A Crete pirate boat trip is a cruise on a pirate-style ship along the coast of Crete, with swimming stops and lunch on board. Pirate boats sail from Heraklion, Hersonissos, Rethymno and Elounda, and a private cruise from Kissamos reaches a historic pirate island. Greece Tours lists the trips that leave from Crete.
This page covers the departure ports, the Black Rose, life on board, the beaches and caves on the route, how long the trips last, children, the season, what to bring and the real pirate past of Crete. The tours below are checked on GetYourGuide.
What is a Crete pirate boat trip?
A Crete pirate boat trip is a cruise on a pirate-themed ship from a north-coast harbour, built around swimming and snorkelling stops, with a pirate crew, a bar, music, animation for children and, on the Hersonissos boats, a barbecue lunch cooked on board.
The Crete pirate boat trip from Hersonissos is less of an excursion and more of a day on a pirate schooner. The crew runs animation and music rather than history lessons, English is the language on board, and the day centres on the sea, the coastal views and swimming.
At Hersonissos the pirate ships carry the names Black Rose and Black Pearl. In Rethymno, Dolphin Cruises sails the Captain Hook, a 28-metre wooden ship. Analipsi Tours sells the Crete pirate boat trip beside sailing, catamaran and glass-bottom cruises, all part of the wider range of Crete boat trips.
Pirates of Crete lists the parts of its day on its homepage: swimming stops, a BBQ lunch on the boat, bar service and animateurs who run activities for children and for adults who feel like children. GetYourGuide sells the same Hersonissos trip as a half-day outing with lunch, pitched at the whole family.
Where does a Crete pirate boat trip depart from?
A Crete pirate boat trip in the Heraklion region departs from the port of Hersonissos, officially Limenas Chersonisou, 25 km east of Heraklion. Hotel pickups run from resorts between Ammoudara and Sissi, and other pirate cruises sail from Rethymno, Elounda and Kissamos.
The resort of Hersonissos grew through tourism from the small harbour of the original village, now Old Hersonissos, while Upper Hersonissos sits further inland. Its pleasure port stands over the remains of a Roman port, with submerged traces still visible in places. For a Crete pirate boat trip with Pirates of Crete, guests meet the Black Rose at Hersonissos Port.
Hotel transfers come with the Crete pirate boat trip from Hersonissos: an air-conditioned bus runs from the hotel or the nearest pick-up point to the port and back. Pickups cover Ammoudara, Karteros, Kokkini Hani, Gournes, Gouves, Analipsi, Anissaras, Stalida, Malia, Sissi and the wider Heraklion area, and Pirates of Crete offers free transfers from a similar list.
Pirate cruises also sail beyond Hersonissos. Dolphin Cruises sails from the Marine Port of Rethymno, a mini-cruise to Spinalonga Island and pirate caves leaves Elounda, and a private boat cruise to a historic pirate island leaves Kissamos. Each of those routes gets its own section further down this page.
What is the Black Rose Crete pirate boat trip from Heraklion and Hersonissos?
The Black Rose Crete pirate boat trip is the cruise of Pirates of Crete, a family-owned company based at Hersonissos port. The ship sails a 4-hour route with snorkelling and a BBQ lunch, and GetYourGuide sells it from Heraklion with pickup available.
The company names two ships. Black Rose 1 runs the snorkelling and BBQ day, and Black Rose 2, described on the fleet page as a luxury sailboat, runs a 4-hour booze cruise with music. The crew named on the company site is George, Bill and Spyrus, plus a parrot called Bella.
For guests based in Heraklion, the largest city of Crete, GetYourGuide lists the Black Rose as a 5-hour trip from Heraklion, run in English, with pickup available and a meal included. Its summary of this Crete pirate boat trip reads: sail from Hersonissos to Sissi, stop to swim and snorkel, then enjoy a BBQ meal.
Two more GetYourGuide listings sell the cruise from Hersonissos itself. From Hersonissos: Half-Day Pirate Boat Trip with Lunch is the Pirates of Crete listing, and Limenas Chersonisou: Pirate Boat Cruise with Lunch swims at Saint George’s Bay, then explores the coast of Malia and Stalis. Both Crete pirate boat trips show 4 hours and a meal included.
What happens on board a Crete pirate boat trip?
On a Crete pirate boat trip from Hersonissos, guests swim, jump from the boat and snorkel at anchor while the crew cooks a barbecue lunch, and the pirate crew keeps the deck busy with face painting, music, dancing and animation for children.
