Best cruises within the Greek islands for 2025/2026 | EUROtoday

It will be laborious to decide on the most effective Greek island for a vacation, however fortunately a cruise makes it straightforward to island hop.

You may discover the Acropolis in Athens at some point earlier than scenic Santorini on one other or simply benefit from the seashores and nightlife of Mykonos. Smaller ships may even take you to extra distant islands that bigger vessels can’t attain, letting you entry extra historic websites and landscapes.

There are a spread of routes accessible to provide you a style or full tour of the Greek islands. Many vessels will depart from Piraeus, simply half-hour from Athens, providing spherical journeys. You may even embrace the islands as a part of an extended Mediterranean cruise, and lots of might have Greek-themed delicacies and actions on board. Here are a few of the greatest itineraries arising that can assist you go Greek.

Celebrity: Best of Greece

Athens – Thessaloniki – Ephesus – Limassol – Rhodes – Crete – Athens

What higher approach to rejoice Valentine’s Day than a Greek island cruise with Celebrity? Departing from Athens on Celebrity Infinitythis 10-night cruise contains an in a single day cease in Greece’s second largest metropolis, Thessaloniki.

That ought to offer you greater than sufficient time to discover its historic websites, such because the White Tower courting from the sixteenth century and residential to a spread of Byzantine artwork, earlier than crusing on to locations equivalent to Ephesus in Turkey and Limassol in Cyprus.

Departs 14 February 2025. From £493pp for an inside cabin; flights not included.

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Celestyal: Idyllic Aegean

Athens – Thessaloniki – Kusadasi – Heraklion (Crete) – Santorini – Mykonos – Milos – Athens

Explore the Greek islands with a cruise firm truly primarily based within the area. Celestyal Cruises has its headquarters in Athens and focuses on sailings across the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean.

Its seven-night Idyllic Aegean crusing departs from Athens and takes within the fashionable islands with in a single day stops in Santorini and Mykonos. You can go to the volcanic panorama of Milos in addition to the Palace of Knossos on Crete.

The style of Greece continues on board Celestyal Journey the place you may take pleasure in Greek dancing in addition to dishes and pastries impressed by the nation all day in The Taverna. Suite friends may also entry Mediterranean dishes within the devoted Smoked Olive restaurant.

Departs 31 May 2025. From £1,189pp for an inside state room; flights not included.

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Variety: Wines of Greece

Athens – Nafplion – Monemvasia – Serifos – Santorini – Samos – Tinos – Athens

Variety Cruises presents a small-ship expertise, catering for simply 49 friends aboard Panorama. Its new seven-night Wine Cruises of Greece in September 2025 will allow you to increase a glass as you take pleasure in a extra intimate journey by way of the area. Passengers will meet winemakers and go to vineyards in hotspots equivalent to Nemea, Santorini and Tinos to study every little thing about Greek grapes. Back on the ship, you can even take pleasure in paired wines with dinner.

Departs 5 September 2025. From £4,130pp for a class 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 presents one other intimate small-ship expertise that takes you to ports and views that different massive vessels can’t attain.

This seven-night crusing on Wind Spirit begins in Athens however makes use of its small measurement to take you to extra secluded ports equivalent to Monemvasia, a pedestrian-only village constructed right into a cliffside, and Nafplio, the place you may discover Venetian fortresses. There can be an opportunity to have dinner among the many ruins throughout a go to to Ephesus in Turkey.

Departs 7 May 2026. From $5,199pp (£3,989pp) for an inside state room; flights not included.

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Virgin Voyages: Greek Island Glow

Athens – Santorini – Rhodes – Bodrum, Turkey – Mykonos – Athens

Adult-only model Virgin Voyages is famend for its onboard events, and you may anticipate the identical on its seven-night Greek Island Glow crusing from Athens on the flagship Scarlet Lady.

The partying can proceed on land although, with an in a single day cease in Mykonos, letting you hang around late into the evening with out worrying about lacking embarkation. Other highlights on the route embrace Rhodes, in addition to a go to to Bodrum in Turkey.

Departs 7 June 2026. From £2,994 for an inside cabin with two folks; flights not included.

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Cunard: Mediterranean and Greek Islands

Southampton – Cadiz – Heraklion – Kusadasi – Athens – Santorini – Messina – Messina Strait – Malaga – Southampton

Cunard presents a Western Mediterranean round-trip from Southampton on its latest ship, Queen Anne. The 19-night journey contains visits to Heraklion in Crete, in addition to Athens and Santorini on prime of different Med hotspots together with Cadiz and Malaga. You may also take pleasure in 11 sea days.

Departs 7 September 2025. Prices from £2,649 per particular person for an inside state room.

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Azamara: Greece Cruise

Athens – Syros – Patmos – Rhodes – Marmaris – Agios Nikolaos – Santorini – Monemvasia – Athens

If you want extra time to discover locations, Azamara often is the cruise line for you. This eight-night crusing on Azamara Onward takes in the primary Greek Islands and is well-known for longer stays in port. It docks in Rhodes and Santorini till 10pm and has an in a single day keep in Athens, supplying you with loads of time to discover.

As Azamara Onward is a medium-sized ship, catering for 684 passengers, and it will possibly use its comparatively smaller measurement to go to quieter islands, equivalent to Syros and Patmos.

Departs 25 July 2026. From £1,849pp primarily based on membership inside room; flights not included.

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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 most effective of what the Greek Islands have to supply whereas additionally visiting different Med must-see locations.

This 21-day round-trip from Athens on the recently-launched Sun Princess takes within the surroundings of Santorini, the seashores of Mykonos and the historical past of Crete, plus you can even see the sights of Pompeii throughout a go to to Naples and tour Las Ramblas in Barcelona.

Departs 12 September 2026. Princess customary fares begin from £3,147 per particular person. Flights not included.

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