Review: Luxury Catamaran Cruise To Balos and Gramvousa Island With DanEri Yachts

I love a good day spent sailing and enjoying the sun on the waters. From chasing the sunset in the caldera of Santorini in Greece to sailing the Turquoise Coast off of Kas in Turkey or around the rock islands of Coron and El Nido in the Philippines, it would take a lot to top. But this one in Crete might have an argument for one of the higher spots.

On Crete, my partner and I knew we wanted to see Balos Beach. It kept coming up as the beach to choose if you only could choose one. That turquoise water ttripping onto pink and white sands, wrapped inside a lagoon that looks like it’s been photoshopped.

We found a few ways to get there.

There was a cheap ferry. Around €40. There was a speedboat option that nearly had me, if I was traveling with a group of friends. But then I found the sweet spot for the two of us.

A luxury catamaran sailing cruise with lunch, an open bar, paddle boards, snorkeling, and a giant pink flamingo float. You had me at flamingo.

Options For Getting To Balos

Ferry from Kissamos

At €40, the boat ferry was the cheapest option and quite tempting. It leaves at 10:40 am and returns at 5:45 pm, taking you to Balos Beach and then Gramvousa. Max capacity is about 300 people. Reviews were mixed saying it was comfortable, but crowded. Some people couldn’t find seats.

Private Speedboat

The speedboat option looked fast, fun and efficient. More privacy and freedom, but with less space to move around and only drinks were included. I like less people, but it seemed weird to share it with just a few other strangers. This would have a been a potential option if I was traveling with a group of friends and we could have most of the speedboat to ourselves. The trip is 5 hours long and there’s two sailings a day at 9 am and 2:30 pm.

It goes to Gramvousa first and then Balos, so you are doing the opposite of the large ferry.

The normal price is €120, but I found discounted prices closer to the sailing date here.

Luxury Catamaran

Lagoon 450F Catamaran. Large and luxurious. Smaller group size, full meals and drinks, room to lounge and tan on the boat, and use of water sports equipment.

We found this luxury option on the Mar Geo XI catamaran for around €195. Maximum capacity, 22 people. We had 16 on our trip, which meant space to stretch out, no elbow wars, and quiet moments when it felt like we had the sea to ourselves. We booked it through DanEri Yachts and with a departure at 8:30 am and returning at around 5 pm.

The early start means getting to Balos and Gramvousa ahead of the large ferry.

Update: DanEri has a new Lux sailing option, which looks to be on a catamaran meant to take more guests, but at a lower price.

Sailing with DanEri Yachts

The Route

The cruise starts from Kissamos Port and sails along the Gramvousa Peninsula. The first stop is the iconic Balos Beach and its lagoon. 2 hours here for exploring, swimming and watersports. At 12:30 pm, the boat heads west to Gramvousa Island, home to a Venetian fortress and more secluded coves. Lunch is served here and it stays until about 4 pm. The entire trip lasts about 7.5 hours and returns to Kissamos by late afternoon around 5 pm.

Getting to Kissamos Port

We were staying in Chania, so we arranged for private transportation in the morning to get to the port. Our driver, Giannis from Fivos Rental Chania (+30 694 819 0452), arrived punctually at 6:45 am and we arrived ahead of schedule since there was no traffic.

The sun was just starting to rise over the quiet water, and we were able enjoy lovely morning looking over the rocks and bay. It was one of those beautiful moment that we didn’t plan for, but will remember.

We looked at other options to get to Kissamos. There is one public bus that goes from Chania to Kissamos Port early enough, but we didn’t want to chance delays and miss our boat.

We also initially debated renting a car for our Crete trip. However, our itinerary was one-way, continuing through Rethymno and Heraklion before heading by ferry to Santorini. That made a rental drop-off a bit more complicated. If I could do it again, I might have booked a short-term rental in Chania and returned it before moving on since I found some rentals for as low as €10/day with insurance.

Note: In Crete, I learned the car rentals also includes free insurance, but you usually need to rent it for at least 3 days and as long as a week from some places. Keep that in mind. One day rentals are more expensive.

Boarding and Seating

At 8:15 am, we checked-in, met the team comprising of Dimitry, Jessica, and Giannis, our skipper. Shoes were off and we climbed aboard. Dimitry got through safety briefing and boat instructions quickly, Jessica welcomed us with a breakfast spread of coffee, tea, cakes and biscuits, and Giannis launched the boat.

