By
Laura Hyde |
The Port of Heraklion has, for the first time ever, welcomed over half a million cruise passengers in a cruise season.
The 500,000th cruise passenger arrived onboard TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 6 on 3 November 2024, a day that also saw three cruise ships dock at the Greek port.
“Surpassing half a million passengers is the result of team effort and strategic commitment,” said Minas Papadakis, CEO of the Heraklion Port Authority. “This success positions Heraklion among the top international cruise destinations, bringing substantial benefits to the city’s economy and elevating the port’s role in the region’s tourism development.”
This cruise passenger milestone follows a 16 per cent increase in the number of cruise ship calls to the port in the first nine months of 2024. From January to September 2024, 26 cruise ships homeported at the Port of Heraklion, which according to the Port Authority “demonstrates its strategic importance as a key hub for cruise itineraries in the Eastern Mediterranean”. A further 14 cruise ships are expected to dock at the port before the end of the year.