Nautiki Etairia Symi Cruise: Timetable, Hotel Transfer and Bay Swim from Rhodes

Nautiki Etairia Notias Rodou

Cruise to Symi & St George's Bay with Hotel Transfer

★ 4.7 (3,226) · from $62

Check availability

Prices and timetables checked 17 October 2026. This page contains affiliate links.

The nautiki etairia symi cruise trip is the Symi day with the clearest timetable: three departures from Mandraki Harbour at 09:00, 11:00 and 15:15, each with a fixed return time in Rhodes. It costs 62 USD (about €55), includes a 30-minute swim in Saint George's Bay and offers a hotel transfer from five resort areas.

The detail that changes the decision is the 15:15 departure. It swims before Symi and gets you back at 21:00, which is after sunset from late summer, so you finish the day in the dark. The 09:00 and 11:00 departures swim after Symi and are back at 15:00 and 17:00.

What is the nautiki etairia symi cruise trip and what do you see?

It is a six-hour excursion on the Aphrodite from Rhodes to Symi, with the bay swim built into every departure. Nautiki Etairia sells it on short sailing time: about an hour each way, so most of the day is spent ashore or in the water.

• Symi harbour: pastel neoclassical buildings and church domes around turquoise water.
• Saint George's Bay: the listing calls it reachable only by boat; the swim lasts 30 minutes.
• Symi lunch: the listing recommends the island shrimps at a waterfront taverna.
• A paper map of Symi with recommendations comes with the ticket.

Because the crossing is short, the Nautiki Etairia boat leaves room for lunch and a swim without a night return; this is the Symi trip I would give a visitor with a half-day to spare, rather than a full holiday day.

Where does it leave from and how does the hotel transfer work?

The boat leaves from Mandraki Harbour, and you must check in 30 minutes before departure. If you book the transfer option, a coach collects you from your hotel area and brings you back to the harbour.

Reviewers describe the transfer as on time and drop-off opposite the docks, near the ticket collection. One says the bus ride was long because of the many pickups, and another found the guidance for the return buses unclear. Allow for that when you choose the 17:00 return and a dinner booking.

What is the route and when do you swim?

The 09:00 and 11:00 sailings visit Symi first and swim at Saint George's Bay afterwards, while the 15:15 sailing swims first. That order decides whether you stroll Symi dry or damp.

One reviewer liked the swim being on the way back: no wet clothes in Symi. Symi harbour and Saint George's Bay, Symi are the two places to save on your phone. I did not estimate walking times on the island.

Is the nautiki etairia symi cruise trip worth it versus the other Symi boats?

It is worth the premium over the 35 USD boats if you want a published timetable, a hotel pick-up and a short crossing. It is the same price as the Rhodes Sea Lines listing, which describes the same Aphrodite boats.

My pick for a first visit is this nautiki etairia symi cruise on the 09:00 boat, because you get the longest daylight on the island. The Rhodes boat tours hub and the island hopping page list the other options.

Which departure suits your day, and how late is the return?

The 15:15 trip returns at 21:00, so the question is how much daylight you want. In April the boat is back about 1 hour 18 minutes after sunset; in July only 34 minutes after.

The listing states no season, and it does not say whether the 15:15 sailing runs outside summer, so ask before planning around it. The 15:00 and 17:00 returns from the earlier sailings land in daylight from March to October; in December the sun sets at 4:54 PM, so a 17:00 return is after dark.

How does the day run from ticket to harbour?

Follow this order and you avoid the two problems reviewers mention, late boarding and the wrong bus.

1. The evening before: confirm the transfer, because bookings for next-day pickup close at 22:00.
2. Morning: go to the pickup point named on the voucher; central points can replace the hotel door.
3. At the harbour: collect the ticket, check in 30 minutes before departure and find an open-air seat.
4. On Symi: note the boat's departure time and set a phone alarm 30 minutes earlier.
5. On return: ask the guide which bus is yours before walking away from the group.

What is on board and what is included?

You get the crossing, swim noodles and a Symi map, plus a transfer if you select it. Meals and drinks are not listed, so lunch on Symi is your own cost.

• Seat: individual and open-air, guaranteed.
• Swim aids: noodles at Saint George's Bay.
• Cold weather: a reviewer was offered fleeces for the return and rain ponchos when the weather turned.
• Tips: listed beside the inclusions without a clear rule; carry euros.

A reviewer reports paying 47 EUR per person on an unstated date, below the €55 equivalent shown today. Prices change by date and option, so trust the booking page.

When is the best time to go?

June to September gives the hottest, driest days, while the long-term data shows roughly 7 to 14 rainy days a month from November to March. The sea was 24.8 °C on 17 October 2026.

The captain may change the route or the swim stop for weather. Check the forecast with the Hellenic National Meteorological Service (HNMS); the Hellenic Coast Guard (hcg.gr) is the authority that can halt sailings in strong winds.

7 million+ passengers used Rhodes Diagoras Airport in 2025, 2.5% more than in 2024, which is why morning boats fill fast.

What do passengers say?

For the Nautiki Etairia Symi cruise, the sample I read is positive-only, so I used the AI summary and sub-scores (guide 4.8, value 4.7) for complaints.

• Crew: friendly and helpful, the top theme.
• Boat: fast and smooth; one reviewer found both crossings smooth.
• Timing: the summary asks for clearer timings and for the swim to last the advertised 30 minutes.
• Transfer: long coach rides and unclear return-bus guidance, from two reviewers.

Who should skip this trip?

Skip it if you want more than three hours on Symi, or if a long coach ride before a boat bothers you. If swimming is the point, the Romantika snorkelling cruise gives three stops, and the snorkelling tours page lists others.

How do you book the nautiki etairia symi cruise trip?

Frequently asked questions

Sources: GetYourGuide listing 943485, Hellenic National Meteorological Service, Hellenic Coast Guard, Fraport Greece, Open-Meteo, Nager.Date, sunrise-sunset.org, Frankfurter APIs.