A Chania catamaran cruise is a sail along the north-west coast of Crete on a twin-hulled boat. You swim, eat and sunbathe on deck. Below you find the Old Port start, the islets, the food, the formats and the season. The homepage lists more Greece Tours like this one.
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What is a Chania catamaran cruise?
A Chania catamaran cruise is a sea trip off the north-west coast of Crete on a twin-hulled sailing boat. Guests swim at the stops and relax on deck between swims. The cruise suits couples, families and groups of friends.
Think of the day as a round trip on the water. The cruise from the Old Port to Agioi Theodoroi island ends back at the Old Port of Chania. On the all-inclusive full-day sail to that island, the boat stops at a bay for a swim. A Chania catamaran cruise is a day out, not a crossing.
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A catamaran rides on two matching hulls. A structure joins them, from a simple frame to a large superstructure. Two hulls can meet less resistance in the water than one. That takes less power from sails or motors. A cruising catamaran carries two engines and two rudders. The Old Port all-inclusive trip runs on a sailing catamaran.
Catamarans also work as high-speed ferries, which carry passengers from one port to another. A Chania catamaran cruise uses the same type of hull for a different job. The boat sails out to the island, anchors for a swim and ends the day back in the harbour.
The cruises sail the Gulf of Chania. It is a bay of the Sea of Crete on the north-west side of the island. Chania lies around 40 kilometres from the west end of Crete. Its municipality forms the eastern shore of the bay. The private sailing cruise explores the gulf.
The deck is where guests spend the time between swims. The sunset cruise from the Old Port has sunbeds and shaded lounges. Guests choose a spot in the sun or rest in the shade. A Chania catamaran cruise works for people who want to lie in the sun and for people who prefer cover.
On the morning cruise, the decks are spacious, so there is plenty of room for lounging. The boat also has sunbeds, outdoor showers and a toilet. The cruise is aimed at guests who want a mid-morning escape. The private day cruise adds a sound system, so guests can play their own playlist.
The boat on the Old Port cruise to Agioi Theodoroi carries Wi-Fi and a sound system. It has plenty of space to stretch out or sit comfortably. A Chania catamaran cruise on this route has room for everyone to take in the views.
The sunset cruise from the Old Port suits couples, friends, families and solo travellers. It is a strong fit for romantic couples and for families with older children. The evening trip gives them a spot in the sun or in the shade.
The private day cruise is suited to families, celebrations and groups who want a day of their own. A private sailing cruise is also set up for families or groups who want an intimate, personal trip. The private day is customisable, so a group can shape it.
Families have extra choices on board. The all-inclusive Old Port trip has toys for children, and it offers entertainment for guests of all ages. It also suits guests who want a laid-back day at sea. So a Chania catamaran cruise can be a calm day of sunbathing or a busy day in the water.
Where does a Chania catamaran cruise start?
A Chania catamaran cruise starts at the Old Port, the Venetian harbour in central Chania. On the all-inclusive trip, you check in on the quay at least 15 minutes before departure. The crew then tells you where to board the boat.
The all-inclusive Chania catamaran cruise begins at the Old Venetian Port, the old harbour of Chania. It is the largest of the old Venetian harbours in the main cities of Crete. The basin and the breakwater took shape gradually. Restaurants, cafés, small hotels and shops fill the restored buildings along the waterfront.
The Venetians built shipyards in later centuries to shelter and repair ships. The Great Shipyard is the last of the 17 shipyards of the Venetian port of Chania. Fort Firka stands in the Old Harbour, and the Greek flag was first raised there. The seafront streets Akti Tompazi, Akti Kountouriotou and Akti Enoseos, the marina, hold historical buildings and nightlife.
The old town sits beside the old harbour, so you can walk to the quay for a Chania catamaran cruise. Halidon Street is the old town’s main pedestrian street. It leads to Syntrivani Square, where the old town meets the harbour. The market, the harbour and the lighthouse lie within a ten to fifteen minute walk of one another.
On the all-inclusive Old Port trip, transfers are not included but can be arranged on request. Without a transfer, guests arrive on foot or by taxi. Cars cannot enter much of the old town. Taxis drop passengers on the outer edges of the old town, where normal city traffic runs.
