Nearly One Third of All Cruise Ships Will Visit Greece This Year

Nearly one third of all of the cruise ships in the world will stop in Greece this year, as stated by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).

Greece has always been a popular destination for cruise ships due to its many stunning islands, towns, and beaches for travelers to enjoy.

This figure is massive for the country, however, and indicates that Greece is becoming a leading destination for cruise ships.

According to CLIA, out of the 279 cruise ships associated with the association that are operating this year, a total of 87 will visit Greece, and 47 will make the country their home port.

“2022 is the year we return to pre-pandemic levels in terms of the number of cruise ships in operation, while in 2023 we expect to exceed 2019 passenger numbers,” Maria Deligianni, CLIA’s national director in the Eastern Mediterranean, stated at Posidonia 2022, which is one of the world’s largest shipping exhibitions.

“Especially for Greece, we expect a significant increase in cruise ship calls from this year. A total of 25 different cruise companies will visit the country this year, more than ever before,” she continued.

CLIA also praised Greece’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions and utilize alternative fuels in the maritime industry at Posidonia.

Greece becoming top cruise destination

“We were very happy to hear Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Maritime Affairs Minister Ioannis Plakiotakis supporting the sector’s transition to a new era of zero carbon emissions, but also highlighting the need for development and supply of alternative marine fuels as well as the development of adequate infrastructure, which are critical to our vision of net zero carbon cruising by 2050,” Marie-Caroline Laurent, director general of CLIA in Europe, stated.

She added that “of course, CLIA’s sustainability goals are broader than net-zero carbon emissions. Cruising is an integral part of sustainable tourism, especially in Greece, which is a top cruise destination, and we are committed to supporting further sustainable development of the sector…”

“To achieve that,” she continued, “we have teamed up with local and port authorities to assess the sustainability status of the municipalities of Corfu and Iraklio and to map out a plan for a future of sustainable tourism. And we extend this effort to other destinations in Greece, as it grows as a leading cruise destination.”