- Heraklion is expected to receive around 410,000–420,000 cruise passengers in 2026.
- The bigger opportunity is turning Heraklion into a home port, where cruises begin and end.
- The new Kastelli airport could make the island more attractive to cruise companies and long-haul travelers.
- Port plans also include shore-side electricity for cruise ships and a new Master Plan.
More than 400,000 cruise passengers are expected to pass through the Port of Heraklion this year, according to estimates given by Heraklion Port Authority CEO Minas Papadakis in an interview with Radio 98.4. The year is expected to close with roughly 230 cruise ship calls and between 410,000 and 420,000 passengers.
From Transit Port to Home Port
A transit passenger arrives, spends several hours in Heraklion, and gets back on the ship. A homeport passenger arrives because the cruise begins or ends here.
Homeporting can bring passengers to Crete before or after their cruise, creating opportunities for hotel stays, restaurants, transport, excursions, and other visitor spending beyond the few hours available during a conventional cruise call.
Heraklion Port Authority has already identified the port and the new international airport as a strategic priority for developing Heraklion as a competitive Mediterranean home port. The two infrastructure operators have been working more closely together, particularly on air connectivity and the passenger journey from airport to ship.
The New Airport Could Change the Equation
This is where the new airport at Kastelli becomes much more interesting for cruise tourism.
Cruise companies considering a home port need reliable air connections that can move passengers efficiently to and from their ships.
Papadakis has pointed specifically to the importance of new direct connections with international markets, including North America, where cruise demand is particularly significant. Radio 98.4 has previously reported his view that the new airport could be a key factor in strengthening Heraklion’s homeport ambitions.
The Port of Heraklion and the new airport have already held strategic discussions around this model, treating the two facilities as complementary gateways rather than separate pieces of infrastructure.
Instead of flying in, spending a few hours around the port and sailing away, some could arrive days earlier, stay in Heraklion or elsewhere on the island, and then board their cruise here.
2027 and 2028 Are the Bridge Years
Current planning points toward continued substantial activity, with the 2027 schedule already taking shape. The Port of Heraklion’s published cruise schedule is being updated as operators finalize their programs.
The more significant structural change is expected around the time the new airport becomes operational, when the airport-port combination can be marketed internationally as a homeport proposition. Evidence already shows the strategy is moving beyond an idea on paper.
The Port of Heraklion has said its cooperation with the new airport is intended to create a reliable, competitive homeporting product that can support longer-term relationships with international cruise companies.
The Green Port Question
Another piece of the future strategy that matters to cruise companies and to Heraklion itself is shore-side electricity, or OPS. The Port of Heraklion has been developing its ELECTRIPORT project for years to allow ships to connect to electricity while berthed rather than relying on their onboard engines. The EU’s Connecting Europe Facility has supported the project, which aims to cut emissions and modernize port infrastructure.
The latest plans discussed by the port envisage the project moving toward implementation around the end of the decade, subject to financing.
The Bigger Tourism Opportunity
Heraklion already has the cruise passengers. The challenge is turning more of those passengers into Crete visitors rather than passing visitors.
That means making the airport connection work, improving the passenger experience between airport and port, offering compelling experiences beyond the traditional cruise excursion circuit, and building the infrastructure that modern cruise companies increasingly require.
The Port of Heraklion has previously highlighted the economic importance of homeporting and the potential for passengers to spend more time in the destination before or after their cruise.
That is where the real opportunity lies, not simply another record number of people stepping off ships for a few hours, but more people arriving in Crete because their holiday starts here.
