Sun & Sea All Inclusive 3 Hour Swimming Cruise (WITH PICK UP SERVICE)

Rhodes saves some of its best water for the coves along its eastern shore. This three-hour outing takes you from Faliraki to Traganou Caves, Ladiko Bay, and Anthony Quinn Bay, with time to swim straight from the boat into clear water. I like the easy format: no long day at sea, no complicated shore stops, and drinks and snorkel gear are included. I also like the small-boat feel and the comfortable couch seating.

The main catch is that this is a swimming cruise, not a beach tour. You normally step from the boat into the sea rather than walk onto sand. The boat description also deserves a careful look: it is advertised as a 36-foot catamaran, while several bookings describe an older boat or a vessel that did not feel like a catamaran.

This works best if you want relaxed sea time, pretty coves, and a cocktail without paying for a full-day sailing trip. It is less suitable if you expect detailed island commentary, a polished party boat, generous food, or a guaranteed quiet ride. At $66.51 per person, the value depends heavily on how much you enjoy swimming.

Key points before you book

• Three swim stops: Afandou, Ladiko, and Anthony Quinn Bay, with about 30 minutes at the first two and 45 minutes at the last.
• Boat access to the water: You swim from the boat, and the stops do not promise beach time.
• Open drinks included: Beer, wine, water, soft drinks, and a fresh cocktail of the day are available.
• Snorkel gear and noodles: Equipment is supplied, though bringing your own mask may be wise if fit or cleanliness matters to you.
• Faliraki pickup: Hotel transfer is available from Faliraki, but you must arrange it the day before.
• Small group size: The stated maximum is 28 people, though some departures may feel quite full.

Three hours built around swimming

The rhythm is simple. You meet at Faliraki Harbor, board the boat, and head along the coast to three attractive bays. Each stop gives you a short burst of swimming and snorkeling, followed by a ride to the next cove.

That short format is one of the tour’s strongest points. You get a proper taste of the eastern Rhodes coastline without giving up an entire day. If you are staying in Faliraki, you can fit this around other plans. If you are visiting on a cruise ship, the timing may also appeal, but transfer arrangements need extra care.

The schedule allows roughly 30 minutes at Afandou Beach, 30 minutes at Ladiko Bay, and 45 minutes at Anthony Quinn Bay. That is enough time to cool off, inspect the rocks, and swim into the caves, but it is not a leisurely beach day. You should be ready to get into the water soon after anchoring.

The crew provides drinks and snacks during the outing. Expect a selection of beer, wine, water, and soft drinks, plus a cocktail made with fresh fruit. Snacks include a fruit platter and melekouni, a Rhodian honey and sesame bar. This is a pleasant extra, though you should not treat it as lunch. The portions described by some customers are light.

Afandou and the Traganou Caves

The first stop is near the Traganou Caves at Afandou Beach. The boat anchors beside the rocky coast, and you can swim toward the cave openings with a mask and snorkel.

This stop gives you a quick introduction to the tour’s basic style. There is no long walk, no beach setup, and no formal shore excursion. You move from couch to sea, then back aboard when the crew signals that it is time to leave.

The caves are the feature here. They add a little adventure to what might otherwise be a standard coastal swim. The water is described as deep blue and clear, making this a good place to use the supplied equipment. Conditions can vary, however, and some departures have found the first two bays choppier than expected.

Keep your expectations sensible. Thirty minutes passes quickly once you collect a mask, enter the water, swim to the rocks, and return to the boat. If you are traveling with a child or do not swim confidently, the lack of a sandy entry is important. You are getting into open water from the vessel.

Calm Ladiko Bay and its clear water

Ladiko Bay is the second stop, with about half an hour for swimming. The name is linked to the Greek word ládi, meaning oil, a reference to the bay’s calm, smooth water.

Ladiko is a good middle stop because it offers a change of pace after Afandou. On a calm day, the sheltered setting makes it pleasant for a gentle swim and a look below the surface. The boat remains your base, so you can use the noodles, sit on the deck, or take a drink before getting back into the water.

The word calm should not be read as a guarantee. Sea conditions affect all three stops, and rougher water has been reported at Afandou and Ladiko on some days. The captain decides where to anchor based on conditions, so the experience can vary with wind and swell.

