Cruise lines

The fifth installment of Greece's biggest cruise and yacht tourism exhibition and conference, Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum, opens on May 28 at a new venue and with fresh momentum, in view of the anticipated increase in visits by cruise ships this year.

An increasing number of cruise passenger arrivals in Greece are from the US, according to Athens International Airport data, which reveals American arrivals have increased over 113 percent during the last five years, with many traveling to the country for its varied cruise options.

Over 30 senior cruise executives responsible for ports and destinations at the world's biggest cruise lines will be participating in the biennial Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum that will be held on May 28-29 at the Domotel Kastri Conference Center in northern Athens.

Niche cruise operator Celestyal Cruises is gearing up to participate in its fifth Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum, where it hopes to further cement its reputation as the world's foremost Greek cruise specialist.
At this May's event in Athens, Celestyal will unveil details of its ongoing efforts to extend the cruise season in Greece and announce new itineraries from 2020 and beyond.

More and more Bulgarians choose cruises for holiday. Such is the trend in the world. Last year, just under 28 million people were cruising around the world, up 5.5 per cent a year earlier. This year, nearly 30 million people are expected to opt for cruises. Of these, about 12 000 will be Bulgarians. This shows the data of the Bulgarian office of Usit Colors, which offer cruises.

Athens-based cruise specialist Travelway will again be participating in the Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum this May, looking to network with both the cruise line decision-makers attending the event as well as meet and connect with existing or potential suppliers.

Full cruise-liner service provider Seaway Shipping & Tourist Services is making its Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum debut this May, hoping to strengthen its network with key cruise-line decision-makers and industry experts, and gain valuable insight into trends affecting the future of the industry.

The state's failure to develop new cruise tourism destinations and to protect existing ones from saturation, combined with the absence of major international players from cruise routes to and from Turkey, brought another recessionary year for the Greek sector in 2018. However, data on cruiser arrivals in Piraeus last year point to a likely increase.

Silversea has released details about its seven-continent World Cruise 2020. The ultra-luxury cruise line will complete its 62-port itinerary with a selection of events, shore-side excursions and expedition-style experiences.

While Greece is the third most popular cruise tourism destination in the Mediterranean, it is unable to make this translate into financial gains in the way that Spain and Italy do, while certain destinations such as Santorini and Myconos are disproportionately burdened by daily flows of visitors compared to the rest of the country.