Crete · CRUISES & BOAT TOURS

The 15 Best Boat Trips in Crete

73 tours  ·  from $19 a head

Half of this island only makes sense from the water. The 15 below run from a ninety-minute hop across Elounda bay to a full day under sail with lunch on board, each priced, with the swimming time spelled out rather than implied.

From Kissamos Port: Boat Cruise to Balos Lagoon & Gramvousa - Gramvousa Island, shipwreck, and the climb to the castle
Balos Lagoon & Gramvousa Cruises, Boat Tours in Chania, Chania Tours, Cruises & Boat Tours, Tour Reviews

From Kissamos Port: Boat Cruise to Balos Lagoon & Gramvousa

1.Boat Cruise to Balos Lagoon & Gramvousa

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 6,755 reviews · 7 hours · from $47Our pick

Review of the Kissamos boat cruise to Balos Lagoon and Gramvousa, with castle views, swimming, practical tips, food, crowds, and value.

“Well planned, good safety, excellent captain work, crew really on the Ball, old shipwreck at Balos absolutely amazing! Bring your snorkel gear!”

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Agios Nikolaos: Boat Trip to Spinalonga with Swim Stop - Leaving Agios Nikolaos at 12:30
Cruises & Boat Tours, Spinalonga Island Tours, Tour Reviews

Agios Nikolaos: Boat Trip to Spinalonga with Swim Stop

2.Boat Trip to Spinalonga with Swim Stop

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

Cruise from Agios Nikolaos to Spinalonga, swim in Kolokitha Bay, hear its past from a guide, and enjoy a well-priced Cretan afternoon.

“A great trip from start to finish. The swimming stop was so refreshing before moving on to Spinalonga, the English speaking guide was so well informed & a pleasure to listen to, A very well worth trip and we will be back”

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Heraklion: Dia Island Sailboat Cruise with Swimming and Meal - The one-hour sail to Dia Island
Boat Tours in Heraklion, Cruises & Boat Tours, Dia Island Cruises, Heraklion Tours, Tour Reviews

Heraklion: Dia Island Sailboat Cruise with Swimming and Meal

3.Dia Island Sailboat Cruise with Swimming and Meal

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 2,579 reviews · 5.5 hours · from $95

Sail from Heraklion to Dia Island for swimming, snorkeling, a Mediterranean meal, unlimited drinks, and a relaxed small-group cruise.

“The perfect day! Our guided were all so kind and accommodating. The boat was beautiful, spacious, and had plenty of fun equipment. The lunch was delicious and abundant, as well and the drinks! Overall, a fantastic experience. Would absolutely do it again!”

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Hersonissos: Jet Boat Tour with Snorkeling - What the 30-minute jet boat ride feels like
Boat Tours in Heraklion, Cruises & Boat Tours, Diving & Snorkeling, Diving & Snorkeling in Heraklion, Heraklion Tours, Jet Boat & Watersports, Tour Reviews, Tours

Hersonissos: Jet Boat Tour with Snorkeling

4.Jet Boat Tour with Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,385 reviews · 1 hour · from $53Top rated

Race along Crete’s coast by jet boat, spin at 90 km/h, then swim and snorkel in the clear waters of Saint George’s Bay.

“We had an amesome day, it was fantastic, lovely staff, the driver that does the transfers is so polite and lovely. Thank you for the experience”

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Heraklion: Sailboat Cruise to Dia Island with Drinks & Lunch - Saint George Bay and Dia’s dry beauty
Cruises & Boat Tours, Dia Island Cruises, Tour Reviews

Heraklion: Sailboat Cruise to Dia Island with Drinks & Lunch

5.Sailboat Cruise to Dia Island with Drinks & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,287 reviews · from $90

Sail from Heraklion to Dia Island for swimming, snorkeling, lunch, unlimited drinks, and a relaxed half-day on a luxury yacht.

“It was a wonderful experience. Not too crowded, everyone had enough space on the boat. The guides were really nice and explained everything there is to know. The food was tasty, especially the Greek salad. Thank you for a beautiful afternoon and evening!”

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From Ierapetra: Cruise to Chrissi Island with Swimming - What the 70-minute crossing is really like
Agios Nikolaos Tours, Boat Tours in Agios Nikolaos, Chrissi & Koufonisi Islands, Cruises & Boat Tours, Tour Reviews

From Ierapetra: Cruise to Chrissi Island with Swimming

6.Cruise to Chrissi Island with Swimming

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 1,040 reviews · 6 hours · from $47

Cruise from Ierapetra to Chrissi Island for clear-water swimming, snorkeling, beach time, and Libyan Sea views aboard Aristovoulos.

“Fantastic,except the food,that was horrible…we were hungry in the whole trip because that menu wasn’t eatable.”

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Chania Areas/Kalyves:Gramvousa Island & Balos,Boat Tkt Extra - The ferry ride to Gramvousa
Balos Lagoon & Gramvousa Cruises, Cruises & Boat Tours, Tour Reviews

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

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

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

Cruise from Chania to Gramvousa and Balos, with fortress views, swimming stops, hotel pickup, and practical advice on extra boat costs.

“Balos is very beautiful, but a bit too overcrowded. Gramvousa is just a rocky island with a rocky beach. Still, the trip is well organized and a good way to spend a day of your holiday.”