You should also know that the crew may give only basic information about each location. The spoken guidance is generally limited to identifying the stop and explaining the swimming period. If you want stories about Rhodes, geology, film history, or local traditions, this is not the right tour for that purpose.

Anthony Quinn Bay gets the longest stop

The final stop is Anthony Quinn Bay, usually the highlight of the route. You get about 45 minutes here, longer than at the other two bays, and that extra time matters.

The cove is framed by pine-covered slopes and rocky edges. The water is especially clear, and the setting makes a strong finish to the trip. You can swim from the boat, use a noodle, or snorkel around the rocks. This is also the place most likely to satisfy anyone hoping for the classic Rhodes postcard scene.

Anthony Quinn Bay has a film connection too. It was used in The Guns of Navarone, which gives the cove a bit of movie history beyond its good looks. The name comes from actor Anthony Quinn, who was associated with the area after filming The Guns of Navarone.

Again, do not expect to step onto a beach during this stop. The tour’s attraction is the water and the view from the boat. If you have seen photographs of Anthony Quinn Bay and imagined a shore-based visit, you may find this version too brief. If you mainly want to swim in the cove without arranging your own boat, it makes good sense.

What the boat is really like

The advertised vessel is a 36-foot catamaran with couch seating. The couch layout is appealing because it gives you somewhere comfortable to sit between swims, and some departures have found the seating practical for a three-hour ride.

The important qualification is consistency. Some customers have described an older boat, and some specifically said it was not a catamaran. One person found a wet cushion on arrival. That may not matter if you plan to spend much of the trip in the water, but it matters if you are booking for a polished sailing experience.

The boat can also feel crowded. The stated maximum is 28 people, but the practical impression depends on the boat used and how seating is arranged. One particularly unhappy booking found no available seat and left rather than stand for the entire trip. That is not the normal experience described across the booking record, but it is a useful warning: this is a shared group cruise, not a private charter.

Music and atmosphere may also vary. The outing is usually laid-back, but at least one departure was described as loud and youth-oriented, while others found it quiet and relaxed. If you need a peaceful boat ride, ask about the day’s style when confirming pickup and meeting details.

Safety equipment has also been questioned in one account. The supplied information says snorkeling equipment and swimming noodles are included, but it does not list life jackets as an included feature. You should ask the operator about safety equipment before departure, especially if you are not a strong swimmer or are bringing children.

Drinks, fruit, and the all-inclusive promise

The open bar is a real part of the value. You can choose from beer, wine, soft drinks, water, and the cocktail of the day. A strawberry daiquiri received especially warm praise, and the fresh-fruit cocktail gives the short trip a holiday feel.

Do not picture a full bar with a long menu. The choices are limited, and the cocktail selection changes. Still, if you would otherwise buy several drinks during a half-day outing, the included service helps justify the $66.51 price.

The food is more of a snack than a meal. Melekouni is a traditional Rhodian sweet made with honey and sesame, and the fruit platter adds something fresh. The exact serving can be modest, with a small portion of mixed fruit and a packaged Greek sweet reported on one departure.

I would eat breakfast or lunch separately. The included snacks are useful after swimming, but they are not enough to replace a meal for most people. The tour is priced around the boat ride and stops, with refreshments as a welcome bonus.

Pickup from Faliraki and extra transfer costs

For people staying in Faliraki, hotel pickup is available for this three-hour cruise. You must arrange it the day before, so do not assume the operator will automatically collect you simply because the words pickup service appear in the title.

The meeting point is Faliraki Harbor, and the cruise ends there. If you are staying elsewhere, the rules change. Transfers for cruise ship passengers and for people in Rhodes Town or Ixia cost an additional $10 per person.

Cruise ship passengers should be especially careful. The supplied information includes a complaint about a missed pickup after a transfer question was sent by email while the person was aboard without Wi-Fi. Confirm the pickup directly before the day of the cruise, and allow enough time to reach the harbor and return to your ship.

Some transfer experiences have been excellent, with prompt service in a comfortable minibus. Others, particularly a transfer from a ship, have involved a crowded van with poor air conditioning. The transfer is not the central attraction, but it can shape your first and last impression.

