- Over 10000 cruise passengers landed in Souda in a single day
- Triple cruise ship arrival sets a new benchmark for busy days in Chania
- June 2025 records peak arrivals with 32 cruise ships visiting
- Chania passenger numbers soar nearly 40% from last year’s midyear figures
- Current trends point to a record-breaking year for cruise stops and visitors
Picture this: nearly 10000 passengers stepping off ships and into Chania’s charm in just one day. That happened today when three cruise liners dropped anchor in Souda, turning a Tuesday into a spectacle. The Sun Princess delivered 4,796 travelers, Azura added 3,206, while Marella Discovery 2 contributed another 1,861. Locals saw nearly the entire population of a small town meandering through the Venetian harbor and bustling markets, soaking in the history, sea breezes, and perhaps a little too much raki before noon.
This wasn’t some fluke on the calendar. Souda’s calm port waters, rarely ruffled by the elements, keep drawing more ships, even some not originally scheduled. June 2025 itself has seen 32 ship arrivals, a monthly record. With everyone still gawking at the numbers, the fact remains: Chania keeps raising the bar for cruise tourism.
Cruise Numbers in Chania: Up, Up, and Way Beyond
A look at the past two years makes the picture even wilder. Last year, 53 cruise ships brought 109,643 passengers between January and June. This year? Souda and Chania clocked 72 ship visits and tallied up 152,739 visitors in the same period. That’s an increase of 35.8% in ships and a jump of almost 40% in people.
According to Chania Port Authority president Dimitris Virirakis, these numbers mark Chania’s cruise scene as a rising star in the Med. And the year isn’t even over yet. Unscheduled ship visits could push the total beyond today’s record, with both ships and tourists expected to hit new highs by year’s end.
