Catamaran Cruise or Volcano Boat Tour in Santorini?
Updated October 27, 2026
Verdict
Take the volcano boat if you want to stand on the crater, if budget matters, or if you want Thirassia and the Oia sunset in the same day. Take a catamaran if you want a slow day of swimming and snorkelling at the coloured beaches with food and drink included. If you have two days for boats, do both: they overlap only at the hot springs.
These are two different trips that happen to cross the same water. A volcano boat is a large boat that puts you ashore on Nea Kameni to walk to the crater, then stops at the hot springs; it costs from $34 and you buy your own food. A catamaran never lands on the volcano. It sails past it, swims at the hot springs, Red Beach and White Beach, and feeds you a meal with drinks; it costs $85 to $145 per person and carries far fewer people. Both share one stop, the hot springs. The rest depends on whether you want to walk on a volcano or swim off a deck.
| Criterion | Catamaran cruise | Volcano boat tour |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | From $85 (sailing) to $145 (small group) | From $34; the full day with Thirassia and Oia from $64 |
| Walk on the volcano | No. The luxury listing names the volcano hike as not included | Yes, about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes ashore on Nea Kameni |
| Fees on the day | None named in the listings | €5 cash per person to walk on the volcano |
| Hot springs | Yes, a swim stop | Yes, a 30-minute swim stop |
| Red Beach and White Beach | Yes, swim and snorkel stops | No; the boat stays inside the caldera |
| Food and drink | Meal and drinks included (BBQ, wine, soft drinks) | Not included; a bar on board sells snacks and drinks |
| People on board | 14 to 55, depending on the boat | Up to 150 on the volcano cruise |
| Port | Vlychada or Ammoudi, usually with hotel pickup | Athinios, with a bus from a pickup point near your hotel on most options |
| Length | About 5 hours | 3 to 10 hours, or 12 for the full day |
What a volcano boat is
The volcano cruise is a traditional wooden boat with seats for everyone and up to 150 guests, run from Athinios port. It lands on Nea Kameni, where you can walk the gravel path to the crater on your own, then moves to Palea Kameni for a 30-minute swim at the hot springs. The morning 6-hour option adds a swim in a Thirassia bay, and an optional extension takes you by bus to Oia for the sunset. Lunch is not included; the bar on board sells snacks, coffee, beer and soft drinks. Reviews are steady but not glowing: 4.35 on 11,637 reviews of this cruise on GetYourGuide, the most-reviewed boat trip on the island.
What a catamaran cruise is
Five hours on a catamaran with a crew, a BBQ or Greek meal and drinks included, snorkel gear and towels on most boats, and three swim stops: the hot springs, Red Beach, and White Beach or Mesa Pigadia. Hotel pickup is included on most of them. The boats are smaller: up to 14 guests on the small-group trip, 20 on the day and luxury trips, 50 to 55 on the sunset catamaran. Ratings run higher too, from 4.6 to 4.83 on the shared catamarans, on thousands of reviews each.
The hike, honestly
The volcano walk is the reason to choose the volcano boat, and it is a real walk. Reviewers mention loose sand and gravel and recommend closed shoes, and one guest on the full-day trip wrote that it is probably not suitable for anyone with restricted mobility. The €5 fee is cash only and is not in the ticket price. If the walk does not appeal, the volcano boat loses most of its point, and a catamaran gives you the same hot springs with a meal on top.
Which to book
Each of these has free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
- Volcano and hot springs cruise, from $34 — The cheapest way onto the caldera, with the crater walk and the springs.
- Volcano, Thirassia and Oia full day, from $64 — Twelve hours: crater, springs, free time on Thirassia and the sunset in Oia from land.
- Day catamaran (Gold), from $95 — 4.82 on 3,573 reviews of this cruise. Red Beach, the springs and Mesa Pigadia, BBQ and open bar.
- Sailing catamaran, from $85 — The cheapest catamaran on this site, 4.76 on 1,803 reviews of this cruise.
Frequently asked questions
Is the volcano tour or the catamaran better?
The volcano boat is better if you want to walk to the crater or spend less. The catamaran is better for swimming, snorkelling and an included meal. They share only the hot springs stop.
Do catamaran cruises go to the volcano?
They sail past Nea Kameni and swim at the hot springs beside it, but they do not land, so you cannot walk to the crater.
How much is the volcano entrance fee?
€5 per person, cash, paid on Nea Kameni. Neither volcano boat includes it.
Can I do both in one day?
Not easily: the volcano boats run 3 to 12 hours and the catamarans 5. Book them on different days.
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