“Restart” cruising in Santorini, after the joint ministerial decision, which gives the “green light” for cruise ships to sail to the island, under certain conditions.
According to the Thira Port Authority, the first cruise ship to arrive in Santorini on Sunday, March 23, is the Celestyal Cruises cruise ship Celestyal Discovery, which will arrive on the island at 7.15 in the morning with 1,265 passengers.
During March, two more calls of the same cruise ship are expected in Santorini, one on 27 March and one on 30 March, carrying 1,265 passengers each time.
Meanwhile, one day after the resumption of cruising in Santorini, on March 24, the Arethusa will arrive on the island with 40 passengers. Also on March 30, in addition to the Celestyal Discovery, the Blue Sapphire cruise ship will also sail to the island with 584 passengers.
In total, five cruise ships are scheduled to call at Santorini in the last week of March, carrying approximately 4,500 passengers.
For April, according to the planning of the Thera Port Authority, it is estimated that 50 cruise ships will arrive in Santorini, with the number doubling in May, the month in which 100 cruise ships are scheduled to “arrive” on the island.
During her recent visit to Santorini, where she presented to local stakeholders the strategic interventions and measures for the island’s tourism recovery, the Minister of Tourism, Mrs. Olga Kefalogianni, pointed out that “Santorini remains one of the world’s leading tourist destinations, with unique natural beauty, rich cultural heritage and excellent hospitality. “Despite the recent earthquake activity, the island is gradually returning to normality and is preparing for a dynamic tourist season,” Kefalogianni said.
Furthermore, the Minister of Tourism stressed that the signals from the international tourism markets are encouraging, as interest in Santorini remains high. In fact, she mentioned the positive response at the Berlin International Tourism Fair, which proves that with proper management, the 2025 tourist season will be maintained at high levels.
