Newsroom
The Daleela ferry launched its first voyage of the 2025 Cyprus–Greece maritime season on Saturday, as officials announced a surge in cruise tourism and reaffirmed the country's ambitions to become a key player in the global cruise sector.
Deputy Minister of Shipping Marina Hadjimanolis, speaking from Limassol Port, highlighted strong public demand and projected 170,000 cruise passengers from 130 ships this year, up from 120,000 in 2024. “With the completion of Cyprus’s first National Cruise Strategy, we are confident we can put Cyprus on the global cruise map,” she said.
Now in its fourth year, the Cyprus-Greece ferry link remains the island’s only sea route to Greece. Hadjimanolis emphasized the government's continued commitment, noting that improved procedures and safety inspections were among recent upgrades. The Daleela ferry itself has been enhanced by Scandro Holding Ltd., in collaboration with DP World Limassol and local authorities.
The Deputy Minister also confirmed interest from companies exploring potential maritime connections with Israel and Lebanon, calling Cyprus “ready to respond to any entrepreneur wishing to launch something new.”
DP World Limassol CEO Simon Pitout said Cyprus is seeing “steady growth” in the cruise sector despite past regional challenges. He credited Marella Cruises’ decision to use Limassol as a home port this year as a key driver, bringing weekly arrivals and “smiling faces disembarking and boarding.”
Scandro Holding CEO Charalambos Manoli reported near-capacity bookings for early summer. “The public has embraced this service, and we are doing everything we can to serve them,” he said.
Limassol Vice Mayor Ira Philippou called the ferry connection an “institution” for the city, reinforcing ties with Greece and driving tourism.
Officials voiced optimism about sustaining and expanding maritime passenger services beyond the current subsidy period, signaling strong momentum for Cyprus’s growing role in regional cruise travel.
