Cruisers who are embarking or disembarking on May 28, 2025, through May 30, 2025, in Athens, Greece, should expect some delays with ground transportation and plan accordingly.
The Attica Taxi Drivers’ Union (SATA) is striking due to the Alternate Minister of Transport Kostas Kyranakis supposed “continued refusal” to meet and negotiate with union leaders. This strike is set to begin at 6 a.m. on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 — and will end at 6 a.m. on Friday, May 30, 2025.
It is expected that all licensed taxis, including through private companies, will not be operating for the duration of the strike. Uber service should still be available during the strike, but securing a ride might be a bit harder than normal due to greater demand.
Somewhat ironically, one of the key issues at hand is the presence of Uber at Athens International Airport, as the rideshare service is competing with the taxi drivers.
One guest who is set to embark on Virgin Voyages’ Resilient Lady was notified that the transportation she booked through Welcome Pickups was also cancelled.
“I just received this email from Welcome Pickups – I’m using them for my entire trip. I need to get to the port on 5/29 and do not want to use metro, will all cabs be out of service due to the strike?” the passenger shared in a post on Facebook.
For context, there is a bus – called the X96 Express – that runs 24 hours a day and connects the airport with the cruise port and the Intercity Bus Terminal (KTEL Kifissos).
In the email from the company, it stated, “We would like to inform you due to an unforeseen event, a 24 hour strike that will take place on the 28th and 29th of May in Athens, your scheduled pick up will unfortunately not be possible.”
“We are disembarking on the 29th and have the same problem, except we need to get back to our hotel from the ship,” one person replied.
“We’ll be impacted by this as well,” added another, who was worried about the situation.
While the guest was issued a full refund for her cancelled ride, the company did not provide an alternative to help her make it to the port on time during the strike.
Passengers on any ship departing from Athens on the days of the strike, including the final day despite it ending at 6 a.m., should confirm their transportation to or from the port has not been cancelled and have a backup plan in case it is.
Ships Potentially Affected by the Strike
The summer season of sailing in Europe is picking up, and Athens is a very popular port to sail out of and for ships to call on. The port of of Piraeus, which is the main cruise port in Athens, welcomed a record breaking 810 ship calls in 2024.
But which cruise ships will be in town during the strike? On May 29, the 65,542-gross ton MSC Armonia is set to depart from Athens for a 7-night sailing around Croatia, Italy, and Greece.
The itinerary includes stops in Split, Venice, Brindisi, and Mykonos, before arriving back in Athens on June 5.
Also, the 2,700 passenger Resilient Lady will be departing from Athens on May 29 for a 10-night voyage around Greece, Turkey, Montenegro, and Croatia.
This itinerary includes stops in Santorini, Bodrum, Mykonos, Dubrovnik, Kotor, and Corfu before disembarking in Athens on June 8.
Royal Caribbean’s 90,090-gross ton Brilliance Of The Seas is then set to arrive in Athens on May 30 to disembark a 7-night cruise to destinations throughout Greece, Cyprus, and Turkey.
Read Also: What Happens If You Miss Your Cruise Ship?
The ship is set to arrive at the Port of Athens at 5 a.m., which is just one hour shy of the strike coming to an end.
Depending on when the disembarkation process begins, there could still be some delays. Any passenger going from the port to the airport should plan to give themselves extra time if possible.
The Royal Caribbean ship is set to depart once again at 5 p.m. that same day for a 7-night round-trip cruise. This itinerary also features calls throughout Greece, Cyprus, and Turkey.
If you are booked on one of these voyages, make sure to give yourself extra time and start looking into contingency plans — you never know when you might need it!
