Thinking about taking a Greece cruise for your next vacation? We recently sailed with Celestyal Cruises and had amazing time hopping between the different Greek islands! A Greek island cruise can be one of the best ways to see multiple destinations over the span of a few days. Here’s a few fun reasons why you should consider a cruise in Greece for your next holiday.
12 Reasons to Take a Greece Cruise This Summer
1. Endless Islands to See
There are around 6,000 islands in Greece with over 200 being inhabited. Yes, that’s a lot of islands! One of the best parts about going on a Greece cruise is that you’ll be able to see more than one.
Many travelers typically visit one destination, or two if they’re lucky. Taking a Greek island cruise will allow you to see so many amazing places at once. This is also a great way to see what islands you would want to come back to for a longer visit.
On our recent trip with Celestyal Cruises, we saw 6 ports from Athens over 4 nights. The iconic route through the Aegean Sea took us to Mykonos, Patmos, Rhodes, Crete, and Santorini!
It even had a stop in another country which we’ll talk more about later. Be sure to check out our article to learn all about our first Greece cruise experience!
→ Celestyal Cruises: What’s it Like on a 4 Night Greek Island Cruise?
2. A Greek Island Cruise Is An Easy Holiday
Planning can be one of the hardest parts of traveling, especially in a big European country. That’s another benefit of taking a Greece cruise.
The itinerary is all set for you in advance. All you have to do is decide what you’ll want to do in each of the Greek island cruise ports. Some days you may want to take a guided tour, while others you can explore on your own. The point is it’s totally up to you!
Jumping on a cruise in Greece (instead of planning the entire trip yourself) will give you so much more time to enjoy your holiday. Not to mention, you’ll have some lovely dining and entertainment options right at your finger tips.
→ Planning a Trip to Greece: 10 Step Easy to Follow Guide
3. Fun Greece Cruise Shore Excursions
One of the best parts about Greek island cruises are the excellent excursions they run at each port. From exploring ancient ruins to food & wine tours, there are so many fun things to do off the ship.
You can always choose to get off the Greece cruise boat and experience it for yourself. However, having a local guide is a more in-depth way to learn about each destination.
On our recent Greek islands cruise we did a mix of both. Some of our favorite excursions were the Palace of Knossos on Crete and walking tour through Mykonos with a local dinner. All the guides were so informative and happy to answer any questions we had during the tours.
4. Beautiful Beaches
Are you a beach lover like us? Then you’re going to love taking a cruise in Greece! The clear waters of the Aegean and Mediterranean Sea are jaw-dropping, and you will waste no time jumping in. While July and August is the best time for warm waters, we still had a swim on our trip in early May.
Something that’s also amazing about the islands is that there are beaches close to many of the Greece cruise ports. We particularly love Rhodes, where the gorgeous Elli Beach was just a short stroll away from the Medieval old town. Honestly, it feels like anywhere is a good spot for a swim in Greece!
5. Dining On Greek Island Cruises
Don’t worry… There will be no shortage of delicious food on your cruise in Greece! Not only are there multiple restaurants and dining areas to eat in, but you will have the option of buffet or ordering à la carte.
On our Greece cruise with Celestyal, we were happy to see a good mix of Greek, European, and other western cuisine. There were also some more fancy eating experiences that blended well with the laid back lunches.
One of our most memorable nights was enjoying a six course tasting menu while sailing away from Santorini.
6. Variety of Greece Cruise Packages
One of things we loved most about our Celestyal Cruise is that it was completely customizable. You can pay for things up front for a more inclusive cruise, or buy drinks and other items at an extra cost once on board.
For example, our boat had a drink package that we would highly recommend if you’ll be indulging in some beverages while at sea. There were so many different style bars to choose from that we never had a dull moment!
You can also opt for a suite and room with a window, or go with the more affordable indoor cabins. While we loved Celestyal, there are so many different cruise companies to choose from in Europe. Check out the options for the best Carnival Cruise ship here!
7. Epic Historical Sites
Greece is known for its history so many of the best excursions and things to do revolve around the archaeological sites. From the ancient theater life to more cultural heritage experiences, history lovers will have a blast from their very first Greek Island cruise stop!
The historical wonders of Greece are so impressive. Many of the cities and towns are already like walking through a living museum. So when you combine the guided tours and a UNESCO World Heritage Site or two, you’re sure to be blown away.
8. Sailing Through the Greek Islands
It’s no secret that Greece has some of the most beautiful islands in the world. We loved simply sitting on the top deck lounge chairs and watching the incredible views pass us by. While sea days can be dull on cruises in other parts of the world, you won’t have that problem here!