Drivers can use the paid municipal car park at the Old Port, which is open round the clock. The old town limits vehicle access to residents and early-morning deliveries on a handful of edges. Its lanes are too narrow for anything wider than a delivery scooter. The waterfront promenade is smooth, while the side lanes have older, uneven stones.
The meeting point of the all-inclusive Old Port trip is directly at the Old Port in central Chania. For this Chania catamaran cruise, you check in at least 15 minutes before departure. The crew’s flag flies on the catamaran, so look for it. The crew tells you where to board and gives a quick safety briefing.
The lighthouse guards the entrance to the port of Chania. The Venetians created the site as a naval post to protect the city from Turks and pirates. Egyptian administration later rebuilt the lighthouse, and that work gave it the form it keeps. Its light reaches seven nautical miles, or about 13 kilometres.
A walk along the waterfront and the breakwater leads to the Egyptian Lighthouse. The round trip is about one and a half kilometres. The walk gives views of the old town, the White Mountains and the Cretan Sea. You can add that walk to the time before your Chania catamaran cruise.
Not every Chania catamaran cruise leaves from the Old Port. A private sunset catamaran with a skipper and crew leaves from Almyrida. The full-day boat hire from Almyrida starts at the port of Almyrida, at the end of the beach. There the team gives a full orientation on the boat before you head out.
Which islets and bays does a Chania catamaran cruise visit?
A Chania catamaran cruise can stop at Agioi Theodoroi, known as Thodorou. It can also stop at Lazaretta, a small islet with a sandy beach. Landing on Thodorou is not permitted, because it is a protected home of the Cretan wild goat. Guests swim beside both islets.
Agioi Theodoroi is a pair of uninhabited islets off the coast of western Crete, opposite Agia Marina. They belong to the municipality of Platanias, in the Chania regional unit. The larger of the two is commonly called Thodorou.
Thodorou is a place to look at from the water. Landing on the islet is not permitted, in order to preserve its wildlife and natural balance. The area is protected, with limits on access and human activity. So the Thodorou stop of a Chania catamaran cruise is a swim stop and a view, not a landing.
The larger islet is a protected home of the Cretan wild goat, called kri-kri. The goats were introduced there and are carefully conserved. A first group of one male and two females was caught in the Samariá Gorge and released on the island. That group was too small to prevent inbreeding, so more kri-kri were added later.
On the four-hour catamaran trip, Thodorou is the protected nature reserve and the home of the Cretan wild goats. On the seven-hour sailing catamaran, it is the stop known for its kri-kri. The islets also hold 50 to 65 breeding pairs of Eleonora’s falcons. That makes them an Important Bird Area.
A Chania catamaran cruise can also stop at Lazaretta, a small islet opposite Nea Chora. In the seventeenth century the Venetians used it as the leprosy island of Chania. Its name comes from Lazarus, the patron saint of lepers in the Roman Catholic Church. Graves have been found on the islet, apparently of patients.
Traces of that past remain on Lazaretta. The foundations of buildings that the Turks pulled down can still be made out. A shrine of Saint Nicholas, built by a local, stands on the islet too. Local diving schools and excursion boats call at the islet.
For a Chania catamaran cruise, Lazaretta is the stop with the sandy beach. The water at the beach is shallow, and the sea around the islet is turquoise. On the four-hour catamaran trip it is ideal for swimming and snorkelling. On the seven-hour sailing catamaran it is the final swim before the boat heads back.
A cove can be a stop as well. The seven-hour sailing catamaran starts its route at Maherida Beach. The cove there is quiet, sheltered and ideal for swimming and snorkelling. Thodorou follows with a swim stop, and Lazaretta comes last. So a seven-hour Chania catamaran cruise swims at a cove as well as at the two islets.
The wider water is the Gulf of Chania, an embayment of the Sea of Crete in north-west Crete. The Akrotiri peninsula forms one headland of the gulf. Akrotiri is a rocky promontory joined to the island by a wide causeway between Chania and Souda. Kolymvari lies on the same gulf, at the end of the largely uninhabited Rodopou peninsula.
The islets can be seen from nearby beaches on the coast. At sunset, the view of them is one that people on the north coast of Chania recognise at once. A Chania catamaran cruise shows the same islets from the water. On the seven-hour sailing catamaran, a swim stop sits beside Thodorou.
