A Mykonos catamaran cruise is a boat day around the coast of Mykonos on a twin-hulled sailing boat. You swim and eat on board. The sections below cover the departure, the bays, Rhenia, the meals, the boat and the booking rules. The homepage lists more Greece Tours like this one.
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What is a Mykonos catamaran cruise?
A Mykonos catamaran cruise is a boat day along the coast of Mykonos. The boat is a catamaran, a vessel with two hulls. The trip comes as a small-group, semi-private or private cruise. Swimming, snorkelling gear, a meal and drinks come with the formats named here.
Start with the boat. A catamaran has twin hulls with a deck or frame joining them. A Mykonos catamaran cruise puts guests on that deck for a day at sea. The semi-private cruise runs on a sailing catamaran. One private charter runs on a motor catamaran instead.
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The small-group format comes in two lengths, a full day and a half day. Both versions cap the number of guests. The full-day small-group cruise is aimed at couples, small groups and solo travellers. The half-day small-group cruise lists couples as its audience. One capped cruise also suits solo travellers who want to meet other guests.
Families need to check the format. One half-day cruise with a capped group is labelled family friendly, and children enjoy the swimming on it. The full-day small-group cruise suits adults who are comfortable on a boat. A Mykonos catamaran cruise for a family starts with that choice.
The semi-private format is a full-day cruise. A semi-private Mykonos catamaran cruise comes with a skipper or captain and crew, snorkelling gear, lunch and drinks. Everybody is welcome on the semi-private day cruise, so couples, friends and families all fit the audience.
A private Mykonos catamaran cruise is booked by one party for its own group. One private charter is aimed at families, friends or couples who want privacy and calm. The private motor catamaran charter is rated easy. Private charters come in a full-day and a half-day version, so the group picks the length.
Route is a second label on a Mykonos catamaran cruise. Certain cruises add Rhenia and Delos to the day. One private charter is named for the loop from Mykonos to Delos to Rhenia and back. Other cruises keep to the south coast of Mykonos.
At high level the inclusions match. The small-group, semi-private and private formats each name a skipper or crew, snorkelling gear, food and drinks. All three also cover fuel, and the semi-private cruise adds port fees. The half-day small-group cruise adds time swimming and snorkelling at Rhenia.
Extras sit outside the base trip. The private motor catamaran charter does not include a DJ or musician, or photo or drone shooting. Those items are separate from the skipper, fuel, food, drinks and snorkelling gear that come with the day.
What you choose is short. You pick the group format, the length and the route type, Rhenia and Delos or the south coast. On the private charter, guests also choose between swimming and snorkelling at the stops. Another private charter is worded as an all-inclusive trip tailored to the group.
What is fixed is the plan. The semi-private cruise follows a normal itinerary across to Rhenia and Delos. The private motor catamaran charter sets Rhenia and Delos as its route. The small-group cruise sets the Rhenia swim stop, a meal and drinks. Read the plan of your Mykonos catamaran cruise before you book.
Where does a Mykonos catamaran cruise leave from?
A Mykonos catamaran cruise leaves from Ornos, Platis Gialos, Kalafatis, the Old Port or the New Port at Tourlos. Each format names its own spot, its own departure time and its own way to reach the boat.
Ornos is a bay south of Mykonos Town. The five-hour shared Mykonos catamaran cruise boards there, at a small dock on the left side of the beach. Guests meet at that dock ten minutes before departure. At the end of the cruise, the boat heads back to Ornos.
The private catamaran from Ornos uses a pier with small boats. Look for it on your left as you face the sea. The tender boat, the hostess or the captain waits at the start of that dock. Hotel pickup is not in the base booking, but a ride to the pier can be arranged as an extra.
A semi-private half-day Mykonos catamaran cruise uses Marina Ornos for pickup and departure. It sails at ten in the morning or at half past three in the afternoon for five hours. The full-day catamaran also starts at Marina Ornos and takes eight hours. Its morning start is at ten, and a midday start is at half past twelve.
A private Mykonos catamaran cruise of five hours leaves from the jetty at Platis Gialos beach, on the south coast. Pickup from a hotel, a villa or the cruise-ship port is part of that booking. Guests board and leave the catamaran by tender boat.
The Old Port of Mykonos Town is the meeting point of one private catamaran with three day options. The morning trip leaves at half past nine and is back at half past two in the afternoon. The sunset trip leaves at three in the afternoon and returns at eight in the evening. The full-day trip leaves at ten.
