While we were visiting the beautiful island of Crete, we decided one of the best ways to explore more of the gorgeous coastline would be to go by boat. After a quick internet search, we came across Creta Luxury Cruises…
Read about my experience with Creta Luxury Cruises below!
– Creta Luxury Cruises –
– Creta Luxury Cruises –Operating out of Chania, this company owns two luxury yachts available for charter with several half- and full-day itinerary options.
The smaller of the two yachts, ‘Lady Roula I,’ accommodates up to 10 guests and is equipped with a 2-person crew, while the other, ‘Lady Roula II’ is quite larger and is equipped with a 3-person crew.
(Image Source: Creta Luxury Cruises)
– The Experience –
From the beginning, Giorgos, the owner of Creta Luxury Cruises, was very responsive and helpful in organizing the perfect itinerary for our group. We happened to be in Chania several days prior to the boat day and he even let us stop by the boat to take a look around.
We decided on the 7-hour cruise itinerary on ‘Lady Roula I’ leaving from Chania and stopping at Menies and Theodorou. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the friendly crew and our group loved the modern yet comfortable boat.
With a large sunbathing deck in the front complete with pillows and lounge pads, as well as an outdoor deck in the back, the boat has plenty of places to relax and soak in the beauty of Crete.
During our boat day, there were some mechanical issues with the boat that turned our one-hour journey back from Menies into two hours – however, the crew were very professional about the issue and gave us a small discount for the trouble.
Giorgos brought his drone, a DJI Mavic, onboard and took footage during our boat day. At the end of the day, he shared a personalized video of our group with all the footage – an amazing way to remember our day in beautiful Crete! (Note: I’ve included a clip of the video at the end of the post!)
– The Itinerary –
Our first stop was Theodorou, an island approximately 20 minutes off the coast of Chania. It is a very small, uninhabited island – that is, uninhabited except for the large goat population! The island is a protected site for the Cretan wild goat (known as ‘kri-kri’) and you may see a few of them walking around the island’s rocky cliffs.
While we were stopped at Theodorou, we were able to jump in and swim in the crystal clear waters as well as soak in the sun on the lounge deck. And, our relaxation time was complete with music and drinks provided by the crew! We only noticed a few other boats come around the island but other than that, we had it pretty much to ourselves.
Our second stop, Menies, was about an hour away from Theodorou. As the boat turned the corner into a bay with large rocky cliffs on either side, we saw that Menies beach was well worth the journey!
Seemingly hidden from the world, with crystal blue waters and a white pebble beach, Menies is truly paradise.
From the boat, we could see there was a small church as well as a few beach goers and… more kri-kri! We stayed for several hours – swimming, relaxing, exploring and watching the goats scale the cliffs.
– The Food –
– The Food –Although its hard to top the beautiful beaches of Crete we saw while on the boat, the food sure came close! For lunch, the crew prepared a sit down, restaurant-style lunch for our group of six.
We dined on traditional, homemade Cretan food until we were so full it hurt! With salads, veggies, meats and seafood, there was something for everyone in our group.
– Notes –
- One thing we were not prepared for is that payment is only accepted in cash. We were not informed of this in advance so we had to make a trip to the ATM after our boat day.
- The boat is equipped with towels, loungers, food and drinks so you won’t need to pack these!
- We were not able to connect to the wifi, however, we honestly didn’t need it as we were so busy enjoying our boat day.
- The owner, Giorgos, has a DJI Mavic drone and makes personalized videos for each guests’ boat day. The perfect way to remember such an amazing day boating in Crete!
- There were some mechanical issues with the boat during our trip so we tried to be flexible with schedule / timing and were given a small discount for the trouble.
- Bring sunscreen, sunglasses and hats because it can be quite warm during the summer months.
Thank you for this post. I’m visiting with family and friends in May 2024 and considering this company for a boating experience. As we can only afford one such experience, it feels like an important decision.
Obsessed with this trip! I think I am trying to make this our honeymoon destination!
Crete was incredible and definitely would make for a great honeymoon destination! 🙂