PRESS RELEASE
PPA S.A.: First cruise ship deparure of the year at the Port of Piraeus
Historical cruise passenger record achieved in the year 2024
7 January 2025. PPA S.A. welcomed the Viking Saturn, the first cruise ship of the new year, to the Port of Piraeus through a special ceremony that included a traditional exchange of plaques and treats for passengers during check-in at the cruise terminal.
The Viking company, which operates homeport cruises throughout the year at Piraeus, is expected to call at Greece’s largest port 41 times in 2025 with 10 of its ships, a significant increase compared to 28 calls with 7 ships in 2024.
Notably, preliminary data highlights record-breaking achievements for cruise passengers in 2024, with more than 1.7 million passengers compared to 1.5 million in 2023. Homeport passengers also exceeded 1 million, up from 800,000 in 2023. The port served 810 cruise ship calls, of which 600 were homeport, compared to 760 in 2023. Additionally, pre-booking data suggests strong momentum for the cruise industry in 2025, with approximately 940 ship arrivals already booked for the year.
The CEO of PPA S.A., Mr. Su Xudong, shared his satisfaction with the significant and steady growth of the cruise sector in Piraeus, highlighting that the port’s strategic location, combined with PPA S.A.’s investments and upgrades to infrastructure and services, are delivering the desired results.
The luxurious Viking Saturn, with a capacity of 930 passengers, is 228 meters long, has 9 decks and is scheduled to call Piraeus five more times this year.
Picture caption: Captain Arild Jernaes and Ms. Stamatia Tzevelekou, Deputy Manager of Cruise & Ferry Terminal dept. of PPA S.A.
