MTM Sunset Dinner Cruise: Caldera Sail and Thirasia Dinner
Quick answer
The MTM sunset dinner cruise costs $84 per person (about €75) for four hours with a caldera sail, free time on Thirasia, dinner and hotel transfers.
Extra drinks are not included, the pier is not named, and GetYourGuide rates it 4.3/5 from 1,302 reviews.
The MTM sunset dinner cruise is a four-hour evening trip from Santorini's caldera to the island of Thirasia, priced at $84 (about €75) and rated 4.3/5 from 1,302 reviews on GetYourGuide. You sail across the flooded crater, get free time on Thirasia and eat dinner at a local restaurant by the sea.
The detail that changes the decision is logistics. Hotel pickup starts one to two hours before the boat leaves, and the exact meeting point and time are only emailed 24 hours ahead, so the MTM dinner takes more of your evening than the four-hour label suggests. One reviewer waited almost an hour after a pickup mix-up.
Compare it with the other evening options in my guide to boat tours in Santorini, or return to the home page. It is one of the cheaper trips on my sunset cruise page.
| Operator | MTM Experiences (activity provider on GetYourGuide) |
|---|---|
| Boat | Cruise boat; type, capacity and name are not stated in the listing |
| Price | $84 per person (about €75 at 1 USD = 0.88865 EUR) |
| Duration | 4 hours on the boat and island, plus pickup 1 to 2 hours before departure |
| Departure time | Not stated; the exact time and meeting point arrive by email 24 hours before |
| Meeting point | Pickup from selected central locations on the island; port not named. Thirasia on Google Maps |
| Route | Across the caldera to Thirasia, free time on the island, dinner by the sea, sunset on the water |
| Food and drink | Dinner included; additional drinks and tips are extra |
| Languages | English, with a local guide |
| Cancellation | Free up to 24 hours before the start, full refund |
| Rating | 4.3/5 from 1,302 reviews on GetYourGuide |
What is the MTM sunset dinner cruise and what do you see?
It is a guided evening sail across the caldera to Thirasia, with a stop on the island and a seaside dinner timed around the sunset.
The listing mentions the island's underwater craters, free time to wander Thirasia's village atmosphere and dinner at a waterfront restaurant. It does not name the boat, give a guest cap, or list the swim stops, because there are none: this is a scenic dinner trip, not a swim-and-snorkel catamaran.
- Caldera crossing - the sail over the flooded crater and its underwater volcanic features
- Thirasia - free time on the island that split from Santorini in the eruption on Google Maps
- Seaside dinner - a local restaurant overlooking the water
- Sunset sail - the return across the caldera in evening light Oia viewpoint on Google Maps
The Greek National Tourism Organisation says Thirasia was once part of the ancient round island, Strongyli, until a prehistoric eruption broke it apart, and that it has fewer than 100 permanent residents. Read that on its Thirasia page.
Where does the MTM sunset dinner leave from?
The listing does not name a pier; it sells pickup and drop-off from selected central meeting points across the island, with the exact spot emailed a day before.
Pickup comes from your hotel or the nearest point a vehicle can reach, which matters in Fira and Oia where many hotels are on pedestrian paths. The sibling MTM product, the MTM volcano cruise, uses gate 5 at Athinios Port, so the same company works from the main ports. The Old Port of Fira, on Google Maps, sits below the cable car.
| Option | Detail | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel or nearby pickup | The van collects you one to two hours before departure; details by email a day before | Included in $84 |
| Public bus | Not the intended route, because the pier is unnamed; KTEL fares are on its price list | €2.20 on the Fira to Oia line |
| Own car | Not covered by the listing | Not stated |
My advice is to read the email at the 24-hour mark and phone MTM if your hotel is not on a drivable road. A one-hour wait is the single complaint I saw.
How long is the MTM sunset dinner and when does it sail?
The cruise is four hours on the schedule, but with the pickup window you should block five to six hours of your evening.
The boat times itself to the sunset, which is at 18:41 on 15 October, 19:25 on 15 September and 20:37 on 15 June in the Open-Meteo archive. Pickup begins one to two hours before departure.
| Month | Sunset (15th) | Four-hour trip ending after sunset starts about | Pickup could begin about |
|---|---|---|---|
| June | 20:37 | 17:30 | 15:30 to 16:30 |
| August | 20:08 | 17:00 | 15:00 to 16:00 |
| September | 19:25 | 16:30 | 14:30 to 15:30 |
| October | 18:41 | 15:45 | 13:45 to 14:45 |
The third and fourth columns are my arithmetic: a four-hour trip that finishes about 90 minutes after sunset, with pickup 1 to 2 hours earlier. They are not published times.
What is on board and what is included?
