Our Greek island cruises sail on motor yachts, motor sailers and tall ships small enough for harbours the big ships pass by. Eight itineraries cover the Cyclades, Ionian, Dodecanese, Sporades and Saronic Gulf, most as a 10-day holiday: 7 nights on board plus 2 nights in Athens, from £2,298 per person Flights & hotel included or from £1,554 cruise only.
Itineraries are built around time ashore rather than sea days, so you can wander a whitewashed village at dusk or take a small-group excursion to an ancient site.
Harbours the big ships cannot enterCompact harbours, quiet anchorages and smaller islands.
Unhurried stops in portWith overnight stays on many voyages.
Swim from the shipStraight from the aft platform.
Itineraries
Our Greek island cruises
Round-trip voyages from Athens and one-way sailings across the Aegean and Ionian — from classic Cycladic routes taking in Mykonos, Delos and Santorini to quieter island-hopping through the Dodecanese and Sporades.
Island hopping under sail from Athens aboard the four-masted Star Flyer and Star Clipper, on four routes through the Cyclades, Dodecanese and Sporades.
Every cruise is seven nights on a small ship. From-prices are per person for the 10-day holiday with flights from the UK and hotel; each cruise can also be booked on its own.
Ports can change with the weather. See each cruise for its day-by-day route.
When to go
When to cruise the Greek islands
Departure months for the 2027 season. Three of the seven dated cruises, Classical Greece, Jewels of the Cyclades and Greek Islands by Tall Ship, sail in each month from April to October 2027. Hidden Greece Island Hopping sails from May to September 2027 and Ionian Odyssey from June to August 2027. From Antiquity to Byzantium sails in March, April, October and November 2027 only, and Greek Islands & Turkey in April, May, September and October 2027. Wines of Greece: Dates and prices on request.
Every vessel in our Greek collection carries a small number of guests, with a high crew-to-passenger ratio and a swim platform for stops in sheltered bays.
Variety Cruises · Official UK agent
Motor Yachts
Mega yachts designed for intimate, luxurious cruising with a limited number of guests. Elegant cabins, generous deck space and attentive service, calling at some of the most striking anchorages in the Aegean.
Traditional lines and modern comforts in one vessel. Motor sailers suit travellers who want a more authentic sense of being at sea, without giving up the conveniences of a well-appointed small ship.
Classic windjammer elegance combined with contemporary comfort. Tall ships carry a select number of passengers and bring a real sense of occasion to island-hopping under sail.
Clear water, volcanic cliffs, pine-backed coves and beaches best reached from the sea. Small ships anchor where the coastline is at its most dramatic.
Delos
History & Culture
The Acropolis, Delos, Delphi, Knossos and Rhodes Old Town — thousands of years of history within reach of the harbour, on small-group excursions.
Greek wine
Greek Cuisine
Olive oil, fresh fish, island cheeses and regional dishes on board, plus time ashore to eat at a harbourside taverna where the boats are tied up.
Corfu
Philoxenia
Greek hospitality is not a marketing line. On smaller islands you arrive as a guest rather than as one of several thousand day visitors.
Why book with Seafarer
Greek cruise specialists since 1995
Greece has been at the heart of what we do for three decades — as cruise specialists and as sailing holiday operators with our own bases in Greek waters.
Three Decades in Greece
Trading since 1995, with first-hand knowledge of Greek ports, islands and seasons.
Tailor-Made Packages
Cruise, flights, hotels and transfers arranged together, around your dates.
Access to Smaller Ports
Island harbours and anchorages that large cruise ships cannot enter.
Private Charter Options
Whole-ship charters in Greek waters for families, friends and private groups.
UK Agent for Variety Cruises
Official UK General Sales Agent for Variety Cruises boutique yacht adventures.
ATOL & ABTOT Protected
Full financial protection on every booking, with or without flights.
Good to know
Greek island cruises: FAQs
Straight answers to the questions we are asked most.
Still have a question?
Speak to our cruise team, or tell us what you have in mind and ask for a quote.
A small ship cruise in Greece is a voyage aboard a vessel carrying a limited number of guests rather than several thousand. Smaller yachts, motor sailers and tall ships can enter compact harbours and quieter anchorages that large cruise ships cannot reach, which allows for more time ashore and a more relaxed onboard atmosphere.
Which Greek islands do your cruises visit?
Between them our eight cruises call at islands in the Cyclades (including Mykonos, Santorini, Paros, Naxos and Syros), the Dodecanese (Patmos, Kalymnos and Lipsi), the Ionian (Corfu, Kefalonia, Ithaca and Paxos), the Saronic Gulf (Hydra, Poros and Aegina) and the north-east Aegean (Samos and Ikaria), as well as Crete, Kythira and mainland ports such as Nafplion and Monemvasia. Some tall ship routes also visit the Sporades. The island group table on this page shows which cruise goes where.
How long is a Greek island cruise?
Every Greek island cruise is seven nights on board. Booked as a holiday with flights from the UK it is 10 days, with two hotel nights in Athens. The cruise on its own is eight days.
What is included in the price?
Inclusions vary by vessel and operator, and typically cover your cabin, meals on board and the cruise itinerary itself. Shore excursions, drinks packages, flights and transfers may be included or added separately, so please check the individual cruise page or speak to our team.
How much does a Greek island cruise cost?
Our 10-day Greek island cruise holidays with flights from the UK start from £2,298 per person sharing Flights & hotel included, and 8-day cruise-only fares from £1,554 per person. The price depends on the ship, cabin and departure date, and each cruise page shows its live prices and special offers.
Can I add flights, hotels and transfers?
Yes. We arrange tailor-made packages that combine your cruise with flights, hotel stays and transfers. Flight-inclusive holidays booked with us are ATOL protected under licence 9511.
When is the best time to cruise the Greek islands?
In 2027 our Greek island cruises sail from March to November. Three of our seven dated cruises, Classical Greece, Jewels of the Cyclades and Greek Islands by Tall Ship, sail in each month from April to October 2027. Ionian Odyssey sails from June to August 2027 and Hidden Greece Island Hopping from May to September 2027. In March and November 2027 only From Antiquity to Byzantium sails.
Can I charter a whole ship in Greece?
Yes. Many of the small ships we represent are available for private charter, which suits families, groups of friends, special celebrations and corporate groups who want the vessel and itinerary to themselves.
Speak to a specialist
Plan your Greek island cruise
Tell us your dates, your party and the islands you have in mind — we will match you to the right ship and itinerary.
Seafarer is licensed by the Civil Aviation Authority (ATOL 9511) and all air holidays we operate are ATOL protected. We are also members of ABTOT (Membership No. 5660), providing additional protection for bookings without flights.
We have been trading since 1995 — all your deposits and balance payments to us are fully financially secure.
ATOL protected: licence 9511All flight-inclusive holidays are fully ATOL protected
ABTOT member: No. 5660Financial protection for bookings without flights
Guest reviews
Rated Excellent by our cruise guests
4.6 out of 5 from 647 independent reviews collected by Feefo (10 November 2026).
Excellent
4.6out of 5
Based on 647 guest reviews of our service on Feefo
Feefo Platinum Trusted Service AwardFour years in a row
About booking with Seafarer
“Suzie was excellent in helping me organise my cruise, lots of helpful tips and when I had some concerns, she was there with alternatives…”
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