The short answer: wear your swimsuit under light clothes, and bring sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses and a phone or camera. Towels and snorkeling gear are provided on board. Early or late in the season, add a light windproof jacket for the return sail. Leave the heels, the drone and the heavy luggage at the hotel.

Dress for a Boat, Not a Bar

A catamaran deck is a barefoot, salt-and-sun environment. The practical uniform for any Santorini catamaran tour is a swimsuit worn under a t-shirt, shirt or summer dress you can slip off before the first swim stop at Red Beach or the hot springs. Flat sandals or barefeet beat any kind of heel — decks are for standing on, not sinking into.

The Sun Is Stronger at Sea

The Greek sun reflects off the water and doubles down on you. High-SPF sunscreen, a hat that survives a breeze, and decent sunglasses are the three items guests are most glad they brought — and the three they most often forget. Shade exists on board (our Lagoon catamarans carry a permanently shaded T-top), but five hours on the Aegean is five hours of Aegean light.

What’s Already on Board

You do not need to pack towels or snorkeling equipment — both are provided on our cruises, along with food and drinks. If you own a mask and fins you love, bring them by all means; otherwise ours are waiting. On private cruises, SUP boards and canoes can be arranged on request at an extra charge.

Season Notes

  • April–May and October: a light windproof jacket earns its place — the sail home after a swim is the coolest part of the day.
  • June–August: the lightest clothes you own, plus a cover-up for the sun rather than the cold.
  • Sunset cruises: evenings on the water are a few degrees cooler than the terrace at your hotel — a light layer makes the sunset catamaran cruise comfortable to the last light.

The Leave-Behind List

Skip big beach bags, hard-soled shoes and anything you would grieve if it met salt water. Your hotel transfer is included, so there is no trek to pack for: we collect you, sail you past White Beach, Mesa Pigadia and the volcano, feed you from the onboard BBQ, and return you — sun-tired, salt-scrubbed and slightly smug — to your door.

One Honest Warning

Whatever you wear will appear in a large number of photographs — the caldera makes sure of that. Dress accordingly, and if the photos matter enough to build the day around, the golden-hour light of a private sunset cruise is the most flattering wardrobe assistant in Greece.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does everyone recommend a dark swimsuit?

Because of the hot springs: the warm water around Palea Kameni carries dissolved iron that can leave a faint rust tint on light-coloured fabric. Dark swimwear shrugs it off, and the boat's freshwater shower handles the rest.

What shoes work best on the catamaran?

Barefoot is the native footwear of a catamaran deck, with sandals or boat shoes for boarding at Vlychada. If you plan to clamber on volcanic rock at the swim stops, something with a grippy sole earns its space in the bag.

Do I need a jacket on the sunset cruise?

A light layer, yes — the breeze freshens the moment the sun drops, even in August. A windproof shell or a cotton pullover is the difference between watching the last light and hiding from it.

Are towels and snorkeling gear provided?

Both are on board, included in the price. Your packing list is really just swimwear, sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses and that evening layer.