The price covers pickup and drop-off, a local guide, the cruise and dinner; personal expenses, extra drinks and tips are not included.
- Dinner - eaten at a restaurant on the island, as I read the description
- Guide - a local guide gives history, and one review mentions a dance party
- Transfers - from selected central locations
- Extra drinks - not included, so budget for wine or cocktails
- Tips - optional and extra
- Personal expenses - not included
Bring comfortable shoes for the island, a sun hat, swimwear, a towel and sunscreen, per the listing. The platform summary says clearer information on inclusions and itinerary changes would help, so email MTM about the menu and whether wine is included if that matters.
How does the MTM sunset dinner compare with the other Santorini sunset trips?
It is the cheapest sit-down dinner trip in my data at $84, below the two sailboat sunset dinners at $118 and $140, but it has the lowest rating of them at 4.3.
| Trip | Price | Rating (reviews) | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| MTM dinner (this page) | $84 | 4.3 (1,302) | 4 hours |
| Volcano Yachting sunset sailboat | $118 | 4.8 (555) | 5 hours |
| Barca Sailing sunset cruise | $140 | 4.8 (91) | 5 hours |
| Sunset Oia catamaran | $67 | 4.6 (7,367) | 5 hours |
| MTM volcano cruise | $34 | 4.3 (819) | 3 hours |
The difference is the format: the MTM dinner walks you onto an island and seats you at a restaurant, while the catamarans and sailboats stay on the water. The sunset cruise page lists all the evening options.
Is the MTM sunset dinner worth it?
Yes if you want an evening with a proper seated dinner and a small island, and no if you want swimming, snorkeling or an open bar.
At $21 an hour the MTM dinner is below the $24.70 median. The 4.3 rating is the lowest in the sunset group, and the platform's summary points to unclear inclusions. I would book it for the restaurant-on-an-island idea, not for the boat.
- Book it if you want a seated dinner without cooking on board
- Book it if you like walking on a quiet island
- Skip it if you want swimming or unlimited drinks; see the Vista Yachting gold catamaran
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 MTM dinner?
Late May to September gives the warmest evenings and almost no rain. October has five rain days and the sunset is at 18:41.
| 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 MTM dinner?
The platform's summary of 48 recent verified reviews says travelers like the sunset views and call the crews friendly and lively.
- Sunset and food - one reviewer calls the cruise worth the money, the food delicious and the sunset spectacular
- Guide - a guide who shared history and started a dance party is singled out
- Pickup - one reviewer waited almost an hour after a miscommunication
- Information - the summary says inclusions and itinerary changes could be clearer
The sample I could see was positive, so I weight the pickup note as the realistic risk.
Who should skip the MTM sunset dinner?
Skip it if you want to swim, if you hate waiting for a shared pickup, or if you want a drinks package.
- Swimmers - the listing has no swim stop
- Late sleepers who plan the day tightly - pickup can be two hours early
- Heavy drinkers - extra drinks are not included
Back to the full list on boat tours in Santorini.
How do you book the MTM dinner?
The MTM dinner costs $84 per person and includes a caldera cruise, dinner, a local guide and transfers, 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 sit-down dinner I would choose the MTM sunset dinner at $84, but for swimming and an open bar the Vista Yachting gold catamaran at $95 is the better all-round trip.
How much does the MTM dinner cost?
It costs $84 per person on GetYourGuide, about €75 at today's rate. Dinner, the cruise, a guide and transfers are included; extra drinks are not.
Where does the MTM dinner leave from?
The listing does not name a pier. Pickup is from selected central locations, and MTM emails the exact meeting point and time 24 hours before.
How long is the MTM sunset dinner?
The trip is four hours, but hotel pickup begins one to two hours before the boat departs.
Do I swim on the MTM dinner?
The listing has no swim stop. It describes a sail across the caldera, free time on Thirasia and dinner by the sea.
Is dinner included?
Yes. Dinner is included, eaten at a waterfront restaurant according to the description. Additional drinks and gratuities are not included.
What is Thirasia?
Thirasia is the island west of Santorini that was once part of the same round island. The national tourism organisation says fewer than 100 people live there permanently.
Is it suitable for children?
The listing gives no age rule. Ask MTM about children before you book.
What should I wear?
Wear comfortable shoes for walking on Thirasia and bring a sun hat, swimwear, a towel and sunscreen, as the listing advises. A layer helps on the evening crossing.
Can I cancel?
Yes, up to 24 hours before the start for a full refund.
Sources: GetYourGuide listing 57325 (checked 2026-10-16); Greek National Tourism Organisation, Thirasia; Greek National Tourism Organisation, Santorini; Hellenic National Meteorological Service; Open-Meteo archive, Nager.Date and Frankfurter APIs; KTEL Santorini price list; Wikipedia (history only).
