Written by Rita Serra | Published Nov 14, 2026

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I almost said no to this trip.

When More Sailing invited me to spend five days sailing the Ionian islands in Greece, my first thought was every reason it might go wrong. I’d never sailed before. I get carsick. And I’d be living on a small boat with a group of people I’d mostly never met.

I said yes anyway, and it turned out to be one of my favorite trips of the year.

If you’re wondering whether a skippered sailing trip in Greece is actually worth it, especially if you’re a woman traveling solo, this is my honest More Sailing review. I’ll cover what’s included, what it costs, what life on the boat is really like, and the few things I wish someone had told me before I packed.

Here’s what nobody tells you about sailing with strangers.

My More Sailing Review: The Short Answer

Yes, for the right person.

If you want a relaxed, easy way to see the Greek islands, where someone else handles the sailing, the route, and your daytime meals, this is it. You can book a single spot on the boat, so you don’t need a group or a partner to make it happen.

It’s not for you if you want to properly explore each island, need Wi-Fi to work, or aren’t comfortable sharing a cabin (and possibly a bed) with someone you’ve just met.

You can see current trips and prices on More Sailing’s Greece page. If you decide to book, use code rita5 for 5% off.

What a More Sailing trip actually is

More Sailing runs skippered sailing trips where you book a berth on a shared boat rather than chartering the whole thing. That’s what makes it different from most sailing holidays, where you’d need to rent an entire yacht with your own group.

Each boat has two crew. Our skipper, Zoe, sailed the boat and planned the route, and Linus was our host and cook.

In Greece, trips leave from Preveza harbor and Mytikas Marina on the mainland, just north of Lefkada, and sail between the Ionian islands. The season runs from April to October. I went in early October.

You don’t need any sailing experience. You can help as much or as little as you like, and the crew will happily show you what to do.

What’s included (and what isn’t)

Here’s what my trip included:

• Your berth in a shared cabin, with bed linen and towels
• The skipper and host
• Breakfast and lunch on board, plus snacks throughout the day
• Drinks on board, including water, soft drinks, beer, wine and even prosecco
• Port fees and fuel

Here’s what I paid for myself:

• Dinner ashore each night, usually around €15 to €25 per person, depending on what you order
• My hotel the night before the trip
• My bus from Saranda to Preveza
• Anything I wanted to buy on the islands

Dinner isn’t mandatory. If you’re not hungry after a full day of eating on the boat (and you probably won’t be), you can skip it. Flights aren’t included for most readers either, so budget for getting to Preveza on top of the trip price.

How much does it cost?

According to More Sailing’s Greece page, a week costs around £1,500 to £2,500 per person sharing a cabin. The price depends on the boat, the season, and how many people are on board, so check the current departures for exact dates.

Here’s the thing. People spend that kind of money on a holiday where the price only covers a hotel and a flight.

On this trip, your accommodation, your daytime meals, your drinks and your transport between islands are all covered. For what you get, I think it’s great value, and it’s a trip I’d love my own family to book.

Who was on board

There were eight guests on our boat, plus Zoe and Linus, in five cabins.

Our group ranged from early 30s to late 60s, with two of us from the US, one from New Zealand, and five from Wales and England. There was one couple, a few sets of friends who’d booked together, and me and my friend. Most of us had never met before.

I was nervous about spending five days on a small boat with strangers. It ended up being my favorite part of the trip.

I was lucky with my group, and by the second night we were sharing tables full of food and staying up late talking.

Life on board: what it’s really like

The cabins

Our boat had five cabins: two with an en suite and a double bed, two with a double bed and no bathroom, and one with bunk beds. The crew didn’t assign cabins. Once everyone had boarded, we chose for ourselves.

My friend and I took one of the en suite cabins. It was a little smaller than the cabins without a bathroom, but having our own was worth it.

Full honesty: the cabins are small for two people, even the en suite ones. They also got warm at night, and the pillows could have been better, because my neck was a bit sore after the first night.

