When booking a cruise to Greece, most travelers picture themselves walking along serene alleyways between white-washed buildings, having freshly caught meals at seaside tavernas, or sunbathing on a tranquil beach.
But in recent years, the reality on popular islands like Santorini and Mykonos couldn’t be further from that vision. Peak-summer visits have practically choked these islands with overwhelming crowds of tourists, many of whom are cruise-ship passengers just visiting for the day.
This hasn’t gone unnoticed by Greek officials who are now adding new regulations in an effort to curb overtourism on the most popular islands. Starting in 2025, both Santorini and Mykonos will begin charging cruise passengers a 20-euro (approximately $22) per-person arrival fee during the summer months, Reuters reports. Officials say a percentage of the fees will be used to improve island infrastructure, which is under strain from the crowds.
In 2023, a total of 800 cruise ships called upon Santorini alone, disembarking nearly 1.3 million passengers onto the island, according to numbers from the Greek Tourism Confederation. Mykonos, similarly, saw 749 cruise ships and nearly 1.2 million passengers in 2023, a year-on-year jump of 23 percent.
Although overcrowding has been particularly acute on Santorini and Mykonos—destinations beloved by travelers for their stunning architecture and trendy beach clubs—the issue was prevalent across tourist hot spots in Europe this summer, with protests roiling cities like Barcelona. As a result, several destinations have introduced new or elevated tourist fees this year, including Lisbon, Amsterdam, and several cities in Italy that have passed visitor taxes and regulations, and countries like Spain that are considering new tourist levies, too.
In August, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), an industry body that oversees regulations for most of the world’s cruise lines, met with Greek officials on mitigating tourism numbers. “Recently, the growth of tourism in Greece has garnered significant attention, particularly concerning the islands of Santorini and Mykonos,” Maria Deligianni, CLIA’s Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, said in a statement after the meeting.
Deligianni added that the organization’s cruise lines will abide by other measures the islands are introducing next year to stem the number of cruise arrivals. Santorini plans to cap cruise ship passengers at 8,000 visitors per day in 2025, and Mykonos will also roll out a new berth allocation system to help stagger cruise ship arrivals in hopes of minimizing traffic.
Currently, 57% of Greece’s cruise tourism is centered around Santorini, Mykonos, and Piraeus, the port city just outside of Athens, according to 2023 data from CLIA. The group says it’s working with both Greek officials and cruise lines to add less trammeled islands to more itineraries.
For their part, tourists can prioritize booking cruises and other journeys that call upon less popular Greek isles. Ionian Sea islands like Zakynthos and Antipaxos are two solid substitutes for Santorini and Mykonos, says Condé Nast Traveler travel specialist Kristin Chambers, founder of TravelLustre and D.A. Luxury TVL. “There are far less crowds, quaint towns, much less boat and cruise traffic—and the water is like glass,” Chambers says. “It feels as if you are stepping back in time, not stepping into a massive crowd.”
For travelers who prefer to stay among the Cyclades islands in the Aegean Sea—where Santorini and Mykonos are located—Chambers recommends trying Milos, Sifnos, and Naxos instead. “Milos, for example, does not have a massive cruise terminal, making it accessible for smaller ships and private charters only, which is helpful for crowd control,” says Chambers. Small-ship cruise lines, including Ponant, Windstar, the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Greece-based Celestyal Cruises, and other boutique lines call upon ports on these islands.
That doesn’t mean it’s impossible to enjoy Santorini and Mykonos without the accompanying crowds. Traveling during the off-season and swapping popular tourist attractions for less frequented sites can help visitors find a slice of peace and quiet on the bustling islands. “Santorini in particular, in high season, is no longer a pleasant experience when you are battling past crowds to watch a sunset, or simply stroll the village of Oia,” Chambers says. She recommends avoiding Oia and Fira until at least 5 p.m. or 6 p.m., and instead exploring the farther reaches of Santorini during peak-cruise-ship hours. In doing so, travelers can remove themselves from the bedlam and support local businesses that may not typically receive tourist dollars.
