The short answer
Several popular ports now charge cruise visitors or limit ships. In 2026: Greece charges up to EUR 20 per person in Santorini and Mykonos, Venice charges day visitors EUR 5-10 on set days, Santorini caps cruise visitors at 8,000 a day, Amsterdam cut sea-cruise calls to 100 a year, and Barcelona has approved raising its cruise passenger tax.
At a glance
| Place | Rule or fee | Amount | When | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venice | Day-visitor access fee | EUR 5 (4+ days ahead) or EUR 10 | Set days Apr 3-Jul 26, 2026, 8:30 am-4 pm | The Local / MSC / cda.ve.it |
| Venice | Big-ship ban in Giudecca Canal / St. Mark's | Ships over 25,000 tonnes | Since Aug 1, 2021 | Reuters via gCaptain |
| Santorini & Mykonos | Cruise passenger fee | EUR 20 (Jun-Sep), EUR 12 (Apr-May, Oct), EUR 4 (Nov-Mar) | Since Jul 21, 2025 | MSC |
| Other Greek ports | Cruise passenger fee | EUR 5 / 3 / 1 by season | Since Jul 21, 2025 | MSC |
| Santorini | Daily cruise visitor cap | 8,000 passengers/day | 2025-2026 | Santorini Port Authority |
| Barcelona | Cruise passenger tax (under 12 hrs) | City ~EUR 4-5 + regional ~EUR 6; city part approved to rise to EUR 24 | Increase pending final approval end of 2026 | Catalan News / Cruise Hive |
| Palma | Ship limit | Max 3 ships/day, only 1 over 5,000 pax | Since 2022, renewed | CruiseMapper |
| Dubrovnik | Visitor cap | 4,000 cruise visitors at once | 2026 rules | EU Transition Pathways |
| Amsterdam | Sea-cruise calls cap | 100 calls/year, 1 berth | From 2026; terminal move by 2035 | Seatrade Cruise News |
| Norway fjords | Zero-emission rule | Ships under 10,000 GT now; all sizes from 2032 | Jan 1, 2026 / Jan 1, 2032 | Norwegian Maritime Authority |
| Iceland | Port fee | ISK 1,600 (~EUR 11) per 24 hrs | 2026-2027 | MSC |
| Bruges | Planned cruise/coach visitor tax | Proposed EUR 4 (not final) | From 2027 | VRT |
Italy: Venice
- Access fee 2026: day visitors age 14+ pay EUR 5 if booked at least 4 days ahead or EUR 10 if later, 8:30 am-4 pm, on set days from April 3 to July 26, 2026 (mostly Fridays to Sundays plus holidays). Fines of EUR 25-150 applied in 2025 for no QR code.
- Exempt: children under 14, people staying overnight in Venice (including Mestre), people with a certified disability plus one companion, and others. Most exempt visitors must still register for a QR code.
- MSC says the fee is included in its own Venice shore excursions, and passengers going only between Stazione Marittima and the ship don't pay.
- Big ships: since August 1, 2021, ships over 25,000 tonnes are barred from the Giudecca Canal and St. Mark's basin. Most big ships now use other ports (such as Trieste or Ravenna) for 'Venice' cruises.
Greece, cruise passenger fee
- Charged per person per port, only when you go ashore (started July 21, 2025).
- Santorini and Mykonos: EUR 20 June-September; EUR 12 April-May and October; EUR 4 November-March.
- Other Greek ports: EUR 5 June-September; EUR 3 April-May and October; EUR 1 November-March.
- Santorini cap: 8,000 cruise passengers per day in 2025 and 2026 (Santorini Port Authority). In 2026 each ship counts at 100% of its capacity.
- Santorini tenders: from June 2026, 70% of tendered passengers must land at Fira (old port) and only 30% at Athinios (Cruise Industry News, Jun 13, 2026).
