All DanEri cruises to Balos Lagoon leave from Kissamos Port in west Crete, about an hour's sail from the lagoon. Pick a 7-hour day cruise (08:30–15:30) to Balos and Gramvousa Island, or a 4-hour sunset cruise (16:00–20:00) to Balos. Each comes on our 120-guest flagship DanEri Lux or a smaller 22-guest catamaran. Food, soft drinks, snorkel and SUP gear are included, along with a free hotel transfer from anywhere between Georgioupoli and Kissamos.
Discover Balos Lagoon and Gramvousa Island from Kissamos Port. Choose the catamaran and cruise style that best suits your day.
Choose DanEri Lux when you want the flagship feel, then decide whether you want the fuller morning departure or the shorter afternoon version.
Choose the smaller-group catamaran when you want a calmer full day or a shorter sunset version from the same port.
Two full-day cruises to Balos and Gramvousa, two sunset cruises to Balos. Each comes in a big-boat or small-group format.
Want the whole boat? See private cruises. Free cancellation up to 72 h before departure.
Morning LUX Comfort ticket. The 120-guest boat has room to spread out, an animator, a toy box on request and a 3-option lunch.
Semi-private day. Only 22 guests, wine and beer included, and food can be adapted for children.
Sunset cruise. You arrive in the late afternoon, after most day-trippers have left, and the light over the pink sand is at its best.
The 4-hour Sunset LUX leaves your morning free and still includes the transfer from anywhere between Georgioupoli and Kissamos.
The captain can change the order or the stops for wind and sea conditions. Safety comes first.
Bring: swimwear, a towel (VIP Morning LUX tickets include one), sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses and your ID.
Two full-day cruises to Balos and Gramvousa, two sunset cruises to Balos. Each comes in a big-boat or small-group format.
| Morning LUX | Semi-private day | Sunset LUX | Small-group sunset | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | 08:30–15:30 (7 h) | 08:30–15:30 (7 h) | 16:00–20:00 (4 h) | 16:00–20:00 (4 h) |
| Stops | Balos + Gramvousa | Balos + Gramvousa | Balos | Balos |
| Boat | DanEri Lux (2025), up to 120 guests | Luxury catamaran, max 22 guests | DanEri Lux | Catamaran, max 22 guests |
| Food | Brunch, snacks, chef's lunch (3 menus) | Nutritionist brunch, snacks, organic lunch | Light bites, Cretan snacks, fruit | Cretan snacks |
| Wine & beer | VIP: one small bottle of wine or beer. Comfort: bar on board | Included (open bar) | VIP: one small bottle of wine or beer. Comfort: bar on board | Included |
| Adult / child | €155 / €110 VIP €185 / €130 | €195 / €140 | €120 / €85 VIP €150 / €105 | €125 / €95 |
| Best for | Families, groups, best value full day | Couples, more deck space, quieter day | Balos without the crowds, golden light | Couples, small-group sunset |
Regular prices. Autumn offer: 20% off departures from 20 Sept 2026. Reviews: 782 on Google for DanEri Kissamos; on Tripadvisor, 239 for Morning LUX and 56 for Sunset LUX.
The Morning LUX timeline is below. The semi-private boat follows the same pattern, reaching Balos at about 10:00 and Gramvousa at 12:00.
The captain can change the order or the stops for wind and sea conditions. Safety comes first.
| DanEri catamaran | Public day ferry | Driving | |
|---|---|---|---|
| From | Kissamos Port | Kissamos Port | Kaliviani village |
| Getting there | ~1 h sail | ~1 h sail | 8–10 km unpaved track + parking fee, then a ~1–1.5 km steep path down (about 20 min, harder on the way back) |
| Group size | 22 or up to 120 | Large ferries, several hundred | — |
| Food & drinks | Included | Bar on board, pay extra | Bring your own (one seasonal canteen) |
| Swim stops | Swim from the boat and the beach | Beach only | Beach only |
| Price per adult | €120–195 all-inclusive | about €25–30 ticket | Fuel + parking fee |
| Crowds | Morning boat arrives ~09:30, before the ferries. Sunset arrives after them | Arrives with the midday peak | Your choice. Earliest is quietest |
Ferry and road figures: cretanbeaches.com and crete.direct (2026). Both say visitor numbers peak between about 11:00 and 15:00 in July and August.
The same port also has Seajets ferries to Antikythira, Kythira and Gythio, so look for the DanEri crew, not the ferry terminal. → Full guide: Kissamos Port, parking, ferries and Balos boats
Bring: swimwear, a towel (VIP Morning LUX tickets include one), sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses and your ID.
Balos sits at the tip of the Gramvousa peninsula, about 17 km northwest of Kissamos. Its shallow lagoon is rarely more than a metre deep and is edged with pink-tinted sand. The whole area is a protected Natura 2000 site, home to species such as the Eleonora's falcon and the loggerhead turtle. Camping and fires are banned.
Opposite the lagoon is Imeri Gramvousa, an uninhabited island crowned by a 16th-century Venetian fortress.
When to go: boats run in season (May–October). September and early October have warm sea (24–26 °C) and noticeably thinner crowds.
About one hour each way. The full-day cruise lasts 7 hours (08:30–15:30) and also stops at Gramvousa Island.
Day cruises board at 08:30 and return around 15:30. Sunset cruises run 16:00–20:00. Morning LUX hotel pickups start between 06:30 and 07:30, depending on your area.
Yes, on Morning LUX and Sunset LUX: a round-trip transfer is included from all areas between Georgioupoli and Kissamos. Book it at least 24 hours ahead. For the semi-private and small-group cruises, ask us about transport when you book.
Adults pay from €120 (Sunset LUX) to €195 (semi-private day). Children's tickets start at €85. Food, soft drinks and water sports are included.
They follow the same route. The Morning LUX is a 120-guest all-inclusive boat with entertainment, aimed at families and groups. The semi-private boat takes 22 guests and includes wine and beer, for a calmer day.
The morning boat reaches Balos at about 09:30, before the large public ferries. The sunset cruises arrive after most day visitors have left.
Yes. There are kids' life jackets, child prices, food adapted on request and a toy box on the Morning LUX. The lagoon itself is shallow and calm.
If the sea is too rough, we cancel and move your booking to a new date. If the new date doesn't suit you, you get a full refund. On the day, the captain may also change the route for safety.
No. Guests arriving at Balos on a DanEri cruise pay no extra fee.
Free cancellation up to 48 hours before departure for shared cruises, and up to 72 hours for private charters. You can also reschedule at no cost, subject to availability.
