Short answer
Wear your swimsuit under light, loose clothes and flat sandals you can slip off. Bring sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat that stays on in the wind, plus a light jacket for a sunset cruise. Towels, snorkel gear, food and drinks are already on board.
- Cruise length
- 4.5–5.5 hours
- Guests
- Up to 20
- On board
- Towels, snorkel gear, BBQ, drinks
- Departs
- Vlychada Marina
A catamaran day in Santorini is casual. You move between the deck, the water and the shade, and you get wet more than once. What you leave at the hotel matters as much as what you wear. This is what the Vista Yachting crew tells guests before pickup for the Gold and Platinum catamaran cruises we run from Vlychada Marina all season.
The packing list at a glance
Wear
- Swimsuit under your clothes
- Shorts, a linen shirt or a light dress
- Flat sandals or flip-flops
- A cap or a hat with a chin strap
Bring
- Sunscreen, SPF 30 or higher
- Sunglasses, ideally with a strap
- A light jacket or long sleeves for a sunset cruise
- Your phone in a waterproof pouch
Already on board
- Towels and light blankets
- Mask, snorkel and fins
- Life jackets and pool noodles
- BBQ meal, water, soft drinks and wine
Leave at the hotel
- Heels and hard-soled shoes
- Silver jewelry
- White or pale swimwear
- Valuables you won’t need that day
Day cruise or sunset cruise: what changes
Both cruises sail the same caldera and stop at the same kind of places. The difference is the light, the temperature on the way back and how long you’re out.
| Day cruise | Sunset cruise | |
|---|---|---|
| Starts | 10:00 | 15:00 |
| Length | About 4.5 hours | About 5.5 hours |
| The sun | Strongest at the midday swim stops | Softer, golden from late afternoon |
| Add to the basics | High-SPF sunscreen, a hat with a strap | A light jacket or long sleeves |
| Back at your hotel | Mid-afternoon | After dark in summer |
The sunset ride back is the part guests underdress for. Once the sun goes down behind the caldera the deck cools fast, and in July and August the meltemi wind makes the last stretch to Vlychada breezier. A thin jacket or a long-sleeved shirt in your bag is enough. If you can’t decide between the two, our guide to sunset or daytime cruises compares them stop by stop.
What to wear month by month
Santorini’s season is long, and April feels very different from August, on deck and in the water. Daytime highs are averages from the National Observatory of Athens station on the island, as listed on Wikipedia; sea temperatures are long-term averages for the Santorini coast (source: weather2travel). Any single day can be warmer or windier.
| Month | Daytime high | Sea | What to add |
|---|---|---|---|
| April | 20°C | 16°C | Long sleeves and a warm layer; swims are short and fresh |
| May | 23°C | 19°C | A light layer for the start of the day cruise and for sunset |
| June | 28°C | 22°C | Swimwear and a cover-up; a layer only for sunset |
| July | 30°C | 23°C | Sun protection first; a windbreaker for the sunset ride back |
| August | 30°C | 24°C | Same as July; drink water between swims |
| September | 27°C | 24°C | The warmest sea of the year; a light layer at sunset |
| October | 23°C | 22°C | Long sleeves for the ride back, especially on sunset cruises |
In March and November, the edges of our season, dress as you would for April.
Swimwear and the hot springs stop
Both semi-private cruises stop at the volcano hot springs off Palea Kameni. The catamaran anchors in the bay and you swim a short way into water that is warmer than the sea around it and coloured orange by iron and sulfur. That water can leave marks on white or light swimwear and darken silver, so wear a dark swimsuit for the day and leave silver jewelry at the hotel.
Swimming is optional at every stop. If you’d rather stay on deck, you’ll still see the springs from the boat. There is more about this stop in our hot springs guide.
Shoes on deck
On our boats everyone goes barefoot: we ask guests to take their shoes off before boarding, and the crew keeps them safe at the port until you come ashore. So wear flat sandals or flip-flops that slip on and off easily for the transfer and the pier, and leave heels and hard-soled shoes at the hotel. You get into the water from the steps at the back of the boat, so you don’t need water shoes for the swim stops.
Dressing for photos
The caldera cliffs are dark red, black and white, and the sea around them is deep blue. White, navy, terracotta and bright solid colours stand out against that background; small busy prints get lost. A long dress looks good at the bow, but the breeze picks up once the boat is moving, so choose a fabric with some weight. Save the wide-brim straw hat for the photos at anchor and wear something with a strap while sailing. For a photo shoot or a proposal, a private boat tour lets you pick the time and the light.
Travelling with children
Children need the same things as adults, with extra sun protection: a UV swim shirt and a hat with a strap. Life jackets and pool noodles are on board for the swim stops. There is shade inside the boat when little ones need a break from the sun.
If you get seasick
The caldera is sheltered, and most guests feel nothing at all. If you know you are sensitive to motion, a little preparation helps:
- Take a motion-sickness tablet about an hour before pickup, not once you are on board.
- Eat a light breakfast. An empty stomach makes it worse.
- Sit in the middle of the boat, in the fresh air, and look at the horizon rather than your phone.
- Choose the 10:00 cruise in July and August, before the afternoon meltemi makes the sea livelier.
A catamaran sits on two hulls, so it rolls far less than a single-hull sailing boat. It is one reason guests who worry about seasickness choose one.
What you don’t need to pack
You don’t need towels, snorkel gear, food or water. The BBQ meal, drinks and hotel pickup and drop-off are part of the cruise. A small tote with sunscreen, sunglasses, a layer and your phone is enough for the whole day, on any of our boat tours. For the full list, see what’s included in a Santorini yacht cruise.
Tips for the crew are not included. If you’d like to leave one, cash in euros is easiest; our Santorini tipping guide has the usual amounts.
