The new mega ships have created this problem, this was never an issue before these flowing cities started turning too many tourists loose on these small towns.
The cruise industry has totally ruined Santorini. It used to be a fabulous port to visit but no longer. Poor Don actually thinks the residents will suffer if the number of visitors is cut in half. Not at all true. Does anyone think Venice is suffering after booting the cruise ships completely out of town? Ports like Juneau just want a single day off. As much as I love cruising (59 cruises with 2 more booked), I don't want to destroy the special gems that made us fall in love with cruising in the 1st place.
Dumb, yes. However, if it’s true that there was going to be 17,000 cruise passengers descending on Santorini and I was a resident I wouldn’t want to go out. Can you imagine what 17,000 people would be like 😮. Problem is cruise ships are getting big.
Anybody who has been to Santorini (or Venice or certain other towns) in the last 5-10 years knows the level of tourism is unsustainable. Something has to be done. Cruise passengers are the least valuable tourists and the easiest to target. If the cruise lines don’t work with the cities to come up with plans, they are going to have plans foisted on them.
As visitors, we need to remember that it is a privilege to visit these beautiful places. These places are peoples homes, not Disneyland. How many rude tourists do you want traipsing through your house? If we want to be welcomed, we need to behave in a respectful manner. If part of that means limiting the number of day-trippers, it's simply part of it.
@@NancyD2 trust me, it's not that crazy. The issue is the force all the tourists to entire at the bottom. Either walk up, donkey up or the lift. So it's a scam you're forced to enter the main tourist area. They can literally spread out all of the ships to enter different parts of the island. If you go to fira it isn't that packed or by red and black beach
Yes I understand the reason why he is saying that the citizens should stay indoors. Because 17,000 tourists is definitely way too much for Santorini and its citizens. Why don’t the cruise CEO’s get together with Santorini’s government and work on a plan.
Santorini is not a city. It is a small island with a number of villages. It has a total population of 15,000. The weekend influx of 17,000 in such a small area is ridiculous and should not be allowed. This politician has raised awareness of a ridiculous situation. At this time of year, all the hotels are fully booked with non-cruise tourists as well. I've been there when the cruise ships come in and you can't move!
The population of Santorini is about 16000. 17000 tourists just floods the area. Don't blame him one bit to tell those who live there to stay inside. After all the tourists will be in about 9 and gone by 5. We've been there, and in other ports where the number of people brought in is larger then the population of the site. Not a great experience for the tourist or for the locals.
Having been on one of 3 large cruise ships tendering on to Santorini this past May, I can say I will not do that again. A beautiful island but when you double the population on a small island with cruise tourists in addition to traditional tourist s, you end up with a lot of people who get pissed off because there are too many people visiting sites that can not handle them all. We had an 8 hour port day and didn’t get to see much more than a beautiful sunset. I would visit Santorini again but not from a cruise ship
I just watched a video of a young couple who decided to go "off the beaten path" and not follow the tour swarm. They ended up going down a one way path and found themselves in resident's back yards. Now multiply that one couple by 100's as the ships get bigger and carry more and more people. I can't blame people who live in beautiful places who get bombarded when acruise ship comes to port. Bigger cities can handle this challenge much better than smaller places, such as Santorini.
Santorini population 15,540. Drop a 5000 person cruise ship in town and its population grows by 33% for the day. BTW, there is another way to spin the politician's stance: if you don't like the tourists, stay at home. And then gauge how many people like the tourists and how many stay at home If you are a restaurant that normally serves 100 guests per day and no capacity for me, then dropping a boat-load of people in town won't make you earn any more money, except those 100 guests will be turned ooff by the crowds and may not come back to the city in future trips. If you are a restaurant that has capacity for 5000 and you are always undercapcity, then you say "bring in on" because that gboat load of people will help fill your restaurant. I don't think there is a single opinion on the matter i the town. If you are a plumber, you don't benefit from touristm, but if tourists clog all the orods and it takes you an hour to get to a house that needs a plumber ASAP, then you can do fewer homes per day and early less money.
I was there in May of 2023 ahead of the "tourist" season and it was very crowded. We were the only cruise ship in port at the time and I cannot imagine 2-3 or more ships in port @ the same time. Loved when we were able to sit and have a cocktail to get out of the crowds. We waited about an hour for the finicular cable car, the line was wrapped around a tiny city square. We were blocking shop entryways and I felt very uncomfortable. So many other islands to visit on Greece (Paros, Naxos, Ithaki}.
I used to live in a tourist town, and I hated it. The companies that catered to tourists benefited, but the vast majority living don't benefit from the tourists at all. It adds stress and aggravation to most of the people that live there.
Let's put this in perspective. The population of Santorini is 15,480. I can see where 17,000 cruise passengers would be a concern. I think the cruise industry needs to wrap their arms around limiting how many people they bring to ports and the impact is going to be something they need to do.
