Greek Ferry Schedules 2014 - Tourism Professionals & Travelers Welcome Early Announcement » GTP Headlines

Greek Ferry Schedules 2014 - Tourism Professionals & Travelers Welcome Early Announcement » GTP Headlines

Ferry travel in Greece in 2013

Update 24 April 2013

Also see Greek Seamen join May Day Strike (1 May 2013)

8 April 2013

I'm now back home in England.  How did the journey on 3 April go?  Fine.  The ferry ran (as it was scheduled to do).  The port workers strike did not delay our arrival.  But on a day when more ferries were running, a port workers strike might affect ferries - I don't know.

One thing I did notice was that the lift and escalator from the port to the bridge over the road to the metro station weren't working; and many of the ticket machines were "out of order".  But these are just minor issues compared to the problems that Greece is facing. 

1 April 2013

There is now a banner on the Blue Star home page - about the 01/04/2013 - UNEFFECTED ITINERARIES ON WEDNESDAY 03/04/13, DUE TO PAN-HELLENIC SEAMEN FEDERATION STRIKE

This is the text:

01/04/2013 - UNEFFECTED ITINERARIES ON WEDNESDAY 03/04/13, DUE TO PAN-HELLENIC SEAMEN FEDERATION STRIKE

We inform you that due to the strike of Pan-Hellenic Seamen Federation on Wednesday 20/02/13, the schedules of our vessels will change as follows:

BLUE STAR ΝΑΧOSThe itinerary on Wednesday 03/04/13, from Piraeus 07:25 to Paros-Naxos-Ios-Santorini-Naxos-Paros-Piraeus, will not be effected.

BLUE STAR ITHAKIThe itinerary on Wednesday 03/04/13, from Piraeus 07:35 to Syros-Tinos-Mykonos and return, will not be effected.

BLUE STAR PAROSThe itinerary on Wednesday 03/04/13, from Piraeus 17:30 to Paros-Naxos-Donoussa-Aegiali (Amorgos)-Astypalaia and return, will not be effected.

BLUE STAR 2The itinerary on Wednesday 03/04/13, from Piraeus 19:00 to Syros-Patmos-Leros-Kos-Rhodes and return, will not be effected.

The vessel will depart on Thursday 04/04/13, from Piraeus at 06:00 to Patmos (12:45-13:00), Leros (13:50-14:05), Kos (15:40-16:10), Rhodes 18:55 and from Rhodes at 22:00 to Kos (00:45-01:15 next day), Leros (02:50-03:05), Patmos (03:55-04:10), Piraeus 10:55.

I realise that ferry companies do not want to announce changes too early, in case a strike is called off.  But it would be helpful to announce further in advance the changes that would be made if the strike takes place.  In places where there isn't a daily boat, passengers do need to plan ahead!

1 April 2013 (midday)

I now have my ferry ticket from the island back to Piraeus, leaving at 6 a.m. on 3 April, the day of the strike. 

I've looked more closely at the Blue Star web site (http://www.bluestarferries.com/site/content.asp?loc=2 )  During the bad weather in March, there was a banner on the main page listing "Uneffected Intineraries".  There is at present no such banner.  I had been assuming that all "uneffected iitineraries" would be listed in thsi way, regardless of the reason for the ship not running.

If you go to the timetable pages (e.g. http://www.bluestarferries.com/site/content.asp?sel=624&loc=2 there are two sets of information under the timetable. 

The first lists dates that appear to be changes to the standard timeatble planned in advance, e.g. because of holidays.

At the end there is a heading "REMARKS:- UNEFFECTED ITINERARIES"

This lists, e.g. 03/04/13 (from PIRAEUS) & 04/04/13 (to PIRAEUS).

The ferry going from the island to Piraeus is running on the morning of 3 April.  But the boast from Piraeus that evening is not running; and as there would be no ferry on the island, the morning departure on 4 April is not running.

I understand the logic of this.  But don't expect the same changes to be made by all companies during every strike!




1 April 2013 (and not an April Fool!)

The 3 April strike still appears to be taking place.  No news about changes yet on the Blue Star website.  If I was really keen to catch my flight on Friday I'd have been down to the ticket agency.  I may yet change my flight again and stay longer.  The weather in England is still cold!


