Three Cruise Ships Forced to Cancel Call to Popular Greek Port Due to Local Bus Strike

Three cruise ships canceled or postponed visits to Santorini, Greece on June 22 after the island's bus association staged a one-day strike. MSC Sinfonia and Norwegian Pearl scrapped their calls entirely, while Celebrity Ascent delayed arrival by 24 hours. The walkout occurred following implementation of a new "70-30 rule" requiring 70 percent of passengers disembark at the Old Port, accessible only by climbing 588 steps, donkey, or a cable car limited to 1,200 people hourly. The remaining 30 percent use Athinios Port, the sole location with road access for full-sized buses. Bus operators deemed the arrangement dysfunctional, citing inadequate infrastructure and dangerous bottlenecks when multiple ships simultaneously discharge thousands of passengers. The port authority introduced the policy without sufficient parking or meeting facilities, prompting drivers to refuse transporting cruise guests. Affected passengers faced days at sea instead of shore excursions.

Originally reported by Cruise Fever, J. Souza (June 21, 2026).