The programme page of Pirates of Crete lists how guests spend the first stop at Saint George’s Bay, close to the beach, and notes that the boat carries snorkelling equipment. At anchor, the choices on a Crete pirate boat trip are:
- swimming in the clear water of the bay
- jumping from the boat into the sea
- snorkelling to explore the underwater world of the Mediterranean
- sunbathing on the deck
A tour escort or host travels on the Black Rose. Children get the chance to steer the boat for photos, and each one collects a pirate diploma at the end of the journey. Analipsi Tours runs an animation programme for children, organised by its pirate team, on its pirate boat from Hersonissos to Malia.
Pirates of Crete tells guests to keep their eyes open for dolphins and sea turtles along the way. On the way back, the Crete pirate boat trip sails close to the coastline to watch the water sports of the area. For more places to swim with a mask, read our page on snorkelling in Crete.
Which beaches and coves does a Crete pirate boat trip stop at?
A Crete pirate boat trip from Hersonissos stops first at Saint George’s Bay, at the resort of Sarandari, for swimming, snorkelling and lunch, then sails east along the coast of Stalida and Malia for a second swim stop when the weather is good.
On the way out, the ship passes the bays of Anissaras and the small beaches of Sarandari before it anchors in Saint George’s Bay, close to the beach. The bay takes its name from the chapel of Saint George, set on a small cliff, and Analipsi Tours points swimmers to the sea cave in the bay.
The second stop is off Stalida, also called Stalis, a village 3 km east of Hersonissos and 3 km west of Malia, known as friendlier to families than its party neighbour. Beyond it, Malia has a 6 km coastline of sandy beach, and the Crete pirate boat trip sails across its bay before turning back.
Weather decides the second stop. The swim off Stalis goes ahead on good days, and Pirates of Crete notes that its programme can change with the conditions. The GetYourGuide summary of the Black Rose trip from Heraklion takes the Crete pirate boat trip as far as Sissi.
How long does a Crete pirate boat trip last?
A Crete pirate boat trip from Hersonissos lasts 4 hours at sea, the figure given by Pirates of Crete and by the GetYourGuide listings. Hotel transfers add time before and after the cruise, and the Heraklion listing on GetYourGuide carries a 5-hour title.
The Black Rose leaves Hersonissos every day in the late morning. The Crete pirate boat trip reaches Saint George’s Bay after 20 minutes, spends 1.5 hours there for swimming and lunch, then stops for 45 minutes off the coast of Malia and Stalis before the ride back to Hersonissos Port.
Pirate cruises elsewhere on the island run shorter and longer. In Rethymno, Dolphin Cruises lists a 1-hour sunset cruise, a 1.5-hour pirate caves cruise and a 5-hour pirate boat trip to Kefalas Bay, while the Elounda mini-cruise to Spinalonga lists 6 hours on GetYourGuide.
Hotel pickups for the Crete pirate boat trip leave time for breakfast, and guests are back at their hotels in time for dinner. Exact pickup times arrive with the booking documents and change with traffic and the pick-up point, so each hotel gets its own time.
Is lunch included on a Crete pirate boat trip?
Yes, lunch is included on a Crete pirate boat trip from Hersonissos. On the Black Rose the crew grills a barbecue while guests swim: pork steak for adults, pasta with tomato sauce for children, both with salad, tzatziki and bread, and vegetarian meals on request.
The barbecue comes halfway through the Crete pirate boat trip, cooked over an open fire, and the Black Pearl and Black Rose cruise includes it in the price. Analipsi Tours serves lunch when guests return to the boat after the swim at Saint George’s Bay, and its ticket covers lunch plus 1 drink, wine or a refreshment.
Pirates of Crete runs a bar service on board, with drinks, spirits included, at an extra charge. On GetYourGuide, the Crete pirate boat trip listings from Hersonissos and Heraklion each show a meal included, and the Hersonissos listings put lunch in their titles.
The menu changes on the Rethymno side of the island. On its 5-hour pirate boat trip to Kefalas Bay, Dolphin Cruises includes a freshly made Greek salad with seasonal local vegetables and a wine, beer or soft drink, while the Hersonissos boats serve a barbecue.
Which Crete pirate boat trips leave from Rethymno?
Crete pirate boat trips from Rethymno leave the Marine Port on Captain Hook, the 28-metre wooden pirate ship of Dolphin Cruises, sailing since 1997. Under the Captain Hook name, the company sells a Kefalas Bay snorkelling cruise, a sunset sail and a Camarola Arch trip.
