Nydri to Kefalonia, Ithaka and Porto Katsiki by Boat: Which Cruise Is Worth It?
Updated October 22, 2026 · 5 min read
If you want Porto Katsiki, Fiskardo and Ithaka in a single day, the 9-hour cruise from Nydri via Porto Katsiki, Kefalonia and Ithaka is the one to start with. It costs from €40, has 4.0 stars from 204 reviews and is the most-reviewed of the three boats that sail this route. Two things hold it back from an easy recommendation: the rating is middling, and it is a very long day on the water. Read the differences below before you pick.
| Cruise | Duration | From | Rating | What sets it apart |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Porto Katsiki, Kefalonia and Ithaka cruise | 9 hours | €40 | 4.0 (204) | lunch is an optional add-on; All Inclusive upgrade available |
| Boat to Kefalonia and Ithaki with swim stops | 9 hours | €52 | 3.9 (138) | hotel transfer, food and drinks expressly not included |
| All-inclusive Porto Katsiki, Egremni and Ithaka cruise | 9 hours | €75 | 4.5 (9) | unlimited beer, wine and soft drinks, Greek lunch, beach umbrella |
What the day looks like
All three follow the same outline. The boat leaves Nydri in the morning, runs down the west coast of Lefkada past the white cliffs to Porto Katsiki and Egremni, crosses to Fiskardo on Kefalonia, stops for a swim off Ithaka, and passes the Papanikolis sea cave and the private island of Skorpios on the way back. The €40 cruise states a 9:00 am departure from Nydri harbour and a return at about 6:30 pm.
That is a lot of places for nine hours, and the time on each is short. One reviewer of the €52 boat counted a single hour in Fiskardo, too little for browsing the shops and sitting down to lunch as well. Another noted that the boat stopped at the beach next to Egremni rather than Egremni itself. Both are single reviews, not a pattern, but they show what to expect: this is a day of seeing a lot from the water with a few swims, not a day on any one beach.
The €40 cruise: the default, with a catch on inclusions
It has the largest review base of the three and the lowest base price. The description offers a traditional Greek lunch as an option you add when booking, and a separate All Inclusive upgrade with unlimited beer, wine and soft drinks. The page lists meals at Fiskardo, drinks, snacks and bar items as not included, so you pay for those on top. Treat the €40 as the ticket and decide at checkout what you add.
Check dates, lunch options and the upgrade for the €40 cruise
The €52 boat: little included, mixed feedback
Only the ticket, the swim stops, free time in Fiskardo and fees and taxes are included; hotel transfer, food and drinks are expressly listed as not included. The group can be up to 100 people. Reviewers on its page praise the swim stops and the crew; one found the music on board far too loud, another wrote that it may have been a little loud for some. If you want a quiet crossing, this is a risk worth knowing about.
See the €52 boat to Kefalonia and Ithaki
The €75 all-inclusive: only nine reviews
The programme matches the €40 cruise and bundles drinks, lunch and a beach umbrella. Its 4.5 stars come from just nine reviews, so the score says little yet. It makes sense for a group that would otherwise buy lunch and several rounds of drinks on board.
Look at the all-inclusive cruise
When another cruise is better
If the aim is a good day of swimming rather than ticking off Kefalonia and Ithaka, the Forgotten Islands day cruise to Kastos and Kalamos is the stronger product: from €95, 4.9 stars from 376 reviews, four swim stops, a buffet lunch with wine and soft drinks included, and a sunbed each. A reviewer put the passenger count at 60 to 70 including crew. It does not go to Kefalonia, Ithaka or Porto Katsiki.
If your main wish is the two famous beaches, read Porto Katsiki and Egremni: by boat or by car? first. A seven-and-a-half-hour boat that concentrates on those beaches exists, and a hire car is a real alternative. For the pigs and the other islands of the Meganisi channel, see the Atokos Piggy Cruise article. All boat options from Nydri are listed under island cruises from Nydri and boat trips on Lefkada.
Before you book
Pick the cruise by what you want the day to be. A long route with many short stops suits a first visit and good weather. Check the booking page for the operator’s cancellation terms and for the departure point: the €40 cruise starts at Nydri harbour, the €75 one asks you to arrive 30 minutes early at the Onassis statue there, and the €52 boat meets at a travel agency on the main road through Nydri. Bring sun protection, swimwear and a towel; all three booking pages ask for them.
Our recommendation
For the Kefalonia, Ithaka and Porto Katsiki day, book the €40 cruise and add lunch at checkout only if you want it. Choose the €75 version if unlimited drinks matter to you. If you are open to a different route, the Kastos and Kalamos cruise is the better-rated day.
