A Greece cruise most often leaves from Piraeus (Athens) for 3 to 7 nights in the Cyclades and the Dodecanese: Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes, Patmos, Crete. The big cruise lines also combine Greece with Italy and Croatia from Venice, Trieste, Bari or Civitavecchia. Departures are concentrated from spring to autumn.
This guide covers typical itineraries, the stops, the best time to go and the Greek tax on cruise passengers. We did not sail on board for this guide and do not publish passenger reviews: the information comes from the official sites listed at the end of the page. For the whole basin, see our page on Mediterranean cruises.
Greece cruise: key facts
- Main port: Piraeus, near Athens
- Headline stops: Santorini, Mykonos, Rhodes, Heraklion (Crete), Katakolon (Olympia), Corfu, Kefalonia, Zakynthos
- Length: 3 to 4 nights for an island loop; 7 nights or more with the Adriatic
- Best time: May-June and September-October; July-August is hot and very busy
- Greek tax: €1 to €20 per person per port depending on the season and the stop
Typical itineraries
From Piraeus: the Greek islands
Celestyal, a Greece specialist, offers 3- and 4-night loops to the islands and Turkey (Mykonos, Santorini, Patmos, Rhodes), and a 7-night « Idyllic Greece » itinerary with long stops at Santorini and Mykonos. On 14 October 2026, its « from » prices ran from about €250 per person for 3 nights in March or November to about €790 for 7 nights.
From Italy: Greece and the Adriatic
MSC Cruises sells flight-and-cruise packages from several airports to Venice, Trieste, Civitavecchia, Bari or Piraeus. Celestyal also offers a 7-night Greece, Croatia, Montenegro and Italy cruise, with an evening in Dubrovnik and a day in Corfu. These itineraries suit you if you want to see several countries in a week. See our pages on MSC, Costa and, for small ships, Ponant.
Western Mediterranean departures
The itineraries noted leaving La Seyne-sur-Mer (Costa, 2027) head for Italy and Spain, not Greece: for Greece, the simplest option is often a flight-and-cruise package. For cruises leaving the French coast, see our pages on a cruise from Marseille and a cruise from Nice.
The stops and what you see there
| Stop | What to see | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Piraeus / Athens | Acropolis and Parthenon | Main embarkation port |
| Santorini | Villages on the caldera rim, sunsets, volcanic vineyards | Highest tax in summer |
| Mykonos | White town, party atmosphere | Often an evening stop |
| Rhodes | Medieval old town, Lindos | Dodecanese |
| Heraklion (Crete) | Palace of Knossos | Cultural stop |
| Katakolon | Access to the Olympia site | West coast of the Peloponnese |
| Corfu, Kefalonia, Zakynthos | Ionian islands, beaches | Adriatic itineraries |
To plan a stay before or after the cruise, our guide to the Greek islands and our Greece page cover each island.
The Greek tax on cruise passengers
Since 21 July 2025, according to MSC Cruises, Greece has applied a tax to all passengers, whatever their age, who disembark at a Greek port, including ports of call. Amounts per person and per port:
| Period | Mykonos and Santorini | Other Greek ports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January – 31 March | €4 | €1 |
| 1 April – 31 May | €12 | €3 |
| 1 June – 30 September | €20 | €5 |
| 1 – 31 October | €12 | €3 |
| 1 November – 31 December | €4 | €1 |
Best time for a Greece cruise
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 13.3 °C (56 °F) | 7.1 °C (45 °F) | 55.6 mm (2.2 in) | ❌ Few cruises, cool |
| February | 14.2 °C (58 °F) | 7.3 °C (45 °F) | 44.4 mm (1.7 in) | ❌ Off season |
| March | 17.0 °C (63 °F) | 9.2 °C (49 °F) | 45.6 mm (1.8 in) | ⚠️ First departures, cool sea |
| April | 21.1 °C (70 °F) | 12.3 °C (54 °F) | 27.6 mm (1.1 in) | ⚠️ Mild, good for sightseeing |
| May | 26.5 °C (80 °F) | 17.0 °C (63 °F) | 20.7 mm (0.8 in) | ✅ Ideal for the sites |
| June | 31.6 °C (89 °F) | 21.6 °C (71 °F) | 11.6 mm (0.5 in) | ✅ Hot, long days |
| July | 34.3 °C (94 °F) | 24.2 °C (76 °F) | 10.7 mm (0.4 in) | ⚠️ Very hot, crowds and top tax |
| August | 34.3 °C (94 °F) | 24.4 °C (76 °F) | 5.4 mm (0.2 in) | ⚠️ Very hot, crowds and top tax |
| September | 29.6 °C (85 °F) | 20.4 °C (69 °F) | 25.8 mm (1.0 in) | ✅ Warm, fewer people |
| October | 24.4 °C (76 °F) | 16.2 °C (61 °F) | 38.6 mm (1.5 in) | ✅ Mild, end of season |
| November | 18.9 °C (66 °F) | 12.2 °C (54 °F) | 70.8 mm (2.8 in) | ⚠️ Last departures, wetter |
| December | 14.4 °C (58 °F) | 8.7 °C (48 °F) | 76.3 mm (3.0 in) | ❌ Off season |
For details by island and the summer wind (meltem), see our page on when to go to Greece. Celestyal schedules « March and November » departures at lower prices, but the sea and temperatures are cooler.
Our tips
- Choose by stops: a loop from Piraeus spends more time on the islands; an itinerary from Italy sees more countries but fewer islands
- Look at the port times: an evening stop at Mykonos or a long stop at Santorini changes the experience
- Plan the transfer: flights to Athens then Piraeus, or the cruise lines’ flight-and-cruise packages
- Entry requirements: check the requirements for Greece and for any other country on the itinerary (such as Turkey or Montenegro) before you book: see our Greece guide
Frequently asked questions
What is the best cruise for visiting the Greek islands?
A 4- to 7-night loop from Piraeus, like Celestyal’s, focuses the trip on the islands (Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes, Patmos). To combine with Croatia and Italy, look at the itineraries from Venice, Trieste or Bari.
How much does a Greece cruise cost?
On 14 October 2026, Celestyal showed prices from about €250 per person for 3 nights in March or November and about €700 to €790 for 7 nights; transport to the port not included.
When should you cruise the Greek islands?
May-June and September-October offer the best balance; July and August are very hot (an average high of 34 °C (93 °F) in Athens) and the tax is at its maximum.
How much is the cruise tax in Greece?
€1 to €20 per person per port depending on the season: €20 at Mykonos and Santorini from June to September, €5 at the other ports, according to MSC Cruises.
Where do Greece cruises leave from?
Mostly Piraeus, but also Venice, Trieste, Bari or Civitavecchia with MSC. The cruise lines also sell flight-and-cruise packages.
Our sources
- MSC Cruises, « Cruises in Greece » and « Cruise tax – Greece » pages, consulted on 14 October 2026
- Celestyal Cruises, « Cruises in Greece and the Greek islands » page (itineraries and « from » prices), consulted on 14 October 2026
- Athens climate normals 1991-2020, National Observatory of Athens, via Wikipedia (English), consulted on 14 October 2026
- Our methodology
Updated October 2026.