The Kefalas Crete pirate boat trip heads west past the Fortezza, the Venetian citadel on the Paleokastro hill, then sails beyond the bay of Gerani. The swim stop is at Kefalas Bay. On the way back, the ship passes the Kefalas sea caves and the old Venetian port before docking again at the Marine Port.
Dolphin Cruises also runs a caves cruise on Dolphin Express IV, a fast boat for 40 passengers. It sails east into the pirate caves, passes the Camarola Arch and returns past the Fortezza. A second Dolphin Express IV route continues to Panormo village for 2 hours of free time, 3.5 hours in total.
On GetYourGuide, the Rethymno pirate listings include the Rethymno: Mini Pirate Boat Cruise with Swimming Stop, the Rethymno: Pirate Boat Cruise with Swimming Stop and the Rethymnon: Pirate Caves and Camarola Arch Boat Tour. More sailings from the same harbour are on our Rethymno boat trips page.
What is the Crete pirate boat trip to the pirate caves near Elounda?
The Crete pirate boat trip near Elounda is a Mirabello Bay cruise that circles Spinalonga island, stops at the cave crews call Pirate Barbarossa’s Cave, then anchors at Kolokytha and Skistra beaches. Boats leave from the small port of Elounda village.
On the Elounda Boat Trip-The Authentic, guides narrate the pirate’s stories during a 30-minute stop at the cave. The tale says the Ottoman admiral Barbarossa used it as a hideout and treasure store. The Abroad Guide files these stories under myths and legends; his real raid on Crete came in June 1538.
A Crete pirate boat trip around Spinalonga passes a Venetian fort built partly against pirates. The Turkish threat and continuous pirate raids pushed the Venetians to fortify the island. The foundation stone was laid in 1579, and the sea fort carried 35 cannons. For the island itself, see our Spinalonga boat trip page.
Kolokytha is also the name of an islet about 850 metres east of the Spinalonga peninsula; the islet and the peninsula form a bay. GetYourGuide sells a similar route as the Minicruise: Spinalonga Island, Pirate Caves & Hidden Beaches. Our Elounda page covers the town itself.
Which pirate island can a Crete pirate boat trip reach from Kissamos?
A Crete pirate boat trip from Kissamos reaches Imeri Gramvousa, where Cretan insurgents held a Venetian fort and lived as pirates during the Greek War of Independence. The island was named in honour of Vousa, the wife of a pirate chief.
Gramvousa is a pair of small, uninhabited islands off the Gramvousa Peninsula in north-western Crete. The Venetians built the fort on Imeri, or Tame, Gramvousa between 1579 and 1584, while Agria, or Wild, Gramvousa lies due north. The cruise boats leave from Kissamos port, in the town also known as Kastelli.
On the Cretan Daily Cruises route, the ship spends 2 hours at Gramvousa. Guests hike up to the castle, swim near the Agioi Apostoloi chapel or visit an abandoned shipwreck, and the route passes a large cave believed to be an ancient shipyard. More on the island is on our Gramvousa page.
The Balos lagoon lies between the island and the coast of Crete, beside Cape Tigani, whose name means ‘frying pan’. Greca notes that Balos and Gramvousa are protected under Natura 2000. IO Tours times the hop from Balos to Gramvousa at about 20 minutes. Our Balos boat trip page covers the lagoon in detail.
What real pirate history lies behind a Crete pirate boat trip?
The real history behind a Crete pirate boat trip spans the Emirate of Crete, a corsair base from the 820s to 961, the 1538 raid of the Ottoman admiral Hayreddin Barbarossa, the 1571 sack of Rethymno and the Gramvousa pirates of 1825 to 1828.
Andalusian exiles led by Abu Hafs conquered Crete in either 824 or 827/828 and set up an Islamic emirate. It became a forward base for Muslim corsair fleets that raided the Byzantine shores of the Aegean. Its capital, Chandax, is modern Heraklion. Nikephoros Phokas ended the emirate in a campaign of 960 to 961.
In June 1538, the Ottoman admiral Hayreddin Barbarossa, a former corsair, raided Crete. His forces besieged Chania without success and destroyed the forts of Mirabello, Siteia and Palaiokastro. In 1571, the corsair-admiral Uluç Ali captured and sacked Rethymno. Venice answered with the Fortezza, built from 1573 to 1580, which the Captain Hook routes pass.
