Blue Lagoon Sailing Deluxe Tour: 5-Hour Sailboat Cruise at Sunset
Quick answer
The Blue Lagoon sailing deluxe tour costs $180 per person (about €160) for five hours by sailboat with a meal, beer, wine and hotel transfer.
Departure follows the sunset, group size is not stated, and GetYourGuide rates it 4.8/5 from 176 reviews.
SANTORINI SAILING Blue Lagoon Cruises
Santorini Sailing Deluxe Tour
4.8 (176) · from $180
The Blue Lagoon sailing deluxe tour is a five-hour sailboat cruise from Vlychada Marina with hotel transfers, a meal, beer, wine and soft drinks, priced at $180 (about €160) with taxes and fees included. It is rated 4.8/5 from 176 reviews on GetYourGuide and is the most expensive shared trip in my Santorini list.
The detail that changes the decision is the departure rule. The listing says the departure time varies with the sunset, so the Blue Lagoon trip is built to end with the sun going down over the Aegean, not to run at a fixed hour. Group size is not stated, though one reviewer sailed with only four guests aboard.
See how it compares in my guide to boat tours in Santorini, read my sailing page for the other sailboats, or return to the home page.
| Operator | Santorini Sailing, Blue Lagoon Cruises (activity provider on GetYourGuide) |
|---|---|
| Boat | Sailboat; name, length and guest cap are not stated (the web address says Dreamcatcher) |
| Price | $180 per person, taxes and fees included (about €160 at 1 USD = 0.88865 EUR) |
| Duration | 5 hours, with hotel transfer |
| Departure time | Varies with the sunset; set in the booking calendar |
| Start and end point | Vlihada (Vlychada) Marina (hotel pickup included) |
| Route | Ancient city of Akrotiri, Red Beach, White Beach, Indian Head Mountain, Venetian lighthouse, hot springs, Aspronisi |
| Food and drink | Meal (lunch or dinner by slot) with beer, wine and soft drinks |
| Languages | English |
| Cancellation | Free up to 24 hours before the start, full refund |
| Rating | 4.8/5 from 176 reviews on GetYourGuide |
What is the Blue Lagoon sailing deluxe tour and what do you see?
It is a guided sailboat cruise along Santorini's south coast into the caldera, with free swim time in bays that only boats can reach and a meal after the hot springs.
The Blue Lagoon route starts by passing the ancient city of Akrotiri, then Red Beach and White Beach, then the Indian Head Mountain and the Venetian lighthouse before entering the caldera. After the hot springs, the crew serves the meal and sails back past the volcanic islands and Aspronisi to the marina.
- Akrotiri - the Bronze Age town site on the south coast on Google Maps
- Red Beach and White Beach - views and swims at the colored cliffs on Google Maps
- Venetian lighthouse - the landmark at the island's south-west tip on Google Maps
- Private bays - swim and snorkel where there is no road
- Hot springs - the swim before the meal on Google Maps
- Volcanic islands and Aspronisi - passed on the way back as the light fades
Wikipedia dates the Minoan eruption that buried Akrotiri to roughly 3,600 years ago, and I use that for history only. The listing does not say whether the boat stops for a tour of the site; it sails past.
How far apart are the stops on the Blue Lagoon sailing route?
The first half of the route is compact: Akrotiri, White Beach and the lighthouse all lie within 8 km of the marina in a straight line.
| Place | Distance | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Akrotiri | 3.3 km | The first landmark the boat passes |
| White Beach | 4.9 km | Only reachable from the sea |
| Akrotiri lighthouse | 7.4 km | The south-western corner before the caldera opens |
| Old Port of Fira | 9.0 km | Inside the caldera, past the hot springs area |
A sailboat is slower than a motor catamaran, so the time in each leg depends on wind. The listing gives no timetable per stop, which is why the five-hour total is the only number to rely on.
Where does the Blue Lagoon sailing deluxe tour leave from?
It leaves from Vlihada Marina, which the rest of this site spells Vlychada, and the ticket includes hotel transfer both ways.
Vlychada Marina on Google Maps lies about 9 km from the Old Port of Fira and 15 km from Ammoudi in a straight line. The listing asks for a passport or ID copy and bans luggage and large bags, so travel light. Mobility-impaired guests are excluded.
| Option | Detail | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel transfer | Included; the pickup time depends on the sunset-based departure | Included in $180 |
| Public bus | KTEL Santorini serves Vlychada from Fira; see the price list | Check the price list |
| Own car | Not covered by the listing | Not stated |
How long is the Blue Lagoon sailing deluxe tour and when does it sail?
The cruise lasts five hours, and the departure time shifts through the year to follow the sunset.
That rule makes the Blue Lagoon slot predictable if you know sunset. The Open-Meteo archive gives 20:37 on 15 June, 19:25 on 15 September and 18:41 on 15 October; a five-hour trip that ends near sunset therefore starts about five hours earlier, plus the transfer.
| Month | Sunset (15th) | Marina departure if the trip ends at sunset |
|---|---|---|
| June | 20:37 | about 15:35 |
| July | 20:35 | about 15:35 |
| August | 20:08 | about 15:10 |
| September | 19:25 | about 14:25 |
| October | 18:41 | about 13:40 |
The third column is my arithmetic, not the operator's timetable. The booking page shows the actual slots.
What is on board and what is included?
The $180 covers hotel transfer, a meal, beer, wine and soft drinks, taxes and fees; the listing does not itemize snorkeling gear.
