Greece Cruise: Where to Go, When to Sail and How to Choose

A Greece cruise lets you unpack once and wake up somewhere new almost every morning: Mykonos today, Athens tomorrow. In a single week you can move from ancient temples to whitewashed island villages to a swim in clear Aegean water, and the ship handles the travel in between. Pick your ship by the kind of trip you want, then pick your month by how much heat and company you can handle.

What does a Greece cruise actually look like?

The ship is your floating hotel, and each port is a day trip. You sail between stops, go ashore for ruins, villages or a beach, and come back each evening to your ship and your cabin.

Many routes also reach past Greece. Turkey turns up often, usually for the ruins of Ephesus, and Italy, Croatia and Malta appear on many itineraries alongside the Greek islands.

Which ports will you visit?

Itineraries draw on a familiar short list of ports, each with its own headline sights.

• Athens (Piraeus): the port for Greece's capital, with the Acropolis, the Parthenon and the Temple of Olympian Zeus, plus the narrow streets of the Plaka.
• Santorini: cliffs, blue domes and caldera sunsets. Akrotiri, a Bronze Age settlement preserved in ash after an eruption in 1627 B.C., is still being excavated. Beaches come in black, red and white sand, and hillside vineyards pour Assyrtiko and Mavrotragano. Santorini covers under 28 square miles, which leaves room to see several highlights in one day and still relax by the water.
• Mykonos: 16 windmills, seven of them on a hilltop in Chora, plus whitewashed lanes, golden beaches, boutique shopping and the waterfront cafés of Little Venice. Delos, one of the world's most important archaeological sites and the mythological birthplace of Apollo, is a short boat ride away.
• Rhodes: a UNESCO-listed Old Town of medieval walls and cobblestone streets, layered with Greek, Byzantine and Crusader history.
• Crete: the largest Greek island. Just outside Heraklion you can tour the Palace of Knossos, a Minoan site more than 4,000 years old, and the city's Archaeological Museum shows sculptures, jewelry and mosaics found there. Chania adds a Venetian harbor and a colorful old town.
• Corfu: Venetian architecture and historic forts in its old town, plus green hills and Ionian beaches.
• Katakolon: the port for Ancient Olympia, where the Olympic Games began, with a historic stadium to stroll through and the ruins of the Temple of Zeus to explore.

Many sailings board in Athens, but some lines start in Rome (Civitavecchia) or Barcelona. One-way sailings can also end in a different city from where they began, so check both ends of the itinerary before you book flights.

What kinds of ships sail to Greece?

Big ships are the easy, social choice. Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Princess all sail Greek itineraries, with a wide range of dining and entertainment. Royal Caribbean's ships offer extras like a FlowRider surf simulator, rock climbing and trapeze school, and its accessible price point makes it a good fit for families and multigenerational groups. Princess has an adults-only retreat called the Sanctuary, and Celebrity usually sells an all-inclusive fare option that covers drinks and Wi-Fi.

Small ships feel different. Windstar's Wind Star and Wind Spirit are four-masted sailing yachts carrying 148 guests each, small enough to dock in smaller ports and skip the long tender lines. Upscale lines fold more into the fare: Seabourn offers all-suite comfort with premium spirits, fine wines and Wi-Fi included; Viking fares include a guided tour in each port, plus Wi-Fi and specialty dining; Oceania adds specialty restaurants, Wi-Fi and gratuities. Silversea's 11-night sailing from Athens heads into northern Greece, calling at Thessaloniki and Volos, with an overnight in Istanbul.

Then there's the party option. Virgin Voyages is adults-only and has built a reputation for nightlife, parties and entertainment, and its Greek sailing from Athens usually includes an overnight in Mykonos.

How long should the cruise be?

A week covers the classics. Celebrity's seven nights from Athens loop through Mykonos, Ephesus, Rhodes, Santorini and Hydra, and Windstar's seven nights from Athens take in Mykonos, Santorini, Patmos, Monemvasia and Ephesus. For many travelers who mainly want the islands, that's enough.

Longer sailings widen the map. Princess offers a 14-day Barcelona-to-Athens sailing that calls at 11 ports in Spain, France, Italy, Greece and Turkey, a good choice if you want a broader Mediterranean trip. Seabourn's 14-day round trip from Athens keeps the focus on the Greek Isles and Turkey.

When is the best time to cruise Greece?

The main season runs from spring into fall, depending on the line. May, June, September and October are the sweet spot, with comfortable weather, fewer crowds and calm seas. July and August are the hottest and busiest months, bringing crowds and intense heat to the islands.

The shoulder months also tend to be the better deal. Whatever month you choose, book well ahead for the itinerary and cabin you want, since European cruise prices tend to rise as departure gets closer.

What does a port day look like?

A day in Santorini might start at Akrotiri's ruins, move to a black-sand beach such as Perissa and end with a glass of local wine overlooking the caldera before the ship sails.

On Mykonos, wander the whitewashed streets in the morning, then settle in at a beach club on the southern coast. In Athens, climb the Acropolis for the views of the Parthenon, then duck into a Plaka taverna for meze and a cold beer.

Shore excursions add more options: a boat ride to Delos, a cooking class in Santorini's main square, or a short boat trip to Nea Kameni, the volcano near Santorini, where the climb up to the craters takes just over an hour and the tour finishes at hot springs and mud baths.

Eating ashore is a pleasure in its own right. Fresh seafood is the star, so try octopus in tomato sauce (octapodi kokkinisto).

What should Americans know before going?

The U.S. State Department says U.S. citizens can visit Greece without a visa for up to 90 days of tourism. Your passport should have at least three months of validity beyond your planned departure date, and travelers on a passport reported lost or stolen are refused entry. Be ready to show proof of sufficient funds and a return ticket or other evidence of departure if asked. Once you're there, carry your passport or another photo ID at all times.

If you ride public transportation, buy and validate a ticket, since riding without a valid one can bring a fine of up to 60 times the basic fare.

Tremors and earthquakes occur regularly, and forest fires are common in the dry summer months. Strikes and demonstrations are common too, can turn violent and can start with little notice, and transportation strikes can interrupt seaports, airports, taxis and public transportation. According to the U.S. State Department, private hospitals in Greece usually ask for proof of adequate insurance or cash before admitting a patient, and most care providers only accept cash payments, so it helps to have travel insurance and some cash with you.

Greece also charges a fee on leisure ships in its waters, so ask whether your quoted fare includes it. Before you pay a deposit, confirm what the fare covers for drinks, Wi-Fi, gratuities and excursions, and whether the itinerary includes overnights. Port details can change after booking, so recheck your ship's schedule before you go, and fly into your departure city at least a day early to leave a cushion for a late flight or a strike.