These huge cruise ships are ruining these beautiful ports. There’s just too many people now. I have enjoyed cruising in the past. However, I fully support getting rid of huge cruise ships visiting places such as Santorini and Venice.
I can totally understand the reasoning of his post. The ships have gotten so large that these small ports cannot accommodate all these people. I live in an area that snowbirds flock to from November to April, and I definitely change my shopping and entertainment choices during that time to avoid the crowds. I imagine I would do the same if I lived in Venice, Santorini, Juneau or Amsterdam.
I was In Santorini last year and it was so crowded that very little charm was left. I had been there 20 years earlier and it was a stark contrast to my last visit. I sort of felt that was in most of the Greek ports. I’m not in a hurry to go back.
That's not how I read the tweet. I read it as a warning to the residents that the crazy tourists were over-running the town again and you should stay home for your personal safety.
im a local from Santorini no one is Santorini has problem with tourist or cruisers no one here is upset with the visitors we are proud that people love our island
The cruise lines need to change this port. It is way too many tourists, especially now there are more and more larger ships. It is like a small city of people coming to visit.
The huge cruise ships should now be banned from the smaller ports. It’s not fair to citizens to have these ships unload thousands of people at a time. I feel for them. Cruising and vacationing is a privilege not a need. The citizens need to live and that is far more important.
Santorini is not a reality theme park. Packing 17,000 cruisers into a settlement not designed for that number of people is an accident waiting to happen.
Maybe those cities need to charge the cruise lines extra for stopping there or don’t allow the big ones there. Actually I don’t think they should allow the big ones there.
DEAR DON....you are missing the point. Doesn't matter if he's dumb or a genius, he was reacting to the insanity of a deluge of people on his island...HIS. I was in Skagway and watched as a horde of people descended on the town. 10K. And I had to run back to the campground because I couldn't walk through them. How do the folk in Santorini feel.. every day!!
Poor Don! Totally misunderstands the message!!! “Stay home!” Is a PROTEST against the MOBS crawling shoulder to shoulder like vermin from curb to curb. “Stay home” means denying the overbearing tourists a meaningful Santorini experience. How much fun will it be for throngs of cruise ship tourists to only interact with OTHER fellow cruise ship tourists. THEN the LOCALS can ENJOY their lovely island in peace and quiet AFTER the sweaty travelers have sailed away,,,,, far, far AWAY!
Go by plane- no one ever minds tourists who go and actually spend money and stay for multiple days. Cruisers stopping to buy lunch and souvenirs is hardly where the tourist money comes from. You don’t even book hotels! This is why NO ONE cares about cruise tourism money- it’s the least of all the tourist money and the type of people cruisers are …….they aren’t seasoned travellers aka annoying as hell.
This advice isn't unusual. Whenever a city is having an influx of tourists (like say...the Olympics) the locals are often warned to stay away from those places. I remember the 84 Olympics. I don't remember the locals being warned to stay away from Disneyland, but that would have been the smart thing to do. I was working and it was PACKED. Utterly packed. The locals can go later. The world is descending this week. But that is VERY SMART to tell the locals to stay home when the cruise ships are in port. Of course, it's one thing if it's a temporary situation like the Super Bowl or the World Series and another if it is every day of the week. These places were not built to handle the influx of people that mega ships bring. Cruise lines have brought this on themselves.
The average port city cannot handle a crowd the size of a cruise ship. They are just too disruptive to those who retired near the ocean for peace and quiet. They feel like they are being bullied by these big ships. I dont blame them. The ships are too big and they are kind of low class so they are not the best people coming ashore. They leave ton of litter and spend all day whining about everything.
My mom lived in Pebble Beach and had to go to Monterey to shop and when a cruise ship ported it was an instant traffic jam. Stores flooded and couldn’t eat near the wharf. They’d warn us before ships arrived.
The population of Santorini is a little under 16k. Maybe they should have a day designated for specific cruise lines. Monday is for Carnival and Viking, Tuesday for P&O and Princess etc. Ration is the solution. Hahahaha
I grew up outside of a tourist town. Tourism while annoying to locals pays for the upkeep of these history filled towns. Without that $ coming in very few of us could afford the upkeep required to keep these beautiful places beautiful. And/or we wouldn't be able to live in those places at all. Quaint, beautiful, historical, etc. are descriptors that aren't often associated with any $ making industries other than tourism. Yes, the tourists must be respectful. But on the flip-side there is cost with living in beautiful places with little to industry outside of tourism, that cost is the inconvenience of living in a tourist-trap.
Don mentions that cruise tourists are the lowest "value" ie they don't spend nearly as much as land based tourists who spend a lot more in hotels, restaurants, bars, and clubs than cruisers..
@heatherjones6647 That's certainly true for restaurants and hotels. But the tour operators and museums may receive more from cruisers. Also, cruisers require fewer resources than land tourists. Land tourists use more water, sewer, food, parking, roads, infrastructure, etc. So, while you may make less on cruisers but they require less as well.
