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Ferries between islands April/May 2018

Posted by (Solana Beach, CA, USA) on

I will be traveling by ferry in Greece in April and May. When I put together this itinerary, I was comfortable with the scheduling and I have booked lodging accordingly. Now that I read more about potential weather and/or strike problems, I am concerned. The one that is most problematic is the Hydra-Piraeus-Naxos connection, but can't really do anything about it as earliest ferry from Hydra to Piraeus leaves at 7:00am which is also the time ferries leave Piraeus for Naxos, except for the one I am taking at 5:30pm. Is two hours enough time between arriving in Piraeus from Hydra and leaving for Naxos? How best do I get from one the arrival dock to the departure dock once I am in Piraeus? I will not have a car. I will have one medium size suitcase.

April 25 - Piraeus - Hydra 2:15pm - 5:15pm Hellenic Seaways Flying Dolphin

April 30 - Hydra - Piraeus 1:30pm - 3:25pm Hellenic Seaways Flying Cat 6
April 30 - Piraeus - Naxos 5:30pm - 10:45pm Blue Star Ferries Blue Star Naxos

April 5 - Naxos - Heraklion 2:55pm - 6:40pm Sea Jets Champion Jet 1

April/May is on the cusp of low/high season. Should I book ahead of arriving in Greece? I arrive in Athens April 19

Thank you,
Sharon

Posted by
28083 posts

Sharon, I can't address your question about the ferry ports, but are you aware that Hydra is an island often visited by tourists who just don't have time to get to more distant islands? I don't doubt that it is interesting in its own way, but you do have other options. 4-1/2 days seems a very long time there (though this is just an impression I've had from reading guidebooks; I've never been there). Do you already have enough time allocated for the much larger island of Crete?

Posted by
103 posts

Thank you.

Hydra appeals to me for a variety of reasons - 50 years I had a friend who was from there who had some wonderful shops in San Francisco, Kryiakos of Hydra and ever since..., Leonard Cohen was there for 5 years and there are no cars. I plan to hike, go horseback riding, wander around town. I am 75 and travel differently than I used to...

I will be on Crete for 8 days - overnight in Heraklion and then using a driver to Chania through Knossos (after visiting Architectural Museum in Heraklion). I fly home from Chania.

Thanks again,
Sharon

Posted by
28083 posts

You're set, then. I thought you might have reasons.

Sorry that I don't know anything about the ferry ports. I will say that on two trips to the Channel Islands (England-islands-France and vice versa) I've had two ferries canceled--and they were very large ships. I've been to Greece twice and never had a ferry canceled, but it does happen.

I'm hoping our Greek experts find this thread soon. Perhaps they'll have an idea of whether weather bad enough to cause ferry cancellations is predictable enough that you could choose, on the spur of the moment, to ferry back to Athens one day early if things look dicey.

Posted by
103 posts

thank you - I am always more comfortable with at least one back up : )

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