Catamaran vs Sailing Boat in Santorini's Caldera

Two hulls or one: what actually changes on the water

Everyone booking a caldera cruise eventually hits the same fork: catamaran or sailing boat. Both cross the same stretch of water, stop at the same black islets, and both get called “sailing” in marketing copy even when a diesel engine does most of the work. The difference that matters is underfoot — how much the boat moves, how much deck space you get, and how much the wind is allowed to have an opinion about your afternoon.

This page is only about the hull. If you’re still deciding between a sunrise start and a sunset finish, that’s covered in morning vs sunset cruise. If you’re weighing a private charter against a shared group boat, see semi-private vs shared cruises. And if you want the full rundown of what a caldera cruise includes stop by stop, start with the caldera cruise guide and come back here once the boat type is your last open question.

How a catamaran behaves in the caldera

A catamaran has two parallel hulls connected by a wide deck, and that geometry is the whole story. The boat doesn’t lean when the wind catches it, because there’s no single keel for it to pivot around. It sits flatter in chop, moves less in a following sea, and the deck between the hulls is usually large enough for a full table, sun mats, and a shaded lounge area without anyone feeling cramped.

That stability is why most operators running the Nea Kameni–Palea Kameni–Thirassia–Oia route by day, and the sunset run toward Ammoudi Bay by evening, default to catamarans. A wide, level deck means the crew can serve a barbecue lunch, pour wine, and let a dozen or more guests move around at once without the boat rolling with every shift in weight.

a private catamaran day with a barbecue lunch and drinks included is the clearest example of what the extra deck space buys you: room to actually eat a proper meal at a table mid-cruise, not balance a plate on your knees.

How a traditional sailing boat behaves

A monohull sailing boat has one hull and a deep keel, and it’s built to lean. When the sail fills, the boat heels — tips over to one side — and that heel is normal, not a malfunction, but it does change the experience. Walking the deck means holding a rail. Drinks need a steady hand. The motion is more pronounced in swell, and spray comes over the low side more readily than it does on a catamaran’s raised bridge deck.

What you get in return is the thing a catamaran can’t quite replicate: an actual sailing feel, the engine cut and the boat leaning and quiet except for water against the hull. On a calm morning or in the gentler breeze of the shoulder season, that’s a genuinely different, more romantic experience than a stable motor-catamaran cruise. In a stiff meltemi, the same boat can feel like hard work.

A five-hour sailing cruise through the caldera or a private sailing charter both put you on this kind of boat — book either expecting some heel and motion as part of the experience, not a flaw in it.

The meltemi factor: when the wind makes the decision for you

The meltemi is a strong, dry north wind that builds through the Aegean summer and peaks from July into August. It’s the single biggest variable in the catamaran-versus-sailing-boat decision, more than budget or itinerary length, because it changes how each hull type actually behaves on the day.

Month	Typical meltemi strength	Catamaran comfort	Sailing boat comfort
May	Light, inconsistent	Very good	Good
June	Building	Very good	Good to moderate
July	Strong, frequent	Good	Moderate, more heel and spray
August	Strongest, most frequent	Good	Moderate to demanding
September	Easing through the month	Very good	Good
October	Light	Very good	Very good

None of this means a sailing boat is unsafe in July or August — operators are the ones who decide whether conditions are within limits, and they cancel or reroute both boat types when the wind is genuinely too strong. It means that on an average windy summer afternoon, a sailing boat will be noticeably livelier than a catamaran covering the same water, and that a promise of a flat, calm sea on a monohull in peak meltemi season isn’t one any honest operator makes.

If a smooth ride matters more to you than the sailing feel, lean catamaran for a July or August booking. For what else the season changes, including when the wind is at its calmest, see the month-by-month weather guide, and for the wider question of when to come at all, best time to visit Santorini covers it in full.

What a catamaran day actually looks like

A typical catamaran itinerary leaves from the old port or Vlychada marina, motors and sometimes sails toward Nea Kameni for a landing at the base of the volcano, continues to the hot springs off Palea Kameni for a swim, then either heads on to Thirassia or turns back toward Oia and Ammoudi for sunset, depending on the departure time. Meals, when included, are usually served at a shared table on the main deck — a Greek salad, grilled meat or fish, local wine — and there’s enough space to spread out between stops rather than stay clustered around one bench.

a shorter two-hour catamaran run covers the highlights — Nea Kameni’s crater, the hot springs swim, a look at the caldera cliffs — for anyone who wants the experience without committing a full afternoon.

What a traditional sailing boat day actually looks like

The route is often the same — Nea Kameni, the hot springs, a run along the cliffs toward Oia — but the rhythm is different. Crews on a sailing boat will often cut the engine and actually raise sail whenever wind and course allow, so part of the trip is genuinely powered by wind rather than diesel. Seating tends to be lower and more compact: cushioned benches along the hull rather than a wide central deck, and mealtimes are cosier, sometimes a simple spread rather than a full barbecue. Groups also tend to be smaller, since a monohull carries fewer guests comfortably than an equivalent-length catamaran.

