The 15 Best Boat Trips in Crete, Compared

Agios Nikolaos: Boat Trip to Spinalonga with Swim Stop - Kolokitha Bay: a swim with a view

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 3,031 reviews · 4h 30m · from $29Our pick

Review of Agios Nikolaos boat trip to Spinalonga, with a swim at Kolokitha Bay, live guiding, history, food, and practical tips.

“The swim stop was fantastic on the way over to Spinalonga - the water was beautiful and so clear. Once we got to Spinalonga the guide talked us through the history of the Island which was very informative and then we had our free time to explore it ourselves. Enjoyed walking around the island and stepping back in history. Thoroughly enjoyed this tour.”

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Chania/Rethymno: Balos & Gramvousa With Pickup & Boat Ticket

2.Chania/Rethymno: Balos & Gramvousa With Pickup & Boat Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 1,703 reviews · 9 - 12 hours · from $50

Review of Crete’s Balos and Gramvousa boat trip, with hotel pickup, castle views, swimming, snorkeling, and practical advice.

“We lived in the center of Hania, so we boarded the shuttle bus at the old market square that took us to the port of Kissamos. In the meantime, it stopped at a few places to pick up passengers. The tour guide provided information in English about the excursion and the history of the island. We boarded the boat that collected passengers from the buses of various organizing companies. (more than 100 people) We had about 2.5 hours in the Balos lagoon, then we landed at the island of Gramvousa (about 20 minutes by boat). Food and drinks can be purchased on the boat. There were 2 choices on the…”

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Heraklion: Sailboat Cruise to Dia Island with Drinks & Lunch

3.Sailboat Cruise to Dia Island with Drinks & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,405 reviews · 1 hour - 390 minutes · from $35

Sail from Heraklion to Dia Island for swimming, snorkeling, lunch, drinks, and beautiful Crete views on a flexible yacht trip.

“A very choppy crossing to the island. Very well handled by the skipper though The boat was comfortable and safety was well looked after Food was very good. Would have been nice to have beer as an option perhaps Time went very quickly”

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Chania Areas/Kalyves:Gramvousa Island & Balos,Boat Tkt Extra

4.Chania Areas/Kalyves:Gramvousa Island & Balos,Boat Tkt Extra

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 992 reviews · 10 - 12 hours · from $23

Review of the Chania to Gramvousa and Balos day trip, with ferry costs, swimming stops, fortress views, pickup details, and practical tips.

“Really nice guide and welcoming, was a comfy ride to the port and back. Our guide was really friendly and kept us informed and updated with the itinerary and what to expect. The Gramvousa Island was amazing, definitely recommend walking up to the Fortress first and then spending the rest of the time on the beach. Note there are no cafes or food on the island, only one small souvenir shop. Spent 2.75 hours which was a good amount of time to do both. It’s worth noting that you can’t actually go into the Balos beach due to the new conservation rules unless you swim to it from the boat.…”

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From Ag. Nikolaos: Spinalonga & Kolokytha Cruise with Lunch

5.From Ag. Nikolaos: Spinalonga & Kolokytha Cruise with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 735 reviews · 5h 30m · from $35

Cruise from Agios Nikolaos to Spinalonga, swim at Kolokytha Beach, and enjoy a Cretan lunch for $35, with practical tips on timing and costs.

“Well organized. Nice big boat. The day we took the trip it was busy but not over crowded. You are given an informative book which i kept as a souvenir. The announcements on the boat were clear. The day trip itself was very nice. You were given enough time at each location. The 'BBQ' really wasn't what we expected. Whilst you were at the last stop, the swim at the beach stop, they cook a piece of meat each on the boat. You could then collect your meal which was the meat, a bit of shredded red cabbage salad and a couple of pieces of bread. A piece of fruit…”

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Rethymno Area: Gramvousa Island & Balos, Boat Ticket Extra

6.Rethymno Area: Gramvousa Island & Balos, Boat Ticket Extra

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 594 reviews · 10 - 12 hours · from $20Best value

Review of Crete’s Gramvousa and Balos boat trip from Rethymno, with practical costs, timing, beaches, fortress climb, and tips.

“Very nice experience. The people from the trip were really nice! Thanks to all who makes this day unforgettable!”

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Rethymno: Sunset Cruise on a Wooden Pirate Boat

7.Rethymno: Sunset Cruise on a Wooden Pirate Boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 581 reviews · 1 hour · from $29

Review of Rethymno’s one-hour Captain Hook sunset cruise, with port views, Fortezza Castle, drinks, pricing, sea conditions, and practical tips.

“It was a great experience. I was worried that out of the bay it would be cold but it wasn't, this was in August. It gets a little rough out of the bay, which you are warned about, we took anti-sickness to be on the safe side but they probably weren't really needed. We sat on the right hand side and got great pictures. It was lovely seeing the sunset and then coming back with all the lights on in the town and people taking pictures in the port.”

