Rhodes Exclusive Swim Cruise Cocktail Open bar & Gourmet Buffet

Crystal water, cold drinks, and three good swim stops. This six-hour cruise from Mandraki Harbour combines Rhodes sights, scenic bays, a Greek buffet, and an open bar in one easy day on the water. I especially like the limited capacity of 40 people and the reserved bean bags and sun benches, which help it feel less crowded than many boat outings. The main thing to consider is the atmosphere: music and dancing can become lively, so this is not always a quiet cruise.

I also like that swimming equipment, floaters, noodles, and life jackets are included, making the water stops friendly to confident swimmers and nervous beginners alike. The freshly prepared buffet adds real value to the $107.63 price, though cocktail choices are set rather than completely custom, and one booking described some drinks as weaker than expected.

Key points at a glance

• Three different swimming bays: Kallithea Springs, Afandou Beach, and Anthony Quinn Bay each offer a different setting.
• A proper Greek meal onboard: Expect buffet dishes such as seafood, pasta, chicken, salad, bread, dips, and dessert, with vegan and gluten-free choices.
• Open bar included: Beer, wine, water, soft drinks, aperitifs, and signature cocktails are available during the cruise.
• Limited to 40 people: Allocated seating, double sunbeds, bean bags, and shaded seating help prevent the usual boat-trip squeeze.
• A lively crew-led atmosphere: Captain Alexander is known for dancing and keeping the mood upbeat, especially on the return ride.
• Good value for a full half-day: The price covers food, drinks, equipment, and three swim stops, but hotel transfers cost extra.

Leaving Mandraki Harbour with Rhodes behind you

The cruise begins at 10:00 a.m. from Romantika Rhodes Day Cruise, opposite the Bank of Greece at Mandraki Port. Finding the boat can take a little patience, so I would allow extra time rather than arriving at the last minute. Hotel pickup is optional and costs extra, meaning you need to arrange your own way to the harbour unless you add the transfer.

Mandraki Harbour gives the day a fine opening. As the boat moves out, you pass the medieval walls of Rhodes Old Town from the water. The view is especially useful if you have already explored the narrow streets on foot, since the harbour offers a different angle on the city’s fortifications and shoreline.

You also pass the spot linked with the Colossus of Rhodes, the huge statue of the sun god that was counted among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The statue itself is long gone, and there is no proof it actually straddled the harbour entrance, but the setting makes a good photo stop and adds a bit of imagination to the departure.

The return to Mandraki includes views of the harbour’s deer statues, the Fortress of Agios Nikolaos, and three medieval windmills. Those sights are easy to miss when arriving by road, so the boat route gives you a useful introduction to the port before the swimming begins.

What the boat setup means for your comfort

This is not sold as a packed ferry ride, and the capacity of 40 people matters. You receive allocated seating on bean bags and sun benches, with enough room to settle in rather than compete for every inch of deck space. Several bookings describe the boat as spacious, with double sunbeds and comfortable places to sit throughout the day.

You can request shade when choosing your spot, although the details of how much shade is available may depend on the boat’s layout and the day’s position. I would still bring strong sun protection. The Greek sun is direct on the water, and the combination of wind, salt, and swimming can make you underestimate how quickly you are burning.

The boat has two decks, according to one detailed account, with the open bar on the lower deck. You may want to inspect both levels early, especially if you care about being near the music, finding a quieter corner, or sitting close to the swimming platform.

The crew provides clean toilets, snorkeling equipment, pool noodles, floaters, and life jackets. That is useful beyond the equipment list. If you are not a strong swimmer, a life jacket means you can still enjoy the clear water without feeling pressured to swim far from the boat.

Kallithea Springs: the gentle first swim

The first stop is Kallithea Springs, roughly one hour into the swimming program. The bay is known for its natural springs, which have attracted visitors since ancient times because of their supposed healing qualities. Reddish water rises from rock in the Gulf of Kallithea, and the spring complex includes buildings designed and decorated by Italian architects.

From the boat, admission to the sea is free. You can swim, look toward the shore, and take in the setting before the boat moves on. The stop works well as a first swim because you can ease into the day rather than begin with the deepest or most enclosed bay.

