The 13 Best Boat Trips in Crete, Compared

1.Agios Nikolaos: Boat Trip to Spinalonga with Swim Stop

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

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

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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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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6.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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7.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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8.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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9.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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10.Luxury Catamaran Cruise, Dia Island –Open Bar & Lunch -Top Rated!

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 143 reviews · 5 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $145Top rated

Review of Crete’s luxury Dia Island catamaran cruise, with seafood lunch, open bar, water sports, sunset options, and practical booking tips.

“We had an absolutely amazing experience! The skippers were the best – professional, friendly, and very attentive. The food was fantastic and the open bar with snacks made it a true all-inclusive, worry-free package. We booked the 3:30 pm tour and were rewarded with a breathtaking sunset right in the middle of the sea – simply unforgettable. There was plenty of equipment available for water activities, and everything was well organized. Highly recommended! ☀️⛵️🍸”

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11.Dia Island Catamaran – Premium Lunch, Open Bar, Small Group

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 126 reviews · 6 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $181

Review of Crete’s small-group Dia Island catamaran cruise, with fresh lunch, open bar, swimming, snorkeling, SUP boards, and practical tips.

“Despite a choppy sea, the crew (Sergey & George) were excellent and reassuring. George was a fantastic crew man, full of stories, charm and funny. Excellent food as well from both and an all round relaxing, enjoyable and memorable. trip.”

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12.Balos & Gramvousa Luxury Catamaran Sailing Cruise from Kissamos

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 116 reviews · 7 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $235

Review of the Balos and Gramvousa luxury catamaran cruise from Kissamos, with food, timing, swimming, crowds, cost, and practical tips.

“This is a true luxury experience. It is a small group on the catamaran so you aren’t there with a ton of people. Comfortable seating. The crew is extremely attentive. Always asking if you need a drink, blanket, etc. Food is top notch. Dimitri’s, Jess and Yannis are the best crew. They also filled us in with all the history. I 100% recommend this excursion. Beautiful sites, great crew and food. You also get to beat the huge ferries that come in with tons of people. By the time they are arriving you are leaving.”

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13.Panormo: Luxury Catamaran Cruise with Lunch & Open Bar

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 80 reviews · 6 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $174

Review of Crete’s Panormo luxury catamaran cruise, with breakfast, swimming, SUP, snorkeling, Mediterranean lunch, wine, beer, and open bar.

“We had a amazing experience we were a group of 16 and the staff were so helpful, attentive and supplied amazing food. The cruise takes you on a lovely journey allowing for lots of time for swimming, paddle boarding and snorkelling. We would 100% do this again”

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