They will also be the first to know about eventual cancellations due to unforeseen cancellations. If you do book online with the companies, you will be charged an extra fee. Are you aware that if you go to mykonos before santorini you will be stopping in santorini. Cost of ferries and whether or not i need to prebook. I m heading to athens in a couple of weeksafter my conference i ve planned an itinerary to mykonos, santorini and cretei have accomodations booked. Everything you need to know about booking ferries to the greek islands including. Greek island ferries run notoriously late, so 30 minutes should give you plenty of time to find the correct terminal and get ready to board. On most islands, you want to be walking distance from the main towns not out in the middle of. July greek island ferries advance booking yes or no. Regarded as one of the top holiday destinations worldwide, santorini is simply mesmerizing.
You can buy your tickets in the airport upon arrival in amphitrion or pacific travel agencies, or you can buy them as you go on the islands you are visiting. The highspeed ferries are so popular, again ironic, that they sell out faster than any of the others. Aug 11, 2015 tips for traveling by ferry in greece choose the right port for departure. Frequently asked questions about travel in greece greek islands. Is it reasonable to book ferries from santorini to mykonos in. Its also good for researching ferry timetables, costs, and schedules. Should i book greek ferries and accommodations in advance. July and august are very busy for the ferry companies. But for peace of mind, book tickets 2 to 3 months in advance. Ive even bought tickets as the ferry is coming into port. Our blog information about greek ferries and destinations. Prebook if you wish but the price is going to be the same as buying your tickets once you get there unless the company say blue star are offering an special deals for early bookings.
Greek ferries are the primary means of transport to and from the islands, and the trip is an experience to be savored. I dont think you have to book the trips so far in advance, like now, but like brotherleelov. Hey, i am going to greece from may 25th to june 10th. If a ticket purchased online doesnt have a barcode that usually means youll.
September is starting to be low season especially for islands in greece. This depends a lot on where you are going, but also on what time of year you are travelling. If you want to catch the piraeus to mykonos ferry on a friday evening in august, you should really book in advance. Fast ferries is a very popular ferry operator, whose capacity tends to be booked out very fast.
So if you are booking in january for a trip in july the schedules posted are not. I have heard a lot of mixed opinions and i was just wondering how important it is whether i book my ferries to and from each island in advance. Information about ferry boats from pireaus to the greek islands with boat photos. This blog is dedicated to giving information about ferries but also destinations served by greek ferries. Note also that it makes very little difference which ticket office you use as all the offices can issue tickets for any ferry and apart from sometimes a nominal booking fee the prices are standardized. Heres help in deciding if renting a car in greece is right for your trip or if youre better off relying on other forms of transportation during your trip to greece. Sometimes ferries booked ahead are subject to schedule change and of course, being greece, no one informs you, so by the time you have to travel you might find a horrible surprise like that ferry was. No need to book in advance, and ferry prices are set so it doesnt matter if you book in advance or not. Detraci regula is a freelance writer who has specialized in greek travel and tours for 18 years. Book far in advance for the most popular islands santorini, mykonos, rhodes, crete. In addition to hotel accommodation and airtickets, when you book the boat tickets to or from patmos you know that everything is under control even before leaving home. Islands like lesvos, and crete are best reached by ferry because the trip is overnight and its like being in a big moving hotel. Also all these years i have found web sites to be unreliable when booking online, not.
Followup and smsemail notifications about any ferry changes. Greek islanders are seasoned ferry experts and they prefer to travel by ferry from piraeus to crete because of the convenience and flexibility it affords. I have never been to greece and not sure how to book ferries. These i recommend you buying your tickets at least a week in advance, if not before then. For those backpackers who plan to wing it you should at the very least book your athens hotel before arriving. Guide to greek ferries updated for 2020 santorini dave. How to book hotels in greece and the greek islands. Greek ferries around the cyclades islands routes and.
Only if, you keep checking the prices online a few a times a month until say may and you observe any significant price drop so you may save, otherwise prices should more or less be fixed. Im planning to travel greece from may 08 to 17, want to visit athens, crete, santorini. Ferryhopper ferry tickets to greek islands, spain, italy. A ferrytale about getting from athens to santorini ferryhopper. Some of the ferries leaving from crete that go to santorini and mykonos are small, so its best to book in advance. Is it necessary to book a ferry ticket in advance in september for. Also all these years i have found web sites to be unreliable when booking online, not so much for the fact that you can or not but sometimes the timetables are plainly just wrong. When visiting greece, it is highly recommended to travel to both of these islands. If you have a complex trip with two or more islands, tours of the mainland, and it is your first time in greece i think you are much better off in the capable hands of a travel agent. The website made it easy to select combinations of ferries from different ferry lines to facilitate our various trips. Pets travel free of charge in specially designed pet cabins available on all vessels of the greek ferries companies. The new highspeed ferry aeolis express shown in the top photo is like a giant speedboat and revolutionized greek island transportation, not to mention tourism on the islands of lesvos and chios. Sep 17, 2019 when should i book my ferry tickets to the greek islands. Pixabay how far in advance must i book my ferry around the cyclades.
