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Additional cruise fees and tourist taxes: what you need to know in 2026

When booking a cruise, travelers usually see port charges and government taxes — Port Taxes & Fees included in the price. However, some countries also impose additional tourist, infrastructure, municipal or passenger fees.

It is important to understand that there is no single universal «port fee». In Greece, the amount depends on whether the passenger actually goes ashore, in Iceland it depends on how long the ship remains in the country, in Japan it is an international departure tax, while in Venice it is a fee for visiting the historic city center on specified days.

The key point: check more than just the base cruise fare

Depending on the country and cruise line, an additional fee may be included in Taxes & Fees immediately, added to the booking later, or charged to the onboard account. Therefore, when comparing offers, it is better to focus on the final cruise price rather than only the base cabin fare.

At a glance: major additional fees in 2026

Country / port	Fee amount	When it is charged	Key detail
Greece	€1–€20	For each port where the passenger goes ashore	Mykonos and Santorini have higher rates
Iceland	1,600 Icelandic krónur	For each commenced 24-hour period	The charge does not depend on whether the passenger goes ashore
Barcelona	€9 or €11	Per ship call	Short calls of up to 12 hours are taxed at a higher rate
Amsterdam	€15	For a daytime cruise visit	The fee is administered by the cruise ship operator
Lisbon	€2	For transit passengers who go ashore	Applies to passengers over 13 years old
Mexico	+ possible additional fees	Federal fee + separate Quintana Roo fee	Cozumel and Costa Maya may involve both charges
Japan	3,000 JPY	When departing Japan internationally	This is an international tourist tax, not a port fee
Venice	€5–€10	On specified days when visiting the historic city center	In 2026 the fee applied through July 26

Details by country and cruise port

Greece — Cruise Passenger Fee

Greece applies a special fee to cruise passengers. The amount depends on the port and season.

Mykonos and Santorini

June 1 – September 30: €20 per person for each port.
April, May and October: €12.
November – March: €4.

Other Greek ports

This category includes, among others, Piraeus (Athens), Corfu, Katakolon, Rhodes, Heraklion and other Greek ports.

June 1 – September 30: €5 per person.
April, May and October: €3.
November – March: €1.

The most important detail: the Greek Cruise Passenger Fee applies when a passenger actually disembarks and goes ashore. If the traveler remains on board, the fee for that port should not apply.

The fee applies regardless of the passenger's age.

For example, if a summer itinerary includes Piraeus, Mykonos and Santorini and the traveler goes ashore in all three ports, the total charge will be: €5 + €20 + €20 = €45 per person.

Iceland — Infrastructure Fee

Iceland applies a special Infrastructure Fee to international cruise ships.

1,600 Icelandic krónur per passenger

for each commenced 24-hour period that the ship remains within Iceland's customs territory.

This system is fundamentally different from Greece: whether the passenger goes ashore does not matter. The charge depends on how long the ship remains in Iceland.

For example, if the ship's stay covers three commenced 24-hour periods, the fee will be: 1,600 × 3 = 4,800 Icelandic krónur per passenger.

Legally, the ship operator is responsible for paying the fee to the state. How a particular cruise line presents this charge to the traveler — within Taxes & Fees, as a separate line item, or in another way — depends on the booking conditions.

Barcelona and Catalonia — tourist tax

From April 1, 2026, updated tourist tax rates apply in Catalonia for cruise ship passengers.

Barcelona

stay longer than 12 hours: €9 per person.
stay of 12 hours or less: €11 per person.

Yes, the rate is higher for a shorter port call. The amount includes the Catalan portion of the tourist tax and Barcelona's municipal surcharge.

Other ports in Catalonia

more than 12 hours: €3.
12 hours or less: €4.50.

Certain travelers are exempt from the tourist tax, including persons under 17 years of age. In practice, the charge is administered through the cruise operator.

Amsterdam — Day Tourist Tax

Amsterdam charges a special tourist tax to cruise passengers arriving in the city during a daytime cruise call.

€15 per passenger

The payment is administered through the cruise ship operator. Therefore, passengers generally do not need to pay the €15 separately at the cruise terminal — the amount may already be included among the taxes and fees of the booking.

Lisbon — Municipal Tourist Tax

A municipal tourist tax applies to transit cruise passengers in Lisbon.

€2 per passenger

The fee applies to passengers over 13 years old who disembark from the cruise ship during a transit call and visit Lisbon.

Unlike Iceland, whether the passenger goes ashore matters here. The ship operator or its representative settles the payment with the municipality.

Mexico — two different fees

Mexico is one of the destinations where it is especially important not to confuse two different charges: the federal fee and the separate fee imposed by the state of Quintana Roo.

1. Federal fee for foreign cruise passengers

From August 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027:

per foreign cruise passenger

Further approved increases:

from July 1, 2027 — ;
from August 1, 2028 — .