Well if you live there why should you stay at home? This sounds more like he wants the money from the cruisers and forget the local people. This will only increase the local people fighting against the visitors.
It’s like when any huge influx of tourists visit or a special events happen in a city that stresses the local infrastructure; just look at what happens in Paris when the Olympics comes to town. The smart locals leave (if they can) or stay home. 17,000 people is double the population of small, compact Santorini. I cannot even imagine trying to navigate that many people, not to mention the increase in trash left behind and the stress on the already fragile plumbing. When I spent a few weeks in Santorini several years ago (before the deluge of megaships) it was a wonderful place to stay; the narrow walkways were busy but not crowded, it was easy to get around to different parts of the island, and I got to know locals (the lovely old man that sold pistachios and wine from the back of his donkey was a favorite!). I can’t imagine trying to experience it with 17,000 other tourists.
I was in Santorini, in May (NCL Epic) I did have a wonderful time. The locals and seasonal workers were nice. This statement (re-verb) sounds to me like cruisers are unwelcomed. GENIUS!
Travel does not entitle anyone to harm the Eco System of anywhere, especially Islands for their "personal pleasure" and unceasing wants and needs as they litter and bring varying possibilities of medical problems they carry with them AND have little to no respect for the rights of others , especially the residents.. Cruisers are "guests" and just as in a Home, the "residents" reserve the right to "Welcome" or "Not Open the Door" especially to people who are responsible for bringing back the "Ugly American" of decades ago with their "wants" and "demands" lacking any respect or concern for the people or their "home" -- the Islands. Once travel was a privilege; many of today's Cruise and Land travelers believe they "deserve whatever they want, whenever they want it". Not our home, not our country. Be grateful when you're invited and remember YOU are a guest and even if expected, you're wearing out your welcome due to your demands and behavior.
These popular cruise ports should simply start charging tourist to get out of port. Something reasonable like 100€ for day pass. Either get sufficient income or cut down the amount of people.
I live in a high tourist area (happily not cruise port) and in peak times stock up with groceries and only emerge out for work or not at all until it eases. Such a relief when things go quieter
if they think there are too many tourists why doesn't the town keep raising entry fees until the number is what they want? in our world of supply and demand and money the magic juice that makes everything go...that seems like the obvious reaction of a seller to too many customers.
Just thinking out loud here. The mega cruise ships are quite the destination in and of themselves. Would it be so terrible if they stayed at sea for the majority of the cruise and visit a private island as part of the itinerary? If someone really wanted to visit an actual country they could take a smaller ship.
I think something has been lost in translation. I think he is saying, "There will be thousands of cruise ship passengers in port this weekend, so if you don't like the crowds, it may be best to stay home."
It didn’t even occur to me that the reason to stay away was to give tourist more space! I wanted to know, instead, whether that would mean fewer businesses open, but that makes little sense.
I would not give that country the time of day people just don’t think!can you imagine how they are going to feel about carnival with this big ship that they are building 8000 people I think it is time that they start putting a limit as to how many this size can be built.the oceans are going to be so crowed because of money grabbing companies trying to do each other out,enough is enough. These ships will not have anywhere to go,and it will be their own fault,because of greed.
10 years ago, greece was going bankrupt. Crying for money. You couldn't pull out more than 60 euros a day. Cruise companies need to go to other destinations so they can beg for the cruiseships to come back. Then the cruise companies should take them
Mega cruise ships in these popular areas are going to continue to promote conflict.. we need a balance here or we will loose access to more and more ports
I wouldn't get off the ship in Santorini right now. Protesters might show up with more water guns or may amp it up and show up brandishing something more dangerous.
If there was a problem with too many tourists why did the people and government let it get that way? They have had years to fix the issue. But i guess the revenue generated from the ship docking was too good to give up.
So beautiful. Leave them alone. Take a plane, rent a hotel room, a scooter and enjoy the stunning beauty of the area, while NOT overunning the area with bodies. Anguilla, in the Caribbean, is one of the nicest places to visit in part BECAUSE they are small and don't have a port for these ships, in contrast to St. Thomas, which I will never visit again because of cruise port days; you cannot move around the island, or its beaches for hours, several days during your vacation. A vacation where you paid a pretty penny for airfare, the ferry, the villa, the groceries and liquor should not be 1 where you spend your days dodging bodies left and right. Not a cruiser, obviously. Just want to extend the reminder others have made about what it means to be a "visitor" or a "guest."
Not understanding the controversy. I am from NYC, and one of the worst nightmares is to try to drive across Manhattan when one of the many somewhat obscure parades occur that have streets blocked and already bad traffic tied up in knots. I regularly monitored a news site that would post warnings such as "St. Swiven's Day Parade today. For God's sake don't even try to drive downtown!" so I knew to avoid the congested areas or reschedule my travel plans.
