The arrival of MS Hamburg cruise ship in Thessaloniki port on March 31 marked the beginning of the cruise season for the popular Greek city. More than 30 ships are expected to arrive in Thessaloniki, northern Greece, throughout the season. The number of tourists that arrive from cruises to the city is expected to increase in 2015 compared to 2014 as the city is gradually being integrated into Mediterranean cruise routes. The first cruise for 2015 carried 375 passengers — mainly Germans tourists- and 150 crew members. The ship arrived in the northern Greece port after crossing Dardanelles, formerly known as Hellespont and the north Aegean Sea. From 9 am until 4:30 pm tourists roamed the streets sightseeing and visiting the city’s museums while others were transferred to the archaeological site of Vergina via buses. Around 4:30 pm the cruise ship departed for the Greek city of Volos. The 2015 arrivals schedule, which is still under development, includes 31 confirmed cruise ships, a number which is possible to increase as the season progresses. The schedule provides that the last 2015 arrival will take place on October 31. The next arrival is expected on Easter Monday, when the cruise ship Europa will arrive in the Thermaic Gulf, while Saga Sapphire will arrive on April 19.
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