"We want to do Greece. Coach tour or cruise?", probably the second-most-asked Greece question we get (the first is "Is Santorini worth it?" and the answer is yes, in a particular way).
Both options are run as part of Europamundo's English-guided product range from South Africa. They are radically different holidays. Here is how we help people choose.
The two options
| Detail | Classic Greece coach | Greek Islands cruise |
|---|---|---|
| Land cost (from): | R26,500 | R38,000 |
| Length: | 7 to 9 days | 7 to 11 days (4 or 7-night cruise + Athens) |
| Stops: | Athens, Delphi, Meteora, Olympia, Mycenae | Mykonos, Santorini, Kusadasi, Crete, Patmos |
| Meals included: | Breakfasts + 3 dinners | Full board on cruise |
| Group size: | 25 to 38 on coach | Ship 1,500+; tour group 18 to 25 |
| Departs from: | JHB or CPT via Athens | JHB or CPT via Athens |
| GO English: | Year-round | Apr to Oct only |
The coach tour: ancient Greece, properly
If you came to Greece for the columns (Delphi, Olympia, Meteora's hilltop monasteries, the Acropolis at golden hour) the coach tour is the right one. You spend time on the mainland, drive past olive groves, walk through ruins with a Greek archaeologist guide who knows what she's talking about. The pace is gentle.
The cruise: the postcard Greece
If your mental picture of Greece is blue-and-white cliffs, infinity pools, sunset cocktails on a deck, and a hundred photos of a church with a blue dome, the cruise is what you want. A typical 7-night cruise hits Mykonos, Santorini, Crete, and usually a Turkish port (Kusadasi for Ephesus) plus Patmos.
Cost and value
The cruise looks pricier (R38,000 vs R26,500) but the cruise price includes all your food and accommodation for the cruise nights, plus the on-board entertainment. The coach tour you'll eat out most evenings (allow R400 to R700 per dinner). On a per-day all-in basis they're closer than the headline numbers suggest.
If you do both (a combo tour that does 4 days mainland + 4 nights cruise) you get the complete Greece experience for around R52,000. That's our most-recommended Greece option for first-timers.
Practical notes
Cruises only run April to October. The Aegean is too rough in winter. Coach tours run year-round and are gorgeous in spring (April-May) or autumn (September-October) when the heat eases.
Greece is in Schengen, one visa, same as Italy or Spain. Schengen visa application from SA takes about 10 to 12 weeks; book early.
Verdict
If you'll only ever go to Greece once: combo tour (mainland + cruise). If budget is the priority: coach tour. If it's a honeymoon or anniversary: cruise. If you're a history obsessive: coach tour, you'd spend the cruise looking at your phone.
Read our Greek Islands cruise piece for more on what cabins to pick. Browse Greece tours.