Tourlos is the New Port of Mykonos. A private morning Mykonos catamaran cruise leaves from there at half past nine and returns at half past two. Air-conditioned minivans collect guests from their hotels. The booking asks for a phone number, the hotel name and its location. The full-day private cruise from Tourlos leaves at ten or at noon.
A full-day Mykonos catamaran cruise of eight hours starts from Kalafatis beach. A minivan carries guests from their hotel to the meeting point, with pickup at eleven in the morning. The inclusions cover transfers to and from the port. Hotel pickup and a port transfer are also included on a second eight-hour cruise from Kalafatis beach.
One five-hour catamaran cruise starts at the port of Mykonos and includes hotel pickup and drop-off by van. Guests choose a morning or a sunset slot when they book. A private full-day cruise from Ornos bay also includes hotel pickup and drop-off. Its daily departures fall between ten and noon, from the beach in front of a beach bar.
The end of the trip matches the start. The Ornos cruises sail back to Ornos, and the Tourlos cruises start and end at the same port. The Tourlos morning cruise puts its exact meeting point and time on the booking voucher. That voucher is the last word on where to stand.
Which bays does a Mykonos catamaran cruise visit for a swim?
A Mykonos catamaran cruise swims in the south-coast bays. The route runs past Psarou, Platis Gialos, Paranga, Paradise, Super Paradise, Agrari and Elia. A half-day cruise has time for two or three swim stops, and the weather sets which bays the skipper picks.
The south-coast route of a Mykonos catamaran cruise runs along a string of bays. The boat sails past Psarou, Platis Gialos, Paranga, Paradise, Super Paradise, Agrari and Elia. On one shared five-hour catamaran cruise, guests choose one to three of those beaches to stop and swim.
The order depends on the format. On one half-day morning catamaran cruise, the southern beaches are Ornos, Platis Gialos, Psarou and Paranga. The boat also stops at Super Paradise. On one full-day catamaran trip, Super Paradise comes first and Kalo Livadi second. Check the stop list of your own Mykonos catamaran cruise.
Anchoring is offshore. On one half-day catamaran cruise, the yachts anchor offshore, because boats are forbidden to approach a beach shore. On a semi-private five-hour catamaran cruise, the boat anchors in a sheltered bay, and guests swim and snorkel there.
Water colour changes from bay to bay on a Mykonos catamaran cruise. Psarou has a turquoise sea with very clear water, and the surrounding mountains protect its bay. Paranga has crystal-clear turquoise water with exceptional visibility, and its curved coastline shelters the bay from prevailing winds. That clarity suits snorkelling.
Paradise has crystal-clear water that runs from turquoise to deep blue, and its golden sand stretches over 300 metres. Super Paradise has a white sandy seabed that reflects the sunlight, and its water turns a vivid turquoise. Super Paradise lies 7.5 kilometres by road from Mykonos Town, and boats reach it by sea. Both beaches lie on the south-coast route.
Depth differs between the bays. At Elia the sandy seabed slopes very gradually, and that makes large areas for swimming. Elia stretches over 800 metres of fine, pale gold sand. Kalo Livadi has shallow turquoise water. A Mykonos catamaran cruise reaches Elia on the south-coast route and Kalo Livadi on one full-day trip.
Wind decides which bay the skipper picks. Platis Gialos is well protected from the Meltemi, the north wind of the Cyclades. The south coast is sheltered from it, so a Mykonos catamaran cruise has good swim bays on that side. On a semi-private catamaran cruise, the captain announces the final route soon after departure, based on that day’s weather forecast.
One shared catamaran cruise keeps a second plan for strong wind. It sails to south-coast beaches and to a cove away from the crowds instead of its main route. On a full-day catamaran trip, the weather, the guests’ wishes and the skipper’s wishes shape the itinerary.
Sand and water go together at these bays. Platis Gialos has golden sand along more than 500 metres of shore. Traditional boats leave Platis Gialos for Paradise, Super Paradise, Agrari and Elia. Paranga has fine golden sand mixed with small pebbles. Ornos faces south in a large gulf, and its sea is calm and clean, deep but quiet.
Does a Mykonos catamaran cruise stop at Rhenia and Delos?
Yes, on the island formats, and the format decides how far you go. A Mykonos catamaran cruise anchors at Rhenia for a swim. One format only passes Delos on the water, while another lets guests step ashore there.
Rhenia is a Cycladic island southwest of Mykonos, with Delos just to its east. Both islands belong to the municipality of Mykonos. Its highest point rises 136 metres. The island is uninhabited, and it counts as an archaeological site. A Mykonos catamaran cruise that anchors here swims off a place with no residents.