Everyone found their spots around the boat. We headed straight for the front deck, settling into the built-in seats facing the open water. Throughout the day, guests rotated between shaded spots in the back, the sun deck above, and the trampoline netting up front. There was plenty of space to move without ever feeling crowded.

Food and Drinks

From the start, it felt like we were being fed every hour. First, the morning pastries and coffee. Then, not long after we dropped anchor at Balos, a massive spread of cheeses, cold cuts, olives, spreads, and crudité appeared. That would hold us over while we explored Balos.

Drinks started flowing early. Crisp white Cretan wine and cold beers were offered by the crew who walked around checking in, making sure no one ever had to get up to ask. That kind of service was appreciated and didn’t go unnoticed.

After our hike on Gramvousa, we returned to an even more impressive offering. I couldn’t believe Jessica cooked all the food was cooked herself in the tiny boat kitchen.

There were mussels in creamy garlic, pasta with ouzo sauce, rice with shrimp, grilled chicken, and two big bowls of salads. There was more than enough for seconds, which I happily enjoyed.

Balos Lagoon

We reached Balos around 10:30 am. After having our charcuterie spread, we took the tender boat to shore and the soft sand and crystal clear shallows of the lagoon. This was the Balos I had seen and imagined. And it was practically empty, except for our small group and the ones already there sunbathing on the far end of the beach. The water looked like melted glass, ripping once in a while when a breeze passed.

There were so many great spots to take photos…and swim. The lagoon was filled with deep tide pools we could dive right into.

After taking one too many photos, I finally put my camera away to just take it all in without distraction.

The Large Ferry Arrives

By noon, I spotted the massive ferry arriving in the distance. Within minutes, people started pouring off in a slow, single-file line. I noted that it took 30 minutes for everyone to disembark. I watched from the tender and felt relieved we didn’t go that route.

We had already walked, swam, and lounged on the beach in near solitude, so I was happy to head back on the boat. Once that crowd landed, it would have been a completely different scene.

Back on the boat, we paddle boarded around the anchored catamaran and snorkeled in the clear water. The clarity was unreal. You could see everything from the surface including the shadow of the paddleboard on the sand below.

Gramvousa Island

Around 12:30 PM, we set off for Gramvousa. The timing was perfect. I had a feeling we would keep ahead of the ferry group again, and we did.

The here was just as clear and blue.

We took the tender ashore and hiked up to the Venetian fortress perched above the harbor. It looked steep from below, but it only took about 10 minutes to reach the top.

The fortress itself was impressive, with views that looked out over the cliffs and back toward Balos.

The site dates back to 1584, when the Venetians built it to protect the natural harbor. It changed hands over the centuries, but was taken over by the Ottomans until Crete’s eventual liberation. During a seige, the 3000 occupants would hold up here in the fortress.

After the hike, we jumped right back in the water to cool off. Lunch followed. Then one more round of floating with flamingo and tanning before started to sail back around 4 pm.

By 5 PM, we were back at the port where our driver was already waiting. We made it back to Chania with enough time to shower, change, and head down to the Old Harbor for a sunset walk to the lighthouse.

Crew and Service

The crew was only 3, but they handled everything. From piloting the boat and prepping food to running the tender and topping off drinks, they made the experience. The whole vibe was professional but casual. They kept the things light without trying too hard.

I still don’t know how Jessica prepared all that food in the little kitchen, but turned out great. And Dimitry and Giannis were always around to help us in and out of the water, set up the paddle boards, and keep us well hydrated while cracking jokes.

They were a big part of what made the day so special.

Final Thoughts

If you’re visiting Crete and considering a trip to Balos and Gramvousa, I’d recommend going this route. Skip the big ferry. Spend a little more for a lot more comfort and better way experience to the two places you came to see – without the crowd.

We returned to Kissamos full, salty, and a little sunburned, but grinning from the incredible day we had. The clear water, easy pace and lack of crowds made this one of the best boat trips I’ve ever done in the Mediterranean.

Highly recommended for couples, solo travelers, or anyone who wants to enjoy the beauty of Crete without being herded around. Just you, the sea, a glass of wine, and maybe a pink flamingo.

Updated on June 3, 2025