Rhodes: Cruise with 4 Swim Stops, Lunch, Drinks & Transfers

Anthony Quinn Bay is the star here, with a full hour to swim, snorkel, eat lunch, and take in one of Rhodes’ most photogenic coves. I like that this cruise also reaches the Traganou Caves and gives you four different swimming settings rather than one long stop. I also like the 35-passenger limit on a boat licensed for 49, since a little spare room matters when wet towels, noodles, and lunch all enter the picture.

The main thing to check before paying is the drinks policy. The main description promises unlimited beer, wine, and soft drinks, while the detailed inclusion list says drinks are not included and can be bought onboard. Confirm this point at checkout, especially since the $73 price looks much better if the open bar is part of the deal.

Key points at a glance

• Anthony Quinn Bay gets the longest stop: Plan on about an hour here for swimming, snorkeling, and lunch.
• Four swim settings in four hours: Visit Anthony Quinn Bay, Ladiko Bay, Afandou Bay, and the Traganou Caves.
• The boat is capped at 35 people: It is licensed for 49, but the lower passenger limit should leave more space to move around.
• Comfort comes from the seating: Bean bags and sofas give you places to relax, with a lower deck available if the ride back gets windy.
• Snorkel gear and noodles are provided: You do not need to bring your own equipment for the water stops.
• Transfers cost extra: Return hotel pickup is available from Rhodes, Ixia, Kremasti, or Faliraki for an added $10.

Four Rhodes bays, one easy half-day

This is a short sea outing built around swimming, not sightseeing from the deck. In four hours, you move between four coves along the east coast of Rhodes, with roughly 30 minutes at most stops and a longer stay at Anthony Quinn Bay.

That pace works well if you want a taste of the coast without giving up a full day. You will not spend hours at one beach, and the boat will not linger long enough for every stop to feel like a full beach day. Instead, you get a sampler of the island’s best-known swimming spots, lunch, and time to sit in the sun.

The boat measures 38 feet and is licensed for 49 passengers, but the operator sets a 35-person limit. That distinction matters. A boat can be perfectly legal and still feel cramped at capacity. The lower limit should help, although your sense of space will also depend on how many people are in the water at each stop.

The setup is casual. Choose a sofa or bean bag, settle in, and let the crew handle the movement between bays. The boat has a restroom, which is useful on a four-hour trip, especially when drinks are involved.

Anthony Quinn Bay earns the long stop

Anthony Quinn Bay is the main event. You get about an hour here, twice the time allowed at the other stops, and that gives you a chance to swim without watching the clock every few minutes.

The cove is known for clear water, rocky edges, and strong views from the sea. It is also the most photogenic stop, so have your phone or camera ready if you carry one safely around water. The scenery is best appreciated from the boat and from the water, where the shape of the cove becomes easier to understand.

Snorkeling equipment is available onboard, along with swimming noodles. The gear makes the stop more accessible if you are curious about the water below but do not want to pack equipment. Still, shared equipment can be basic, so bring your own mask if you care about fit and already have one you like.

Lunch is served during this longer stop. That is a sensible use of time. You can eat aboard, then swim, or split the hour between food and water. The meal is described as a Greek lunch, which fits the relaxed boat-day format better than a formal sit-down meal.

Do not expect a secluded beach experience. Anthony Quinn Bay is famous, and fame usually means other boats and swimmers. The value here is seeing the cove from the water and having enough time to enjoy it, not getting a private patch of coast.

Ladiko Bay and its underwater drop

Ladiko Bay brings a different kind of interest. The stop is about 30 minutes, and the main feature is a reported 200-meter underwater cliff.

You will not have much time for a long snorkel expedition, but the stop gives you a chance to look into deeper water and notice how quickly the seabed changes. If you prefer calm floating and a quick swim, 30 minutes is plenty. If you want to study the underwater formation closely, the short schedule may feel tight.

This is also a good reason to use the provided snorkeling equipment. The point of the stop is not only to swim near shore. You are there to see what lies below the surface, so a mask is more useful than simply staying on a noodle near the boat.

