Cruise ships carrying passengers from Australia, the United States and Canada have arrived in Mykonos, marking the beginning of the island’s tourist season.
The ships are “Arethusa” of the Grand Circle Cruise Line company and “Silver Muse” of Silversea Cruises.
Local business owners remain optimistic that this year’s tourism will be better than last year’s. They believe that tourists who may have travelled to Dubai, or other Middle Eastern destinations, will now visit Greece due to the safety it offers.
President of the Mykonos Municipal Port Fund Athanasios Kousathanas-Megas, said, “Despite the adverse conditions due to the war in the Middle East, it is evident that Mykonos remains a stable choice in this important sector of tourism, which contributes to presenting the destination to a selected high-income audience and boosting the local economy.”
Data from the Hellenic Ports Association show Piraeus, Mykonos, Santorini, Corfu, and Rhodes remain the top five Greek cruise ports in 2025, attracting major international lines.
However, data also revealed a notable decline in arrivals when compared with 2024 statistics. This decline can be attributed to capacity restrictions, increased pressure on local infrastructure, and cruise lines’ strategic redistribution of itineraries to less congested destinations.
In 2025, Mykonos hosted 762 cruise ships, carrying 1,222,748 passengers, down from 768 ships and 1,293,051 passengers in 2024. Santorini saw a similar trend, reflecting rising concerns about congestion and sustainability at popular destinations.
Source: Newsbeast
