The Limassol catamaran cruise is a day on the water from Limassol, where a twin-hulled sailing boat leaves the south coast of Cyprus for a swim stop and a meal on board. Guests who compare other sea days can start from the tours in Greece hub.
The page covers the boat, the sea route, the departure times, how the cruise runs, the guests it suits and the questions that come up.
What is the Limassol catamaran cruise?
The Limassol catamaran cruise is a day trip by sea aboard a twin-hulled boat. The trip begins at Limassol, a seaside city in southern Cyprus. Operators run it as a shared outing, a tour for one party alone, or a hire of the whole boat.
In Wikipedia’s words, a catamaran is a boat built on twin hulls of matching size. The hulls stand well apart, which keeps the boat from tipping and removes the need for ballast. That broad stance also lessens the boat’s lean and the motion caused by waves, against a single-hull boat.
Limassol, also called Lemesos, is a city on Cyprus’s southern shore and the capital of the Limassol District. Wikipedia names it the municipality with the largest population on the island, and only Nicosia has a bigger urban area. Amathus and Kourion, both ancient Greek cities, lie on either side of it. Its historical centre is around Limassol Castle.
The Limassol catamaran cruise starts in the harbour area, where the Old Port and the marina sit side by side. Wikipedia says the Old Port was once the main port. It now shelters pleasure craft, fishing vessels and the coast guard. The Limassol Marina covers 40,000 square metres, lies next to the Molos promenade and holds restaurants, taverns and shops.
Operators offer the trip in more than one format. One tour listing carries the title “Limassol: Catamaran Cruise with Lunch”. One operator lists two kinds of Limassol catamaran cruise: full-day programmes and sunset tours. Other pages use the names daily cruise and day cruise.
Operators describe the Limassol catamaran cruise as a way to see the south coast from a different angle. One marketplace page calls the trip calming, with time for loved ones. Another operator invites guests to watch Limassol from the water. Wikipedia adds that the city runs along the Mediterranean seashore, with suburbs reaching Amathus.
What does the Limassol catamaran cruise include?
The Limassol catamaran cruise includes a crew, a meal on board and drinks, as operators list it. Sun space on deck and a swim in the sea are on offer too. Each operator sets its own boat, group size and menu.
One operator describes a catamaran for up to eighty passengers. It has seating, decks for sunbathing and dancing, two marine toilets, music and a shaded bar. A swimming ladder lets guests step into the sea to swim, snorkel and canoe. Another operator says its fleet holds different types of boats and lists a transfer from and to the hotel.
On a marketplace page, the captain and crew take the helm on the Limassol catamaran cruise. Guests have nothing to do but relax. A charter site lists a full-boat hire with a skipper for twelve people. The route is discussed with the skipper before the trip.
Food and drink differ between the pages. One marketplace page says a buffet lunch is served on deck. The same page includes beer and wine in the drinks, along with water, juice and soft drinks. Another operator says lunch is served on board. A third says its cook prepares fresh Mediterranean dishes on the Limassol catamaran cruise.
The marketplace page says guests pay separately for imported drinks and cocktails at the bar. It also mentions space to stretch out on deck or on the nets. Because the lists differ, a guest compares what each Limassol catamaran cruise includes before choosing.
The third operator also names fishing and snorkelling as activities on its Limassol catamaran cruise. It says all the required equipment is on board. It lists modern catamarans and offers group tours as well as tours for one party alone. The marketplace page adds stops where guests can swim, snorkel or cool down in the water.
Where does the Limassol catamaran cruise go?
Three listings describe one route. Once the boat leaves the Old Port on the Limassol catamaran cruise, it heads south to Cape Gata. It then stops at Lady’s Mile Beach and turns back.
The Old Port is the start point in those three listings. One operator names Limassol Marina as its departure point instead, and Wikipedia places the marina next to the Old Port. That operator’s destinations are the Akrotiri Peninsula and Cape Gata, on a full-day programme and a sunset tour.
One listing says the Limassol catamaran cruise gives a different perspective on the south coast of Cyprus. Wikipedia says the city stretches along the sea and runs past the castle and the port. The same site lists a large number of hotels along the seafront and puts the castle near the old harbour.