The Gramvousa chapter came during the Greek War of Independence, when a body of three to four hundred Cretans who had fought in the Peloponnese journeyed to Crete. A Crete pirate boat trip from Kissamos lands on the island where they made their base:
- 9 August 1825: the Cretans, disguised as Turks, capture the Gramvousa fort.
- More than two years under siege: the insurgents turn to piracy and hit Turkish-Egyptian and European shipping.
- Island life: they build a school and a church, Panagia i Kleftrina, dedicated to the wives of the pirates.
- 1828: Ioannis Kapodistrias sends Alexander Mavrocordatos with British and French ships, and all pirate ships at Gramvousa are destroyed.
Is a Crete pirate boat trip good for children?
Yes, a Crete pirate boat trip suits children: Captain Hook’s Kefalas and sunset trips set no minimum age, and Dolphin Cruises has a child category for ages 5 to 12. Children aged 0 to 4 sail too, but parents must declare them at booking.
Reviewers quoted by The Abroad Guide recall the captain letting children drive the boat and take photos, and children spotting fish at the Kefalas swim stop. The guide adds that the pirate theme appeals to all ages, but warns that this Crete pirate boat trip does not suit guests with mobility issues.
Cretan Daily Cruises lists its Balos and Gramvousa ship as accessible to toddlers and the elderly but not to wheelchair users. On the Elounda Boat Trip-The Authentic, infants sit on an adult’s lap. For more family days out, see our Crete with kids page.
When is the season for a Crete pirate boat trip?
Crete pirate boat trips sail through the summer and into late October. Kissamos cruises to Gramvousa run daily morning departures from late spring to October, and the booking calendar for Captain Hook in Rethymno shows daily sunset sailings until 31 October.
Summer is also the season of the meltemi, the strong, dry north wind of the Aegean, which blows until mid-September. It is at its strongest in the afternoon and can reach force 7 to 8 on the Beaufort scale, so a morning Crete pirate boat trip sails before the wind peaks. In the Cretan Sea it blows from the north-west.
High season also fills the decks. Answering a review of its Kissamos cruise, Greca calls a full boat normal in high season and recommends booking as early as possible. In unsafe weather, Dolphin Cruises reserves the right to reschedule the cruise or to offer an alternative or a refund.
What do you need to bring on a Crete pirate boat trip?
Bring swimwear, a towel, sunscreen, a hat and an ID on a Crete pirate boat trip. Greca lists towels as not included on its Kissamos cruise, and the Elounda Boat Trip-The Authentic offers no equipment except life jackets, so pack a snorkel mask.
For the Rethymno pirate boat, The Abroad Guide also advises water and extra snacks. Dolphin Cruises recommends bringing only necessary items, and passengers are responsible for their own belongings. Its Captain Hook ship has a sun-protected area, a bar and restrooms on board.
On Greca’s Kissamos cruise, food and drinks on board are paid by credit card only, and Greca notes that the Balos area offers no amenities, so food and water come from the boat. For the Elounda and Mirabello Boat Trip, The Abroad Guide lists these items:
- Comfortable shoes and clothes
- Sunglasses and a sun hat
- A camera and beachwear
- Cash and a credit card
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you swim on a Crete pirate boat trip?
Yes. The Captain Hook Crete pirate boat trip to Kefalas Bay anchors for about one hour of swimming and snorkelling, with masks and tubes on board. Dolphin Cruises also sells a Camarola Arch trip with a swimming stop, and the Elounda cruises anchor at Kolokytha and Skistra beaches.
Do Crete pirate boat trips include hotel pick-up?
Not every Crete pirate boat trip does. The Rethymno: Pirate Boat Cruise with Swimming Stop includes no hotel pick-up, and neither does the Dolphin Express IV trip to Panormo; guests meet at the Marine Port. The Elounda cruises collect guests from resorts such as Hersonissos and Malia, and IO Tours drives Chania guests to Kissamos port.
Is a Crete pirate boat trip suitable for people who get seasick?
Yes, with care. Keeping the head still and focusing on the horizon help against seasickness, while retreating below decks is the greatest contributor to it, so stay on the open deck of your Crete pirate boat trip. Seasickness medicines work best when taken before symptoms start.
Can you book a private Crete pirate boat trip?
Yes. GetYourGuide lists two private options under Kissamos: From Kissamos: Private Boat Cruise to Historic Pirate Island, and Balos Lagoon: Pirates Fairy-tale Heaven, a Crete private tour. A private Crete pirate boat trip is booked for your own group, not shared with other passengers.