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Greece Just Added New Fees for Travelers Visiting Its Most Popular Islands—What to Know
The new policy was first reported by European media outlets.
Exploring popular Greek islands just got more expensive for cruise passengers.
That's because the Greek government is now charging a disembarkation fee for travelers heading to the country's islands. Cruise passengers to the Greek islands of Santorini and Mykonos are now responsible for a €20 ($23.41) fee, while cruise travelers to all remaining islands—including Crete and Rhodes—will incur a €5 ($5.85) fee, according to EuroNews.
These fees are in effect through Sept. 30. After that, the fee will drop to €12 ($14.07) for Mykonos and Santorini and €3 ($3.52) for all other ports in October and from April 1 through May 31.
Several cruise lines either did not respond to requests for comment from Travel + Leisure on how the fee would be paid or directed this reporter to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). A representative for CLIA also did not immediately respond to multiple requests for comment.
The Greek islands are among the most popular in the world for cruise passengers with several major cruise lines offering trips there, including Carnival, Celebrity Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, Holland America, Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, and Virgin Voyages.
On Royal Caribbean, for example, travelers can book packages like the "Ultimate Santorini Day" or a kayaking trip to explore the beauty of the island from the water.
"Santorini is one of the world's most popular islands, known best for its dramatic scenery, whitewashed villages and fiery volcanic activity," Royal Caribbean wrote about the Greek island. "Here adventure bubbles above the Aegean Sea in the most bold and breathtaking ways."
The new fees are being implemented with the hope it may help manage overcrowding, which is especially prevalent on the islands. Last year, more than 7.9 million cruise ship passengers arrived in Greece, according to data from the Hellenic Ports Association, a more than 13% increase compared to 2023.
Greece is not alone in imposing fees on cruise ship passengers, a practice that has become somewhat of a new trend. Mexico, for example, implemented a new $5 fee on cruise ship passengers earlier this month. That fee will increase to as much as $21 per passenger by August 2028.
Beyond cruises, several European destinations have also implemented tourism fees as a way to manage crowds and drive ancillary revenue. The Italian city of Venice, as an example, started charging as much as €10 ($11.73) per person for day trippers who do not have an overnight reservation.
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