Do not confuse this with a long land visit to the full Kallithea Springs complex. The stated stop is about an hour, and the experience is built around swimming and seeing the area from the water. If you want a detailed visit to the architecture and spring buildings, this cruise does not provide the same amount of time as a land-based excursion.

The water is described as clear enough to see your feet, and the boat carries the equipment you need. Use the early stop to test the mask and snorkel before the later bays, when you may want to spend more time looking at fish or exploring around the rocks.

Passing Faliraki and reaching Afandou Beach

On the route, the boat passes Faliraki, one of Rhodes’ best-known resort areas. From offshore, you see its long beaches and coastal setting without spending your swimming time in town. It is a quick scenic passage rather than a full stop.

Afandou Beach offers a very different setting from Kallithea. The beach runs for about six kilometres and is known for clear water and pebbles rather than fine sand. The pebbles are part of the local story too, since some were used in the sidewalks of Rhodes Old Town.

The name Afandou comes from a Greek word meaning invisible. The original settlement was moved inland behind rocks after repeated attacks on the exposed coastal area, making it harder to spot from the sea. That is a small but memorable piece of local context as you look toward the shore.

You get more than an hour here to swim and explore the caves. The longer stop gives you time to use the snorkeling equipment, float on a noodle, or simply sit in the water without rushing back aboard after ten minutes.

The coast around Afandou also has ancient tombs and temple foundations, though the cruise does not promise a guided archaeological visit. Think of the stop as a water-and-coast experience, not a formal archaeology tour.

After this stop, lunch is served back on board. That timing is practical. You can swim first, rinse off, and then sit down to eat while the boat is moving or anchored nearby.

Lunch, cocktails, and the meaning of gourmet

The buffet is one of the strongest reasons to consider this cruise instead of a cheaper boat trip. The exact menu can vary, but the food described includes shrimp pasta, mussels, chicken, salad, bread, tzatziki, Mediterranean vegetables, and a brownie-style dessert. A traditional Cretan-style dakos dish may also appear, made with barley rusk, tomato, cheese, herbs, capers, and olive oil.

The word gourmet should be taken as a claim about care and variety, not as a restaurant tasting menu. The meal is freshly prepared by the onboard chef, and the spread is considerably more substantial than basic sandwiches or packaged snacks. Vegan and gluten-free options are included, though you should make your dietary needs clear when booking or boarding.

The open bar includes beer, wine, aperitifs, water, sodas, and signature cocktails. Zythos lager and ouzo are among the drinks specifically enjoyed onboard. The bar also offers preset cocktails, and the bartender prepares drinks during the cruise.

There is a small trade-off. One account found the cocktail list limited and some pours weak. You should expect included holiday drinks rather than a full cocktail lounge. Still, when you add lunch, beer, wine, cocktails, soft drinks, and water to three swim stops, the package has solid value for $107.63.

Snacks and aperitifs are included as well, which helps between swimming and lunch. Pace yourself. An open bar on a sunny boat can catch up with you quickly, especially when you are in and out of the water.

Ladiko and Anthony Quinn Bay

The route also passes Ladiko, a small bay behind Anthony Quinn Bay surrounded by caves. Its name is connected with olive oil, since the area once served as a commercial loading point for oil shipped toward Egypt and the Middle East. Local fishermen have found clay containers from old shipwrecks in the area.

Ladiko is now a popular beach and water-activity area. You may see it from the boat as part of the coastal route, but the scheduled swimming stop is Anthony Quinn Bay. The two locations are close, so the view helps explain the character of this tight, rocky section of coast.

Anthony Quinn Bay is the most distinctive stop. High rocks surround a small inlet, and the water is deeper than at Afandou. Small fish gather near the boat, making this the best place to use the mask and snorkel.

You can feed the fish bread, though I would treat that as a light novelty rather than the main attraction. The real pleasure is floating over clear water and watching the fish move below you. Life jackets and noodles make the stop accessible if you prefer not to swim without support.

The bay took its name from actor Anthony Quinn, who filmed The Guns of Navarone in Rhodes during the 1960s. Quinn wanted to buy the bay, but the arrangement was never completed. The name remained as a local tribute, giving this beautiful swimming stop an unusual connection to cinema.

Because the bay is small and enclosed, it can feel more dramatic than Afandou. It can also feel busier if several boats arrive together. The crew’s timing matters here, and the cruise aims to reach the stops ahead of other boats when possible.