The beds themselves were really comfortable, and after a day or two the size stopped mattering. You spend almost all your time outside anyway.

Keep in mind this is based on the boat I sailed on. More Sailing has several boat types, including catamarans, which have more space, so if cabin size matters to you, ask about it when you book.

The bathrooms

We had three bathrooms on board: two en suites and one shared toilet and shower.

Water is limited on a boat, so showers are short. Some ports have proper shower blocks, and Syvota was the one where we could take a longer shower and wash our hair.

It takes a day to get used to the bathroom setup, but it really wasn’t a big deal.

The food

The food surprised me more than anything else on this trip.

I assumed breakfast and lunch would be something simple. Instead, Linus cooked us big, filling breakfasts, generous lunches, and some incredible snacks in between, and I’m still planning to ask him for recipes.

He also catered to everyone’s dietary needs. There was a vegan couple on board, and Linus told us he’d never cooked vegan before and was excited to figure it out. They loved everything he made, and it was lovely to see them feel so included.

I was never hungry once.

The sailing

We mostly traveled by motor, but whenever the wind was right, the crew put the sails up straight away. If you want to help, just ask, and they’ll tell you what to do.

One of the guys in our group had grown up around boats, and at one point he helped Zoe with the ropes, which was fun to watch.

Seasickness

I get carsick, so I was sure I’d feel awful on a small boat.

I didn’t. The only time I felt queasy was one afternoon when the wind picked up, and the boat was moving a lot. Another guest felt the same, but neither of us was actually sick, and lying down for a few minutes settled me.

Wi-Fi and charging

There was no Wi-Fi on our boat. More Sailing told me afterward that this may depend on the boat, so ask when you book if you need it.

Charging was also hit or miss. There were no USB ports in our cabin, and the most reliable times to charge were when we were plugged in at a port or when the crew ran the generator, which they save for when it’s needed.

If you plan to work or post content during the trip, plan around being mostly offline. I brought my laptop and couldn’t use it at all.

Where we sailed

Our trip started and ended at Mytikas Marina, about 15 minutes from Preveza on the Greek mainland. I came from Saranda, so if you’re in Albania too, here’s how I took the bus from Saranda to Preveza.

On arrival day, we got to Mytikas around noon. The staff kept our luggage while we had a coffee at a nearby cafe, and we boarded at about 2 pm once everyone had arrived.

Mine was a shorter, five-day hosted trip, so a regular More Sailing week will include more stops than I’ve listed here.

Ligia

Our first night was spent at anchor near Ligia, between Preveza and Lefkada, after sailing through the Preveza Canal. Zoe and Linus cooked us dinner on board, and we swam and relaxed until bedtime.

I was worried the first night on the water would be rocky, but the sea was so calm it was actually soothing. It was the perfect way to ease into life on a boat.

Kalamos

On day two, we spent half the day swimming near Kalamos island and had lunch on board. The weather was perfect, the water was gorgeous, and it was the moment I realized what this trip was going to be about.

Syvota, Lefkada

That evening we docked at Syvota Marina on Lefkada. We had a beer at a little spot next to the restaurant, then dinner at 12 Gods, where I had shrimp saganaki and the best fries I’ve had anywhere in Greece.

After dinner, we headed to The Pirate bar for drinks until about 11. We only saw the port area, but the people here were so warm and welcoming.

Ithaca

On day three, we stopped off the northwest coast of Ithaca for a swim and lunch, and this was my favorite swim spot of the whole trip. The water was the most beautiful blue-green I’ve seen anywhere in Greece, and I got some of my best drone shots here.

Every swim stop was stunning, but this is where it really hit me that our crew knew exactly where to take us.

Fiskardo, Kefalonia

Fiskardo was my favorite port of the trip. It’s a tiny village of houses painted in peach, blue, red, and orange, with little balconies facing the harbor, and I could honestly see myself living here for a few months of the year.

