The Piraeus Port Authority (PPA S.A.) welcomed the first cruise ship of the new year, the COSTA Deliziosa, by organizing a special event upon its arrival. The occasion featured the exchange of commemorative plaques and treats distributed to all passengers upon disembarking at the Cruise Terminal.

The aforementioned cruise ship, accommodating 2,500 passengers, arrived from Izmir (Smyrna), Turkey, and, as per its itinerary, is set to proceed to Dubrovnik and Italy. Costa’s ships are actively engaged in the Port of Piraeus throughout the year, having already recorded 16 arrivals in 2023, with an additional 22 anticipated for 2024, according to reservations.

Record in Cruise Passengers

It is noteworthy that provisional data reveals record-breaking figures in total cruise passengers served. Approximately 1.5 million passengers were accommodated, compared with 880,000 in 2022. Notably, disembarking passengers (homeport) reached around 800,000, compared to 380,000 in 2022. A total of 760 cruise ships were serviced, out of which 525 were homeport vessels.

Furthermore, the new year appears even more dynamic for the cruise industry at the Port of Piraeus, as reservations have been made for 1,042 arrivals, signaling a substantial increase and an anticipated new record in homeport vessel arrivals (approximately 800 calls).

Yu Zenggang, the Executive Chairman of Piraeus Port Authority S.A., expressed his satisfaction with the exceptional performance of the cruise sector at the Port of Piraeus. He highlighted that the continued upward trajectory of the cruise industry remains a fundamental goal for PPA S.A., as it proves to be a beneficial activity for various stakeholders, particularly the local community, coastal municipalities, the Attica region, and the country at large.