Maroula: Our Traditional Wooden Kaiki

Maroula is not just another excursion boat tied up in Stavros. She is a handmade wooden vessel with a proper northern Greek beginning, long Ionian years behind her, and a character you feel the moment you step aboard. For guests of maRea Cruises, she brings a slower, warmer kind of day at sea, the sort many people rember long after the swim stops and photos are done.

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Boat profile

Built in a Thessaloniki shipyard in 1981, Maroula spent more than four decades around Ithaca in the Ionian Sea before returning to northern Greece. Earlier in her working life, the owners describe her as a transfer boat, using the term perama, and later she worked as a tourist boat for daily cruises and private events. She was previously known as Mana Korina. Today, under the name Maroula, she operates from Stavros in the Strymonikos Gulf with maRea Cruises.

At a glance

Current name: Maroula
Previous name: Mana Korina
Built: 1981
Built in: Thessaloniki
Construction: Traditional handcrafted wooden boat
Area today: Stavros and the wider Strymonikos Gulf
Past working area: Ithaca and the surrounding Ionian waters
Trips: Scheduled cruises and private experiences, subject to programme

Confirmed specifications

The technical details below should be published only after direct operator confirmation. That matters, becuase guests often ask the practical questions first.

Technical type and whether “kaiki” is descriptive, technical, or both
Whether “perama” refers to former working use, hull type, or local description
Dimensions
Engine details
Licensed passenger capacity
Shade and seating arrangement
Toilet availability
Swimming ladders
Safety equipment carried onboard
Accessibility considerations
Storage for bags and personal items

Dated timeline

1981: Built by hand in Thessaloniki
1981 onwards: Worked around Ithaca in the Ionian Sea
Later years: Used for daily guest cruises and private events
Before return north: Known as Mana Korina
Today: Operating from Stavros as Maroula with maRea Cruises

Built in Thessaloniki in 1981

That Thessaloniki origin matters. Up here, people still recognise the lines and feel of a proper wooden working boat. Maroula was built by hand, not stamped out to look neat and identical. You can sense that in the way she sits in the water and in the atmosphere she brings alongside the harbour.

For us in Stavros, there is something special about seeing a vessel with roots in Thessaloniki come back to northern Greek waters after such a long working life elsewhere. It gives her a local thread, not just a nice story.

Four decades around Ithaca

Maroula then spent more than forty years around Ithaca, in the Ionian Sea. That is not a short holiday chapter. It is a full working life in a region known for island crossings, coastal movement, summer visitors and the practical demands of daily operation.

Boats that work that long in Greek waters earn their place. Salt, sun, loading, unloading, changing weather, busy August days, quiet shoulder months, all of it leaves marks and also builds trust. That long Ionian chapter is part of why Maroula feels lived-in rather than staged.

From transfer work to guest cruises

According to the owners, her earlier role was as a transfer boat, described by them as a perama. Later, she moved into tourist work, carrying guests on daily cruises and private occasions. That shift makes sense to anyone who knows Greek boats. A vessel built for practical service often turns out to be ideal for honest, comfortable day trips once her working rhythm changes a bit.

It also explains why people tend to feel at ease onboard. A boat with a real job history usually moves with a certain calmness. Not fancy for the sake of it. Just proper.

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Mana Korina becomes Maroula

Names matter at sea. Before coming north, she was known as Mana Korina. Now she sails as Maroula, and the new name suits this chapter in Stavros very well. It gives the boat a fresh local identity without wiping away the years she already carries.

That blend is very maRea. Captain Argy brings a lifetime around ships, from childhood in Strymonikos to years in the Merchant Marine, while Maro brings the creative side and the warmth guests notice quickly. The result does not feel forced or too polished. It feels lived and real.

Return to northern Greece

Maroula now works from Stavros, on the eastern side of the Thessaloniki region and at the doorstep of the Strymonikos Gulf. This is a very different cruising mood from the Ionian. The coastline here opens out in long beaches, clear shallows, rocky points and broad views toward the gulf. On a good summer morning the water can be remarkably clear, though local winds can freshen later in the day, as anyone from this coast will tell you.