We had a beer at Greco, then dinner at Roulas, right on the water with the boats lined up in front of us. I kept it light with fries and a dish of sausage, feta, and peppers in a balsamic glaze. My meal was good rather than great, but everyone else loved theirs, the staff was lovely, and the setting made it one of my favorite dinners of the trip.

Take a walk around town, too. There are ancient cemeteries, one of the oldest bakeries on the island, and a little square where the local cats hang out, and you can tell the locals take good care of them.

Meganisi

On day four, we anchored near Koutalades beach on Meganisi for one last swim and lunch stop, then spent the night at Odyseas Marina in Vathi.

It rained all evening, and since it was the end of the season, a lot of restaurants were already closed. The group found one that was open, but I’d eaten so much during the day that I skipped dinner.

We headed back to the boat early and spent our last island night chatting and having drinks. It turned into one of the coziest nights of the trip.

Back to Mytikas

On our last day, we sailed back to Mytikas, where we’d started. It’s a working marina rather than a village, with only a couple of restaurants, and most were closed, so we stayed on board, finished off the leftover food, and packed.

We had to be off the boat by 8 am so the crew could get it ready for the next group. Linus made us one last breakfast, and we had a slow morning together before saying goodbye.

It was exactly the way I needed to end the summer.

Things to keep in mind before you book

Solo means sharing a cabin

If you book on your own, you’ll share a cabin with another guest, and depending on the boat, that may mean sharing a double bed. More Sailing does mention this, but I misread it as a shared room with two beds, so read the details carefully.

You’ll only get a taste of each island

Most nights you dock at a port town for the evening and leave the next morning. It’s perfect for a relaxing trip, but not the one for deep exploring.

Plan to be offline

There was no Wi-Fi on my boat, and charging was unreliable. If you need to work or post content, plan around it.

Cabins can be tight

The cabins on my boat were small and could get warm at night. Bigger boats and catamarans may have more room, so ask when you book.

Late season is quieter and cooler

In early October, we had misty, chilly mornings and two rainy evenings, and some restaurants had already closed for the season.

What I’d pack next time

I packed far too many clothes. You spend most of the day in a swimsuit, so you need much less than you think.

Pack light and bring a soft bag instead of a hard suitcase. There’s very little storage space on board, and a soft bag is much easier to tuck away.

What I didn’t pack, and really wished I had, was something warm. Even in early October, it got chilly on the water at night and sometimes while sailing.

Next time I’d bring:

• A pair of long pants
• A hoodie or sweater
• A few pairs of socks
• A scarf for chilly evenings
• A sun hat

And I’d leave the laptop at home.

Who this trip is for (and who should skip it)

This trip is for you if you want to swim, sunbathe, eat well, and relax, with someone else handling all the planning. It works for couples, groups of friends, and solo travelers, as long as you’re comfortable sharing a cabin.

It’s also a great option if you’ve always wanted to sail the Greek islands but assumed you’d need experience, a boat, or a group. You don’t.

Skip it if you want to explore each island properly, need to stay connected for work, or would be uncomfortable sharing a bed with a stranger if you’re booking alone.

And if you’ve been waiting for someone to come with you, this is your sign to go anyway.

How to book your More Sailing trip

You can book directly through the More Sailing website, where you choose your dates, boat, and cabin. Use code rita5 at checkout to get 5% off your trip.

To get to the start, the closest airport is Preveza (Aktion), and Mytikas Marina is about 15 minutes from Preveza. If you’re coming from Albania as I did, there’s a direct bus from Saranda, and I’ve written up exactly how I did it.

So, would I go back?

Absolutely. Next time I’d love to try one of their trips in Italy or Croatia.

I came home rested, well fed, and with a group of new friends I’d never have met otherwise. Not bad for a trip I almost talked myself out of. Have you ever done a sailing trip, or is it on your list? 

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