Akrotiri lies west of Limassol and belongs to a British Overseas Territory, Wikipedia says. It names Cape Gata as the cape found in the south-eastern corner of the Akrotiri Peninsula. One listing names Cape Gata the southernmost point on the island. Limassol sits on Akrotiri Bay, while Episkopi Bay sits farther west, beyond the peninsula.
The three listings build swim stops into the Limassol catamaran cruise route. One gives about one hour and a half of swimming at Cape Gata. It adds two hours for swimming and lunch at Lady’s Mile Beach. Another listing mentions snorkelling and lunch on deck.
Wikivoyage calls Lady’s Mile Beach long, mostly pebbly and partly sandy. One operator describes the water of the southern bays of Cyprus as clear. One listing for a private Limassol catamaran cruise says guests discuss the route with the skipper before the trip. Larnaca lies east and Paphos west of Limassol, on the A5 and A6 motorways, Wikipedia says.
When can visitors join the Limassol catamaran cruise?
One listing sets the start of the Limassol catamaran cruise at nine thirty in the morning, at the Old Port. Listings give lengths between four and eight hours, so the day depends on the operator.
The same page says the day finishes back at the meeting point. Guests must check the pickup spot and hour with the local provider at least forty-eight hours ahead. The local provider holds the exact time of the Limassol catamaran cruise, so guests check it in advance.
One listing gives four to eight hours and says the cruise type depends on the day selected. Another listing, for a seven-hour trip, gives the last hotel drop-off at about half past four in the afternoon. It says the exact time and place are confirmed by email. A private sailing catamaran is listed as a five-hour sailing trip.
The climate of Limassol is Mediterranean with hot summers, Wikipedia says, which frames any Limassol catamaran cruise in summer. Summer takes about six months and closes in October. Rain seldom falls and the sun shines every day. In July and August, temperatures run from 22 to 40 degrees Celsius. June and September range from 19 to 30.
Between December and March, Wikipedia says, Limassol has unsettled weather that can bring rain and wind. Sunshine averages around six hours a day in that season. One page says the trip is subject to favourable weather conditions. Another listing lets guests pick a new date or take a full refund when poor weather stops the sailing.
Three listings share one cancellation rule. The refund is full when the guest cancels twenty-four hours or more before the trip begins. One of them says the Limassol catamaran cruise has its own cancellation rule. One operator says its sunset tour is for watching the setting sun, with rays shining on the water.
How does the Limassol catamaran cruise work?
The Limassol catamaran cruise follows one outline on the operator pages. The day opens with a crew welcome and a short safety talk. The boat then heads south, stops for swimming and snorkelling, serves lunch on board and sails back to Limassol.
On a Limassol catamaran cruise, the day starts at the port. One operator says to look for a crew member at the marina fifteen minutes before the scheduled start. It lists a welcome with a hot drink and light snacks. A brief safety talk before departure covers life jackets and emergency procedures. That operator also lists music on board.
The captain and crew take the boat out. One listing says they steer south towards Cape Gata, which it calls the island’s southernmost point. It adds a couple of pauses for a dip or a snorkel. Operators differ on the order. One puts a second swim after lunch, while another serves lunch after the last swim.
Wikipedia says a cruising catamaran needs less depth under it than a monohull, and is simpler to beach. It splits recreational sailing into two types as well. Day-sailing means people leave the boat for the night, while cruising means they stay aboard. A Limassol catamaran cruise that returns to port belongs to the first kind.
According to Wikipedia, a snorkeller needs a breathing tube plus a diving mask or goggles for seeing underwater. It adds that the gear lets a person look below the surface for long stretches using little effort. One operator says the boat carries the gear, and another says the crew assists swimmers entering and leaving the sea.
For a Limassol catamaran cruise, one operator lists swimwear, a towel and sunscreen, with a hat or sunglasses as extras. Another asks for hats, sunglasses and sunscreen. Wikipedia ties seasickness to the rocking of a craft. Holding the head steady and looking at the horizon are two of the measures it lists.
Who is the Limassol catamaran cruise for?
The Limassol catamaran cruise fits friends, couples and families with children, as operators describe it. Operators also list private boats. One listing runs a family cruise for every age and a leisure cruise for adults of sixteen and over.
