The Mykonos catamaran cruise is a day sail along the coast of the island, with swim stops in sheltered bays and a meal served on board. Readers who plan more days in the islands can compare other trips on the tours in Greece page.
Below are the cruise and its inclusions, the route and the stops, how the day runs, the guests the sail suits and the questions that come up.
What is the Mykonos catamaran cruise?
A Mykonos catamaran cruise is a day out at sea on a sailing boat with twin hulls. It keeps close to the island shore. One operator lists private and shared versions, timed for day, sunset or a full day.
One operator offers two kinds of outing: a private cruise and a premium shared cruise. Both are timed as day, sunset or full day. A second operator lists two named trips instead. One heads for Delos and Rhenia, and the other follows the south beaches of Mykonos. So the listing decides what your day looks like.
Per Wikipedia, a catamaran rides on two matching hulls placed in parallel. The wide space between them keeps the boat steady, and it needs no ballast. English took the word from the Tamil kattumaram, a raft made of logs lashed together.
Wikipedia also notes that catamarans run from small rowing or sailing craft up to big car ferries. A Mykonos catamaran cruise belongs to the sailing end of that range. Mykonos itself is an island of the Cyclades, set among Tinos, Syros, Paros and Naxos.
Its highest point reaches 341 metres, and the whole island measures 85.5 square kilometres, says Wikipedia. The port town faces west and goes by two names, Mykonos and Chora. Delos lies just 2 kilometres off. Wikipedia counts Delos as one of the leading sites for Greek myth, history and archaeology.
Why choose a catamaran instead of a ferry? A ferry only links one port with another.
Wikipedia says the twin-hull layout cuts the motion from waves. It also cuts the lean to one side, compared with a single hull. One operator names the south coast of Mykonos as a destination. So a Mykonos catamaran cruise works the island’s own coast.
The product behind this page carries the title “Mykonos: Catamaran Cruise with 3-Course Meal and Transfers”. That title names three things: a catamaran cruise, a three-course meal and transfers.
What does the Mykonos catamaran cruise include?
The title of this Mykonos catamaran cruise names a sail, a three-course meal and transfers. Other operators list their own terms. Each cruise has its own list, so compare the written details first.
The title gives three items and no more. The sail is the core of the trip. The three-course meal is the second item. Transfers are the third, which means a ride to and from the boat. The title does not say which courses are served.
Operators differ on the boat. One operator lists five catamarans between 43 feet and 57 feet. Another operator describes a 38-foot catamaran and a 44-foot design. A Mykonos catamaran cruise on a small boat and one on a larger boat are two different days.
Operators also differ on the group. One operator offers a private cruise or a premium shared cruise. Another operator says a private catamaran lets guests explore Mykonos on their own. One catamaran page says its boat suits couples, families and small groups. None of these pages gives one group size for every boat.
One operator also mentions a cancellation policy on its page. Read that policy and the list of inclusions before you pick a cruise. Anything paid on the spot is a separate matter, and each operator lists it in its own way. The written list of each cruise is the only safe check.
The route belongs to the trip as well. One operator names three destinations: Rhenia Island, the south coast of Mykonos and the island of Delos. Which of them a Mykonos catamaran cruise visits depends on the trip chosen. The next part of this page turns to where the boats sail.
Where does the Mykonos catamaran cruise sail?
One operator names three places for its Mykonos catamaran cruise: the south coast of Mykonos, Rhenia and Delos. A second operator offers a south beaches cruise and a separate Delos and Rhenia cruise. So the route depends on the operator you choose.
Wikivoyage places Mykonos south of Tinos, east of Syros and north of Paros and Naxos. All of them belong to the Cyclades, a group of about 220 islands set in a ring around Delos. The group lies in the Aegean, an arm of the Mediterranean that separates Europe from Asia.
Wikivoyage lists two harbours on Mykonos. One sits in the town itself. The other, at Tourlos, lies a short way north of it. Where your Mykonos catamaran cruise starts is worth checking with the operator.
From the sea you see Mykonos Town, also named Chora, on the island’s west coast. Wikivoyage describes tiny whitewashed lanes, houses and churches around a harbour in a wide bay. Little Venice is a quarter of this town.
Both operators name the south coast. The first lists it as one of its three places. The second sails to the beach bars and shores there. Wikivoyage adds that small fishing boats take visitors from Platys Gialos to the southern beaches.