Stavros is easy enough to reach by road from Thessaloniki, usually around an hour and a bit depending on traffic. Guests staying in the wider area around Asprovalta, Vrasna or Olympiada can reach the harbour even more easily. If you are planning around weather, it is wise to check local marine conditions and forecasts close to the day with the Hellenic National Meteorological Service.

What a kaiki and perama mean, after technical verification

People often call traditional Greek wooden boats “kaikia”. In everyday speech that is normal and useful. It points to a handmade working-boat tradition rather than a strict brochure category. The word “perama” can also be used in Greek maritime talk, but its exact meaning can shift depending on local use, hull form and former working role. So this part should stay careful untill the operator confirms the technical classification they want published.

What can be said safely already is that Maroula belongs to the living tradition of wooden Greek boats, and that is exactly why many guests are drawn to her.

What guests experience onboard

A day aboard a wooden boat is different from a standard plastic excursion craft. The feel is softer. The photos are nicer, yes, but more importantly the whole trip feels more personal. From Stavros, Maroula is suited to coastal outings in the Strymonikos area, where the pleasure is often in the combination of sea breeze, swim stops, quiet coves, nearby landmarks and simple time together.

Good fit for couples who want atmosphere rather than noise
Lovely for families if the facilities match their needs
Strong choice for small groups and private occasions
Appeals to travellers who enjoy maritime heritage
Especially nice for guests interested in the coast near Kafkanas and Ancient Stageira

For route ideas and the kind of experiences maRea runs, guests can look at Morning Escape, Sunset Delight and Private Cruises. If you want the wider story of the people behind the boat, see About maRea and Captain Argy.

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Don't forget to mention:

Number of persons, possible dates
The hotel you'll be staying at

Safety and comfort facts

This is where clear confirmation matters more than romance. Before booking, especially for older travellers, families with children, or anyone with mobility concerns, ask for the current onboard facts. Wooden charm is wonderful, but practical details decide whether a trip suits you well.

Ask how much shade is available during the hottest hours
Check seating style and whether there is back support
Confirm if there is a toilet onboard
Ask about boarding from the quay and reboarding from the sea
Check whether there are ladders for swimming stops
Ask about life-saving and safety equipment
Confirm storage for bags, towels and children’s things
Discuss accessibility directly before booking

For the team’s approach to the sea and local operation, the page on Responsible Sea Tourism is worth reading.

Care of a working wooden boat

Anyone who has spent time around traditional boats knows this already. A wooden vessel is never simply “finished”. She needs ongoing care, close watching and proper respect. Sun, salt and daily use ask for constant attention. That is part of the beauty and part of the responsibility.

Maroula should be seen as living maritime heritage, not as a museum piece frozen in time. She still works. She still carries people. And that makes her more meaningful than a boat kept only for display. If you want broader context on traditional Greek maritime culture, the official Greek tourism site and the background on Ithaca help place her story.

Handmade onboard gift shop

One detail guests tend to remember is the onboard gift shop, which offers handmade creations by the maRea crew and family. It is a small thing, but not really a small thing. It gives the boat a personal touch that matches the rest of the experience. Not generic souvenirs, just pieces made by the people behind the trip.

You feel Maro’s hand in this side of the boat. Creative, warm, a bit playful, and rooted in family rather than mass retail.

Trips Maroula operates

Maroula operates with maRea Cruises from Stavros for scheduled outings and private experiences, depending on the current programme and weather. In this area, conditions can change with wind direction and strength, so exact routing is always best confirmed close to departure. The harbour team can advise what suits your group best, whether you want a relaxed morning on the water, a softer late-day cruise, or something private and tailored.

If you would like to meet Maroula in person, you can book a scheduled cruise or ask about a private day through Contact. There is also a useful overview of the boat and trips through maRea’s related pages, and for a broader yachting context in Greece you can browse yachts.holiday.

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Don't forget to mention:

Number of persons, possible dates
The hotel you'll be staying at

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