With hundreds of Greek islands to choose from, a cruise can make it easier to tick as many as possible off your bucket list.
Knowing where to start with Greece can be a challenge for even the most experienced travellers. Luckily, a cruise makes it easy to island hop, meaning you don’t have to settle for just one.
You could explore the Acropolis in Athens one day, before relaxing in scenic Santorini, or exploring the nightlife of Mykonos, the next.
Smaller ships can take passengers to remote islands that larger vessels can’t reach, letting you access more historical sites and unique landscapes.
Many vessels will depart from Piraeus, just 30 minutes from Athens, offering round trips. You could even include the islands as part of a longer Mediterranean cruise, and many have Greek-themed delicacies and activities on board.
Santorini, in particular, is keen to welcome cruise passengers back after a string of devastating earthquakes rattled the island earlier this year.
Something to be aware of, however: destinations such as Mykonos and Santorini have introduced tourist taxes that apply between June and September in an effort to curb overtourism.
The tax is €20 (£17.18) per passenger and will automatically be added to fares.
Phil Evans, founder of travel agent Cruise Nation, told The Independent: “Booking a holiday to Greece is a classic choice for Brits heading on holiday during the summer period, and a personal favourite of mine.
“With 6,000 islands to choose from, cruising is an easy and enjoyable way to see as much as possible without the hassle of constant unpacking and repacking.
“Many of our customers opt to start their holiday with a pre-cruise stay in Athens, and it’s easy to see why, with its rich heritage and gourmet food scene. Plus, it’s easily accessible from the UK with direct flights daily, making it one of my preferred choices for starting a cruise holiday.”
Here are some of the best itineraries coming up to help you go Greek.
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Star Clippers: Sporades Highlights
Athens, Greece – Dikili, Turkey – Limnos, Greece – Skiathos, Greece – Skopelos, Greece – Poros, Greece – Athens, Greece
Explore Greece from a tall ship with Star Clippers.
This small-ship experience, aboard the 170 passenger capacity Star Clipper, uses its size to reach smaller and more intimate destinations in the Sporades, a group of Greek islands in the north west Aegean Sea.
Port stops include Skopelos, made famous by the Mamma Mia! film, and the beautiful beaches of Skiathos, home to historical ruins that are only accessible by boat.
Onboard activities during this seven-night cruise include yoga as well as kayaking and swimming off the ship’s stern.
Departs 20 September 2025; from £1,800pp
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Celebrity: Best of Greece
Athens – Santorini – Thessaloniki – Kavala – Ephesus – Mykonos – Athens
See how the blue dome rooftops of Santorini shine in the Greek sunshine during this seven-night cruise aboard Celebrity Infinity.
Departing from Athens, the itinerary includes long port calls: staying in Santorini until 10pm and in Greece’s second largest city, Thessaloniki, until 7pm.
That should give you more than enough time to explore its historic sites, such as the White Tower, dating from the 16th century, before sailing on to destinations such as Ephesus in Turkey and Mykonos.
Departs 2 August 2025; from £539pp
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Celestyal: Idyllic Aegean
Athens – Thessaloniki – Kusadasi – Heraklion (Crete) – Santorini – Mykonos – Milos – Athens
Explore the Greek islands with a cruise company actually based in the region. Celestyal Cruises has its headquarters in Athens and focuses on sailings around the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean.
Its seven-night Idyllic Aegean sailing departs from Athens and takes in the popular islands with overnight stops in Santorini and Mykonos. You can visit the volcanic landscape of Milos as well as the Palace of Knossos on Crete.
The taste of Greece continues on board Celestyal Journey, where you can enjoy Greek dancing as well as dishes and pastries inspired by the country all day in The Taverna. Suite guests can also access Mediterranean dishes in the dedicated Smoked Olive restaurant.
Departs 11 October 2025; from £939pp for an interior state room
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Variety: Wines of Greece
Athens – Nafplion – Monemvasia – Serifos – Santorini – Samos – Tinos – Athens
Variety Cruises offers a small-ship experience, catering for just 49 guests aboard Panorama. Its new seven-night Wine Cruises of Greece this September will let you raise a glass as you enjoy a more intimate journey through the region.
Passengers will meet winemakers and visit vineyards in hotspots such as Nemea, Santorini and Tinos to learn everything about Greek grapes. Back on the ship, you can also enjoy paired wines with dinner.
