At the center of the debate on the future of cruises in Greece was the new passenger disembarkation fee, which was implemented from July 2025, but – as noted – with an “unorthodox way” in terms of implementation and revenue sharing.
Speaking at the 8th Infrastructure-Transport Conference, the operations director of Celestyal Cruises and president of the Association of Cruise Ship Owners and Maritime Agencies, Capt. George Koumpenas, said that “the cruise fee was based on assumptions that need to be reviewed, as it is not certain that the revenues will be directed to infrastructure projects – which are the main issue.”
He also underlined the need for targeted investments in port facilities and for the development of a national strategic plan for the cruise industry, which are prerequisites for maintaining and strengthening the development path of the sector for the country.
“Without a clear plan, there cannot be any meaningful project planning or proper utilization of resources,” he emphasized, noting that dozens of Greek ports accept cruise ships, but most of them lack infrastructure.
At the same time, he highlighted the port of Lavrion as “an important alternative gateway, which can function complementary to Piraeus, thanks to its proximity to both the airport and the Cyclades.”
The statement of the Chief Operating Officer of Celestyal was made in the context of the panel “Coastal Shipping – Shipping – Ports: Fleet Renewal and Port Infrastructure Upgrade.”
Capt. Koumpenas also highlighted the positive course of the sector, recalling that in 2024 Greece welcomed 8 million cruise passenger movements, while an increase of 10% is expected in 2025.
Celestyal also noted a similar increase, confirming that the cruise “is going from record to record”, but at the same time faces significant challenges: the increasing environmental requirements of the EU, high operating costs and unpredictable circumstances, such as the recent seismic activity in Santorini which affected bookings.
