A Rhodes sunset cruise sails out of Mandraki harbour in the late afternoon, runs the coast past the fort of Saint Nicholas while the light drops, anchors for a swim, and comes back after dark with an open bar or dinner served on deck. Plan the rest of the island with Greece Tours.
This guide covers the whole evening: where the boats sail and when they board through the season, what the one-hour, three-hour and dinner formats cost, which boat suits which party, the swim stop, what is served, what to wear, how the meltemi changes the route, and when to book.
What is a Rhodes sunset cruise and where does it sail?
An evening sailing out of Mandraki harbour in Rhodes Town that runs the coast while the light drops, anchors for a swim, and returns after dark with drinks or dinner served on deck, over one to four hours depending on the boat.
A Rhodes sunset cruise leaves from Mandraki harbour in Rhodes Town. The boats leave from the quay below the windmills, pass the fort of Saint Nicholas at the harbour mouth and turn north-west along the Ixia and Ialysos shore, which is the side of the island the sun goes down over. A second set of routes runs east past Kallithea towards Anthony Quinn bay. A light layer matters once the boat turns for home. Booking a Rhodes sunset cruise ahead holds the seat and the transfer. Anthony Quinn bay lies on the sheltered eastern route. A private charter takes the boat for eight passengers.
The swim stop runs thirty to forty-five minutes at anchor. The formats split three ways. A one-hour harbour cruise on a replica wooden boat is the cheap taste; a three-hour all-inclusive cruise with a swim stop and an open bar is the standard; a catamaran or sailing yacht with dinner and live music is the top of the market. The harbour itself is covered at Mandraki harbour. Late June puts the sun down around a quarter to nine. Catamarans and sailing yachts run the dinner Rhodes sunset cruise. A one-hour harbour boat is the shortest Rhodes sunset cruise sold. The windmills stand on the mole above the Rhodes sunset cruise quay.
What time does a Rhodes sunset cruise leave?
Boarding runs from about half past five in high summer and from four in October, timed so the boat is on the water forty to sixty minutes before the sun drops. The three-hour cruises return between nine and half past ten.
The fort of Saint Nicholas guards the mouth the boats pass through. The departure hour moves with the season. Late June puts the sun down around a quarter to nine, August around ten past eight, September around half past seven and October around a quarter to seven, and the operators shift boarding week by week rather than holding one printed time. The bar closes for the last twenty minutes into the harbour. Cancellation for weather is refunded in full at the quay. September gives the calmest sea and the longest colour. Children pay roughly half on a Rhodes sunset cruise.
Unlimited drinks come with the all-inclusive Rhodes sunset cruise. Arriving early is worth the twenty minutes. The stern seats and the bow nets go first, the bar opens at the quay on the all-inclusive boats, and Mandraki is a fifteen-minute walk from the old town gate rather than a taxi drop at the gangway. October brings the Rhodes sunset cruise forward to about seven. Galleons with painted hulls carry a hundred passengers and a bar. The three-hour cruise adds a swim stop and an open bar.
What does a Rhodes sunset cruise cost?
From about 15 to 25 euros for the one-hour harbour boat, 55 to 85 euros for a three-hour all-inclusive cruise with swim stop and open bar, and 80 to 150 euros for a catamaran or sailing yacht with dinner.
The windmills stand on the mole above the Rhodes sunset cruise quay. The all-inclusive fare covers the sailing, unlimited soft drinks, beer, wine and cocktails, and a snack or buffet depending on the boat. Hotel transfer from Ixia, Ialysos, Faliraki and Kallithea is bundled into part of the fleet and charged at five to ten euros on the rest. A Rhodes sunset cruise leaves from Mandraki harbour in Rhodes Town. A light layer matters once the boat turns for home. Booking a Rhodes sunset cruise ahead holds the seat and the transfer. Anthony Quinn bay lies on the sheltered eastern route.
Hotel transfer covers Ixia, Ialysos, Faliraki and Kallithea. A private charter of a small sailing yacht for the evening runs from about 500 euros for up to eight, which sets the hours and the anchorage. That is the version for a party who want the boat to themselves rather than a deck shared with sixty. The swim stop runs thirty to forty-five minutes at anchor. Late June puts the sun down around a quarter to nine. Catamarans and sailing yachts run the dinner Rhodes sunset cruise.