What food and drinks are served on a Chania catamaran cruise?
A Chania catamaran cruise puts the meal on board, and the menu depends on the format. Morning and all-inclusive trips serve a Mediterranean lunch. The afternoon trip serves dinner, and the sunset trip serves finger food. Drinks are unlimited on each of these formats.
On the all-inclusive Chania catamaran cruise from the Old Port, lunch is served on board. It is a Mediterranean lunch with seafood and meat, made with local ingredients. Soft drinks, white Cretan wine and beer are unlimited and served throughout the day. Children get a special meal option. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free plates come on request.
On the morning Chania catamaran cruise, guests get a cup of coffee or tea with light snacks on arrival. Lunch is served on board. The menu has fresh salads, cheeses, seafood and chicken, made from local, organic products. Dessert is homemade and comes with fresh fruits.
A kid’s menu with chicken nuggets or pasta is on offer for the youngest guests of the morning cruise. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options are available on request. Soft drinks, white wine and beer are unlimited. A local white wine, a beer or a soft drink also comes with the meal.
The sunset Chania catamaran cruise with prosecco opens with a welcome. The crew greets guests with a glass of prosecco and Mediterranean finger foods before the boat sails. The drinks and snacks that follow are there to help guests toast the sunset.
That same sunset cruise also serves a platter of sushi rolls and seasonal fruit. The bar is open and unlimited, with water, soft drinks, Greek wine and beer. Guests can finish the last drinks of the open bar on the return sail.
The afternoon Chania catamaran cruise comes with dinner. A freshly cooked Mediterranean dinner is prepared on board while guests swim. Vegetarian dinners and other dietary needs can be arranged on request. Light snacks are also on offer for nibbling between swimming and relaxing.
Welcome drinks on the afternoon cruise are espresso, detox water and teas. A protein cocktail bar is available during the trip. The unlimited drinks are water, soft drinks, local beer and white wine. Alcoholic drinks beyond the open-bar selection are not included.
The Elafonisi sunset trip spreads its food across the evening. It opens with a glass of prosecco and Mediterranean finger foods. Light snacks and drinks are served at the beach. A plate of sushi rolls follows back on board. A platter of fresh seasonal fruit comes as the sun sets. A nutritionist-designed healthy lunch is also included.
Drinks on the Elafonisi trip are unlimited: water, soft drinks, local beer and white wine. Cocktails and alcohol beyond that open bar are not included. Vegetarian and children’s options are available on request. No diet options are named for the sunset trip with prosecco. Check that format before you book your Chania catamaran cruise.
The private Theodorou and Lazareta cruise keeps the food light, with Cretan snacks and fruit. The drinks included are soda, bottled water, beer and wine. A second private cruise to the same two islands includes a light lunch, fruit, soft drinks, beer and raki.
Which types of Chania catamaran cruise can you book?
You can book a Chania catamaran cruise as a day trip or a sunset sail. Morning, afternoon and private formats are also open to booking. Each format has its own length, start port and group size. Choose by time of day first, then by how long you want to stay at sea.
The all-inclusive Old Port trip is the day-long format. This Chania catamaran cruise lasts 6 hours 30 minutes. It sails from the Old Port of Chania to Agioi Theodoroi. The boat is a sailing catamaran. A swim stop at a secluded bay is part of the route, and life jackets are provided.
Gear on the Old Port day trip includes stand-up paddle boards, snorkelling gear and fishing gear. Inflatables and armband floaties are on board as well. Children get a box of toys, and the trip is set up for guests of all ages.
The Old Port sunset sail is the evening format. A Chania catamaran cruise of this kind lasts 3 hours 30 minutes. Guests board at the Old Port, sail during the golden hour and swim in a bay. Paddle boards, snorkelling gear and fishing gear are on board, together with music and Wi-Fi.
The morning cruise starts at Kolymvari port, not at the Old Port. This Chania catamaran cruise lasts 5 hours. Guests swim at a secluded bay, snorkel, try fishing and paddle along the coast on stand-up boards. Gear, life jackets and toys for children are included in the booking.
The afternoon cruise leaves from Kolymvari port too and also lasts 5 hours. Its stops let guests swim, snorkel, play with inflatables or try stand-up paddle boarding. The group on this sail is capped at 20 guests. A Greek dancing lesson is listed among the activities on board.