If the ship calls at Mexico again during the same cruise journey, the federal fee should not automatically be multiplied by the number of Mexican ports.

2. Quintana Roo — separate cruise fee

per passenger

This fee is particularly relevant for the popular Caribbean ports of Cozumel and Costa Maya / Mahahual.

Therefore, an itinerary including Cozumel or Costa Maya in 2026 may include a federal fee + Quintana Roo fee, potentially charged per passenger depending on the specific itinerary and how the cruise line displays the payment.

Japan — International Tourist Tax

Japan's International Tourist Tax is not a port fee and not a charge for visiting a particular city. It is a government tax on international departure from Japan.

3,000 JPY per person

for applicable international departures from July 1, 2026.

The tax applies to both air and sea passengers.
Children under 2 years old are exempt.
There are separate exemptions, including for certain transit passengers.
For some transport contracts issued before July 1, 2026, the previous rate of 1,000 JPY may apply.

Venice — Access Fee

Venice's Access Fee is often mistakenly referred to as a «cruise fee». In reality, it is a municipal fee for day visitors to the historic center of Venice, not a cruise line port tax.

On specified days in 2026, the following rates applied:

€5 — when arranged in advance;
€10 — when arranged shortly before the visit.

Simply being near the cruise terminal does not always mean that the traveler must pay the Access Fee. What matters is whether the visitor enters the historic center area covered by the system.

Current status. In 2026, the Access Fee applied on specified days from April 3 through July 26. As of September 6, 2026, the fee is not being charged. Rules for 2027 are to be established separately.

Can you avoid the fee by staying on board?

Destination	If you stay on board	Reason
Greece	The fee should not apply	It is linked to the passenger actually going ashore
Iceland	The fee still applies	It depends on how long the ship remains in the country
Barcelona	It does not depend on whether the passenger goes ashore	The tax is linked to the cruise ship call
Lisbon	The fee does not apply under the same logic	The transit fee applies to passengers who go ashore
Japan	It does not depend on taking an excursion	It is a tax on international departure from the country

What else should you consider before your cruise?

Taxes & Fees. Some fees may already be included by the cruise line in the final booking price.
Price changes after booking. If a government or local fee changes, the cruise line may in some cases adjust the tax portion of the booking.
Several ports in one country. You cannot automatically multiply every fee by the number of ports: each country has its own system.
Going ashore. For some charges it is decisive, while for others it makes no difference.
Children. Age-based exemptions vary: for example, Greece does not have a general child exemption for this fee, while Catalonia has age-based exemptions.
New fees. Tourist taxes change frequently, so the current amount should always be checked before making the final cruise payment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are additional port and tourist fees included in the cruise price?

Not always. The cruise line may include them in Taxes & Fees immediately, add them to the booking later, or charge them separately. Therefore, you should check the conditions of the specific fare and the final booking calculation.

If I do not leave the ship, do I still have to pay the fee?

It depends on the country. In Greece, the fee is linked to the passenger actually going ashore. In Iceland, by contrast, it depends on how long the ship remains in the country and is not cancelled simply because the traveler stays on board.

Why is the fee higher in Mykonos and Santorini?

Greece has introduced separate higher rates for Mykonos and Santorini. During the high season from June 1 to September 30, the charge is €20 per passenger for each of these ports, while the rate for other Greek ports during the same period is €5.

If a cruise calls at several ports in Mexico, do I have to pay for each one?

No. The federal fee should not automatically be multiplied by every Mexican port on the same cruise. At the same time, ports in the state of Quintana Roo, including Cozumel and Costa Maya, may also involve a separate local fee.

Is the Venice Access Fee currently in effect?

As of September 6, 2026 — no. In 2026, the Access Fee applied on specified days from April 3 through July 26. Rules and the calendar for the next season are approved separately.

Please note. Tourist, passenger and infrastructure fees are established by national and local authorities and may change. Cruise lines may also use different methods to charge them. Before booking and before departure, always check the final price and conditions for your specific itinerary. Information is current as of September 6, 2026.

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Sources (official government and municipal resources):

Greece — Ministry of Tourism of Greece, mintour.gov.gr · Iceland — Alþingi / Icelandic legislation, althingi.is · Catalonia and Barcelona — Agència Tributària de Catalunya, atc.gencat.cat · Amsterdam — Municipality of Amsterdam, amsterdam.nl · Lisbon — Câmara Municipal de Lisboa, lisboa.pt · Mexico — Diario Oficial de la Federación / Gobierno de México · Quintana Roo — Gobierno del Estado de Quintana Roo, qroo.gob.mx · Japan — National Tax Agency Japan, nta.go.jp · Venice — Comune di Venezia / Access Fee, cda.ve.it.

Additional fees and tourist taxes on cruises!