Private Catamaran Cruise Santorini: Volcano, Beaches & Swim Stops

Sail past the volcano, swim in warm sulphurous waters, land on beaches most boats never reach.

A private catamaran cruise around Santorini's Caldera departs from Vlychada port and visits the volcano, hot springs, Red Beach and White Beach with swimming and snorkeling stops. The boat is yours alone: you set the stops, the timing and which beaches matter most. Lunch with BBQ and seafood, an open bar with local wine, snorkeling gear and hotel pickup are included; a live English-speaking guide is on board.

Step-by-step itinerary

Santorini private catamaran cruise

• Start cruise at Vlychada port
• Swim and snorkel at Red Beach
• Visit White Beach and take photos
• Sail past Venetian Lighthouse in Akrotiri
• Sail past Black Mountain and Indian Rock
• Sail past Palea Kameni
• Swim and snorkel at Volcano hot springs
• Sail around Santorini Volcano
• Swim at Thirassia island
• End cruise at Vlychada port

The Experience

What makes a private catamaran different from a shared tour? You control the itinerary. The boat leaves Vlychada in the southern part of the island and sails past the 19th-century Venetian lighthouse standing on Akrotiri's cliff edge, then moves toward the volcanic peaks. You swim and snorkel at the hot springs near Nea Kameni, where the warm sulphurous waters are known for their therapeutic benefits. The guide explains what you're seeing — the black mountain, the Indian Rock, Plia Kameni — but the stops are yours to linger at or skip.

Red Beach and White Beach are the centerpieces. Red Beach sits close enough to snorkel without a long boat ride; White Beach is accessible only by water and stays quieter because of it. Its white rocks and crystal-clear waters are the kind of place most day-trippers never see. You get time to swim, photograph, and move at your own rhythm instead of following a group schedule. Snorkeling equipment, towels and swimming aids are on board.

Lunch arrives mid-cruise: BBQ and fresh seafood cooked on the boat, with a vegetarian menu if you need it. The open bar runs throughout — local white wine, beer, soft drinks — and a welcome drink greets you at the start. Five hours total means you're back by late afternoon or early evening depending on which departure you choose. Pickup and drop-off at your hotel are included, so the day starts and ends without a taxi negotiation.

What’s included

• Open bar with local white wine, beer and soft beverages.
• welcome drink.
• lunch with BBQ and fresh seafood on board (vegetarian menu upon request).
• snorkeling equipment, towels and swimming aids.
• live English-speaking guide.
• complimentary hotel pickup and drop-off.
• special arrangements like flowers, cake or champagne available upon request.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Caldera Yachting Santorini

Is this one for you?Choose the morning departure if you want the full five hours to swim at multiple stops and explore White Beach without time pressure; pick the sunset cruise if the light over the Caldera and a shorter window matter more than a second snorkel site. Either way, a private boat means you set the pace instead of waiting for a group to gather at each stop.

Traveler reviews

4.87★★★★★★★★★★

90 verified traveler reviews

5 ★85

4 ★2

3 ★1

2 ★0

1 ★2

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

Can I pick the morning or sunset departure, and does it change what we see?

The Morning Cruise and Sunset Cruise both visit the same stops — the volcano, hot springs, Red Beach and White Beach — but the light and the pace feel different. Morning gives you the full five hours in daylight; sunset trades some swimming time for the light over the Caldera as the day ends. Both include the same lunch and open bar.

Is the snorkeling at the hot springs safe, and what do the warm waters actually feel like?

The hot springs near Nea Kameni are swimmable and snorkel-friendly; the warm sulphurous water is the draw, known for therapeutic benefits. Snorkeling gear is provided, and the guide is there to orient you. The water temperature and mineral content are what make it distinct from a regular beach swim.

How many people fit on the catamaran, and will it be just our group?

This is a private catamaran, so the boat is reserved for your party alone. No other groups join you, which is why you can set the stops and the timing instead of following a shared schedule.

What's included in the lunch, and can you handle dietary needs?

Lunch is BBQ and fresh seafood cooked on board, with a vegetarian menu available if you request it when you book. The open bar with local white wine, beer and soft drinks runs throughout the cruise, and a welcome drink meets you at the start.

Does the guide speak English, and will they explain what we're seeing?

A live English-speaking guide is on board and provides information about Santorini during the cruise — the landmarks, the geology, the history of the sites you pass. Special arrangements like flowers, cake or champagne can be added upon request.

How do we get to the boat, and what time does pickup happen?

Complimentary pickup and drop-off at your hotel are included. The cruise departs from Vlychada port in the southern part of Santorini; your guide will confirm the pickup time when you book based on your chosen departure.