Catamaran vs sailing boat, side by side

	Catamaran	Traditional sailing boat
Motion in wind	Stays level, minimal roll	Heels over, more noticeable motion
Deck space	Wide, open, room to move	Narrower, seating along the hull
Meltemi (Jul–Aug)	Handles it comfortably	Livelier, more spray and heel
Sailing feel	Mostly motoring, occasional sail	Engine often cut, sail actually used
Group size	Larger groups common	Typically smaller, more intimate
Best for	Families, motion-sensitive guests, peak summer	Calm days, shoulder season, sailing purists
Meals on board	Table seating, barbecue-style common	Simpler spread, close quarters

The Nea Kameni and Palea Kameni stops don’t change

Whichever hull you book, the volcano and hot-springs stops work the same way and carry the same two catches. Landing at Nea Kameni to walk up to the crater usually costs a small entry fee, paid in cash on site and rarely included in the cruise price — bring euros. And the hot springs off Palea Kameni aren’t a dock you step onto; you swim to them from the boat, and the iron-rich water is warm rather than hot and will stain light-coloured swimwear, so pack accordingly. Neither detail depends on catamaran versus sailing boat, but both catch first-time visitors off guard on either one — see what to bring on a caldera cruise for the fuller packing list.

If you’d rather sail without a crew, or charter something bigger

Not every option on the water is a shared catamaran or sailing boat cruise. If you hold the right license, renting a boat in Santorini without a licence covers the small-boat category that needs no qualification at all, and a private yacht charter is the step up for a fully private crewed vessel, catamaran or monohull, built around your own schedule. For a quieter corner of the caldera that most day cruises skip, a Thirassia boat trip is worth adding to either itinerary.

Who should book which

Choose a catamaran if you’re travelling with children, get seasick easily, want to eat a proper meal mid-cruise, or you’re booking for a date anywhere from late June through August when the meltemi is most active. The flat, wide deck absorbs conditions that would make a monohull genuinely hard work, and it’s the safer default if you haven’t sailed before and don’t know how you’ll react to heeling.

Choose a traditional sailing boat if the point of the day is the sailing itself — the engine off, the sail actually up, a smaller group and a slower pace — and you’re booking in May, late September or October when the meltemi is weaker and more predictable. It rewards patience with weather more than it punishes a bad day, so build in flexibility on dates if you can.

Booking timing and what to watch for

Both boat types sell out on the best weather windows and around sunset departures, so book a few days ahead in high season rather than the morning of. Whichever you choose, ask the operator directly what happens if the meltemi forces a change — most will swap a sailing route for more motoring, shorten the itinerary, or move you to a different hull entirely rather than cancel outright, and it’s worth knowing that policy before you pay.

None of this is tied to Santorini’s 2025 earthquake swarm, which ended without an eruption and has no bearing on cruise operations; see Santorini safety and the 2025 earthquakes if that’s a separate question you’re weighing. The wind, not the ground, is what decides your day on the water.

Catamaran and sailing boat questions, answered

Is a catamaran or a sailing boat more stable in Santorini?

A catamaran is more stable. Its two hulls give it a wide base that resists rolling, so drinks stay upright and walking around the deck feels closer to standing on a small floating terrace than on a boat. A monohull sailing boat leans over, or heels, whenever the wind fills its sail, which some guests enjoy and others find unsettling.

Does the meltemi wind cancel catamaran or sailing cruises?

Both can be cancelled or rerouted in a strong meltemi, but sailing boats are affected first because they heel further and take more spray as the wind builds. Catamaran operators can often still run a caldera route in conditions that ground a monohull, though any operator can call off a sailing on safety grounds regardless of boat type.

Which boat is better for families or people prone to seasickness?

A catamaran. The flatter motion and wider deck make it easier to move around with children, and the reduced rolling is kinder to anyone sensitive to motion. A sailing boat’s heeling and more pronounced pitch in swell are harder on both groups.

Is a sailing boat cheaper than a catamaran in Santorini?

Not reliably. Price depends more on group size, route length and whether the trip is private or shared than on hull type. A shared sailing boat can undercut a shared catamaran, and a private catamaran can undercut a private sailing boat with a small crew — compare the specific itinerary rather than assuming one hull type is the budget option.

Do I still stop at Nea Kameni and Palea Kameni on both boat types?

Most caldera itineraries include both stops regardless of hull type: a landing at Nea Kameni to walk up to the crater, and a swim off Palea Kameni’s hot springs. Confirm both stops are on the specific itinerary you book, since some shorter or sunset-only routes skip the volcano landing.

Do I need sailing experience to book a traditional sailing boat?

No. On every commercial cruise, whether catamaran or sailing boat, a skipper and crew handle the boat. Guests are passengers, not crew, even when the itinerary is billed as a “sailing” experience with the sail actually raised for part of the route.

When is the best time to book a sailing boat over a catamaran?

The shoulder months — May, late September and October — give a sailing boat its best conditions: enough breeze to sail properly without the full force of the summer meltemi. In peak meltemi weeks from July into August, a catamaran is the steadier choice for most travellers.