Which boat suits which evening?
The wooden galleon and party boats for volume and music, the catamaran for space and a level deck, the sailing yacht for quiet and actual sailing, and the one-hour replica boat for a first evening with no commitment.
Ixia and Ialysos line the shore the sun goes down over. The galleons are the ones tied along Mandraki with rigging and painted hulls, carrying a hundred or more with a bar and a sound system. They are the loudest and the cheapest of the full-length cruises, and they suit groups rather than couples. The fort of Saint Nicholas guards the mouth the boats pass through. The bar closes for the last twenty minutes into the harbour. Cancellation for weather is refunded in full at the quay. September gives the calmest sea and the longest colour.
The meltemi blows from the north-west through July and August. The catamarans carry twenty to forty on two hulls, which removes the roll at anchor and gives trampoline nets forward. The sailing yachts carry eight to twelve and raise canvas on the passage legs. Both cost more and sell a quieter evening. Unlimited drinks come with the all-inclusive Rhodes sunset cruise. October brings the Rhodes sunset cruise forward to about seven. Galleons with painted hulls carry a hundred passengers and a bar.
Is there a swim stop?
Yes on the three-hour and full-evening cruises. The boat anchors off the north-west shore or in a bay on the east coast for thirty to forty-five minutes, with a ladder over the side and the water at its warmest of the day.
A one-hour harbour boat is the shortest Rhodes sunset cruise sold. The late-afternoon sea holds the day’s heat, so the swim is warmer than a morning one at the same beach. Snorkelling gear is carried on part of the fleet and worth bringing on the boats that skip it, because the anchorages are rock and weed rather than sand. The windmills stand on the mole above the Rhodes sunset cruise quay. A Rhodes sunset cruise leaves from Mandraki harbour in Rhodes Town. A light layer matters once the boat turns for home. Booking a Rhodes sunset cruise ahead holds the seat and the transfer.
A private charter takes the boat for eight passengers. The one-hour harbour boats do not stop. They run out past the fort, turn along the shore and come back, which is a photograph rather than a swim. Anyone booking for the water reads the duration before the price. Hotel transfer covers Ixia, Ialysos, Faliraki and Kallithea. The swim stop runs thirty to forty-five minutes at anchor. Late June puts the sun down around a quarter to nine.
What is served on board?
Unlimited soft drinks, beer, wine and cocktails on the all-inclusive cruises, with a snack platter or a buffet of Greek dishes. The dinner cruises serve a plated meal at anchor with live music on part of the fleet.
The three-hour cruise adds a swim stop and an open bar. The buffet on the larger boats runs to salads, dips, grilled meat and fruit, laid out after the swim stop. The catamaran and yacht dinners are cooked to order and served at the table rather than queued for, which is a large part of the price difference. Ixia and Ialysos line the shore the sun goes down over. The fort of Saint Nicholas guards the mouth the boats pass through. The bar closes for the last twenty minutes into the harbour. Cancellation for weather is refunded in full at the quay.
Children pay roughly half on a Rhodes sunset cruise. Vegetarian and gluten-free plates are prepared when the booking states it. The bar closes for the last twenty minutes on the run back into the harbour, which is standard rather than mean. The meltemi blows from the north-west through July and August. Unlimited drinks come with the all-inclusive Rhodes sunset cruise. October brings the Rhodes sunset cruise forward to about seven.
What do you wear and bring?
Swimwear under your clothes, a towel, a light layer for the run home, flat shoes for a wet deck, sun cream for the first hour and cash for the tips and the harbour bars afterwards.
Catamarans and sailing yachts run the dinner Rhodes sunset cruise. The wind picks up as the sun goes down and a wet swimmer on an open deck feels it. A wrap or a light jacket settles that. Deck shoes or sandals with grip beat anything with a heel on a gangway and a ladder. A one-hour harbour boat is the shortest Rhodes sunset cruise sold. The windmills stand on the mole above the Rhodes sunset cruise quay. A Rhodes sunset cruise leaves from Mandraki harbour in Rhodes Town. A light layer matters once the boat turns for home.
