Tell us if hordes of cruise ship tourists would keep you from visiting hotspots

Cruise ships allow tourists to see multiple hotspots within a relatively short holiday.

However, the fact that they bring hundreds if not thousands of holidaymakers to a port on a single day has sparked concerns about overtourism and the sustainability of a similar tourism model for the local communities they reach.

In late July, Santorini received 11,000 cruise passengers in a single day, prompting fresh calls for the number of cruise passengers accessing the Greek island to be capped. 

Santorini’s mayor Nikos Zorzos said at the time the number of cruise passengers should not exceed 8,000 per day.

Speaking to Greek news outlet Kathimerini, he said: “Starting in 2025, we will reinstate this cap to preserve our island as a unique destination.”

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Santorini isn’t the only destination beloved by holidaymakers where locals feel like they are being swamped by day-trippers.

Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced earlier this year he is planning to cap cruise liners and reduce the footfall of thousands of passengers in areas that are “clearly suffering”. He told Bloomberg in mid-June: “Santorini is the most sensitive, Mykonos is the second.”

While around 800 cruise ships carrying 1.3 million people stopped in Santorini in 2023 alone, Mykonos received nearly 2023 – an increase of 23 percent compared to the previous year.

Venice banned cruises from reaching its centre in 2021, amid concerns not just about overtourism but also about the damage large boats can do to the foundations of the city.

Across the pond, the Alaskan city of Juneau has experienced a tourism boom – and prompted locals to consider banning cruise ships with 250 or more passengers from docking there on Saturdays.

While the influx of thousands of cruise passengers can have a major impact on local communities, huge crowds descending on small streets and beaches can also impact the experience of holidaymakers.

What do you think? Would the presence of thousands of cruise ship tourists keep you from visiting Europe’s hotspots?