Spain: Barcelona and Palma
- Barcelona charges cruise passengers who stay under 12 hours a city surcharge (about EUR 4-5 as reported in 2026) plus a regional tax (about EUR 6).
- In July 2026 the city council approved raising the city part to EUR 24, the legal maximum. As of late 2026 it still needs final approval in the city's tax ordinances, and reports differ on whether it takes effect at once or in steps through 2029-2030.
- Three Barcelona cruise terminals are expected to be demolished for a newer, larger terminal; no firm timeline was given.
- Palma de Mallorca: no more than 3 cruise ships a day, and only one of them can carry over 5,000 passengers (agreement since 2022, renewed).
Croatia: Dubrovnik
- Dubrovnik's port authority limits cruise visitors to 4,000 in the city at the same time, with minimum stay lengths by ship size. Ships with 500 or fewer passengers are exempt from some rules (EU Transition Pathways summary of the 2026 berthing rules).
Netherlands: Amsterdam
- From 2026, Amsterdam allows 100 sea-cruise ship calls a year and uses one berth instead of two. The city plans to move the cruise terminal out of the center by 2035.
- Some cruises that say 'Amsterdam' now dock in Rotterdam or IJmuiden; check your port.
Norway: World Heritage fjords
- From January 1, 2026, passenger ships under 10,000 gross tons must be zero-emission in the World Heritage fjords (Geirangerfjord and Naeroyfjord). From January 1, 2032, the rule covers ships of 10,000 gross tons and up (Norwegian Maritime Authority).
- This means big cruise ships can still visit these fjords until 2032, but small boats and ferries must be electric or zero-emission now.
Belgium: Bruges
- Bruges plans a tax on cruise and coach day visitors from 2027; the mayor proposed EUR 4 per cruise visitor, but no final amount was confirmed in the report (VRT, Mar 2025).
Iceland
- Iceland charges ISK 1,600 (about EUR 11) per person per 24 hours in Icelandic ports in 2026-2027, whether or not you go ashore (MSC).
Your checklist
Sources & what we could not confirm · 14 sources · checked 2026-11
- The Local Italy: Calendar: Venice access fee days in 2026
- City of Venice: Access fee booking site
- MSC Cruises: Destination fees and local charges (Greece, Venice, Iceland)
- gCaptain/Reuters: Italy bans large cruise ships from Venice lagoon (Jul 13, 2021)
- Santorini Port Authority: Cruise Ship Berthing Policy 2025-2026
- Cruise Industry News: Santorini implements new cruise tender limits (Jun 13, 2026)
- Catalan News: Barcelona to increase tourist tax for cruise passengers in transit (Sep 25, 2026)
- Cruise Industry News: Barcelona approves 24 euro tax for cruise passengers (Jul 2026)
- Cruise Hive: Barcelona approves maximum 24 euro daily tax (Jul 20, 2026)
- CruiseMapper: Majorca continues limits in Palma
- European Commission Transition Pathways: 2026 cruise berthing regulations, Dubrovnik Port Authority
- Seatrade Cruise News: Amsterdam cruise terminal relocation targeted for 2035
- Norwegian Maritime Authority: Zero emission requirement for the World Heritage fjords adopted
- VRT News: Bruges introduces tax on cruise and coach tourists from 2027 (Mar 20, 2025)
Still being confirmed
- Barcelona's EUR 24 start date and whether it phases in: reports conflict (Cruise Industry News/Cruise Hive July 2026 vs Catalan News September 2026).
- Dubrovnik 'two ships per day' limit is widely reported but was not confirmed on the official summary fetched.
- Palma's agreement end year was not confirmed.
- Venice 2027 access fee dates are not yet confirmed.
- Amsterdam source article had no publication date; the 100-call cap for 2026 matches other reports but the city's own page was not fetched.
- Names of the two World Heritage fjords (Geirangerfjord and Naeroyfjord) are from general knowledge; the fetched Norwegian Maritime Authority page did not list them.