Key Aspects:
- Athens, Greece, is hosting a large-scale cycling event on October 19, which could cause increased traffic for guests traveling to the cruise port.
- Virgin Voyages has warned guests who will be embarking on Resilient Lady that day to prepare for delays.
- Passengers of Norwegian Viva, Wind Star, Seabourn Encore, and Marella Explorer 2 could also be impacted.
Virgin Voyages is warning guests who will be making their way to the Piraeus Cruise Port on October 19, 2025, that they will have an extra obstacle in their path that could delay their journey to the port.
Resilient Lady will be arriving in Athens on the morning of October 19 to disembark its current 7-night sailing and embark on a new 7-night cruise to destinations throughout Greece and Spain.
But at the same time, Athens will be hosting the 29th Cycling Tour, which is a large-scale event that celebrates cycling for all ages and abilities.
For the safety of participants and onlookers, traffic restrictions will be in place from around 6 a.m. until 1 p.m. local time.
“Athens will be hosting a major cycling event on embarkation day, Sunday, October 19, 2025, which means phased road closures, parking bans, and traffic restrictions across parts of the city, especially in central avenues and streets near the race route,” Virgin Voyages wrote to future passengers.
“Streets will begin reopening around 1:00 PM, just as embarkation begins to pick up,” the adults-only cruise line noted.
In addition to Resilient Lady, four other cruise ships will also be in Athens that day and their passengers may be similarly delayed.
These include Norwegian Cruises’ Norwegian Viva, Windstar Cruises’ Wind Star, Seabourn Cruises’ Seabourn Encore, and Marella Cruises’ Marella Explorer 2.
Planning for Delays
With increased traffic expected, even after roads start to reopen, the up to 2,770 guests who will be embarking on Resilient Lady should give themselves extra time to make their way to the busy cruise port.
“Because some of the roads that might normally be used to route toward Piraeus (and the port area) could be impacted, we recommend extra planning, avoiding congestion zones, and permitting buffer time in their travel,” Virgin Voyages advised.
Piraeus Port, Greece (Photo Credit: Aerial-motion)
But at the same time, the cruise line asks that guests do not arrive before the designated Terminal Arrival Time that is shown in the Sailor App to avoid overcrowding within the cruise terminal.
For those who arrive extra early, there is plenty to explore within walking distance of the port, including local restaurants, shops, and the famous Hellenic Maritime Museum.
Guests are able to check their luggage at the cruise terminal starting at 9 a.m. so that they can explore the area surrounding the port unencumbered.
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On the bright side, the route between the cruise port and the Athens International Airport (ATH) is not supposed to have any road closures. However, traffic could still be heavier than usual because of the event.
“Traveling from the airport? That route is not expected to be part of the closed cycling route, but traffic may still be heavier than usual – Sailors should plan extra cushion time in their schedule,” Virgin Voyages said.
Usually, we recommend against flying into the port the same day as embarkation, as delays or flight cancellations can cause guests to miss their ship.
But on the flip side of things, guests who are disembarking that morning and flying home the same day might be delayed in their return to the airport.
Appeared first on: Cruisehive.com
