Spectacular rise in cruise ship arrivals all over Greece

More than 150.000 cruise travelers have visited the port of Piraeus between January and March 2011, marking a spectacular rise of 58,1% compared to last year’s data regarding the same period. 

Other major destinations like Rhodes, Santorini, Katakolon, Corfu have also received much more passengers than last year, with unofficial estimates ranging between 20% and 30% compared to the same trimester of 2010.

Estimates for the summer period are also very optimistic. The port of Piraeus is scheduled to receive more than 7 cruise ships (at least 20.000 passengers) in some days during the high season of July – August. Ports of Santorini, Rhodes and Mykonos will also have busy time and local authorities have been preparing to deal with it.

The Greek government has recently lowered taxes and fees for cruise ships, but the rise in cruise ship arrivals is also a product of the unrest in North African countries that redirected cruise routes to the north of the Mediterranean Sea.

This rise is going to give a very much needed bust to Greek tourism, the sole reliable industry in the country. It is estimated that the lowest spending per cruise traveler in Greek soil is 50 euros.

Source: "Imerisia", To Vima"

Going HoHo in Athens: Dos and Dont's for cruise travelers

The Athens Hop on Hop Off red line

This summer season Athens has effectively reorganized some of its tourist infrastructure. One serious change affecting cruise travelers is getting the Hop on - Hop Off bus lines from the Piraeus cruise terminal. In theory, that means you can hop on an open air bus in the morning, go to the center of Athens for sightseeing and return to Piraeus with one single ticket.

So, is this the best way to get to Athens? Well, that's not a simple answer. Several practical factors have to be taken into account: Traffic conditions in both Piraeus and Athens, travel cost and proximity of bus stops to the top attractions.

Traffic: The port of Piraeus is not far from the center of Athens, but that distance may appear longer in the morning due to heavy traffic in rush hours. For cruise travelers, time is valuable in Athens, as they need to get the most out of the city in only a few hours.

The bus ride to the center is scheduled to last 30 minutes, but in case you come across lots of traffic your trip may be extended. The same goes for your return trip that has to start a little bit earlier in order to be sure that you will be back to your ship on time.

The red and yellow bus station

Cost: The Athens City Tour (yellow bus) costs 15 euros p.p. (8 euros for children) while the Athens Sightseeing Tour (red bus) costs 22 euros (9 euros for children). Supposedly you are a family of 4, it may cost you between 50-70 euros aller-retour, while a taxi may cost you 30-40 euros for the same trip. In addition, catching the 853 bus (to Piraeus metro station) and then metro line 1 (to central Athens) will cost you only 2,80 p.p. aller-retour. Compared to the low cost of the metro, the HoHo is not a saver at all.

Proximity to top attractions: Most of the  main sights of Athens are situated in a pedestrianized area, so the HoHo buses can't get close enough. Furthermore, antiquities and tourist attractions around Acropolis are within walking distance. You will probably not need any other transportation before you head back to the ship.

The yellow HoHo at Syntagma Square

A joyful, relaxing ride with no worries of planning ahead

In case you are not in a hurry to catch all the action in Athens, the HoHo offers a pleasant ride. It passes through Marina Zeas (Passalimani) and Mikrolimano, two picturesque little ports filled with yachts, cafes and taverns. You can hop off there for a promenade by the sea and then hop on again heading to Athens. 

Kids, who are not usually in a rush, would love to sit on the top deck and watch Piraeus and Athens from above, while grownups won't have to worry about searching for bus or metro tickets, changing metro lines, etc. 

Solo travelers, couples and families with children with no budget worries and no rush to reach Athens quickly are now offered a third alternative to get to Acropolis and  its surroundings. The HoHo bus fills a gap serving that special category of cruisers.

Piraeus planned to undertake a leading role in the Mediterranean

Piraeus aims at taking gradually one of the leading roles in the Mediterranean cruise market. Up to now, its strategic position on the map has not been capitalized from the Greek authorities. However, new planning is set to convince some of the major cruise companies to choose Piraeus as their home port for many of their itineraries in mare nostrum.

By 2014, the largest port of Greece will reach the capacity of six big cruise ships altogether, also upgrading its supportive infrastructure. The plan includes a mall for cruise visitors, a 5-star hotel and a conference center, along with a monorail which will transfer cruise visitors quickly to the metro going to Athens center. It will be funded by private companies, the E.U. and the Greek state.

“MSC”, “Carnival” and “Royal Carribean” have already expressed their interest to get their own exclusive docks in the port, acknowledging that such a move may give them a tactical advantage against their competitors.

Source: “Ta Nea”