As with every stop, conditions can affect how much you see. The tour promises the location and time on site, but clear water and visibility are never something a coastal outing can fully control. Keep your expectations focused on a short look at a striking underwater feature rather than a guided marine tour.

The Traganou Caves bring the most unusual swim

The Traganou Caves are the most distinctive stop on the route. Instead of only swimming in an open cove, you can enter the caves and swim inside them.

That makes this stop feel different from Anthony Quinn and Ladiko. The caves add shade, rock formations, and a sense of exploration without requiring a long walk or difficult approach from land. The boat takes you directly to the setting, which is the main practical advantage of a cruise like this.

You get about 30 minutes here. That is enough for a swim into the caves and some time in the water, but not enough to treat the area as a leisurely beach stop. Listen to the crew’s instructions and stay aware of the boat’s departure time.

The caves are also the place where basic water confidence matters most. You should be comfortable getting into the sea from the boat and swimming away from it. The noodles can help, but they are flotation aids, not a substitute for swimming ability.

Afandou Bay adds open water and crystal clarity

Afandou Bay rounds out the route with clear water and a more open swimming setting. The stop is listed at about 30 minutes, giving you time to swim and cool off before the boat moves on.

Compared with the caves, Afandou is simple: get in, enjoy the water, and look around. That contrast is useful. The itinerary shifts between a famous scenic cove, an underwater feature, a cave swim, and an open-water stop, so the four stops do not all feel like copies of one another.

The schedule is brisk, though. If you like to spend a whole afternoon at one bay, you may find the half-hour stops too short. If you enjoy variety and want to see several coastal spots in one outing, the timing makes sense.

Lunch and the open-bar question

Food and drinks are a major part of the advertised value. The cruise includes a Greek lunch according to the main description, and vegetarian or vegan meals can be arranged if you inform the operator at least one day ahead.

That deadline matters. Do not wait until boarding to ask for a special meal. Contact the operator in advance and make the request clearly.

The drinks information needs more care. The main tour description says you can help yourself to unlimited ice-cold beer, wine, and soft drinks. Yet the detailed inclusion section says drinks are not included and can be purchased onboard. Those two statements do not match.

At $73 per person, the trip is reasonably priced even as a four-hour swim cruise with lunch and equipment. An open bar would make the value stronger, but you should not assume it is included until the booking page or operator confirms it. If drinks are extra, budget for them and treat the cruise as a lunch-and-swimming trip rather than an all-inclusive boat party.

Some departures have also included a light breakfast and iced coffee at boarding. That is not listed as a standard inclusion, so consider it a possible extra rather than part of what you are buying.

Comfort on a 38-foot boat

Comfort is one of the more appealing parts of this outing. Each passenger is intended to have a bean bag, and there are sofas for relaxing between stops. The lower deck gives you somewhere to go if the wind picks up on the return journey.

That last point is practical. The sea can feel calm at a bay and noticeably breezier once the boat is moving. A lower deck will not change the weather, but it gives you a break from the wind and spray.

The 35-person cap should also help. The boat can carry 49 under its license, but the smaller limit aims to leave room to walk around and find a comfortable place to sit. This is still a boat, not a private yacht, so do not expect wide-open space. The design sounds better suited to lounging than to formal seating.

Music and dancing have been part of the atmosphere on some trips, and the crew has offered dancing lessons. That suggests this is not a silent nature cruise. You can expect a social, upbeat tone, though the precise mood can vary from departure to departure.

Transfers from Rhodes and the Faliraki meeting point

The cruise operates from Faliraki Harbour. You can meet the boat there directly, or add return hotel transfers for $10 from Rhodes, Ixia, Kremasti, or Faliraki.

The transfer can be worthwhile if you are staying outside Faliraki and do not want to arrange your own transport. If you are already nearby, meeting at the harbour may be the simpler and cheaper choice.

For pickup, message the office on WhatsApp one day before the trip with your surname, travel date, and hotel name. The office operates from 9:00 to 22:00. If you do not request a pickup time, the assumption is that you will meet the boat directly at Faliraki Harbour.