People reach Rhenia only by private boat or on an organised cruise. Five chapels and farmhouses can be seen on the island. The municipality leases the island’s plots to local farmers and herders. The shore has sandy beaches with clear, turquoise water.
Mykonos locals call Rhenia Great Deles, a name that shows its long link with Delos. In the sixth century BC, Polycrates, the tyrant of Samos, dedicated Rhenia to Apollo of Delos. The historian Thucydides writes that Polycrates joined the two islands with a chain.
In the fifth century BC, the Athenians cleared the graves from Delos, following an oracle. They moved the bones and offerings to Rhenia, where the Pit of Purification was later found. Dying people and women about to give birth were carried across too. Later still, Rhenia served as a quarantine place, up to the early twentieth century.
Delos is the sacred island next door. The whole island sits on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and the ancient Greeks considered it the birthplace of Apollo. On a Mykonos catamaran cruise, Delos is either a stop or a view from the deck, depending on the format.
On the five-hour Rhenia catamaran cruise, the boat anchors at Rhenia for swimming. It passes Delos for views only. The cruise does not land on Delos and gives no time ashore there. Guests swim from the boat at Rhenia.
A private Mykonos catamaran cruise of about five hours follows a similar pattern. The boat passes Delos so guests can take photos, and the tour includes no guided visit there. It then anchors in a small cove at Rhenia, where guests swim and snorkel.
A semi-private Mykonos catamaran cruise on a two-level boat takes about six hours and anchors at Delos. Guests can go ashore and explore the island at their own pace. Guests who stay on board swim in a nearby bay. The boat then moves on to Rhenia and anchors in a quiet bay.
Another Mykonos catamaran cruise lasts five hours and gives each island a stop of one hour and 30 minutes. Visiting Delos is optional, and the entrance ticket is paid on the island, only by guests who go ashore. Guests who stay on board swim in a cove near Delos. At Rhenia the boat anchors in a tranquil bay.
A nine-hour semi-private catamaran cruise views Delos from the sea only, and landing is not included. Another five-hour day cruise names Rhenia or the south coast of Mykonos as its destination. Check these points on the tour card:
- Does the boat land on Delos, or only pass it?
- How long does the boat stay at Rhenia?
- Is the Delos entrance ticket included?
Which meals and drinks come with a Mykonos catamaran cruise?
A cooked meal and drinks come on board a Mykonos catamaran cruise. The meal is a three-course lunch, a barbecue or a Mediterranean spread, depending on the format. Drinks run from wine and beer to soft drinks and water.
A Mykonos catamaran cruise on the three-course format has a chef who cooks on board with ingredients from local markets. The chef starts preparing lunch while guests swim at anchor. When the swim ends, plates of Greek food arrive at the table. Seafood, vegetarian and vegan dishes are on offer.
The three-course meal on that format is lunch, not dinner. The drinks are wine, beer and soft drinks, with bottled water as well. Guests pour their own wine or beer at the table.
The champagne cruise opens with a welcome glass of chilled champagne. The crew prepares a Greek barbecue from fresh ingredients sourced on Mykonos and nearby islands. Lunch is served during the Rhenia stop. Wine, beer, soft drinks and water are unlimited throughout the meal. Vegetarian, vegan and special diets are available on request.
The small-group barbecue format keeps the menu simple. Grilled chicken, salads and local appetizers are cooked on board, and the host provides a full meal. Greek beer, wine and soft drinks are listed as unlimited on that Mykonos catamaran cruise.
On a full-day Mykonos catamaran cruise, the crew makes lunch on board after the first swim stop. The meal has starters and a main course built on local delicacies. The crew cooks it in front of the guests. Wine, beer, soft drinks and bottled water come with that day.
Another full-day cruise serves a Mediterranean lunch of seafood pasta, salads and appetizers. It comes after the swim at the first stop. Fruit and wine follow later in the day, at the south-coast swim stop. Lunch, snacks and drinks are all listed as included on that cruise.
The full-day cruise ends with a shot of raki or ouzo as the boat returns. Ouzo is a dry aperitif flavoured with anise. It turns milky white when water or ice is added. Tradition is to sip it slowly with small plates called mezes.
Private formats list their own menus. A private day cruise names main meals, seasonal fruit and unlimited wine. The hosts adapt the food for vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free guests. On that cruise the boat anchors for swimming and a freshly prepared meal.
A private half-day Mykonos catamaran cruise lists fresh main meals. They are spaghetti with red sauce, grilled shrimps, a mixed green salad and grilled kebab. Greek tzatziki and vine leaves stuffed with rice are listed too. The drinks are local wine, soft beverages and water. Lunch is served on board at the beach stop, with cool drinks.
