Sail the Greek Isles:
From Ancient Sites to Paradise

You bet! I realize this is a large investment, so I try to make my trips as affordable as possible by offering payment plans.

There is an up front deposit of $750 at the time of booking due to the need to reserve sailboats ASAP. The remaining portion will be split into smaller payments.

You are responsible for making payments on time, or you will forfeit your spot without refund.

This entirely depends on your spending habits, but you’ll want to budget additional spending money for lunches and dinners that aren’t included, plus the cost of snacks and drinks to have on the boat.

I would budget $25-50 a day for spending money, plus extra money for shopping if that interests you.

You’ll also want to set aside money for tips for our skipper, guide, and driver.

Yes, you will need a passport valid beyond March 30, 2026.

If you do not have a passport, I recommend you start the process right away, as it can take several months to receive it. If you need assistance with this, feel free to reach out!

VISAS

Come 2024, Americans and Brits will be required to apply for European Travel Information and Authorization System authorization and pay a small fee to visit Europe.

ETIAS is set to launch sometime in 2025.

The new program will require travelers from countries outside the Schengen Area of Europe to fill out an application before arrival and pay a fee of 7 euros (about $8) to enter any European Union or Schengen Area country.

What does this mean for future trips to Europe? Here's everything you need to know about the new ETIAS program.

More up to date details will be provided to you as your trip approaches.

All trips offered by Laura Ericson Group Trips are non-refundable, and we are unable to accept refund requests for any reason because trip funds are prepaid to our partners in the countries we are visiting and supporting. We have unfortunately had many travelers need to cancel their trips due to unforeseen circumstances, and the ones who booked travel insurance with trip protection coverage were grateful they did. 

Travel insurance is required for participation in a trip offered by Laura Ericson Group Trips. While there are different types of coverage, we require guests to obtain, at minimum, post-departure coverage from your departure date from home to the day you return home, and with at least:

• $150,000 in emergency medical expense benefit

• $250,000 in emergency medical evacuation benefit

For maximum protection, it is strongly recommended that you purchase a comprehensive plan with trip cancellation coverage.

If you want to learn more about travel insurance and are looking for a recommendation, you can learn more about my travel insurance partner, Wanderwell, here.

I sure hope that’s not the case, but I also realize that life can be unpredictable, and things happen.

All trip payments are non-refundable.

Filling trip spots is incredibly time-consuming. I am a small boutique travel company, and I unfortunately do not have the ability to refund people if their plans change. Your deposits go directly to my local partners, and they are non-refundable to me as well.

Due to the sailing portion of this trip, travel insurance is required (see previous FAQ for more details) and if you choose a trip cancelation benefit, it will potentially cover most of your trip costs should you need to cancel for a covered reason.

This is a land and sailing trip, and we will be on the go quite frequently in order to see everything this beautiful country has to offer.

We will be doing lots of walking while on land, and there will be one short hike in the Arcadian Mountains.

Our days on the boat will be spent at your leisure, swimming, snorkeling, sunbathing, paddleboarding, and exploring caves.

We’ll also have a lot of down time in the afternoons and evenings, which will be a great reprieve from all of the activities we’ll be doing and a great time to reflect on everything we’re doing and seeing.

While we will be moving around daily while sailing, your accommodations on the sailboat will remain the same.

While this trip is very on the go (we’ve got a lot of ground to cover), most days have free time built in so you have time to wander, shop, and explore the cities we are in.

In addition, all planned activities are optional, so you are free to opt out at any time if you choose. The only exception is that you MUST be at our accommodation/sailboat when we are departing for the next location.

All that being said, this trip is designed to show you the best of the best of Greece, and all activities have been personally vetted by me to ensure you’re only seeing things worth seeing. If something isn’t generally liked by the entire group, I don’t include it in the itinerary and leave it for free time.

Wait until you get the green light from me to purchase your flights—I typically recommend 3-6 months prior to the trip, or as soon as I’ve finalized our group and arrival details.

I will be in contact with you regularly with reminders and assistance on purchasing fights, visas, insurance, packing, and more.

In the meantime, feel free to set up a flight alert on Google Flights to start monitoring prices. You will be flying in and out of Athens International Airport (ATH).

Due to the tight quarters of the sailboat, there are only 3 guest cabins available on each boat, with 1 shared bed per cabin. This is part of the adventure of sailing!

This is also a great opportunity to bunk up with a friend, but if you come alone, you’ll be paired with someone of the same gender based on compatibility.

Click here for a video walkthrough of one of our sailboats.

A single room supplement might be available for the hotels. Please email Laura to inquire.

For the sailboat, you would be taking the spot of another person on the entire trip, so a single supplement would be a significant expense. If this still interests you, please inquire with Laura.

Absolutely not! Most people come on group trips alone, and it’s the best way to meet people!

While most of my trips tend to be people in the 30-50 age range, all ages 18+ are welcome. We usually also have people who are 50+ on our trips.

Age is just a number, and it’s more important that the trip sounds like a good fit for you than your actual age.

We will have 6 people plus a trip leader and skipper per sailboat. If we have more than 6 people, our boats will travel together as a “floatilla,” stopping in the same spots and docking together.

We need at least 6 people to book this trip in order to proceed. Should we not meet the minimum amount needed, you will receive a full refund.

This trip provides you with the opportunity to actively engage yourself in sailing, whether you have done it before or not.

The Aegean archipelago, with its clear deep blue waters, is the ideal place to get acquainted with the basics of sailing and our skippers are always happy to show you the ropes!

We will be providing a variety of breakfast and lunch items for the group, and these meals will be self-serve (although we encourage you to prepare meals with your new travel buddies—it’s fun and part of the experience)!

Please note that lunches are considered light lunches (i.e. Greek salads and snacks) because we’ll be active in the water, and you’ll have the opportunity to bring your own food and drinks on the boats as well.

The sailboats are an adventure in themselves, and you can use this time to enjoy the beautiful views, sunbathe, listen to music, play games in the lounge below with your travel buddies, read a book, or just enjoy some downtime.

Each day we’ll be sailing to a new destination and spend time exploring bays, swimming, snorkeling and paddleboarding, and dock at the island’s marina in the late afternoon/early evening.

We will have electricity all times from solar panels on the boat for us to charge iPads, phones, etc.

Proper electricity to charge larger devices will be available when we’re docked at night, including CPAPs. You’ll just need an electrical converter, which you can purchase on Amazon for around $20 USD (I will provide links during orientation for a packing list).

Our sailboats are designed for a smooth journey at sea, and we’ll do everything to ensure you are comfortable. That being said, motion sickness tablets will be provided for anyone who needs them.

If you are prone to motion sickness, you’re encouraged to speak with your doctor about a preventative prescription for motion sickness before traveling.

Travel can be unpredictable, and we do our best to stick to the itinerary. That being said, travel also requires flexibility.

The sailing portion of the trip has a flexible itinerary due to the unpredictability of weather. Should we need to reroute at sea, we will find an alternative island to visit. This is the benefit of having a sailboat and not having to rely on ferries, which are notoriously rescheduled, late, or canceled.

Due to close living quarters and sharing a room with someone, plus the tranquil vibes of being at sea, the use of tobacco is not permitted on the sailboats.

Vaping is allowed.