New management at the Port of Thessaloniki is to develop the cruise business, working with local stakeholders and cruise lines to improve passenger experience, according to a spokesperson.

Thessaloniki is the second largest city and is located in the northern part of Greece. The new strategy is simple: exceed guest expectations on every call. Guests can look forward to various shore excursion opportunities, with 15 UNESCO sites nearby.

“The port can accept bookings four years in advance without any problem and guarantees the berth,” a spokesperson told Cruise Industry News.

Three ships are booked for 2019, with more calls on the schedule for 2020 and 2021, when the port will see cruise ships year-round.

The port can handle ships up to 300 meters in length, a spokesperson said, and is well suited to itineraries in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean.  The city center is located 500 meters from the cruise berth.

“With a record cruise ship orderbook and significant capacity growth expected, we are hoping to significantly increase our cruise business and offer ‘once a life time memories,’” the spokesperson said.

The city has recently finished a large reconstruction of its water front and is now offering five kilometers of pedestrian walkways that start from the port and include parks, modern art sculptures, open air amphitheaters, coffee houses, bicycle lanes, and more.