Food and drink lists differ from format to format. The full-day cruise adds that a drink or meal missing from its list is excluded. Tips for the crew are listed as extra on the champagne cruise and on the private day cruise. A Mykonos catamaran cruise comes with exactly what its own list names.
What is on board a Mykonos catamaran cruise?
On a Mykonos catamaran cruise you spend the day on a wide deck with a skipper and crew. Snorkelling gear, paddle boards, kayaks, towels, music and a toilet change with the format and the boat. Each item below names its format.
The six-hour semi-private Mykonos catamaran cruise sails on a two-level catamaran. Guests relax on wide sun decks and cool off in shaded lounges. There is time on deck for swimming, snorkelling or sunbathing. The five-hour Delos and Rhenia day cruise also has a wide deck, with oversized sunbeds to relax on.
The five-hour Delos and Rhenia day cruise has an English-speaking crew of three. The captain has full authority and responsibility for all safety decisions during the voyage. A brief safety chat comes first, and then the captain starts the engines. Guests pick a spot on the wide deck as the boat eases away from shore.
Aboard the private day Mykonos catamaran cruise, a friendly crew member welcomes guests. That crew member explains the safety basics and outlines the plan for the day. Life vests are readily accessible to every passenger. A skipper and a professional crew run the boat, which is a modern catamaran with spacious decks.
A private-hire catamaran based at Ornos Bay is 12.8 metres long. It takes 14 guests plus two crew on a day trip. The boat has an electric toilet and a bimini. A bimini is a canvas top over the cockpit that protects guests from the sun. A professional crew is on board, and external speakers are fitted.
A larger private charter measures 14.05 metres, or 46 feet. On this Mykonos catamaran cruise, the front deck is a huge sunbathing area with deck mattresses and a large net. A cockpit at the stern gives seating with shelter. The boat has cabins, toilets, a sound system, Bluetooth and life jackets.
Group size changes with the format. The full-day small-group cruise is limited to 10 participants, and a professional English-speaking captain and crew run it. The five-hour Delos and Rhenia cruise carries a maximum of 19 guests. The private day cruise of five hours is built around a group of six.
Gear depends on the cruise. The eight-hour semi-private Mykonos catamaran cruise includes snorkelling equipment and stand-up paddleboard equipment. The five-hour Delos and Rhenia cruise adds a kayak, a paddleboard and snorkelling gear, weather permitting. On the small-group full-day cruise, the crew supplies snorkel equipment, and guests paddleboard at swim stops.
Comforts change from cruise to cruise. Another five-hour Delos and Rhenia cruise includes a personal life jacket, a towel and sunscreen. It also has water toys, free Wi-Fi and a restroom on board. The six-hour semi-private cruise includes towels and sunscreen as well. Swim towels are not provided on the eight-hour semi-private cruise or on the five-hour luxury cruise.
The six-hour semi-private Mykonos catamaran cruise adds an interactive sailing demonstration. The crew shows how to open or retract the main sail. Guests can raise the sails or take the helm alongside the captain. Wi-Fi and music are part of that cruise, and the crew gives a short safety briefing.
Which months and times suit a Mykonos catamaran cruise?
The season for a Mykonos catamaran cruise opens in April or late spring and ends in October, by format. Morning and sunset starts are both on offer. The sea reaches 24 degrees Celsius in August, and daylight lasts about 14 hours 40 minutes in early July.
The opening month depends on the format. The semi-private cruise runs April through October, seven days a week. A shared small-group full-day cruise is offered daily from late spring to the last day of October. Each Mykonos catamaran cruise names its own season, so read it first.
Daylight frames the day on the water. On the first of April the sun is up for just over 12 and a half hours. On the first of July that grows to about 14 hours 40 minutes. By the first of September it falls to 13 hours. On the first of October it is just under 12.
Sunset marks the end of an evening sailing. It falls near 8 pm at the end of April and about 8:45 pm at the start of July. By the first of September sunset has moved to near 7:45 pm. At the start of October it is near 7 pm.
Half-day versions of a Mykonos catamaran cruise run about 5 hours. The semi-private version sails twice a day. Its exact departure times shift slightly through the season. Another 5-hour cruise offers more than one start time, so check the slot for your date before you pay.
A full-day Mykonos catamaran cruise can last 8 hours. One cruise for up to 14 people lasts 8 hours and starts around 9 in the morning. A shared small-group full-day cruise lasts 8 hours too, leaving at noon and returning at 8 pm.