27 March 2013

Here we go again.  Just as positive reports on increases in the number of tourists booking to come to Greece this year started to appear in the press, a 24 hour seamen's strike has been called, starting at 6 a.m. on Wednesday 3 April - see Paros News Blog (in Greek):
"the first seamen's strike of the new season of 2013 will be held Wednesday, April 3 from 6 in the morning."

The strike may perhaps be called off - but news of the strike will do nothing to encourage tourism in Greece this year.  Guess who was planning to catch a ferry from an island to Piraeus next Wednesday!  I'm hoping that the ferry will leave at 6 a.m. on the Thursday - the revised timetables won't be issued until nearer the date of the strike.
________________________________________________________

It is mid March 2013.  I'll try and keep the information below (originally written on 19 March 2013) updated.  My recommendation?  Don't be put off coming to Greece because of travel uncertainties.  Just be prepared for fewer ferries than usual.  I have used Amorgos as an example, as that is the island I most often visit. 

Ferries in 2012

In early summer 2012 the following ferries were running to Katapola, on Amorgos.

Express Scopelitis (Small Cyclades Lines) - 6 days a week to and from Naxos

Blue Star Naxos or Blue Star Paros (Blue Star Ferries) - three times a week to and from Piraeus.  Also three ferries a week from Aegiale at the other end of Amorgos  (those ferries carry on to Astypalia).

Artemis (ANEK)  - twice a week to and from Syros.

Aqua Spirit (NEL) - once or twice a week to and from Syros.

In midsummer there was also a flying dolphin going to and from Piraeus, doing a circular route.

Ferries in March 2013

The Express Scopelitis is in Piraeus for her annual maintenance.  No doubt the Express Scopelitis will be back in service by Greek Easter.

Blue Star Ferries are running six ferries a week to Amorgos, three to Katapola and three to Aegiale.

Live Ships Map shows that the Artemis has been in Piraeus all winter.  The ANEK web site does not show the Artemis as being one of the ANEK fleet.

The timetable on the NEL Lines website shows the Aqua Spirit running from Syros to Katapola from 1 November 2012 to 28 June 2013 and 9 September 2013 to 31 October 2013.  But she is not shown as running on Greek Travel Pages and I suspect that she is not running. 

Ferries in Summer 2013

The Express Scopelitis timetable is not online, and the only information I've found is on Greek Travel Pages, and is not published in advance.  The Express Scopelitis usually runs from Amorgos to Naxos and back 6 days a week (Monday to Saturday), and in midsummer in recent years has been doing a day trip to Ios and Santorini.

From 1 April 2013 to 9 June 2013 Blue Star Ferries website shows two ferries a week from Katapola to Piraeus (Monday and Wednesday) and three from Aegiale to Piraeus. 

The Artemis and Aqua Spirit.  I have seen no information, apart from that on the Aqua Spirit mentioned above.  These two ferries did run a very useful route, varying from day to day, providing links between islands not linked directly by the larger ferries.  If these ferries do not run you might need to stay overnight on the mainland if you wanted, e.g., to go from Naxos to Kea.  Also, running on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, these ferries were very useful for people with flights to and from home at weekends.

Flying Dolphin

I have seen no information about the route to Amorgos.  But I have read recently that High Speeds (larger than flying dolphins, and taking vehicles) will run for a shorter summer season than usual.


Where to get information?

The best place to ask is a travel agent in Greece.  But with fewer travellers and fewer boats travel agencies are closing.  I started coming to Greece in the 1980s, and remember that in Folegandros there was no travel agency.  Someone arrived to sell tickets by the harbour about an hour before the boat was due.  But you needed to know when the boat was due - there were no laptops or internet in those days!

Ferry companies' websites are not always kept up-to-date.

Greek Travel Pages is a very good source of information, but cannot be 100% accurate. Apart from unexpected changes because of storms, ferry companies may change routes / times without updating their websites.

Strikes

Strikes are another factor to add into the equation when travelling by ferries in Greece.  A good summary is in the left hand column of http://livingingreece.gr/

Will the ferry be full?

