Celestyal Discovery Docks in Santorini, First Cruise Ship of the Year

The first cruise ship of Santorini’s 2025 cruise season arrived Sunday when Celestyal Discovery docked with 1,700 passengers onboard.

The arrival comes just weeks after the Greek Maritime Ministry issued a temporary ban on cruise ship traffic at the port because of earthquakes in the area. It marks the return of what officials hope is a normalization of travel to the islands.

“The safety and enjoyment of our guests and crew will always be our utmost priority, so we are delighted to be the first cruise line to return to Santorini, now that the Greek authorities have lifted the temporary restrictions that were in place,” a Celestyal spokesperson told Travel Market Report last week.

Celestyal Discovery is the first cruise ship to arrive in the area — it docks at the port of Athinios in Santorini, about a 20-minute drive from the main town of Fira — but it won’t be the last. It will dock in Athinios again on Sunday and then Princess, Windstar, Regent Seven Seas, MSC, Celebrity, Crystal, Viking, P&O, TUI, and Marella all have stops scheduled for April.