The other named waters belong to Delos and Rhenia. Wikipedia gives Delos an area of 3.43 km2 and puts it only 2 km from Mykonos. One operator calls Delos the third largest archaeological site of Greece and the birthplace of the gods Apollo and Artemis.
Rineia lies west of Delos and has no residents today. A trip to this pair of islands crosses the channel between Delos and Mykonos. That channel is short, since Wikipedia measures the gap at only 2 km.
In the Aegean the meltemi is a north wind of summer, strong and dry. Wikipedia places its blowing in the weeks after spring ends and before autumn is well under way. The gusts are at their hardest after midday. The wind rises on a clear day with no warning, which worries sailors. Ferries between islands cannot always sail in it.
Wikivoyage says the steady summer wind softens the heat in July and August. Wikipedia adds that leisure sailors like the meltemi for its steady push. Wind therefore counts on any Mykonos catamaran cruise, whichever bay the crew picks.
What can you do on the Mykonos catamaran cruise?
Operators list a south coast sail with beach stops, or a visit to Delos and Rhenia. In short, a Mykonos catamaran cruise mixes sailing with stops at beaches and islands.
The south beaches cruise of one operator heads for the beach bars and shores of the south coast. The same operator describes its Delos and Rhenia cruise in other terms. Its text speaks of legends, of stepping onto Rhenia, and of time to relax and reflect.
Sailing is the base of the day. Wikipedia describes sailing as driving a craft across the water with the wind pushing on its sails. On a Mykonos catamaran cruise the wind therefore sets the pace. One operator lists day, sunset and full day cruises, private or shared.
Delos adds a stop of another kind. Wikipedia describes the ongoing digs on Delos as extremely extensive by Mediterranean standards. UNESCO added Delos to its list of World Heritage places in nineteen ninety. Rhenia, the island next to it, is uninhabited today.
Two bays on the south side have their own Wikipedia or Wikivoyage lines. Wikipedia lists Psarrou as a beach with a village beside it, near Platys Gialos and four kilometres from the town. Wikivoyage also names Elia, a beach with parts where gay men and women gather.
Wikipedia defines swimming as moving yourself through water, and says the human body floats to a greater or lesser extent. Snorkelling lets a swimmer look at underwater life, with the face in the water and air coming through a tube. Wikipedia says it takes little effort and suits every age group.
Which of these a Mykonos catamaran cruise offers depends on the operator and on the stop. Check each trip page for the stops it names before you decide.
How does the Mykonos catamaran cruise work?
The Mykonos catamaran cruise is a boat day with a set shape. One operator sells it as a day, sunset or full-day sail, either private or shared. The tour title adds a three-course meal and transfers.
Wikipedia describes the catamaran as a boat with a pair of equal hulls set wide apart. That spacing resists rolling and tipping, so the deck stays steady. Every boat on this trip follows that plan.
Operators set their own schedules, so the start, the stops and the return change with the boat you pick. One operator describes its day cruise as a modern catamaran with space, comfort and smooth sailing. The crew explains the plan for the day.
The season follows the weather. Wikivoyage calls the weeks between mid-spring and mid-October warm and sunny. It also warns of heavy crowds in July and August. A Mykonos catamaran cruise in those two months shares the sea with other boats.
Wikivoyage describes hot, dry summers and mild winters on the island, with hardly any rain in summer. Daytime highs in July and August reach 30°C. Nights cool down to 22°C.
The wind matters more than the heat. Wikipedia names a dry northerly of the Aegean the meltemi. Its season ends around mid-September. Afternoon gusts peak, and the night can bring calm.
Wikipedia adds that it can start in clear skies with no sign, reaching force seven or eight. It also lists Island of the Winds as a nickname for Mykonos. So the crew of a Mykonos catamaran cruise picks the route on the day.
Wikivoyage warns anyone prone to seasickness that the Cyclades are notoriously choppy at times. That warning is written about ferries, but it shows how the sea can feel. Guests can ask the operator about the planned route in advance.
On cancellations, one operator lists a cancellation policy on its page. Another operator lists flexible cancellation and payment options. Each operator sets its own notice period and weather rule for a Mykonos catamaran cruise. Read them before the sail.
For the sun, Wikipedia says sunscreen protects the skin against sunburn. It names sunglasses and sunhats as common partners. It also notes that a number of sunscreens harm marine life. With swim stops planned, swimwear and a towel are the obvious items to pack.
Who is the Mykonos catamaran cruise for?