A private charter changes the picture. The private Chania catamaran cruise starts at Kolymvari port and lasts 5 hours. Guests choose a morning start or an afternoon start. The catamaran takes up to 20 guests. The route visits the Agioi Theodoroi islands. A secluded bay offers a swim, with snorkelling and fishing gear on board.
The Elafonisi sunset sail leaves from Paleochora and lasts 3 hours 30 minutes. The maximum group size is 20 travellers. Activities include stand-up paddle boarding, snorkelling, swimming and inflatable toys. A kayak and fishing gear are listed too, and swimming jackets are on board.
Private hire from Almyrida works in another way. The Almyrida port offers a small private boat for up to 7 people. It is hired for 4 hours or for a full day of 8 hours. No driving licence is needed, and a skipper is optional. The boat sails to beaches and snorkel spots around the Akrotiri peninsula.
Cancellation works the same way on every format named here. Each can be cancelled free of charge up to a day before the start. Late cancellations and no-shows are charged in full. Arriving late counts as a no-show. Keep that deadline in mind when you book a Chania catamaran cruise.
- Old Port day trip: 6 hours 30 minutes, to Agioi Theodoroi.
- Old Port sunset sail: 3 hours 30 minutes.
- Morning, afternoon and private cruises from Kolymvari: 5 hours each.
- Elafonisi sunset sail from Paleochora: 3 hours 30 minutes, up to 20 travellers.
Which months, winds and rules apply to a Chania catamaran cruise?
A luxury Chania catamaran cruise from Souda port is listed for April to October. The sea is warmest in August. The north wind is strongest in the afternoon, and weather can move or cancel a trip.
Season comes first. The luxury cruise from Souda port runs from April to October. The premium day cruise from Souda leaves 30 minutes earlier in the first two weeks of April. The same shift applies in September and October. Each Chania catamaran cruise format has its own season, so match your date to it.
Summer days are hot and dry. Daytime highs sit near 30 degrees Celsius in both July and August, and almost no rain falls in either month. The sea is warmest in August, at 25 to 26 degrees Celsius. A Chania catamaran cruise in April meets water of about 16 degrees Celsius.
The meltemi is the summer north wind of the Aegean, dry and strong. Its spells arrive between late spring and mid-September. The peak falls between mid-July and mid-August. It is strongest in the afternoon and tends to ease at night. It can start in clear weather without warning.
Weather has the final say on a Chania catamaran cruise. The luxury cruise to Agioi Theodori and the private luxury sunset cruise can be rescheduled or cancelled in bad weather. On the afternoon dinner cruise, a weather cancellation brings another date or a full refund. On the premium Souda cruise, routes can change with weather and sea conditions for safety.
Life jackets are included on the luxury cruise to Agioi Theodori and on the private luxury sunset cruise. Both are Chania catamaran cruise formats. The private sunset cruise also includes armband floaties and inflatables for children. The luxury Souda cruise includes all necessary safety equipment.
Age rules depend on the format. The luxury Souda cruise and the afternoon dinner cruise are suitable for all ages. The afternoon dinner cruise is long for very young children or guests with limited stamina. The private day cruise suits all fitness levels. Only guests aged 18 and over are allowed to drink alcohol on it.
Health and access rules for a Chania catamaran cruise also differ by format. Pregnant travellers are not suited to the private afternoon dinner cruise. The private day cruise is not recommended for them either. The premium Souda cruise is not wheelchair accessible, while the private day cruise is. The afternoon dinner cruise crew pays attention to guests with mobility needs.
Pack for sun and water. On the premium Souda cruise, bring a towel, sunscreen, a hat and swimwear. Wear comfortable clothes suited to sailing and water activities. Towels are not provided on the afternoon dinner cruise. Toiletries and your own water gear are also on its list. The private afternoon cruise asks for swimwear and towels.
Book ahead for busy dates. Early booking is worth considering for high season, public holidays and weekends. To guarantee availability, book as soon as possible. Booking the luxury cruise to Agioi Theodori needs each passenger’s name, date of birth, ID or passport number and nationality. Arriving late for pick-up or departure counts as a no-show on that cruise.
- Swimwear, towel, sunscreen and a hat
- Passenger ID details
- A second date in mind