The Thessaloniki Tourism Organization (TTO) recently welcomed Viking Sky, the first cruise ship to arrive at the city’s port for 2022, marking a positive start for the cruise tourism.
Viking Sky, one of the luxury ships of Viking Cruises made a stopover at the port of Thessaloniki on February 5, following a visit to Volos. Guests, mainly from America and Canada, onboard the Norwegian-flagged ship were welcomed by the Thessaloniki Tourism Organization who provided information material, city maps, protective masks with the logo of the city and local products from the Region of Central Macedonia.
During their visit to Thessaloniki, Viking’s passengers visited monuments, archaeological sites and points of interest in and around the city. The four-hour tour included a visit to Thessaloniki’s archaeological museum, the church of Hagios Demetrios, the city’s castles and the White Tower.
The port of Thessaloniki is a critical hub for the successful resumption of cruising in Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean. For 2022, the port authority already has 55 confirmed cruise arrivals from 11 different companies and 15 different cruise ships.
“The socio-economic impact of the cruise sector on Thessaloniki is very important. There are very few cities in the world with a central port in short distance from landmark monuments and sites,” TTO President Voula Patoulidou said.
She also underlined the organization’s efforts to make Thessaloniki a leading cruise destination.
Starting on May 1, the port of Thessaloniki will operate as a homeport for Celestyal Cruises. The cruise line will visit Thessaloniki 30 times in 2022 and 40 in 2023. Coming from Athens, the company’s cruise ship will visit the port of Thessaloniki every Sunday. For 2022, the port authority already has 55 confirmed cruise arrivals from 11 different companies and 15 different cruise ships.
At the same time other companies are also turning their attention to Thessaloniki. Celebrity Cruises’ Constellation will dock at Thessaloniki twice in 2022, Silversea Cruises will also visit the city.
Have you visited Thessaloniki during a (cruise)vacation? Tell us your tips and favorite places in the city.
Also read: MSC Cruises confirms UK sailings through to April 2023