Music, dancing, and the real mood onboard

The atmosphere is a major part of the experience. Captain Alexander is repeatedly praised for his dancing, with one account specifically recalling a Michael Jackson routine. The crew may encourage dancing on the return trip, and the music can shift from easy background sound to a lively party.

That energy will suit you if you want more than a quiet boat ride. It gives the day a social feel, and solo visitors or couples may find it easy to join the general mood without needing to organize their own entertainment.

The same feature can bother you if you want a calm conversation or a peaceful reading day. One booking reported music loud enough to make conversation difficult. The operator describes the music as relaxed background music, but the volume may rise when the group is in a festive mood.

My advice is simple: book this as a fun swim cruise with music, not as a silent yacht charter. If you want maximum quiet, ask the crew about a lower-noise seating area when you board, though the available options are not guaranteed.

Is $107.63 a fair price?

At $107.63 per person, this costs more than a basic sightseeing boat, but it includes much more than transport. You receive about six hours on the water, reserved seating, three scenic swim stops, a prepared buffet, an open bar, snorkeling equipment, floaters, noodles, and life jackets.

The limited capacity is important to the calculation. A cheaper boat may still take you to attractive bays, but a crowded deck can change the whole day. Here, the promise of space and an allocated place to sit gives you a better chance of enjoying the trip from start to finish.

You should also account for the optional hotel transfer. The listed meeting point is at Mandraki Harbour, and the activity ends there. If you are staying away from central Rhodes, transport costs may raise the total.

The strongest value comes if you will eat onboard, have several drinks, and use the swimming equipment. If you plan to avoid alcohol and spend most of the day sitting quietly, a simpler cruise could suit you better.

The experience has a 4.8 rating from 1,230 ratings, with 96 percent recommending it. That does not remove the music and cocktail limitations, but it does show that the package consistently delivers what it promises: swimming, food, drinks, space, and an upbeat crew.

Who should book this Rhodes cruise?

I would choose this for couples, groups of friends, families with older children, and anyone who wants an easy day at sea without planning several separate activities. The life jackets and floaters help less confident swimmers, while the snorkeling gear gives experienced swimmers something to do at the rockier bays.

It is also a good option if you are visiting Rhodes on a cruise ship and want a single shore activity that covers coastal views, food, swimming, and local stories. The six-hour schedule leaves you with a clear half-day plan, but you should confirm that it fits your own port timetable.

I would be more cautious if your priority is silence, private service, or a highly tailored meal. The seating is allocated rather than private charter seating, the cocktail menu is fixed, and the music may become loud.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the 10:00 a.m. start time. If bad weather cancels the cruise, you are offered another date or a full refund. Changes made within 24 hours are not accepted, so keep that deadline in mind.

Should you book it?

Book this cruise if you want three clear-water swim stops, a generous Greek buffet, and drinks included without the cramped feeling common on popular boat outings. Anthony Quinn Bay is the visual highlight, while Kallithea and Afandou give the day useful variety.

Skip it if you are seeking a quiet, private sailing day. For most people who want a social and well-fed day on the Rhodes coast, the combination of space, equipment, food, and Captain Alexander’s unmistakable entertainment makes the price reasonable.

FAQ

How long is the Rhodes swim cruise?

The cruise lasts approximately six hours and starts at 10:00 a.m.

Where does the cruise start and finish?

It starts and ends at Romantika Rhodes Day Cruise in Mandraki Port, opposite the Bank of Greece in Rhodes.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. Hotel transfer is optional and costs extra.

How many people can join the cruise?

The maximum group size is 40 people.

Which bays does the cruise visit?

The swimming stops are Kallithea Springs, Afandou Beach, and Anthony Quinn Bay.

Is food included?

Yes. A Greek gourmet buffet prepared by the onboard chef is included, along with aperitifs and snacks. Vegan and gluten-free choices are available.

Are drinks included?

Yes. The open bar includes cocktails, wine, beer, signature cocktails, water, and soft drinks.

Is snorkeling equipment provided?

Yes. Snorkeling gear, pool noodles, floaters, and life jackets are available for use.

Can I cancel for a refund?

You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. If poor weather cancels the cruise, you can choose another date or receive a full refund.