This is an easy detail to miss, so handle it before the day of departure. A transfer add-on only helps if the pickup has actually been arranged.

Who will enjoy this cruise most

I would choose this trip if you want several good swims without committing a full day. It suits couples, friends, and families with confident swimmers who like a relaxed boat setting, simple Greek food, and a social atmosphere.

It is also a good fit if your time in Rhodes is limited. Four hours leaves room for another activity later, while still taking you to four well-known coastal locations.

You should think twice if you dislike group outings, need long stretches of quiet, or want to spend most of the day at one beach. The passenger cap improves the setup, but this is still a shared cruise with a fixed timetable.

The route is less suitable for anyone who is uneasy entering the sea from a boat. The supplied noodles help with floating, but the tour is built around getting into the water at every stop.

Is $73 a fair price?

At $73, the value depends on what is included when you book. The package clearly offers four hours on a 38-foot boat, four swim locations, snorkeling equipment, swimming noodles, a restroom, and a Greek lunch. Those elements make the price fair for a half-day on the Rhodes coast.

If unlimited beer, wine, and soft drinks are included as advertised, the deal becomes particularly attractive for people who want a carefree afternoon with no need to buy refreshments along the way. If drinks are not included, the price is still reasonable, but less of an all-in-one bargain.

The $10 return transfer is also fair if it saves you the trouble of arranging transport from Rhodes, Ixia, Kremasti, or Faliraki. I would skip it if you are already staying close to Faliraki Harbour and can get there easily.

The cancellation policy gives you some flexibility: you can cancel up to 24 hours ahead for a full refund, and you can reserve now and pay later. That helps if your Rhodes schedule depends on weather or changing port plans.

Practical tips before you board

Bring swimwear, sun protection, and a towel. The boat provides snorkel equipment and noodles, but you may prefer your own mask if you want a better fit.

Keep valuables to a minimum. You will be moving between seating, lunch, and the water, and a boat deck is not the place for a large amount of loose gear.

Tell the operator about vegetarian or vegan food at least one day ahead. Also confirm the drinks policy before final payment because the supplied information gives two different answers.

If you are using hotel pickup, send the WhatsApp message the day before. Include your surname, date, and hotel name, then wait for the pickup details rather than assuming the $10 add-on has handled everything.

Should you book the Rhodes four-bay cruise?

Book it if you want a lively, easy half-day with several swim stops, a Greek lunch, and comfortable seating. Anthony Quinn Bay gets enough time to feel worthwhile, while the Traganou Caves and Ladiko’s underwater drop give the route variety.

Skip it if you want a quiet private boat, a long stay at one beach, or a tightly controlled food and drink package. Before booking, settle the open-bar question. That single detail changes the value more than anything else.

For most people looking for a straightforward day at sea from Rhodes, the combination of four bays, onboard equipment, lunch, and a 35-person limit makes this a strong choice at $73, provided the final inclusions match the advertised package.

FAQ

How long is the Rhodes cruise?

The cruise lasts four hours. Starting times vary, so you need to check availability for the date you want.

Which bays does the cruise visit?

The route includes Anthony Quinn Bay, Ladiko Bay, Afandou Bay, and the Traganou Caves.

How long do you stop at each location?

Most stops last about 30 minutes. Anthony Quinn Bay receives a longer stop of about one hour.

Is lunch included?

The main tour description includes a Greek lunch. Vegetarian and vegan options must be requested at least one day before the cruise.

Are drinks included?

The main description says unlimited beer, wine, and soft drinks are included, but the detailed inclusion information says drinks are not included and can be bought onboard. Confirm the final drinks policy before booking.

Is snorkeling equipment provided?

Yes. Snorkeling equipment and swimming noodles are available onboard.

Does the boat have a restroom?

Yes. A restroom is available onboard.

How many people can join the cruise?

The 38-foot boat is licensed for 49 passengers, but the operator limits the group to 35 passengers.

Can I get a hotel transfer?

Yes. Return hotel transfers are available from Rhodes, Ixia, Kremasti, or Faliraki when you select the $10 add-on. You must message the office on WhatsApp one day before the trip with your surname, date, and hotel name.