Visiting the Greek islands in the Aegean Sea is often a dream come true for cruise ship passengers, and it appears those dreams broke records on the island of Mykonos in 2024.
In its 2024 season, Mykonos saw 768 cruise ship arrivals, bringing over 1.29 million passengers to its shores. The milestone marks an increase from 2023, which recorded 749 ship arrivals and 1.19 million passengers.
Athanasios Kousathanas Megas, president of the Mykonos Port Fund, attributed the success to the port’s strategic planning and collaboration.
“These impressive results showcase the continuous development of Mykonos as a top-tier destination and reflect the effective strategy of the Municipality and Port Fund in managing arrivals and improving services,” he said.
Mykonos’ cruising season typically falls between May and September but saw ships making calls earlier in the year and arriving well after its peak.
Its first visit of the year took place on January 2, when Costa Cruise’s Costa Deliziosa arrived with 2,500 guests, kicking off operations for what island officials anticipated early would be its best season to date.
The last ship to call on the island was Princess Cruises’ 2,200-passenger Island Princess, which arrived on November 25, 2024, during a Grand Adventure voyage in the Mediterranean.
The record-breaking season reflects the island’s ongoing investment, which includes the addition of four new tender berths near the Archaeological Museum, upgrades to its port facilities, and efforts to balance ship arrivals to ease pressure on the island’s infrastructure.
“These interventions are not just technical improvements, but strategic choices that combine the upgrading of the passenger experience with the protection of the natural environment, ensuring the sustainability of the destination the long term,” said Megas.
He added, “Mykonos is more than a Greek destination. It is a global destination. Its visitors do not come only for the natural beauties and the cosmopolitan atmosphere, but also to get to know its authentic identity.”
Cruise Growth Spurs New Tax
Mykonos won’t have much time in rest on its record-breaking year. In 2025, the season has officially been extended to run from February through December, with its first arrival slated to take place on February 15.
That first vessel will be Viking Oceans’ 930-passenger Viking Star, which will return in March, along with Celestyal Cruises.
By April, Crystal Cruises, Marella Cruises, Windstar Cruises, Princess Cruises, MSC Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Silversea, Celebrity Cruises, and Explora Journeys all arrive to the island of just under 11,000 residents.
However, the growing number of passenger arrivals is stirring debate. Greece’s prime minister notes islands are “suffering” from excessive tourism and is considering limiting cruise ships.
As visitor numbers continue to climb, Greece recently approved a new cruise passenger tax in an effort to offset the strain on local infrastructure and services.
Beginning in 2025, passengers disembarking in Mykonos and Santorini, another extremely popular island call, will incur a fee of €20, while those visiting other destinations like Rhodes, Corfu, and Crete will be charged €5.
Megas recognizes the island’s growth needs to be sustainable and said, “We continue to support the need for a balanced increase in passenger fees, along with the planning of new interventions that will further improve the experience of our passengers.”
The Mykonos Port Fund will continue to invest in infrastructure projects to help decongest the port, as well as those that help support the island, such as a new water recycling system at the port that will help reduce water consumption.