Be prepared (even in these difficult times for tourism) for ferries to be full in midsummer, around Greek public holidays, or after strikes (when there will be a backlog of passengers). 

ekathimerini.com | Interest groups seen as threat to ferry sector

ekathimerini.com | Interest groups seen as threat to ferry sector

Costa Concordia

Cruise captain 'committed errors', say ship's owners

The capsize of the Costa Concordia set me thinking of Greek ferries and cruise ships.

On my first trip to Greece in 1981 I was travelling on a small ferry (she may have been the Ios, and if I recall correctly she was too small to have a car deck).  We were going from Paros to Santorini.  En route I remember seeing a stricken ship, one end pointing up out of the sea.  The stricken ship looked like the double of the ship I was travelling on.

Poseidon Express

HALF-SUNK PASSENGER SHIP TO BE REFLOATED BY GREEK COAST GUARD

I travelled on the Poseidon Express - one of the best ferries of her day.  In April 1996 she hit rocks near Paros.  I was on a ferry that valled in at Paros when The Poseidon Express was still lying on her side in the harbour.

Golden Vergina  / Express Samina

http://www.greekislandhopping.com/Updates/updatepages/u_disaster.html

The Express Samina, formerly the Golden Vergina, sank after hitting a rock near Paros in 2000.  82 passengers died.  I had travelled on the ship a year or so earlier (going from Samos to Naxos), when she was called the Golden Vergina. 

Sea Diamond

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MS_Sea_Diamond

The Sea Diamond, a cruise ship, sank in 2007 after running aground near Santorini. I remember travelling on one of the Blue Star ferries soon afterwards, siiting in a loune at night half watching the news on TV.  The news was about the sinking of the Sea Diamond.  If I understood the Greek correctly, the gferry I was travelling on had been involved in the rescue.

Kalo Taxidi - Ariadne in the 1990s

 Ariadne in the 1990s

[2011 Update. This was written in the late 1990s. Soon afterwards the "Ariadne" reached the compulsory retirement age for Greek ferries (35 years), and was retired from Greece. A pity as at that time I found her about the best of the Greek ferries.]

I was waiting in Naxos harbour for the ferry to Amorgos. I had made the journey many times, but this time I was waiting for the Ariadne, a new ship. At least a ship that was new to the route, as many of the ferries running in Greece have retired from routes in northern Europe. The Ariadne glided into the harbour, large, white, and modern. We sailed on a glassy smooth sea to Amorgos, lounging by the small pool on the deck. How different this was to my first trip to Amorgos in 1985, on the Marianna.

Mention the name Marianna to anyone you meet in Greece, and if you get a smile of recognition, you will know that they went to Naxos and Amorgos or the islands in between in the "old days". It is like asking someone in England what he was doing at the time of the coronation - a trick - if he was around and remembers what he was doing in 1953, he must be above a certain age. The Marianna was a converted Scandinavian trawler. Well, not so much a converted trawler, as a trawler retired from northern seas and put to use as a Greek ferry with little if anything in the way of conversion. The Marianna was one of the last of a dying breed of Greek ferries. What these old ferries lacked in speed and comfort they made up for in character, and were always laden with supplies. My return journey on the Marianna was in a very rough sea. Shipping safety regulations have now been tightened in Greece and today even a large, modern ship would be unlikely to sail in such a storm. On a large modern ferry, when the going gets rough you can retreat to a relatively sheltered part of the deck or to one of the inside lounges. On the Marianna, those options were not available. It was too windy to risk the stairs to the lower deck. Even if I could have gone below, none of the decks was sheltered. The only cabin was a stuffy hole below deck smelling of cats and fish. It was too rough to stand upright. I lay on the deck, next to the funnel and my feet fended off low flying chairs. I felt like a supine goalkeeper trying to keep the rusty chair legs off my face. As the Marianna tossed and turned in the rough Aegean seas, I imagined oilskin-clad fishermen toiling on board her in her previous incarnation on the North Sea. Travelling in comfort on the Ariadne was a completely different world.

