Private Catamaran Santorini: Sail Away from Vlychada Marina

Included in the $944

The Includes list names shared hotel pickup and drop-off by minivan, though the description says pickup carries an extra charge, so confirm it with the operator. It also covers the meal prepared on board with seafood, Greek butter beans with red sauce, dolmades and salad, seasonal fruit or dessert and snacks, and a vegetarian meal on request. Drinks are wine from local wineries, beer and soft drinks.

Snorkeling gear, the captain and one crew member, insurance coverage for guests, fuel, taxes and port fees are all in the price. Free WiFi is on board.

How It Compares on Price

The $944 is for the whole group of up to 4, so set it against the per-person prices of shared boats. The lowest shared price on the site is the Sunset Oia Ocean Voyager at $67 per person, and the small-group Santorini Star Catamaran runs $111 per person for up to 18 guests. What you buy with Sail Away is exclusivity, since nobody else joins your boat.

If that matters less to you than the price, check the catamaran cruises in Santorini before committing. Figures here come from the GetYourGuide catalog prices.

Pickup and the Drive to Vlychada

Your day starts at the pickup time for your month, for example 10:00 or 15:00 in April. A minivan collects you from your accommodation for the transfer to Vlychada Marina on the south coast. One reviewer arriving by cruise ship noted the transfer to the dock took about 25 minutes and that cable car lines at the Old Port made the timing tight, so build in margin if a ship is involved.

The operator can reschedule the departure and adjust the itinerary with the weather.

Departure from Vlychada Marina

You board the private catamaran at Vlychada Marina, a working harbor on the island's low southern shore with close to 980 meters of quay. The captain and the hostess hand out snorkeling gear. With only your group of up to 4 aboard, the pace is yours.

The Swim Stops: Red Beach, White Beach, Mesa Pigadia

The first call is Red Beach, famous for its tall red cliffs. Land access is closed because of rockfall, so the boat view is the safe way to see it. White Beach follows, which has no road and is reachable only by boat, with pale pumice cliffs above dark sand.

Mesa Pigadia is the third stop, a beach of black pebbles where the seabed has rocks and urchins, so water shoes help. You can swim and snorkel at White Beach and Mesa Pigadia. The order and the stops can change, since the operator adjusts the itinerary with the weather.

The Sights You Sail Past

Between stops the boat passes the Indian Rock, a rock formation off the coast, and the Venetian Lighthouse. The Venetian Lighthouse is the name the listing uses for this stop. The crew shares the history of the island and the sights as you go.

Lunch on Board

The meal is prepared on board. It is seafood, Greek butter beans with red sauce, dolmades and salad, followed by seasonal fruit or dessert and snacks. A vegetarian meal is available on request and reviewers mention the team preparing a gluten-free version.

Wine from local wineries, beer and soft drinks flow through the cruise.

Sunset and the Return

On the afternoon departure the listing invites you to capture the sunset on board. The departure time shifts each month so the boat is out for the light, from 15:00 pickups in April down to 14:00 by October as the sun sets earlier. After 5 hours the boat returns to Vlychada Marina and the minivan drops you back at your accommodation.

Travelers Watching the Budget

$944 per group is the steepest entry price among the listings here. Solo travelers and couples get no per-person rate, so a shared option is the better fit. The Sunset Oia Ocean Voyager costs $67 per person for up to 55 guests with a barbecue and unlimited wine, and it earns a 4.6 from more than 7,000 reviews.

See its page at Sunset Oia Ocean Voyager.

Anyone Wanting a Full Crew of Strangers Minus the Crowds

If you want company but not 50 people, two small-group boats fill the middle ground. Caldera Yachting Thirassia takes up to 16 guests at $229.06 per person and adds a Thirassia stop, which this listing does not include. Santorini Star Catamaran caps at 18 guests at $111 per person with an open bar and Prosecco.

Cruise-ship Passengers on a Short Clock

Ships anchor in the caldera and passengers tender to the Old Port, then ride the cable car up 220 m to Fira before any pickup. A reviewer reported long cable car lines and a 25-minute drive to the dock, which ate into the tour. Santorini caps cruise passengers at 8,000 a day.

If your tender window is tight, read Santorini cruise port first.

Weather-dependent Plans

The operator states it can reschedule your departure and adjust the itinerary with the weather. The listing gives no fixed times inside the cruise. Book early in your stay so a reschedule has room, and cancel free up to 24 hours before departure.

The Pickup Fine Print

The full description says pickup carries an extra charge while the Includes list says shared hotel pickup and drop-off by minivan is included. That conflict is unresolved in the listing itself. Message the operator through GetYourGuide before booking and get the answer in writing.

Reaching Vlychada Marina

If the pickup is confirmed with the operator, you do not need to find the marina yourself. Vlychada sits on the south coast about 10 km from Fira and 6 to 7 km from the airport. It is a working fishing harbor that operates 24 hours.

More detail is in Vlychada Marina.

Cruise Guests Coming from the Old Port

Ships cannot dock at Santorini, so you tender to the Old Port below Fira. The cable car rises 220 m and tickets are €10 for adults and 5 for children one way, sold on site only, or you can climb the nearly 600 steps. Allow extra time both ways before your pickup, since a reviewer reported long cable car lines.

What to Add Before or After

This cruise does not land on Nea Kameni, so if the crater walk appeals, book it separately as a volcano tour. The gravel path to the rim takes a 20 to 30 minute climb and the island charges a 5 euro cash entrance fee at the dock. Away from the water, the Akrotiri excavation near the south coast is an easy pairing with a Vlychada day, though hours are short on Monday and Thursday so confirm the day on the Hellenic Heritage e-ticket site before you go.

For more reading, see Santorini volcano and Santorini snorkeling.

Thirassia on Your Own

The sister island across the caldera has no stop on this cruise. Small caique boats run from Ammoudi Bay in summer in about 10 minutes, several departures a day, and about 270 steps climb from Korfos harbor up to Manolas village. It is a quiet add-on if the crowds in Oia wear you down.