision.

Social media-worthy, wellness and achievement travel are set to be the top trends in cruise tourism for 2019, according to a report by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).

The MSC Bellissima, the newest addition to the MSC Cruises fleet, in March 2019 will introduce the industry’s first digital cruise personal assistant, named Zoe.