About greek island ferry boats matt barretts greece. I had searched a few tips and many of them said there is no need to book ferries in advance. You have pages for individual hotels where you can book directly but you encourage people to book with the travel agencies. Should i book ferry tickets from mykonos to santorini in advance. Map your hotel and pay close attention to location. Highspeed ferries are often about 30% to 90% more expensive than the traditional slower ferries, so shoot for the slow boat to save. Jan 27, 2019 greek island ferries run notoriously late, so 30 minutes should give you plenty of time to find the correct terminal and get ready to board. However, it is necessary to reserve these cabins in advance.
We have all our hotels booked already and were wondering if we should be booking our ferries in advance. If at any time you need to book ferries and hotels, it would be august, when all of europe seems to decend on the islands. Travelers to greece who have spent time in the internet researching their trips often come up against a brick wall when it comes to finding ferry schedules and buying tickets for the boats to get to the islands which they have booked hotels on. However, when it comes to august or the end of july. We have been using a local agency for island travel and they have been booking ferries for us just a few. High season july and august is a very busy period for the greek ferries.
I have read horror stories of people booking in advance and then the tickets being lost in the mail or not showing up in time. With the ongoing monetary crisis i think that is the best way to do it as some ferries have changed scheduled at the last moments and strikes threatened. There is a choice of conventional and modern fast ferries running frequently from piraeus to crete with stops along the way. Jun 18, 20 the best websites for checking these in advance all with english options are gtp. We know its high season and have read that some people recommend buying tickets in advance and some say its better on the spot, and that some ferries are more reliable than others, so we are a bit confused. If your plan is a well structured trip hitting several islands staying in higher quality hotels, then book ahead. The best websites for checking these in advance all with english options are gtp. Hi everyone, i am traveling to greece and the greek islands on the 23rd of july until about the 4th of august. If i select a ferry, should i book my tickets in advance. No hassles when we turned up to exchange our email for our tickets at the ferry.
Hey friends, i have been planning to visit greece for my honeymoon in the beginning of june n want to plan everthin on my own. Paros greece has gained in popularity, and i want to share with you why paros should be on your greek itinerary. My personal experience native greek would also suggest that there is no need to book in advance. Personally, i cannot understand everyones fascination wit mykonos. Save on the cabin price and enjoy your camper during the entire ferry crossing in a closed garage with electricity supply for your vehicle. Why book ferry tickets to greece online and in advance. What should travelers know about the greek ferry system. Tips for traveling by ferry in greece choose the right port for departure. We have been using a local agency for island travel and they have been booking ferries for us just a few days in advance. This is what i meant when i mentioned difficulties with booking online. We receive this question quite a lot, especially during winter months, when most people start planning their summer holidays. If you are traveling around the greek islands in august, in order to avoid any problem of availability, you are advised to book your ferry tickets to greece at least 12 months before.
When should i book my ferry tickets to the greek islands. Greek hydrofoils and ferries ferry schedules change in september, so check your dates, but i did a random search for the 15th using the greek ferries website and found one on minoan that would take you from heraklion around 5pm and deposit you in santorini around 9pm. Mar 11, 2011 do we need to book ferries in advance. Our hotels in each island are already booked but we are not sure if we should buy our ferry tickets now or the day of. These are the first questions that come in mind when traveling by ferry to the greek islands. Booking online will occasionally have a small extra fee but thats usually only if you want to have them delivered to you. This is exactly the reason that i prefer to have my greek island escape either in july or september. The online booking engines usually give more options regarding ferry trips and companies than a local travel agency that cooperates only with.
It is by no means necessary to book ferries beforehand at the time you are coming. The following information regarding greek ferries, schedules and routes are subject to change without prior notice. Should these be fully booked, a small number of kennels are also available, as well as special areas for the pets daily. Please recheck first the updated ferry schedules to make sure that they are congruent with your itinerary. Naxos ferry or fly to athens havent decided that yet. Is prebooking ferries in greece necessary rick steves. There are many reasons why you should arrange to book in advance your ferry tofrom patmos. Even if you book ahead online, you have to print our your eticket and take it to. Are you planning on jumping aboard one of the greek island ferries. Even if distances between islands dont look far every time you get up and move the best part of one day will be lost from your itinerary you shall pack\unpack, check out and in of hotels, transport to and from ports, some waiting time in ports, time for embarking\disembarking and the actual time used for the journey. I will tell you everything you need to know about visiting paros in this paros travel guide, and hopefully by the end youll be convinced to add paros to your greek itinerary. Mar 06, 2019 highspeed ferries are often about 30% to 90% more expensive than the traditional slower ferries, so shoot for the slow boat to save.
If you dont want to book in advance then its fine to book in greece at any shop that says ferry tickets for sale. If you decide to book ferries on your own then you can book hotels through matts page which gives you hotel descriptions, rates and photos. If you got your ticket a long time in advance, double check the departure date time a couple of days before the actual departure. Many of the best hotels are fully booked 6 months in advance. If you are much more flexible on both wherewhen you are going and your sleeping arrangements, then wing it. During peak season at popular ports, you may arrive a bit earlier for peace of mind, but in general, 30 minutes is more than enough time. You can get tickets if you book in advance but if you meander down to. Answering some requent questions, for one of the most popular greek ferry routes. When booking, you will notice different prices, for the same route, at similar times. Got what we wanted online in terms of itinerary and price details and then booked tickets. Poorer version of santorini that costs a lot more in my eyes. Tips for traveling by ferry in greece the sweetest way.