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Chania: Balos Gramvousa Cruise with Transfer and Boat Ticket - Getting from your hotel area to Kissamos Port
Balos Lagoon & Gramvousa Cruises, Cruises & Boat Tours, Tickets, Tour Reviews

Chania: Balos Gramvousa Cruise with Transfer and Boat Ticket

8.Balos Gramvousa Cruise with Transfer and Boat Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 925 reviews · from $47

Review of the Chania to Balos and Gramvousa cruise, with hotel-area transfers, castle hike, swimming, practical tips, and value advice.

“The trip to Balos is absolutely a must when in Chania! The beach is gorgeous and I would visit again any day! While I think making the trip to Balos is worth while, the only real value that buying it here is the arranged transportation by bus from a stop near your hotel. But otherwise, it’s entirely possible to organize the trip yourself given that the tour guide does not join for the trip to the beaches. The tour guide only stayed with us until we got to the ferry and then wasn’t there for the return. Chania has a great bus system with buses leaving to Balos from Chania…”

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Heraklion: Sailing Cruise to Dia Island with Drinks and Meal - Dia Island’s Rocky Shore and Clear Water
Boat Tours in Heraklion, Cruises & Boat Tours, Dia Island Cruises, Heraklion Tours, Sailing & Catamaran Cruises, Sailing & Catamaran Cruises in Heraklion, Tour Reviews

Heraklion: Sailing Cruise to Dia Island with Drinks and Meal

9.Sailing Cruise to Dia Island with Drinks and Meal

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 778 reviews · 6 hours · from $106

Sail from Heraklion to Dia Island for swimming, snorkeling, paddleboarding, a fresh Greek meal, drinks, and sunset views.

“Our Captain came to our hotel in Agia Pelagia to pick us up in the morning and he was lovely from the get-go. The boat ride to Dia Island was fun, and the island itself was amazing. We got to hike up the island and have a look around. The water was so blue and so clear we could see schools of small fish in it. There’s even a small beach which we had time to sunbathe on before going back to the boat (we chose the half day). Before we set off back towards Heraklion, we had some delicious Greek salad, fruits, cheese and bread. Our Captain also took…”

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Heraklion: Dia Island Sailing Cruise with Snorkeling - Dia Island, a quiet stop in the north of Crete
Boat Tours in Heraklion, Cruises & Boat Tours, Dia Island Cruises, Diving & Snorkeling, Diving & Snorkeling in Heraklion, Heraklion Tours, Sailing & Catamaran Cruises, Sailing & Catamaran Cruises in Heraklion, Tour Reviews

Heraklion: Dia Island Sailing Cruise with Snorkeling

10.Dia Island Sailing Cruise with Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 742 reviews · 4.5 - 7 hours · from $82

Sail from Heraklion to uninhabited Dia Island for swimming, snorkeling, paddleboarding, Greek food, wine, and relaxed small-group sailing.

“The Sail Boat tour was extraordinary. We had such a beautiful sunny day. Both the Captains were very incredible. I booked for a Retreat I was hosting in Greece. We were 7 people and had the whole sailboat for ourselves. I booked the half day tour & honestly we loved it so much, that if I was doing it again, I would book the whole day! Highly recommend this experience! So worth it. 🤍 A big Thank you!!!!!! 🇬🇷 Best ever. Oh & the food was simple, but great! & we had lovely music for the whole tour, good ambiance!!!! +++5 stars ✨”

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From Ag. Nikolaos: Spinalonga & Kolokytha Cruise with Lunch - Boarding at Agios Nikolaos harbor
Cruises & Boat Tours, Spinalonga Island Tours, Tour Reviews

From Ag. Nikolaos: Spinalonga & Kolokytha Cruise with Lunch

11.Spinalonga & Kolokytha Cruise with Lunch

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

Cruise from Agios Nikolaos to historic Spinalonga, swim at Kolokytha Bay, and enjoy a simple Cretan lunch for $35.

“A great day aboard the Kalidon. The boat has a lower deck with inside and outside seating. And an upper deck with covered seating for protection from the sun. Our first stop at Spinalonga was self-guided and an interesting site to visit. We were given ample time to enjoy at our own pace. From there, we went to Kolokytha beach. Since it was overcast and somewhat cool, we elected to stay on the boat. A wonderful lunch of pork chops, cooked on an open pit in front of where we were anchored, cabbage salad, bread, fruit, and wine was served to us on the aft deck. We returned to our…”

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Rethymno Area: Gramvousa Island & Balos, Boat Ticket Extra - Leaving Rethymno before the heat
Balos Lagoon & Gramvousa Cruises, Cruises & Boat Tours, Tickets, Tour Reviews

Rethymno Area: Gramvousa Island & Balos, Boat Ticket Extra

Chania/Almyrida: Balos Gramvousa Day Trip with Boat Ticket - The cruise past Tersanas Cave and Vouxa Cape
1-Day Tours, Balos Lagoon & Gramvousa Cruises, Boat Tours in Chania, Chania Tours, Cruises & Boat Tours, Entry Tickets in Chania, Tickets, Tour Reviews

Chania/Almyrida: Balos Gramvousa Day Trip with Boat Ticket

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