Checked on August 16, 2026: Greece’s cruise passenger fee is an annual seasonal framework, not a one-off 2025 charge. A passenger who goes ashore at a Greek port can be charged per person, per port, with the highest rates from June 1 through September 30. During that peak period the fee is €20 at Mykonos or Santorini and €5 at every other Greek port. Lower rates apply in April, May and October, and the lowest rates apply from November through March.
Related guide: Cruise Port Fees Index 2026: Venice, Greece, Hawaii, Amsterdam + What You’ll Actually Pay.
This guide covers Greece cruise passenger fee 2026 and the practical details cruise travelers need to plan with confidence.
The fee began operating on July 21, 2025, but the Greek Ministry of Tourism described the seasonal bands as applying each year. For 2026 planning, use the month and each Greek port on the itinerary. Do not multiply a single fee by the number of cruise days, and do not assume that staying onboard creates the same charge: MSC’s current passenger notice says it records who goes ashore through the cruise-card scan and does not add the fee when a guest remains onboard.
Greece cruise passenger fee rates
| Travel dates | Mykonos or Santorini | All other Greek ports |
|---|---|---|
| January 1–March 31 | €4 per person, per port | €1 per person, per port |
| April 1–May 31 | €12 per person, per port | €3 per person, per port |
| June 1–September 30 | €20 per person, per port | €5 per person, per port |
| October 1–October 31 | €12 per person, per port | €3 per person, per port |
| November 1–December 31 | €4 per person, per port | €1 per person, per port |
The Greek Ministry of Tourism announced €20 for passengers disembarking at Mykonos and Santorini and €5 at other ports from June through September each year. It described a 40% reduction in April, May and October, producing rates of €12 and €3, and an 80% reduction from November through March, producing rates of €4 and €1.
The amount is tied to the port and season, not the cruise line’s brand. Collection mechanics can differ, so passengers should read the notice from the line operating their voyage. The current MSC Cruises destination-fee page provides a detailed operational example: MSC pays the authority and adds the amount to the onboard account after a guest visits a Greek port.
Who pays and when
MSC says the mandatory Greek fee applies to guests regardless of age who transit through a Greek port, including a port of call and a Greek disembarkation port. A passenger leaving the ship to travel to the airport or return home is still going ashore and is charged. Its published process does not charge a guest who stays onboard and does not disembark.
The cruise card scan at the gangway supplies the record that the guest left the ship. MSC adds the fee to the onboard account the night after the port visit and remits it to the Greek authorities. Passengers do not need to find a kiosk ashore under that process; the cruise card is evidence of payment.
That is MSC’s current implementation. Another line may display the charge at a different point or use a different invoice description. Before departure, check the line’s travel notice and the onboard-account process. The government sets the rate, but the carrier manages how the passenger sees and settles the charge.
The fee is per port call rather than an hourly charge. MSC says an overnight disruption does not create another fee merely because the ship remains in port into a second day. If a voyage is scheduled for two distinct calls at the same or different Greek ports, ask the line how the itinerary is recorded rather than inferring the total from the word “overnight.”
How to calculate a Greek-port fee budget
List every Greek port, place it in the correct seasonal band, and multiply the applicable amount by the number of passengers expected to go ashore. Do not include sea days or non-Greek ports. Calculate Mykonos and Santorini separately from the “all other ports” column.
Total estimated fee = sum of each Greek port’s seasonal rate × passengers going ashore
| Example itinerary | Per-person estimate | Two-person estimate |
|---|---|---|
| July: Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes | €20 + €20 + €5 = €45 | €90 |
| May: Mykonos, Piraeus, Corfu | €12 + €3 + €3 = €18 | €36 |
| October: Santorini, Katakolon | €12 + €3 = €15 | €30 |
| December: Piraeus, Rhodes | €1 + €1 = €2 | €4 |
These examples assume every listed passenger goes ashore at every port and that the itinerary occurs entirely within one seasonal band. A voyage crossing from September into October needs the rate for each actual port date. A skipped call should not be included in the final fee, and a passenger who remains onboard may not be charged under the line’s procedure.
The fee can influence the total cost of a port-dense Greek itinerary without making the itinerary poor value. A couple going ashore in Mykonos, Santorini and Rhodes during peak season should reserve €90. A family of four would reserve €180. That is a meaningful amount, so it belongs alongside shore transport, attraction admission, meals and excursion prices in the planning budget.
For a mixed group, calculate only the people expected to leave the ship at each port, then keep a small margin in case plans change. If two adults go ashore in Santorini while two children remain onboard with another caregiver, the published MSC process would use the gangway scans rather than the cabin’s total occupancy. Confirm the final folio because each eligible passenger’s movement is recorded separately.
The onboard account may be denominated in a currency other than euros. The line’s conversion and card-settlement arrangements can affect the amount shown on a bank statement, even though the statutory fee is set in euros. Avoid presenting a fixed dollar or pound amount as the government rate. Use the euro total for comparison and review any currency conversion under the line’s normal folio rules.
Mykonos and Santorini carry the higher rate
The two-island premium is deliberate. The Ministry’s announcement linked the measure to pressure concentrated in particular destinations and set a higher charge for passengers disembarking at Mykonos and Santorini. The peak €20 rate is four times the €5 rate at other Greek ports.