Anthony Quinn bay lies on the sheltered eastern route. Cameras and phones are what the evening is for, and a dry bag keeps them out of the swim stop. The light in the half hour before the sun touches the water is the part photographers plan the booking around. A private charter takes the boat for eight passengers. Hotel transfer covers Ixia, Ialysos, Faliraki and Kallithea. The swim stop runs thirty to forty-five minutes at anchor.
How does the wind affect the evening?
Rhodes sits in the meltemi through July and August, and the north-west shore takes it on the beam. On the strongest evenings the boats run the sheltered east coast instead, shorten the swim stop, or postpone.
Galleons with painted hulls carry a hundred passengers and a bar. The catamarans and larger galleons handle the chop comfortably; the small sailing yachts feel it most. Passengers prone to seasickness take a tablet before boarding, sit low and midships, and choose a catamaran over a monohull on a blowing evening. The three-hour cruise adds a swim stop and an open bar. Ixia and Ialysos line the shore the sun goes down over. The fort of Saint Nicholas guards the mouth the boats pass through. The bar closes for the last twenty minutes into the harbour.
September gives the calmest sea and the longest colour. Cancellation for weather is decided at the quay in the afternoon and refunded in full. Operators message the booking rather than leaving passengers to walk down to Mandraki and find out. Children pay roughly half on a Rhodes sunset cruise. The meltemi blows from the north-west through July and August. Unlimited drinks come with the all-inclusive Rhodes sunset cruise.
Who does a Rhodes sunset cruise suit?
Couples on the catamarans and yachts, groups on the galleons and party boats, families on the three-hour cruises with a swim stop, and cruise-ship passengers on the one-hour harbour run.
Late June puts the sun down around a quarter to nine. Children are carried on all the formats except the adults-only party sailings and pay roughly half. The swim stop is what holds their attention, so the three-hour cruise beats the dinner sailing for a family evening. Catamarans and sailing yachts run the dinner Rhodes sunset cruise. A one-hour harbour boat is the shortest Rhodes sunset cruise sold. The windmills stand on the mole above the Rhodes sunset cruise quay. A Rhodes sunset cruise leaves from Mandraki harbour in Rhodes Town.
Booking a Rhodes sunset cruise ahead holds the seat and the transfer. Travellers who want the island rather than the water get more from the day boats to Symi or Lindos. The other boat days out of Rhodes are covered in Rhodes boat trips, and the old town above the harbour at Rhodes old town. Anthony Quinn bay lies on the sheltered eastern route. A private charter takes the boat for eight passengers. Hotel transfer covers Ixia, Ialysos, Faliraki and Kallithea.
When does the season run and how far ahead do you book?
May to October, nightly in July and August and three or four evenings a week in the shoulder months. Book two to four days ahead in high summer, and further for the catamarans and yachts because they carry twenty rather than a hundred.
October brings the Rhodes sunset cruise forward to about seven. September is the best month for it: warm water, a calmer sea than August, longer colour in the sky and space on the boats. October evenings are cooler on deck and cheaper, and the sun is down before eight. Galleons with painted hulls carry a hundred passengers and a bar. The three-hour cruise adds a swim stop and an open bar. Ixia and Ialysos line the shore the sun goes down over. The fort of Saint Nicholas guards the mouth the boats pass through.
Cancellation for weather is refunded in full at the quay. Booking online holds the seat, the transfer and the price against the quayside rate. Cancellation runs free to twenty-four hours with most operators here. The island as a whole is covered at Rhodes, and the charter option at Rhodes yacht charter. September gives the calmest sea and the longest colour. Children pay roughly half on a Rhodes sunset cruise. The meltemi blows from the north-west through July and August.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Rhodes sunset cruise cost?
From about 15 to 25 euros for the one-hour harbour boat, 55 to 85 euros for a three-hour all-inclusive cruise with a swim stop and open bar, and 80 to 150 euros for a catamaran or sailing yacht with dinner.
Where does a Rhodes sunset cruise leave from?
Mandraki harbour in Rhodes Town, from the quay below the windmills. Hotel transfer from Ixia, Ialysos, Faliraki and Kallithea is bundled into part of the fleet.
Is there a swim stop on a Rhodes sunset cruise?
Yes on the three-hour and dinner cruises: thirty to forty-five minutes at anchor with a ladder over the side. The one-hour harbour boats run out and back without stopping.