- Transfer - hotel pickup and drop-off
- Meal - lunch or dinner prepared on board after the hot springs; reviewers rate it five-star
- Drinks - beer, wine and sodas
- Taxes and fees - included in the $180
How does the Blue Lagoon tour compare with the other sailboats?
It is the priciest of the four sailing options in my data, and the only one that charges $180 against $85 to $140.
| Trip | Price | Rating (reviews) | Boat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Lagoon sailing deluxe (this page) | $180 | 4.8 (176) | Sailboat |
| Barca Sailing sunset cruise | $140 | 4.8 (91) | Sailboat |
| Volcano Yachting sunset | $118 | 4.8 (555) | Sailboat |
| Spiridakos sailing catamaran | $85 | 4.8 (1,793) | Sailing catamaran |
The $40 gap to the Barca Sailing cruise and the $62 gap to the Volcano Yachting sunset buy no stated extras that I can find, so I would only pick the Blue Lagoon tour for the crew and the reviews. See the sailing page for the whole group.
Is the Blue Lagoon deluxe tour worth it?
Only if the crew and a quieter boat matter more than price: at $36 an hour it costs about 46 percent more than the $24.70 median of my 16 trips.
The reviews are the reason to pay. Several name the crew, one praises the timing of the stops for the light, and one group of four got a private-cruise feel. I would book it for a quiet evening, not for budget swimming.
- Book it if you want a sailboat evening and a timed-to-sunset schedule
- Book it if you prize reviewer-praised crews over price
- Skip it if you want listed snorkel gear or a lower price
3,600 yearsago the Minoan eruption emptied the island's centre and left the sea-filled caldera that every boat in this guide sails into.
When is the best time to take the Blue Lagoon tour?
June to September gives the warmest water and almost no rain. October has five rain days and sunset at 18:41, which pulls the departure earlier.
| Month | Average high | Rain days | Days with wind 30 km/h+ | Sunset (15th) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 17°C | 8 | 0 | 18:26 |
| Feb | 13°C | 7 | 12 | 18:59 |
| Mar | 18°C | 4 | 12 | 19:25 |
| Apr | 19°C | 9 | 5 | 19:52 |
| May | 24°C | 3 | 6 | 20:17 |
| Jun | 28°C | 0 | 7 | 20:37 |
| Jul | 30°C | 0 | 5 | 20:35 |
| Aug | 30°C | 2 | 10 | 20:08 |
| Sep | 27°C | 1 | 6 | 19:25 |
| Oct | 23°C | 5 | 7 | 18:41 |
| Nov | 21°C | 4 | 3 | 18:09 |
| Dec | 17°C | 9 | 11 | 18:04 |
Wind decides whether a plan holds. The Open-Meteo archive shows wind of 30 km/h or more on 7 days in June, 5 in July, 10 in August and 6 in September 2025. Live forecasts come from the Hellenic National Meteorological Service, and the Greek National Tourism Organisation shows current island conditions.
What do passengers say about the Blue Lagoon sailing tour?
All 8 snippets I saw were five-star, so the sample is positive-only, with near-unanimous praise for the crew.
- Crew and guide (7 of 8) - friendly, knowledgeable and hospitable, with several named
- Food (4 of 8) - described as great or five-star
- Light and anchorages (2 of 8) - the crew timed Red Beach and the springs for good light and anchored away from other boats
- Small group (1 of 8) - four guests on board felt like a private cruise
No complaint appeared, so the risks are price and the missing group size.
Who should skip the Blue Lagoon tour?
Skip it if you have limited mobility, want listed snorkel gear, or are watching the budget.
- Guests with mobility impairments - excluded by the listing
- Budget travelers - the Spiridakos sailing catamaran costs $95 less
- Luggage carriers - luggage and large bags are not allowed
Back to the whole field on boat tours in Santorini.
How do you book the Blue Lagoon tour?
The Blue Lagoon sailing deluxe tour costs $180 per person and includes a meal, drinks, hotel transfer and all taxes, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Check availabilityI earn a commission if you book through this link, at no extra cost to you.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best boat tour in Santorini?
For a sailboat evening I would pick the Blue Lagoon deluxe tour at $180 for its crew, or the Volcano Yachting sunset at $118 for value. For the best all-round value I would still choose the Vista Yachting catamaran.
How much does the Blue Lagoon deluxe tour cost?
It costs $180 per person on GetYourGuide, about €160 at today's rate, with all taxes and fees included.
Where does the Blue Lagoon sailing tour leave from?
It leaves from Vlihada (Vlychada) Marina on the south coast, and the ticket includes hotel transfer.
What time does it leave?
The listing says departure varies with the sunset and gives no fixed time, so read the slots in the booking calendar.
Is the Blue Lagoon trip a real sailing boat?
It is sold as a sailing cruise on a sailboat. The listing does not say how much of the time is under sail.
Is food included?
Yes. A meal prepared after the hot springs is included, with beer, wine and soft drinks.
Can I snorkel?
The itinerary includes free swim and snorkel time in private bays, but snorkeling gear is not in the includes list. Ask before you pay.
How many people are on board?
The listing does not say. One reviewer sailed with only four guests, so group size can be small.
What should I bring?
Bring swimwear, a towel, sunglasses, a hat and a camera, plus a passport or ID copy. Avoid oil or spray sunscreen.
Can I cancel?
Yes, up to 24 hours before the start for a full refund.
Sources: GetYourGuide listing 71289 (checked 2026-10-16); Greek National Tourism Organisation, Santorini; Hellenic National Meteorological Service; Open-Meteo archive, Nager.Date and Frankfurter APIs; KTEL Santorini price list; Wikipedia (history only).
