Post by ferryfanyvr on Oct 19, 2014 10:47:40 GMT -8
So here are some pics of various ferries I saw and travelled on in Greece this Sep/Oct. WARNING...PHOTO HEAVY!
Our first full day in Athens saw us spending the day at Pireaus, one of Athens' ports, recovering from jet lag and preparing for our departure to the island of Mykonos the next day. Some misc shots of ferries at Piraeus:
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While we were wandering around the busy port, my friend asked at one of the ticket booths if there was somewhere we could go for the afternoon, just for a ferry ride if nothing else. The lady in the booth suggested we take the 90-minute ride to the island of Aegina where we would have just over 2 hours to spend having lunch and a Mythos (Greek beer....one of countless to be consumed over the upcoming days ) before catching a ferry back to Piraeus.
Our ferry from Piraeus to Aegina:
There were 2 food and beverage concessions on board, 1 inside and 1 outside. Both were operated under the "Everest" convenience store/fast food franchise name.
Just like the rest of the plumbing in Greece, used toilet paper IS NOT allowed to go into the toilet:
Our return trip from Aegina to Piraeus was on board the only double-ended ferry I saw while I was there!
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The day after Aegina we left Piraeus at 0730 for the 6+ hour trip to Mykonos with stops at Siros and Tinos aboard Blue Star Ferries' "Blue Star Ithaki". Built in 2000 she is a beautiful ship carrying 245 cars and 1317 passengers. We were surprised when one of the ship's officers told us that she has been sold to Bay Ferries of the maritimes to replace the Princess of Acadia at the end of this year or early 2015.
This airline-style seating costs a premium. As well, the forward-facing seats are "business class" at an even higher price (I think it was an extra 20-30 Euro depending on the distance)
The food service (not yet open as this was taken before departure) is operated by the Goody's chain. There was also another larger outlet at the other end of the deck.
Something bizarre...the bridge wing was actually open to passengers...they even had a few seats to use and allowed people to store small pieces of luggage there. The door into the bridge was open.
My friend Paul on the bridge wing.
Unloading at Siros:
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Our other 2 main ferry trips were both aboard Seajets' passenger-only vessel, Seajet2. Built in 1998 in Norway, she carries 368 passengers at a speed of 38 knots. The first trip aboard her was from Mykonos to Santorini (Thira) which took 2 hours with a stop at Naxos. The second trip was over 6 hours from Santorini back to Athens (Piraeus) with stops at Ios, Naxos, Mykonos, and Siros. Luckily the seats were comfortable, but a bit tattered. They were supposed to have airline-style tray tables, but most had been broken off. Even in economy we had pre-assigned seats which was a good thing since it was packed. There was also a premium class on a smaller upper deck and when I checked it out, the seats didn't look much different although I think they reclined. There were baggage racks on board but not near enough for all the luggage so we were instructed to pile it on the floor. The crew tried to keep the emergency exits and passageways clear, but weren't very successful.
Seajet2 docking at Mykonos:
Seajet2 arriving at Santorini:
Seajet2 interior, main deck:
All in all, riding the ferries was very enjoyable and I hope to do it again. The Blue Star Ferries and Seajets websites were very easy to navigate and we had our trips booked and paid for from home months in advance. After booking, you print off a PTA (pre-paid ticket advice) which you in turn present to the port agents in exchange for your tickets. We never waited until our departure day to do this, we just stopped in at the ticket offices the day before travelling. This saved a lot of headache as we just had to show up at the port and wait to board while hundreds of other passengers endured long lineups to get their tickets.