The swimming equipment and what to bring

Masks, snorkels, and swimming noodles are supplied. That keeps the packing list short and means you can try snorkeling without renting equipment separately.

Equipment quality can vary. One snorkel was reported broken, and another person preferred not to use shared gear because of hygiene concerns. If you already own a comfortable mask, bring it. A well-fitting mask makes more difference than almost anything else on this trip.

Bring a swimsuit, towel, sunscreen, and a dry change of clothes. The sun can be intense, and there is little reason to spend the entire ride without protection. Water shoes may also be useful around rocky cave entrances, though they are not listed as supplied equipment.

A waterproof phone pouch is sensible if you want photographs from the water. Keep your plans modest, though. The tour gives you time for swimming and views, not an extended underwater photography session.

Who will enjoy this Rhodes cruise?

I would recommend it to you if you:

• Want a short break from archaeological sites and town sightseeing
• Enjoy swimming from a boat
• Prefer a group outing to arranging a private charter
• Are staying in Faliraki and want hotel pickup
• Like having drinks, basic snacks, masks, and noodles included
• Want to see Anthony Quinn Bay from the water

Families can enjoy the short duration, and one booking specifically found the 30 to 40-minute swim periods manageable for a nine-year-old. You still need to judge your child’s swimming ability, since the entries are from the boat rather than a shallow beach.

I would hesitate to recommend it if you want a guided history tour, a quiet luxury catamaran, a full lunch, or guaranteed generous seating. It also may not suit anyone uncomfortable with shared snorkeling equipment, open-water entry, or changing sea conditions.

The experience has a strong overall rating of 4.8 from 817 ratings, with 95 percent of customers recommending it. That points to a generally successful outing, but the mixed comments about the boat, crowding, commentary, and transfer show why the details matter.

Is $66.51 good value?

At $66.51 per person, the price is fair if you use the main inclusions: three coastal stops, roughly 90 minutes of swimming time, drinks, fruit, a local sweet, snorkel equipment, noodles, and transport from a Faliraki hotel when arranged correctly.

The value improves if you enjoy the open bar. A cocktail, several soft drinks, or a beer during a comparable boat outing can add up quickly. The three-hour length also helps. You get a focused activity without committing your entire day or paying for a longer sailing trip with lunch.

The value drops if you mainly want to sit on a stylish boat. Some departures have involved an older vessel, limited seating, and little conversation from the crew. You are paying for access to the coves, not a polished onboard program.

For a first visit to Rhodes, I see this as a useful add-on rather than a complete day out. Pair it with time in Rhodes Town, Faliraki, or another land-based activity. The cruise gives you the sea, the caves, and the famous bay, while leaving plenty of time for something else.

Final verdict: book it for the water, not the show

I would book the Sun & Sea cruise if my priority were clear water, three swim stops, and a simple three-hour escape from the heat and sightseeing. Anthony Quinn Bay and the Traganou Caves give the outing real appeal, and the included drinks make the price easier to accept.

Before paying, I would confirm the exact boat, seating, pickup arrangements, and extra transfer charge if staying outside Faliraki. Bring your own mask if you have one, eat beforehand, and remember that the stops are reached from the boat rather than from a beach.

Book it for swimming and scenery. Skip it if you want a narrated tour, a full meal, or a guaranteed upscale catamaran experience.

FAQ

How long is the Sun & Sea swimming cruise?

The cruise lasts approximately three hours.

Where does the cruise start and finish?

It starts and ends at Faliraki Harbor in Faliraki, Rhodes.

Which places does the cruise visit?

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

How much time is spent at each swimming stop?

The planned time is about 30 minutes at Afandou, 30 minutes at Ladiko, and 45 minutes at Anthony Quinn Bay.

Are drinks included?

Yes. The open bar includes beer, wine, water, soft drinks, and the cocktail of the day made with fresh fruit.

Is food included?

Light snacks are included, including a fruit platter and melekouni, a traditional Rhodian honey and sesame bar.

Is hotel pickup included?

Pickup is available from Faliraki hotels for the three-hour cruise, but it must be arranged the day before. Transfers from cruise ships, Rhodes Town, and Ixia cost an additional $10 per person.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time for a full refund. Poor weather or failure to meet the minimum number of participants may also lead to a different date or a full refund.