New Greece Cruise Passenger Tax Coming this July

A new tax on cruise passengers on the Greek islands of Santorini and Mykonos will go into effect on July 1, 2025. The tax is 20 euros during high season and is expected – at least in the short run – to be absorbed into the cruise fare already paid by cruisers.

According to the Australia-based website CruisePassenger.com.au, based on last season’s number of cruisers to the two Greek islands – approximately 1.3 million cruisers – cruise lines will need to fork over about $45 million this season to cover the new tax.

As reported by UK-based TravelMole.com, the fee was supposed to start in June but was pushed back after seismic activity in Santorini temporarily halted all cruise ship traffic in the region.

In other Greek ports of call, a new cruise passenger tax that also goes into effect on July 1, ranges from 1 euro in low season to 3 euros in shoulder season to 5 euros in peak season (June 1 to Sept. 30). The tax is designed to help combat overtourism to Greece and in particular to these two islands, which in the past have seen as many as six or seven ports in a ship at a time. Last year at this time, the Greek Prime Minister was talking about possible caps on the number of cruise ships that can visit the two popular islands.