Greece is a country with many destinations worth visiting, and getting to Greece and to the Greek islands is easier than ever due to the large number of cruise packages Greece travelers can expect to encounter. You can find a number of Greece cruises offering trips of varied lengths, but generally most cruises cover between seven and fourteen days. Greece cruises can be found year round, with the high season running from May through November. While not exactly cruise lines, there are a dizzying array of Greece ferries that navigate between the mainland and around the islands, making for a good way to cruise Greece. When looking to book Greece cruises or cruises to Greece, you will be presented with more choices than you know what to do with, but if you have a certain idea in mind about where you want to go and what you want to see, you will eventually find the right Greece cruise for your upcoming vacation.

If you are coming to Greece by way of water, you will likely be shoving port from Italy. Cruises to Greece from Italy run regular and predictable routes from ports in Ancona, Trieste, Venice and Bari. Quite often these cruises to Greece dock along the western coast of Greece at Patras and Igoumenitsa, and on the island of Corfu. If you want to head straight to the islands, you can arrange to take cruises to Greece that highlight some of Italy with stops in the Greek islands. Depending on the amount of time you have, you can find cruises to Greece that head on to countries like Egypt or Turkey, giving you the chance to sample more than one country. Typically cruises to Greece will have distinct routes with an arranged series of stops as you navigate the Aegean Sea.

A sample itinerary for an option in cruises to Greece has you starting in Rome. After your land stops at Pisa, Florence and Venice, you head for Ancona to begin your cruise. You board a large cruise ship that is akin to a floating hotel. There are various cabin classes and many cruises to Greece have activities for both children and adults. After docking at Patras, you begin another land journey that brings you to Olympia to see the ruins of the Temple of Zeus and ancient home of the Olympics. You will then head to the ruins at Mycenae, then to Athens. After a day in Athens, you board your cruise ship again and head to Mykonos. After a brief stop it’s on to Rhodes, where you spend a day before leaving for Turkey. After a day in Turkey, you return to Athens where your journey is over. In total, your cruise would last about 15 days with some nights spent at arranged hotels, and the other nights sleeping in your cabin. Your meals and deluxe motorcoach arrangements are included in your package, and as with almost all cruises to Greece, you can include airfare with your package.

Greece Map

If you are based in Greece and are looking for a Greece cruise that highlights the islands, then you will find no shortage in options. Many cruise companies in Greece have added state-of-the-art ships to their fleets, and with the accommodations, services and entertainment options being offered, you will feel like you are on a floating Las Vegas hotel. Greece cruises generally leave from Athens, with options found in Thessaloniki. If you are looking to spend about 4 days on your Greece cruise, you could try the “Agean Classic Cruise” with Monarch Classic Cruises. With a cruise like this, you leave Athens for the island of Mykonos. After five hours exploring Mykonos Town, you leave for Turkey. After about five hours in Turkey it is on to Patmos where you spend some time before sailing to Rhodes. After a day in Rhodes, you travel to Crete and then on to Santorini. By the next morning, you are back in Athens ready to enjoy your land tour or catch that flight home.

The great thing about Greece cruises is that you will find price ranges from budget to luxury. You can choose to include hotels at overnight ports with your package or find your own accommodations. If you need airfare, many of the packages for Greece cruises can be booked with your flight. On a Greece cruise ship, your meals are taken care of, your transportation has been pre-arranged, and you leave the “driving” up to the captain. All you have to do is show up, have fun and enjoy the different stops you make. Many cruise ships offer facilities that include a fitness and spa center, a movie theater, bars, casinos and on-deck lounge areas with swimming pools. Most cruise ships in Greece have services for guests with special needs and programs for children. Greece cruises are good for both individuals and groups, and if you are a social bee you can sure meet a lot of different people on board. Not all cruise ships are the same though. If you are up for a cruise by way of yacht, you will find sailing companies that have arranged pleasure cruises, or you can stick to the mega-ships. Just remember to have your passport ready for all Greece cruises, and if you keep an open mind, you should have the time of your life.