Air and sea warm at different speeds. These are the long-term daytime highs and sea temperatures for Mykonos Town, in degrees Celsius.
- April: air 18, sea 16
- Late spring: air 22, sea 18
- June: air 26, sea 21
- July: air 27, sea 23
- August: air 27, sea 24
- September: air 24, sea 23
- October: air 20, sea 21
Water of 23 to 24 degrees Celsius runs from July to September. In June the sea is still a little cool. Sunshine is generous: July gets 14 hours a day, about 96 percent of daylight. September gets 11 hours and October 7. A Mykonos catamaran cruise in July meets 4 millimetres of rain across the whole month.
The meltemi is the cool, dry north wind of the summer. It begins to blow by late spring and can last for days in a row. The long spells come especially in July and August. The mean wind is strongest in those two months, near 28 and 29 kilometres per hour. Summer gusts can pass 70 kilometres per hour.
If wind or sea turns unfavourable, the captain of a Mykonos catamaran cruise can change the route. A 5-hour cruise with lunch and the 8-hour cruise for up to 14 people switch to the south-coast beaches. Plan a boat day early in a stay, so it can move. A morning start is sometimes calmer, a tendency, not a promise.
July and August are the peak months on the island, and beaches can feel crowded. Spring brings manageable crowds, and the first wave of summer visitors arrives as early as the end of spring. A beach holiday suits the stretch from June to mid-September.
Which booking, age and cancellation rules apply to a Mykonos catamaran cruise?
Rules change with the format. On the small-group day and sunset Mykonos catamaran cruise, you cancel at least 24 hours ahead for a full refund. Children must be six or older. Pregnant travellers are not recommended to join.
Your own cancellation has a clear cut-off. On the small-group day cruise, cancelling at least 24 hours before the activity starts brings a full refund. A Mykonos catamaran cruise with a meal, drinks and paddle-boards refunds nothing inside that window. The south-coast cruise goes further and accepts no changes inside it.
The operator can cancel too. The private barbecue cruise with hotel pickup needs good weather. If poor conditions cancel it, you get a different date or a full refund. The cruise to Delos and Rhenia offers free rescheduling or a refund for bad weather.
Groups differ by format. On a private tour, your group is the only one on board. A Mykonos catamaran cruise with a meal, drinks and paddle-boards needs a minimum number of travellers. A group under that minimum means a different date, another experience or a full refund.
Age limits depend on the cruise. The small-group day and sunset cruise sets a minimum age of six. The Delos and Rhenia cruise takes children from five years old. The small-group cruise with lunch and snorkelling tells families to prepare children for a relaxed, mostly sitting day with swimming.
Health comes next. Pregnancy is the first note on the small-group day and sunset cruise. Its terms also bar guests with heart problems or other serious conditions. For travellers with poor cardiovascular health, a Mykonos catamaran cruise with meal, drinks and paddle-boards is not recommended.
Mobility rules change with the format as well. The small-group day and sunset cruise is not wheelchair accessible. The small-group cruise with lunch and snorkelling is unsuitable for guests who have a mobility impairment. The semi-private cruise with the Delos stop boards guests by tender transfer and is not suitable for wheelchair users.
Before a Mykonos catamaran cruise, plan for the sea. To reduce motion, the NHS says to sit in the middle of the boat. Fix your eyes on one steady point, such as the horizon. Get fresh air if you can. Do not watch moving objects like rolling waves.
The NHS also lists heavy meals, spicy foods and alcohol to skip shortly before or during travel. Pharmacies sell tablets, patches and acupressure bands for motion sickness. Patches suit adults and children over 10. Acupressure bands do not work for everyone. A pharmacist will recommend a treatment.
Pack for sun and water on a Mykonos catamaran cruise. The small-group cruise with lunch lists sunglasses, a sun hat, swimwear, a towel and a camera. Towels are not included. The Delos and Rhenia cruise adds comfortable clothing and sunscreen. The semi-private Delos cruise adds a waterproof jacket for a breezy day.
Booking ahead matters on a Mykonos catamaran cruise. The private barbecue cruise with hotel pickup is popular and fills up quickly. Travellers book it about 30 days ahead. The day and sunset cruise confirms your booking when you reserve. The Delos and Rhenia cruise needs every guest to bring a passport or ID.
- Read the cancellation cut-off of your own format.
- Check the age line and the health notes.
- Pack a towel, sunscreen, a hat and swimwear.
- Carry a passport or ID card for the Delos cruise.