A collapsed wall has caused chaos for Santorini-bound cruise passengers, closing Fira’s stepped road to passenger and donkey traffic.
The wall, which collapsed on 27 July 2026, was from a private residence and not part of the common road structure. A decision to close the road was made on 28 July, resulting in all cruise passenger traffic diverting away from Fira to the Athinios ferry port.
Curiously, just months ago, local officials required all cruise passengers to shift from Athinios to Fira to ease congestion on the ferry port, which can be crowded at the best of times. The two locales are roughly 25 minutes’ drive from each other.
While the situation is inconvenient for passengers, the real pain will be felt by ship staff and shore excursion operators in Santorini, who have to deal with yet another obstacle in their logistical planning.
Though this incident could not have been predicted, the continued back-and-forth of passengers between Fira and Athinios raises another question: Is it worth it for cruise ships to even call on Santorini anymore?
The last 12 months have seen the addition of a staggering EUR 20 per-person surcharge for all cruise passengers arriving between 1 June and 30 September, along with the re-routing of passengers away from Athinios to Fira. Passengers are already subjected to long tender rides that can be bumpy due to the near-omnipresent wind and swells that surround the island. And while Santorini’s beauty is obvious, overtourism – on land and at sea – has made getting around the island a challenge.
With the push to diversify ports of call in the Mediterranean and Aegean Sea, plenty of ports of call offer a better passenger experience and smoother logistical operations – even if they don’t have the marquee value that Santorini does on a glossy brochure.
