Top Santorini Catamaran Cruises

There are plenty of great Santorini catamaran cruises to choose from. Travelers have rated these tours the best recently:

• Santorini Classic Catamaran Cruise With Meal, Drinks and Transfers
• Half-Day Exclusive Catamaran Cruise in Santorini With Meal and Open Bar
• Santorini Luxury Caldera Cruise With Full Greek Meal and Sunset
• Semi Private Premium | Catamaran Cruise With BBQ on Board & Drinks
• Semi-Private Luxury | Santorini Catamaran Cruise With BBQ on Board and Drinks

Yes, a catamaran cruise is worth doing while visiting Santorini: It delivers views of the island you can only get from the water, as well as letting you discover offshore destinations like the volcano and the hot springs. Besides the pleasure of lounging in the sunshine and perhaps seeing sunset on the water, expect Greek hospitality with local cuisine and drinks.

While you can rent smaller boats without a skipper in Santorini, you can’t generally rent catamarans: You can only charter a boat with a crew for a private cruise. Boat charters run from [a half-day charter](tours/Santorini/Santorini-Catamaran-Premium-Private-Cruise-Half-Day-Tour/d959-63718P1 costing around US$1,250 to week-long island-hopping adventures starting at around ten times that price.

The vast majority of catamaran cruises in Santorini last between four and six hours, depending on your choice of activities, although you can charter your own catamaran for a full week of island-hopping. Longer cruises include stops for swimming and snorkeling or visiting hot springs. Note that most shorter cruises either cover daytime or sunset.

Bring sunscreen, sunglasses, and a windbreaker or light jacket for your cruise. If you intend to swim or sunbathe, wear or bring your swimsuit. Most catamaran crews provide towels and snorkeling gear. If you are visiting the hot springs at the Palea Kameni volcano, wear dark or black bathing suits or clothing, as the water will stain light-colored clothing.

Your itinerary will depend on which cruise you select, but many popular cruises let you see sights including White Beach, Red Beach, Santorini Volcano, and Santorini Hot Springs, plus cliff-top villages such as Oia. Expect stops for swimming and snorkeling—but note that you moor off Red Beach or White Beach, rather than landing on them.

There are tons of fun tours and excursions in Santorini aside from catamaran cruises. According to previous travelers, these are the best activities to book for your next trip:

• Sunset Cruises
• Wine-Tasting Tours
• Photography Tours
• Hiking Tours
• Private Drivers

Santorini catamaran cruise prices vary depending on duration and inclusions. If you’re looking for high-quality experiences on the lower end of the price range, these are the best cruises to book now:

• Comfort Max Catamaran Caldera Cruise With BBQ and Drinks
• Sailing Catamaran Cruise In Santorini With BBQ, Drinks, and Transfer
• Sunset Sailing Catamaran Cruise in Santorini With BBQ and Drinks
• Santorini: Standard Small-Group Catamaran Cruise With Food/Drinks
• Santorini Gold Catamaran Cruise With BBQ, Drinks, and Hotel Pickup

There are different types of catamaran cruises in Santorini. Some cruises provide leisurely island views and swim stops, while others offer a customized tour with meals and sunset views. Consider the atmosphere you’d prefer onboard before you book; some cruises attract a lively crowd with drinks and music, while others offer more peace and privacy. It’s also worth checking the size of the catamaran—larger boats will be more stable on rough waters but the feel may be less intimate than on a small-group cruise.

Shared and small-group (“semi-private”) cruises are the most affordable option, with prices starting at less than US$110, including food and drink but excluding transfers: Check the fine print to see how many travelers will be on your boat to get a sense of how intimate the experience will be. Private catamaran cruises cost at least 10 times that sum, but let your group have the boat and crew entirely to yourself—and may even let you customize your route.

Late spring (May) and early fall (September) are the best times for a catamaran cruise in Santorini. It’s when you’ll enjoy warm weather with fewer crowds than during the peak summer months, although the sea can be cool in May. If you’re planning a summer visit, book in advance to secure your spot, as popular tours fill up quickly.

Most Santorini catamaran cruises are largely all-inclusive: Some provide round-trip transfers, while others offer transfers as an upgrade. Typical packages cover a Greek barbecue meal (lunch or dinner), an open bar featuring local wine and soft drinks, and perhaps also beer, as well as snorkeling equipment and sometimes also towels. But inclusions vary, so check before booking.

Yes—some Santorini catamaran cruises include hotel pickup and transfers, while others offer this service as an upgrade. Note that some hotels and vacation rentals are only accessible on foot, so pickup will be from a nearby meeting point; most cruise ship passengers will need to catch the cable car to Fira as there’s no road access to the old port.

It depends. Daytime cruises generally offer calmer waters, brighter conditions, and more swimming and snorkeling stops, but mean missing out on sunset. The more popular sunset cruises offer the chance to enjoy Santorini’s spectacular sunsets with a glass in hand but can be on the cool side outside the summer months.

Santorini catamaran cruises usually depart from either Vlychada marina, in the south of the island, or Amoudi Bay, in the north: They don’t leave from the cruise port or the ferry port. Traffic on Santorini can be hectic so either book a cruise that includes transfers or allow plenty of time for your journey.