For couples, one operator lists a sunset cruise next to its full-day trip. It says sunset tours suit dates, proposals or plain relaxation. Another operator lists its boats for a wedding, a honeymoon, a birthday party or a company event. A Limassol catamaran cruise can therefore suit a celebration as well as a day out.
Operators split the Limassol catamaran cruise into shared and private formats. One operator runs group cruises and individual ones, for guests who want time with relatives or friends without strangers aboard. Another operator lists hiring an entire boat with a skipper and says the route can be discussed beforehand.
For families, one operator says children of all ages are welcome, but infants sit on laps. It lists life jackets for children and says no earlier snorkelling experience is needed. Another operator lists arm floats, inflatables and kid-friendly areas on board. On the listing with both cruise types, the type depends on the day chosen.
One listing says the calm water at Lady’s Mile Beach suits less mobile guests who can swim or float safely. Another operator lists no physical activity limits and says the cruise suits all skill levels. That operator adds that wheelchair access is not offered.
The cruise ends back in Limassol, so visitors on a short stay can fit it in. One operator lists a morning pickup from Limassol hotels and an afternoon return to the hotel. One listing page shows village tours, a cooking class and quad rides too. A Limassol catamaran cruise is the sailing alternative to a day on land.
What else do visitors ask about the Limassol catamaran cruise?
What is Kolossi Castle, the Crusader stronghold west of Limassol?
Wikipedia calls Kolossi Castle a former Crusader stronghold at the edge of the village of Kolossi, west of Limassol. A Limassol catamaran cruise is a sea trip, so the castle is a separate visit on land.
Wikipedia says the Knights Hospitaller built the present castle in the fifteenth century. It is one keep with three floors on a square base, 17 metres on each side and 21 metres tall. The castle also held large facilities for making sugar from local sugarcane, one of Cyprus’s main exports then.
Besides the Limassol catamaran cruise, what is Commandaria wine?
Wikipedia says the Kolossi area is known for Commandaria, a sweet wine named after a medieval commandery there. Wikipedia describes it as naturally sweet, with a high alcohol level, much like a fortified wine.
The dark Mavro grape is mainly used for it, and the white Xynisteri grape can also make it. In the thirteenth century, Commandaria took the prize at the Battle of the Wines. Wikipedia calls that event the earliest recorded wine tasting contest.
Besides the Limassol catamaran cruise, what is Petra tou Romiou, the rock of Aphrodite?
Petra tou Romiou means “Rock of the Greek”, and Wikipedia also lists the name Aphrodite’s Rock. It is a sea stack in Kouklia, the site of old Palaepaphos and an Aphrodite Paphia sanctuary. Wikipedia puts the rock in the sea close to the shore, beside the main road linking modern Paphos with Limassol.
In mythological tradition, the rock is the birthplace of Aphrodite, who was born from sea foam according to Hesiod’s Theogony. Another legend credits the hero Basil with flinging a great boulder out of the Troodos Mountains to repel Saracen invaders.
What is the Limassol Salt Lake, south-west of the town where a Limassol catamaran cruise starts?
Wikipedia calls the Limassol Salt Lake, also named the Akrotiri Salt Lake, the largest inland body of water on Cyprus. Lying due south-west of Limassol, it is a land sight, not a stop on a Limassol catamaran cruise.
The lake covers 10.65 square kilometres, and more than half of it is less than 30 centimetres deep. It dries out in the summer, but thousands of wading birds stop there during migration. BirdLife International estimates a winter flock of two thousand to twenty thousand greater flamingos on the lake.
What is Amathus, the ancient city-kingdom east of Limassol?
Wikipedia calls Amathus an ancient city-kingdom of Cyprus that stood on seaside cliffs and had a natural harbour. Its remains lie near Agios Tychonas, east of Limassol, on the same south coast that a Limassol catamaran cruise sails.
Wikipedia places the Aphrodite sanctuary of Amathus second in importance on Cyprus. In the Roman era, Amathus became the capital of one of four administrative regions of the island. Fieldwork continues, and excavators have uncovered the acropolis, the Temple of Aphrodite, the agora, the city walls and the port.