GNV Ferry from Rome (Civitaveccia) to Palermo - not recommended

Thank you for the review ! Another overland option (never done it myself) is the night train; Italian night trains have a variety of accommodations and you get to use one of the few remaining train ferries in the world. For Palermo, I assume it takes about the same time as the ferry, and you avoid the getting to Civitavecchia/embarking/disembarking logistics.

I thought 85 degrees F were around 45° C, but it's less than 30!

When you visit a country where locals are "used to heat exhaustion" you are supposed to either adapt or not complain. And yes, you are free to spend your hard-earned dollars somewhere else etc. etc.
Half of southern Europe is burning, but let's forget it's caused by people who have being thinking for decades that they have a god-given right to enjoy 70 degrees all around the world and 365 days a year.

The Italian Department of State ordered the Captain of your ship to stay out of the port for 3 hours. Blaming GNV makes no sense.

This is what happened and that you did not get before writing your review: the rescue center in Lampedusa (for the Geographically impaired: Lampedusa is a small island between Sicily and Africa) was full of refugees who had not finished their quarantine. Therefore, a few hundreds had to be taken to Sicily by ferry.

Your ship was supposed to dock at a pier close to the one used by one of these ferries full of immigrants. Or maybe they were using the pier usually assigned to GNV. In both cases when this happens passengers ships are kept far from the refugees' ships. Since Covid they are kept as far as possible, for obvious reasons. Even before, getting off a ship together with hundreds of angry refugees isn't the best way to start a vacation. How this could become: "was delayed with visas for people from Africa or something," is beyond comprehension. Visas?

In short, you are complaining because there were only two cafes, the ship is old and because Italians don't like to freeze in Summer.

Newman.....I've experienced those type of heat issues all over Europe. That's why I carry one of these fans with me. They fit in the palm of your hand. It won't cool down a room, but put it on the nightstand next to you and it will cool the area enough to let you sleep. It takes up no room and weighs very little.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07R2BBZ2B/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

When I first bought one they were $15. They are, I believe, being discontinued, so the cheap price.

True Dario that it’s only 30-degrees, but I’m sure his windows didn’t open, making it feel stiflingly. My apartment in the south of France is that temperature today, but all windows are open, shades and awnings keeping the light out. I hope that muffler-less motorcycle doesn’t go flying through the neighborhood past midnight again. I bet you are a lot hotter than that in Italy this week!

The reasons for the delay were what a crew member and some passengers passed along - it's not GNV's fault, however we got indications from other passengers that it was common. Good to know for tourists planning itineraries.

AC works fine on other ferries in Italy, so it's fair to point out that it doesn't work on this ship - particularly for planning during a heat wave. They specifically advertise rooms as air conditioned. I estimated 85+, it could have been hotter - my wife is Italian and couldn't sleep and I've never seen that. To be honest I could have handled the lack of AC, but the lack of fresh air (all Italians care about that) - a small room with 4 people all breathing the same stale air? With a small bathroom? At least give us a hot sea breeze!

Intended audience is international tourists who potentially care about such details.

I have taken the night train from Rome to Catania. Don't do that. The train jerked constantly from side to side, making it impossible to fall asleep. In the past (yes, I was younger then) I was able at least to doze in a couchette, but I got not one wink of sleep on that night train. I assume the issue was the condition of the rails (in which case I don't think a standard sleeping compartment would have been much better) but don't know for sure. Never again.

So I guess flying is the way to go unless one is willing to travel in the daytime.

Edited to add: The train was also at least 3 hours late due to some sort of contruction at the Straits of Messina.

I have had similar experience, my ferry too was delayed for about 2 hours or more. I was really devastated