A passenger does not avoid the fee by using a tender rather than walking across a pier. The key event is going ashore at the port. Santorini commonly involves tender and local transport arrangements, but the passenger fee is separate from any cable-car, boat, bus, taxi, excursion or attraction charge. Mykonos transport and beach costs are also separate.
When comparing itineraries, count both the government fee and the practical port costs. A lower-fee port can still be more expensive if the desired attraction requires a long private transfer. Conversely, a higher Mykonos or Santorini fee may be the main local cost for a self-guided walk if no paid tour or transport is used.
Embarkation, disembarkation and transit calls
A Greek homeport is not automatically exempt. MSC’s notice states that the fee applies to guests disembarking at a Greek port to travel to the airport or return home. A passenger ending a cruise at Piraeus should therefore budget the “other Greek ports” rate for the disembarkation date under that published process.
For embarkation, the line’s notice should be checked because the traveller is entering the ship rather than leaving it for a port visit. Do not assume symmetry between embarkation and disembarkation without a carrier-specific statement. If a round-trip itinerary begins and ends in Greece, ask the cruise line which events create the passenger-fee charge.
A transit call means the ship visits a Greek port during the voyage. Passengers who go ashore are charged at the seasonal rate. Staying on the ship may avoid the fee under the MSC procedure, but that choice should be made for the value of the port day, not solely to save €1, €3, €4, €5, €12 or €20.
What happens if a port is cancelled
MSC describes the fee as a port charge and says a skipped or cancelled call should not result in a fee for a visit that did not occur. Review the onboard account after an itinerary change. If the charge appears, raise it with Guest Services before disembarkation while the ship has the gangway and itinerary records available.
A port cancellation can affect other payments differently. A cruise-line shore excursion is normally handled under the line’s cancellation process, while an independent operator’s refund depends on its written terms. The government passenger fee should not be confused with non-refundable transport, attraction tickets or a private tour deposit.
If the ship substitutes another Greek port, the applicable amount can change. Replacing Santorini with a standard-rate Greek port during July changes the per-person fee from €20 to €5. Replacing a Greek call with a non-Greek call removes the Greek fee but may introduce a different local charge. Check the revised daily programme and folio.
Exemptions and special cases
The current MSC notice says the fee applies to all guests regardless of age. Do not budget a child exemption unless the cruise line publishes one based on current Greek rules. A baby or child who goes ashore is included under the stated process.
Remaining onboard is the clearest practical non-charge situation described by MSC. The line uses cruise-card scans to identify disembarkation. A medical or operational reason for leaving the ship is not listed as a general passenger exemption on that page, and a guest disembarking to travel home is specifically included.
Accessibility needs do not by themselves change the fee. A passenger deciding whether to go ashore should separately examine tender access, step-free transport and the accessibility of the intended destination. The fee is only one part of that decision.
How to check the onboard account
- Record the Greek ports and dates before sailing.
- Mark Mykonos and Santorini separately and assign each port’s seasonal rate.
- Note which passengers went ashore at each call.
- Review the folio after each Greek port rather than waiting until the final morning.
- Check that a cancelled call or a day spent entirely onboard was treated according to the line’s published process.
- Ask Guest Services for a correction while gangway-scan records are readily available.
- Keep the final folio with the travel records.
The line may use a translated or shortened description in the folio. Ask which entry represents the Greek cruise passenger fee if it is not obvious. Do not challenge unrelated port expenses solely because their amount differs from the rates in this article.
Planning by season
June through September has the highest government fee and is also a busy period for Greek island travel. A port-heavy itinerary with both Mykonos and Santorini needs the largest allowance. April, May and October reduce the fee by 40% from the peak rates described by the Ministry, while November through March reduce it by 80%.
The lower fee is not a complete seasonal comparison. Weather, daylight, ferry schedules, attraction hours and cruise availability vary. Choose dates based on the full itinerary and then add the correct fee. Do not claim a shoulder-season saving without comparing the actual cruise fare, flights and operating hours.
For a voyage crossing two bands, use each call’s calendar date. A September 30 Santorini visit uses the June–September rate; an October 1 Mykonos visit falls into the October rate. The same logic applies at standard-rate ports.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Greece cruise fee still charged in 2026?
Yes. The official framework is annual, and cruise-line guidance remains current. Rates vary by port and season.
Do children pay?
MSC says the fee applies to all guests regardless of age. Check the current notice from the line operating the voyage.
Do I pay if I stay onboard?
MSC says it does not add the fee when a passenger remains onboard and does not go ashore. The gangway cruise-card scan records disembarkation.
Is the fee charged every day during an overnight?
MSC describes it as a per-port fee rather than a daily or time-based charge and says an overnight does not create another charge merely because the ship remains in port.
Is this included in the fare?
The current MSC process adds it to the onboard account after the port visit. Another line may display it differently, so read the carrier’s notice and final invoice.
This guide was source-checked on August 16, 2026. Recheck the Greek Ministry and the operating cruise line before travel because rates, exemptions or collection procedures can change.