From Rhodes, operators list sailings to Symi, Halki, Kastellorizo and Kos as well as to the Turkish coast. If your cruise ship is in port for a day, a ferry to a neighbouring island can be a quieter alternative to the Old Town, but only if the boat, the quay and the return all work. Our Rhodes ferry hub lists the routes and operators; this post covers what to check before you buy. Everything below was read on official or operator pages on 29 October 2026; where only a booking site says it, we say so.
1. Ferry or excursion boat: know which one you are buying
A scheduled ferry or catamaran is a seat from one port to another. Dodekanisos Seaways, for example, says it operates two high-speed catamarans, Dodekanisos Express and Dodekanisos Pride, and the passenger and vehicle ferry Panagia Skiadeni; Blue Star Ferries also sails to Symi, Halki and Kastellorizo, as Ferryhopper lists. A day excursion is a different product. At Symi, the Municipal Port Fund of South Dodecanese says the main harbour has a 90 m section for ferries and large day-cruise ships, while its other quays serve smaller tourist boats, yachts and fishing vessels. Before you pay, ask whether the return is included, who sets the time you must be back at the boat, and what happens if that is later than your ship's all-aboard time.
2. Which quay, and how far from your ship
Sources describe the Rhodes ports differently, so confirm the quay before you leave the ship. The Municipal Port Fund of South Dodecanese describes the Port of Akandia as the commercial and passenger port, says all ferries depart from Akandia and that tickets are sold at each ferry company's counter, and adds that a summer service to Marmaris, Datça and Fethiye leaves from the Tourist Port. Ferryhopper, a booking site, says the Port of Rhodes (Rhodes Tourist Port) is "located by the Old Town and easily accessible on foot" and serves Athens, Turkey and the Dodecanese, while Kamiros Skala on the west side serves Halki and Tilos.
Neither page gives the walking distance from a cruise berth to the quay, and we found no official page that does, so ask your ship's shore-excursion desk or the operator, and allow extra time. The Fund describes the Tourist Port as having a Home Port Lounge, an information desk, a passenger waiting area with medical facilities and safe boarding access. It describes Mandraki as a yacht marina with 175 berths, used mainly by fishing boats and larger yachts, with direct access to the Medieval City, so do not assume a ferry leaves from there.
3. The routes people ask about
| Route | What the sources say |
|---|---|
| Symi | As Ferryhopper lists, Rhodes to Symi runs daily all year with Saos Ferries, Dodekanisos Seaways, Blue Star Ferries and Sebeco Lines; the shortest listed trip is 45 minutes. It names Gialos as the main terminal on Symi. Panormitis, on Symi's south coast, is a separate stop served only by Dodekanisos Seaways, in the months from March or April to November. |
| Halki | Ferryhopper lists Rhodes to Halki 5 to 7 days a week, shortest trip 45 minutes (Blue Star Ferries, Saos Ferries, Dodekanisos Seaways), and a separate Kamiros Skala to Halki sailing by Nissos Chalki from April to November (40 minutes). The Fund says Halki's dock is in the bay beside the main village and that routes run to and from Kamiros Skala on Rhodes. |
| Kastellorizo | Ferryhopper lists 5 to 7 days a week with a shortest trip of 2 hours 20 minutes. The Fund's island page says Kastellorizo is 5 hours by ferry from Rhodes, so the two pages disagree: read the operator's timetable for your date before you think of this as a day trip. The main dock is in Megisti Bay, beside the village. |
| Marmaris and Fethiye (Turkey) | Ferryhopper lists Marmaris with Sea Dreams (shortest trip 1 hour, 3 to 7 days a week) and Fethiye with Sky Marine Ferries, Tilos Travel and IDO (its listings give both 25 minutes and 1 hour 25 minutes). The Fund describes the Turkey service as a summer one from the Tourist Port and mentions a ticket control kiosk there for travellers to Turkey. We did not check entry rules for Turkey; confirm what you need before you book. |
4. Tickets, check-in and timing
- Dodekanisos Seaways' travel terms say passengers must arrive 60 minutes before departure, and that tickets bought by phone or website can be shown as a QR code sent by email or SMS. You must show your ticket and a passport, identity card or other valid travel document when boarding.
- Blue Star Ferries says web check-in opens 48 hours before departure and closes 2 hours before, and that you show the e-ticket together with an ID card or passport. If you collect a ticket at a port agency, it asks you to do so at least 2 hours before departure. Its general conditions ask passengers to be at the embarkation area at least one hour before departure.
- Both operators say they are not responsible for delays or cancellations when the Ministry or the port authority prohibits sailing. Blue Star says tickets for a cancelled departure are not valid for boarding and must be exchanged for the next departure, subject to availability; Dodekanisos Seaways says you can change the ticket or ask for a refund within six months.
- Dodekanisos Seaways' travel terms say itineraries are subject to change and that changes are posted at once on its website, so check it for your date.
- Strikes and itinerary changes are posted as notices on Blue Star's site. For example, a notice last updated on 26 October 2026 set out changes for a 24-hour strike on Friday 30 October 2026, including a Blue Star Chios departure from Piraeus at 23:00 on 30 October for the Dodecanese and Rhodes. Check the notices for your own date.
We do not quote fares; check the operator's own booking page for your date.
5. Luggage, steps and comfort
Luggage limits differ. Dodekanisos Seaways says hand luggage may weigh up to 40 kg and 0.5 m³, and that luggage goes in the vehicle compartment, which passengers cannot reach during the trip, so keep essentials with you. Blue Star Ferries allows luggage up to 50 kilos or 1 m³ free of charge and says valuables should not go in luggage and can be handed to the Chief Purser.
On access, the operators' pages are general rather than specific to the Rhodes quays. Dodekanisos Seaways says its ships have special accommodation areas for people with special needs, with easy access that avoids climbing to the upper decks. Blue Star Ferries says its vessels have specially designed cabins with easy access, that there are few of them and that they should be reserved in advance through its reservations centre (+30 210 891 9800), a travel agency or its online Help Center; the Help Center also takes requests for assistance with embarking and disembarking. We found no official page describing gangways, ramps or step-free routes at the Rhodes quays or on Symi, so ask the operator in writing. Our access guide lists the questions.
6. Keeping a safe margin for the ship
A ferry ticket and a cruise ticket are separate. Pick a return sailing you have seen on the operator's page for your date, leave time for the walk from the quay to the ship, and write down a second option. Ask your cruise line what happens if you are late; we have not checked any cruise line's policy. Our guides on why separate tickets need a buffer and the all-aboard worksheet help you set the margin. If no ferry fits, Rhodes Old Town or Lindos is the simpler choice. All routes and operators are on the Rhodes ferry hub.
Checked on 29 October 2026: the Municipal Port Fund of South Dodecanese pages for Rhodes, Symi, Kastellorizo and Halki; Dodekanisos Seaways' home page and travel terms; Blue Star Ferries' web check-in page, general conditions, special-needs FAQ and strike notice (updated 26 October 2026); and Ferryhopper's Rhodes and Rhodes-Symi pages, read as a booking site and not as the authority on timetables. Timetables, quays and rules change: check the operator's page for your date before you book.