Greece Cruise Holidays

You’ll find yourself in a Mediterranean climate in Greece, enjoying plenty of sunshine, mild temperatures and only ever a small amount of rainfall.

While the mountains experience lower temperatures, Grecian summers are dry and hot in the rest of the country (you’ll be glad of the seasonal winds that blow in to cool you down).

Winters are mild in the lowland areas of Greece, with a minimum amount of snow and ice – although the mountains are usually capped by snow.

In Greece, the currency is the euro.

The official language of Greece is Greek.

No matter your summer holiday style, the Greek islands have so much to offer. From adventure to relaxation to Mediterranean foodie delights, you’ll find what you’re looking for on the Greek islands. The best one to visit will depend on what you want to get out of your time away. Our top picks that we visit on our Greek island cruise holidays include Cephalonia, Crete, Corfu, Mykonos, Rhodes and Santorini.

The best time to visit Greece is up to you – what do you want out of the weather? Which places would you like to visit? We’ve got Greece cruises that you can sail on almost year-round with a different combination of Greek islands on the itineraries. If you’re looking for the hottest weather you can get, head out on a cruise to Greece in the middle of summer. If you still want to soak up the beauty but maybe a little less sun (and heat), you could try a holiday in Greece in the autumn or spring. 

It’s always worth checking the local weather before you head off to Greece, but you’ll generally need to dress for the heat (think dresses, shorts, t-shirts, sandals – and don’t forget your swimming costume).

During your days on board, you can dress in whatever you like. However, on all our ships, we have two dress codes that apply in the evenings: Evening Casual and Black Tie. For nights when the dress code is Evening Casual, you can bring out your best shirt, dress and smart, dark denim. For nights where the dress code is Black Tie, make sure you pack your best tux, suit or cocktail dress.

There are some venues on each ship where dress codes don’t apply, so make sure you check your Horizon paper that’s delivered to your cabin each day to check where these are, as they vary ship by ship. For those travelling on family-friendly ships, dress codes also don’t apply to children aged 17 and under.

The Greek islands are full to the brim with sights, sounds and smells that’ll fill your holiday memories with ancient charm and adventure.

Cephalonia’s beauty is legendary – you could take a relaxed walk around the pastel-coloured cafés, tavernas and souvenir shops of its waterfront village or take in the natural charm of Ainos Mountain and its National Park or the famous underground Melissani Lake. Or, if you’d rather soak up the sun, maybe one of the island’s many gold-sand beaches is the spot for you.

For an immersive experience in classic mythology, look no further than Mykonos. You can explore the famously beautiful, bleached houses with their sky-blue rooves as you wander to the ferry port that’ll take you to Delos. The birthplace of Apollo and Artemis is an unmissable UNESCO World Heritage Site, bearing the marks of mighty temples, theatres, villas and statues built by the rulers of the past two thousand years.

There are so many holiday hotspots to choose from in Santorini but one of our favourites is Akrotiri (and its myth of the lost city of Atlantis). You can explore the ruins of the unearthed city, considered one of the most important prehistoric settlements in the Mediterranean – and often called the Minoan Pompeii. From here, you can also take in breathtaking sights from Santorini’s highest point, The Mountain of Prophet Elijah. 

You won’t need a visa for Greece cruises – as a British citizen, you can visit Greece for up to 90 days without a visa.

Cephalonia

Chania (from Souda Bay), Crete

Corfu

Gythion

Heraklion, Crete

Mykonos

Olympia (from Katakolon)

Rhodes

Santorini