Hello Fellow travelers
My girlfriend and I will be in Crete end of May and are looking for a boat (preferably night) to Athens.
What has been people’s experience with this? I found this site that appears to have links to night boat. Can anyone suggest other resource (links ?) or share their experience? Cost, convenience etc? http://www.cretetravel.com/travel_tips/ferries-to-and-from-crete/
Thank you in advance!!
I followed the link given on the website you mentioned and it will give you the times/costs of sailings from Heraklion (Crete) to Piraeus (Athens). I used a dummy date in May and the schedules/prices are there. http://www.cretetravel.com/tickets/
I've not taken a night ferry in Greece, but I have taken them in Scandinavia and from Sicily to Naples. They weren't a luxury cruise but comfortable and I slept just fine in our small bare-bones cabin. Overnight ferries are much better than night trains, in my opinion.
We took an overnight ferry from Chania to Piraeus in 2014. We had a private cabin with a window. I would not say that we slept as well as in a hotel room, but it was definitely better than on an overnight train. We didn't wake up until well after we docked and were almost the last ones off the ship.
We normally would have flown, but the ferry, even with the exterior cabin, was much cheaper. I'd taken an overnight ferry more than once before, but I'd never had a cabin. If we'd staked territory in the open areas, I know we wouldn't have slept so well or so long.
I have no experience with that route but have twice had a small cabin on an overnight ferry and found the trip comfortable enough. I wouldn't hesitate to do it again.
You do not say which port you plan to sail from, or if you are in between and can go to Either. I have not done this sailing but I understand that the Minoan ferry line, which sails only from Heraklion, supposedly has the newer, nicer ferry (Palace of Knossos??) as compared to the other line, sailing from Chania. Rates for cabins I believe are similar, regulated by govt.
Thanks everyone for the feedback! I have taken several night trains so this is good input! I believe we are leaving from Heraklion so cabin with external window works. Safe travels everyone!
Any thoughts on a flight? It's less than 1 hour from Crete to Athens and the price may be a lot better. According to Aegean Airlines a ticket from Chania to Athens for May is 55 euros, even less if you go earlier in the morning compared to 76 euros by ferry. I flew to/from Chania and it was much more enjoyable than 9+ hours on a ferry.
Thanks tommyk5 for the suggestion. Will check flights and compare cost options. I am kinda interested in a night boat ride. I have taken several night trains and always enjoyed the experience.
TommyK, what you do not factor in is that, if you take a flight, you also have to pay for a hotel for the night ... the €76 ferry ticket also gives you a bed for the night.
I did this in reverse with a friend decades ago. We slept, but we were young--in our 20's--and so I don't know if we would sleep as well now. We had a cabin with a bunk bed and didn't share with anyone else. That aspect is likely different today, but may be the same. We liked it as we didn't have to pay for a hotel for one night.
Pam
If a cabin is in your budget, get one. I know lots of other agree; just adding on.