After my stay on Amorgos, I travelled back from Amorgos to Piraeus on the Ariadne, an overnight trip of about ten hours. In a storm, it took the old Marianna ten hours to travel the much shorter distance from Amorgos to Naxos. Curled up in my sleeping bag on the floor of a lounge I snoozed fitfully. The throbbing of an engine is not conducive to a good night’s sleep. I thought back to my first trip abroad, my first overnight trip on a boat. My first trip overseas, it must have been in 1968, from Immingham to Amsterdam on the Tor Hollandia. I could not remember much of the Tor Hollandia. She was a large car ferry (we took our Morris Minor with us). Of her inside, all I can remember are long corridors of cabins, and the large dining area. We had a cabin. There were also lounges with recliner seats and I think couchettes. We had not thought of sleeping on the floor in sleeping bags. In our four-berthed cabin, my parents took the lower bunks; I had the choice of the two upper bunks. The bunks were arranged at right angles. I decided I would rather rock side to side than head to toe. I must have slept well, for I remember little of the crossing. I do remember eating a large smorgasbord breakfast as we approached Amsterdam, so the crossing cannot have been that rough. Until that trip to Amsterdam, I had been on no larger boat than the Humber ferry (a paddle steamer). The Humber crossings were not long enough for me: the excitement of being on deck; going down the inside passage to admire the highly polished brass machinery; drinking a cup of tea in the snug downstairs cabin. Then the journey back to Grimsby by train, through stations still in the 1960s lit by gas.

Piraeus docks approached and I woke up fully. I was on the Ariadne in the 1990s. I was not on the Humber ferry in the 1950s or 1960s. I was not on the Tor Hollandia in 1968.

Or had I been on the Tor Hollandia? Back home I came across an interesting little booklet by Geoffrey Hamer, “Trip Out in Southern Europe.” The booklet includes a list of “Old Friends,” ferries formerly operated in Northern Europe and now running in southern Europe. And there she was. The Tor Hollandia is now the Ariadne. After various changes to adapt the former North Sea ferry to the warmer climes of Greece (after all, what use is an open air pool on a North Sea ferry?) the former Tor Hollandia is now sailing around Greece as the Ariadne. The Tor Hollandia’s sister ship, the Tor Anglia, is now (or was in 1993) running from Italy to Sardinia as the Sardinia Nova. I was not able to check on the present whereabouts of the Marianna. “Last winter, big wind blow – Marianna fall over” was rumoured soon after my trip on her. I have travelled on the Ariadne several times since. It is a strange but pleasant experience travelling in Greece today on a ship that carried me from Immingham to Amsterdam all those years ago.


An extract from my book "Kalo Taxidi"

Old ferries heading to the scrap yard

Old ferries crowding Piraeus port sent to Turkish scrap yard

If I had known that I wouldn't see these old ladies again I would have taken some photos when I arrved at Piraeus last month.  But I was on a High Speed, with no access to the outside, and didn't bother taking any photos through the spray spattered windows.  I saw the row of old ferries, the lower paintwork shades of faded turquoise, moored on the left of the dock near the entrance.

The ferries heading to the scrapyard are these G&A ships

• Daliana
• Dimitroula
• Marina
• Milena
• Rodanthe
• Romilda

I remember when to me travelling on one of the G&A ships seemed the height of luxury!  They were so modern when compared with their predecessors.  Yet when compared with the faster and more modern ferries of today, these about-to-be scrapped ships seem old-fashioned.

Looking back, it is often difficult to recall idiosyncracies of specific ships.  And the names of ships were sometimes changed.  I think of the Dimitra - how did that ship compare with the Dimitroula?  I must do some research!

I do remember the Marina (it was the Marina, i'm fairly certain!).  The Marina was the first ferry I travelled on that went direct from Katapola to Piraeus without stopping.  her unique feature was a small swimming pool on the deck (closed and unfilled at the time of year I travelled on her), and straw covered parasols on the deck (whistling in the strong winds at the time of year I travelled on her!).

These days I rarely travel on the traditional type of ferry such as these old G&A ships.  the Express Skopelitis is much, much smaller.  The Artemis is not as big as the old G&A ferries, and she starts from Syros, not Piraeus.  The last large traditional ferry I travelled on may have been the Romilda, several years ago, when I went from Amorgos to Naxos one winter night.