One operator calls its catamaran ideal for couples, families and small groups. Another operator sells one private cruise for a single party and a shared cruise for others. The Mykonos catamaran cruise therefore fits more than one kind of traveller.
Couples and families are named on one operator’s page. A private catamaran keeps a party together, which suits friends who travel as a group. A shared cruise suits travellers who want the sail without taking the whole boat.
Swimming skill is the first question. Wikipedia says swimming suits every age and level of fitness. It also lists panic and exhaustion as risks in the water. On a Mykonos catamaran cruise, anyone unsure in deep water can stay on deck and watch from the boat.
Snorkelling is easier than diving. Wikipedia says the activity needs little effort, so it fits any age. It lets you watch underwater life without heavy equipment or training. Whether a trip lends the gear is for the operator to say.
Age limits, life jackets and boarding help are set by each operator. Families with young children and guests who find steps hard can ask the operator in advance.
Cruise-ship guests are a regular group on the island. Wikivoyage says nearly all the big liners dock at Tourlos, the new port. Wikipedia explains that passengers at a port of call can join a shore excursion. A boat day is one such outing.
Others want history more than swimming. One operator lists a separate Delos and Rhenia island cruise. Wikipedia places Delos 2 km from Mykonos and calls it a major archaeological site. Another cruise from the same operator is a south beaches cruise.
Couples, friends and solo travellers face the same choice: private or shared. A shared Mykonos catamaran cruise puts you on deck with other guests. A private one gives the whole boat to your party.
What else do visitors ask about the Mykonos catamaran cruise?
What is the Paraportiani church that visitors ask about before a Mykonos catamaran cruise?
In the Kastro district of Mykonos Town you find the Church of Panagia Paraportiani. Its Greek name points to a side gate, because the entrance stood beside the gate into the Kastro district.
Wikipedia says work started in the fifteenth century and was not done until the seventeenth. The white walls hold five joined churches. Four stand at ground level, and the fifth rests on top of them. A Mykonos catamaran cruise follows the coast, so ask the operator which sights the route passes.
How do visitors reach Mykonos before a Mykonos catamaran cruise?
The airport sits 4 kilometres from the town, and Wikipedia puts the drive at about 10 minutes. A taxi service at the terminal runs round the clock. The bus line to Mykonos Town runs only in summer.
Wikipedia also gives the distance from the airport to three seaside spots: Ornos, Psarrou and Platis Gialos. Each is 3.5 kilometres away.
Wikivoyage lists two harbours. One is in the town itself. The other, Tourlos, is a new port about 2 kilometres north. Nearly all cruise liners dock at Tourlos. Fast catamaran ferries still call at the town harbour. That ferry ride is not a Mykonos catamaran cruise.
Which neighbouring islands do people mention when they ask about the Mykonos catamaran cruise?
Wikipedia places Mykonos in the Cyclades next to Tinos, Syros, Paros and Naxos. Syros has the biggest population of the group. Its town of Ermoupoli is the chief town of the whole Cyclades.
Syros lies 144 kilometres south-east of Athens. Every year on the fifteenth of August, pilgrims travel to Tinos for its Church of Panagia Evangelistria. The group holds around 220 islands and islets, arranged in a circle around sacred Delos. For a coastal sail, those islands are background.
How does summer weather work for a Mykonos catamaran cruise?
Wikivoyage describes dry, hot summers on Mykonos, with rain hardly ever falling then. July and August temperatures run from 30°C by day down to 22°C at night. It adds that a steady wind called the meltemi softens the heat.
Wikipedia notes that the summer north winds of the Aegean Sea, called meltemia, are dry and strong. Afternoons bring the greatest force, and nights can be calmer. A sea breeze is different: it moves from open water onto land in the afternoon. Wikipedia says the very strong winds gave Mykonos its nickname, so wind matters on a Mykonos catamaran cruise.
What does Greek cuisine add to the meal on a Mykonos catamaran cruise?
Wikipedia names three bases of Greek food: wheat, olive oil and wine. Fish features in dishes by the sea and on the islands. The cheeses of Greek cooking include Feta. The tour title for this cruise names a three-course meal.
Wikipedia lists oregano, mint, garlic, onion and dill as flavours that Greek recipes favour compared with other Mediterranean cooking. It also calls lemons prominent in Greek food. Operators differ on the menu, so ask the crew what they serve on a Mykonos catamaran cruise.