Are the Greek Islands Still Overcrowded with Cruise Ships?

Are the Greek Islands Still Overcrowded with Cruise Ships?

For decades, cruise ships have played a huge role in bringing visitors to the Greek islands, often docking in places like Santorini, Mykonos, Rhodes, and Corfu. This popularity led to overcrowding, which became especially visible in the pre-pandemic years, when Santorini and Mykono were often filled to the brim with day-trippers from giant cruise liners.

Some ships carry over 5,000 passengers, overwhelming small island ports designed for far fewer arrivals. When several ships dock at the same time, popular spots become so packed that moving around is difficult, which is not the best experience for tourists or locals.

Image: A photo of two cruise ships gliding across the sea at sunset in Santorini, Greece, with steep cliffs rising from the sea in the background, and the sky glowing in soft shades of gold and orange as evening sets in.

Are Islands Still Overcrowded Today?

Some islands, especially the most popular ones, still feel crowded.

Santorini

Santorini, besides being very small, with limited roads and infrastructure, remains one of the most popular cruise stops in the entire Mediterranean. This means that even one large cruise ship could cause overcrowding.

In the past, the island often saw five or six ships docking in one day, creating overwhelming crowds. However, to address this, local authorities introduced strict caps on the number of cruise passengers allowed per day, limiting it to around 8,000. While that number still sounds high, it is far more manageable compared to before.

Peak summer months are often still busy even today, especially in famous sunset spots like Oia. If you want to enjoy a more pleasant experience with fewer crowds, you might want to visit in spring or autumn.

Mykonos

Mykonos is another major stop for cruise liners. Unlike Santorini, the island is relatively flat and has more space, but its town centre (Chora) is made up of tiny lanes that quickly become overcrowded when thousands of passengers arrive at once.

Cruise ships here can still cause congestion, but port authorities have tried to spread out arrivals by scheduling ships at different times rather than allowing them all to dock at once. This has helped reduce the sudden flood of people. Still, during the summer, Mykonos town can feel very crowded.

Rhodes

Rhodes is a bit larger, making it far better equipped to handle cruise ship tourism. The main attraction is Rhodes Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. When ships dock, the Old Town becomes packed, but because the island is so big, visitors can easily spread out to beaches, archaeological sites, and smaller villages.

Unlike Santorini or Mykonos, Rhodes rarely feels “overrun” by cruise crowds, though popular attractions can still become busy.

Image: A photo of Rhodes, Greece, showing white buildings clustered on a hillside by the sea, with the houses, surrounded by greenery, overlooking the boats resting on the deep blue waters.

Crete

Crete is the largest of all the Greek islands. It has multiple attractions, including the Minoan palace of Knossos, scenic gorges, and sandy beaches, which allow it to accommodate large numbers of visitors without being too crowded.

Of course, when multiple ships dock, the immediate port areas and famous landmarks can get congested. But with so many sights to see, it is usually easy to escape the busiest spots. Crete is also less dependent on cruise tourism compared to the other islands, since it already receives millions of tourists.

Conclusion

While congestion is still a reality in popular islands like Santorini and Mykonos, especially during peak seasons, multiple measures have been put in place to control tourism in these places and reduce the overcrowding problem. 

For travellers, flexibility and proper planning are key. Try to visit outside the peak seasons, such as summer, and explore beyond the busiest attractions.