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Heraklion: Private Half-Day Sailing Trip to Dia Island

8.Private Half-Day Sailing Trip to Dia Island

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 466 reviews · 4.5 hours

Review of a private Heraklion sailing trip to Dia Island, with swimming, snorkeling, fishing, drinks, fruit, and optional lunch.

“Brilliant trip, crew were lovely and so helpful. Highly recommend”

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Chania: Menies Beach & Chironisia Bay Cruise with Snorkeling

9.Menies Beach & Chironisia Bay Cruise with Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 429 reviews · 4 hours · from $47

Review the Menies Beach and Chironisia Bay cruise from Kolymbari, with snorkeling, WWII relics, swim stops, prices, tips, and drawbacks.

“Attraction was great. The Crew of the boat was awesome and super helpful, the boat was nice, and the localizations of stops were great. Overall great experience and higly recommended attraction with great value - price ratio. One warning - if you book e.g. 10.15 cruise, your pickup time will be earlier, even 8.40. Carrfully check the details of the reservation.”

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Chania: Boat Trip with Guided Snorkeling & Stand-Up Paddling

10.Boat Trip with Guided Snorkeling & Stand-Up Paddling

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 363 reviews · 3 hours · from $100

Review of Chania’s 3-hour snorkeling and SUP boat trip, with clear waters, small groups, guides, photos, snacks, and practical tips.

“Loved the activity! I had some amazing memories, was a shame that I forgot my camera case- which they should say for people to bring! Was a lovely experience and I recommend this to people who love the water”

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Crete: Spinalonga, Elounda, & Agios Nikolaos Boat Tour & BBQ

11.Spinalonga, Elounda, & Agios Nikolaos Boat Tour & BBQ

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 327 reviews · 9 - 10 hours · from $37

Explore Spinalonga, swim at Kolokytha, enjoy a boat BBQ, and visit Elounda and Agios Nikolaos on a full-day Crete tour.

“Excellent value for money. The guides, driver and sites were excellent. Great to see all the sites and enough time to visit. We drove from Chania so it was a long day for us. But worth it. Very interesting and most definitely recommend.”

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Rethymno: Pirate Boat Cruise with Swimming Stop

12.Rethymno: Pirate Boat Cruise with Swimming Stop

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 293 reviews · 5 hours · from $64

Review the Rethymno pirate boat cruise, with a Kefalas Bay swim, Greek salad lunch, snorkeling, costs, timing, and practical tips.

“Overall pretty good. However, crew could communicate a bit better as they didn’t greet everyone and let us know the itinerary. Was pretty disappointed with one swimming stop when it’s advertised that there are “swimming stops”. However, the swimming stop is in a beautiful location. Lunch was a simple Greek salad with bread and olive oil. Music was just a Phil Collins greatest hits album, which was rather strange!”

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From Rethymno: Full-Day Trip to Santorini by Boat

13.From Rethymno: Full-Day Trip to Santorini by Boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 279 reviews · 13 hours · from $243

Review of the Santorini day trip from Rethymno, covering ferry travel, Oia, Fira, timing, crowds, price, and practical tips.

“We have visited one of the most charming place of the world. The visit started 7.30 in the morning, when we have to be on Rethimno port. We left the car outside the harbour, on the street, no tax. A lady guided us to a line that end by taking the tickets. Be carefull: on this ticket is writen the number of the bus we had to take in Santorini port. We checked in with smart phone, but it is to recomand knowing the name of the tourist company you booked. At 8.00 sharp the quick ferry "Seajet" went to Santorini island. The trip on the sea eas 2,5 hours.…”

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From Kissamos: Balos Gramvousa Sailing Cruise with Lunch

14.Balos Gramvousa Sailing Cruise with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 257 reviews · 7.5 hours · from $229

Sail from Kissamos to Balos and Gramvousa for clear water, a Cretan lunch, castle views, and a relaxed small-group day at sea.

“The captain and Jo were wonderful. They took good care of our family. The tasty foods, the company, and Balos/Gramvousa Island were all great. We really enjoyed seeing their sailing experiences. You can definitely trust their sailing capabilities. Highly recommend this excursion.”

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Boat Trip in Crete with Guided Snorkeling and Free Pick up!

15.Boat Trip in Crete with Guided Snorkeling and Free Pick up!

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 246 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $96

Review of Crete’s guided snorkeling boat trip, with Blue Cave visits, hotel pickup, snacks, calm-water stops, and practical booking tips.

“I highly recommend Chania Diving! Whether you’re snorkeling or diving, you’re in for an unforgettable experience. They took us to some stunning spots, were super friendly, and made us feel completely at ease. Great conversations, beautiful locations, and genuinely kind people—I’d book with them again in a heartbeat!”

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