Santorini Cruises: A Race to Reclaim Lost Ground

• Tourism businesses in Santorini are working to restore normality after challenges caused by natural events.
• Efforts are focused on the cruise season starting by late March as planned.
• Major concerns include the April-May period for the island’s hotels.
• No official cruise cancellations have been announced apart from a couple in February.
• Cruise ships are to dock at Athinios Port, and proposals have been made for an alternative site in Monolithos due to cable car issues.
• Critical government decisions on cruise regulations and safety are expected soon.
• The local economy depends heavily on cruise visitors, with over 2,000 shops benefiting.

A Balancing Act for Tourism in Santorini

Tourism players in Santorini are in a hurry to compensate for setbacks caused by nature. As the island begins to breathe easier, local entrepreneurs strive to regain stability and prepare for the pivotal cruise season.

Their top priorities?

• Launching the cruise season by 22 March without a hitch.
• Securing the critical spring months — April and May — for hotels to bounce back.

According to George Nomikos, President of the Thira Municipal Port Fund, no cruise company has officially reported cancelling their visits. While two trips in February skipped Santorini, the cruise season essentially resumes as planned in late March.

Nomikos highlighted that the island’s birth allocation system is fully active, limiting daily visitors to 8,000 people, occasionally reaching 9,000 on rare occasions. Reviving cruises is more than a logistics win; it signals that Santorini is back in full swing. As he pointed out, no cruise in the Aegean feels complete without this iconic stop.

Santorini’s Tourism Lifeline: What’s at Stake?

Santorini’s economy is practically hitched to its cruise passengers. Over 2,000 local businesses depend on the influx of visitors each year. From jewellery stores to quaint bakeries, the island feels the ripple effect when fewer visitors arrive.

Local stakeholders anticipate critical government decisions by late March or early April, including:

• Updated regulations for cruises.
• Guidelines for docking standards and passenger safety.
• Measures to address health and security, ensuring smooth operations.

Proposals suggest moving cruises away from the traditional Fira Bay, where the cable car remains out of service, potentially until the end of the year. Companies propose docking at Athinios Port, with additional infrastructure at Monolithos, which requires dredging to ensure that boats and smaller transport vessels can safely operate.

Despite these challenges, local tourism bodies hope for a smooth reopening to remind the global tourism world of Santorini’s allure.