Departs 5 September 2025; from £4,130pp for a category C room with portholes
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Windstar: Treasures of the Greek Isles
Athens – Nafplio – Mykonos – Kusadasi – Patmos – Santorini – Monemvasia – Athens
At 148 passengers, Windstar offers another intimate small-ship experience that takes you to ports and views that other large vessels can’t reach.
This seven-night sailing on Wind Spirit starts in Athens but uses its small size to take you to more secluded ports such as Monemvasia, a pedestrian-only village built into a cliffside, and Nafplio, where you can explore Venetian fortresses. There is also a chance to have dinner among the ruins during a visit to Ephesus in Turkey.
Departs 7 May 2026; from $5,199pp (£3,989pp) for an interior state room
Book now
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Virgin Voyages: Greek Island Glow
Athens – Santorini – Rhodes – Bodrum, Turkey – Mykonos – Athens
Adult-only brand Virgin Voyages is renowned for its onboard parties, and you can expect the same on its seven-night Greek Island Glow sailing from Athens on the flagship Scarlet Lady.
The partying can continue on land though, with an overnight stop in Mykonos, letting you hang out late into the night without worrying about missing embarkation. Other highlights on the route include Rhodes, as well as a visit to Bodrum in Turkey.
Departs 7 June 2026; from £2,874 for an inside cabin with two people
Book now
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Cunard: Mediterranean and Greek Islands
Southampton – Cadiz – Heraklion – Kusadasi – Athens – Santorini – Messina – Messina Strait – Malaga – Southampton
Cunard offers a Western Mediterranean round-trip from Southampton on its newest ship, Queen Anne. The 19-night adventure includes visits to Heraklion in Crete, as well as Athens and Santorini on top of other Med hotspots including Cadiz and Malaga. You can also enjoy 11 sea days.
Departs 7 September 2025; from £2,649pp
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Azamara: Greece Cruise
Athens – Syros – Patmos – Rhodes – Marmaris – Agios Nikolaos – Santorini – Monemvasia – Athens
If you like more time to explore destinations, Azamara may be the cruise line for you. This eight-night sailing on Azamara Onward takes in the main Greek Islands and is well-known for longer stays in port. It docks in Rhodes and Santorini until 10pm and has an overnight stay in Athens, giving you plenty of time to explore.
As Azamara Onward is a medium-sized ship, catering for 684 passengers, it can use its relatively smaller size to visit quieter islands, such as Syros and Patmos.
Departs 25 July 2026; from £1,849pp based on club interior room
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Princess Cruises: Best of the Mediterranean
Athens – Santorini – Kotor – Corfu – Sicily – Barcelona – Gibraltar – Marseille – Genoa – La Spezia (for Florence/Pisa) – Civitavecchia (for Rome) – Naples (for Capri & Pompeii) – Crete – Kusadasi – Mykonos – Athens
You can get the best of what the Greek Islands have to offer while also visiting other Med must-see destinations.
This 21-day round-trip from Athens aboard Sun Princess takes in the scenery of Santorini, the beaches of Mykonos and the history of Crete, plus you can also see the sights of Pompeii during a visit to Naples and tour Las Ramblas in Barcelona.
Departs 13 September 2026; from £2,359pp
Book now
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Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to travel around the Greek islands?
Cruise lines visit the Greek islands almost all-year round so there is plenty of choice but it will depend how much heat you can handle.
The summer months of July to August can offer guaranteed sunshine but it can get very hot.
The shoulder seasons of May to June and September to October can be cooler with fewer crowds.
You may get some winter cruise sailings between November to March but fewer brands offer these.
What islands will I visit?
There are thousands of Greek islands so you will have lots of choice ranging from larger well-known destinations such as Mykonos and Santorini to smaller ports including Paxos and Syros.
The destinations will depend on the ship as smaller vessels can visit more remote areas.
How can I get the best deal?
Cruise brands such as Celestyal and Variety Cruises specialise in Greek island sailings but there are also deals with big brands such as Royal Caribbean or smaller ships including Windstar.
It is worth signing up for newsletters with cruise lines you are interested in to stay informed about deals and compare by searching their websites or using SeaScanner or My Kind of Cruise.
Where do Greek island cruises start and end?
Many Greek islands start and end from Athens as it is the nearest destination to get quick access to the region.
Some may operate to and from Ephesus or Crete.
Read more: The best cruise deals for summer 2025