We had taken the ferries all around the country prior to our Greece cruise vacation. Still, there was nothing like sailing through the Greek islands and actually sleeping on the ship for multiple days.
9. Nightly Greece Cruise Shows
Another fun thing about Greek island cruises are the nightly entertainment. It seems like almost every lounge or bar has something exciting going on. There is everything from traditional dancing to magic shows, and more.
You may need a rest after your days of adventure in each port. Yet, you’ll find there is non-stop action on all the Greece cruises. There are even different themed bars to enjoy, all with their own music, food, and vibe.
10. Wake Up on a New Greek Island Every Day
How cool is this?! From planes to buses and ATV’s to ferries, we feel like we’ve traveled around Greece in every way possible. However, waking up on a new and stunning island every day of our cruise in Greece was something else.
Our journey started and ended in Athens, and in between we saw so many unbelievable destinations. A couple of times we even hit multiple stops in the same day.
A highlight of our Greece cruise was ending in world-famous Santorini. As we strolled around the narrow streets and looked out over the white-washed houses and blue domes, we couldn’t believe how many places we’d seen.
→ 20 Fun Things to do in Santorini Greece on Your First Visit
11. Not Just the Peak Summer Months
While the most popular time to cruise in Greece is summer, we recommend you go outside of the busy months of July and August for an awesome holiday. As we mentioned, our Greek Island cruise started at the very beginning of the season.
In the month of May, we still had decent temperatures and saw places like Santorini and Mykonos with fewer crowds. This is something to consider when planning your Greek island cruises. The fall season is even a great time as you’ll have warm weather in September.
12. More Than One Country??
While a Greece cruise is the main draw, know that some of them make stops in other countries. On our iconic Aegean cruise we actually had half a day in the city of Kusadasi, Turkey!
Here we took a fantastic tour of Ephesus and its 2,000+ year old Roman ruins. Seeing ancient history in a completely new country was such a unique experience.
This also allowed us to enter Turkey without a visa since it was just for a few hours. Other popular routes can include nearby Italy or Croatia as well.
Is a Greece Cruise Worth it?
Yes! We had an amazing trip on our Greek islands cruise. If you’re looking to see a bunch of fantastic islands in a short period of time, then this is the perfect way to do so.
Honestly, we’ve been to Greece many times and it really depends on the type of vacation you enjoy. Cruising through Greece (and Europe in general) is such a fun way to travel in style.
We’ve found it easy enough to use the Greek Ferry system or fly to the islands that have airports. Even so, there’s nothing like rolling out of bed to a new and amazing place each day.
Make sure to explore all our Greece articles to help plan your next trip! We cover everything from general travel tips to the mainland and amazing islands such as Santorini, Paros, Rhodes, Karpathos, Crete, Milos & more!
Have any questions about this article or want to share your own tips for Greece cruises this summer? Leave us a comment below!
Safe Travels,
Brigitte & Jake
Where in the world are we? Follow our daily adventures on Instagram @nothingfamiliar!
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Greece Travel Planning
For island hopping use FerriesinGreece to compare different routes, prices, and companies. The fast ferries like Sea Jets will cost more but often takes half the time of slower ferries like Blue Star.
Flights: We always check Skyscanner and Kayak to search for cheap flights. That’s how we got from Athens to Santorini for under $50 USD!
Accommodation: Always compare multiple sites to get the best deal. We search both Booking.com and Agoda! Also, Hostelworld should be your go-to source if you’re traveling on a budget.
Rental Car: You can book a rental car for as little as $20 a day in Greece! We use Discover Cars to explore the larger islands with a vehicle.
Tours: Go to Get Your Guide for hundreds of activities in Santorini. You can find everything from group sailing tours to private catamaran cruises. Go wine tasting around the island, horseback riding down the beach, or even jump on an ATV tour!
Travel Insurance: Never travel abroad without insurance. We’ve been using SafetyWing for the last few years on the road and they are there when we need them.
Packing Lists: Find all the inspiration you need with our Amazon packing lists. Including electronics and camera gear, must-have medical items, and long flight essentials!
We’re Brigitte and Jake! American travel bloggers currently based in Spain. If you can believe it, we started Nothing Familiar way back in 2015 on an Ipad in the Ecuadorian jungle. Ever since, we haven’t stopped traveling! We’ve now been to over 60 countries around the world, with our expertise being Europe and Southeast Asia. We love outdoor adventures, tasting local specialties, and island hopping through tropical destinations. Hopefully, our guides and authentic experiences will inspire you on your own travels!
So many lovely reasons, but really just one is enough to me. Greece is such an awesome place to visit!
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