Sea Diamond to Resurface

Longtime readers will remember the sinking of Louis Cruises' Sea Diamond at Santorini on April 5, 2007.

The 21,484-ton ship had hit a reef the day before and took on water. After evacuation, the ship was beginning to be towed when it sank in 300 feet of water.

The Greek government last week ordered the salvage of the ship in compliance with Greek law.

The complete story appeared in the October 23 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Strikes Continue to Disrupt Piraeus Turnarounds

Cruise lines like to begin or end itineraries at Athens. Not only does the location offer them lots of itinerary options, but it's a great place for pre- and post-cruise stays for passengers. There is so much to see, it can easily fill several days and barely scratch the surface.

But ships that start or end cruises there are getting harder to find and may soon disappear altogether. The ongoing dockworkers' strike is tarnishing the port's image with passengers and cruise lines alike, both of whom have had to deal with the lack of services and carrying lots of bags.

The complete story appeared in the June 16 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

There IS a Limit

The Greek port of Santorini has always been a very popular port, but you may be finding it on fewer cruise itineraries in the future. It seems it’s a victim of its own popularity.

Authorities on the island have decided to limit the number of cruise passengers who may visit the port each day to 8,000.

The complete story appeared in the March 1 edition of Cruise News Daily.