33 replies to this topic

[Wim]

Welcome Emma,

To the few who saw the sea giving birth to Crete and shaking hands with sunrise.

The island you saw might be Agii Theodori. Unless of course you saw a peninsula.

Hope you have a good time.



And drink one or two to my health.

[David and Glenda]

We've just got back from driving out to Crete.
We used Minoan lines on both legs ( Venice to Patras Patreus to Heraklion)
On the Heraklion leg we had found ourselves booked into the 'VIP' recliners - these are like aircraft seats with your own individual tv units. I din't find these at all comfortable so crept into the economy recliners wher they were so under utilised you could stretch out over 3 seats.
On the main leg we had ATS ( Aircraft type seats ) there was only one class and each seat was divided from the next by an armrest - so most people slept on the floor.
Note we paid for these seats - DON'T both on the out and retrun journeys, these seats were used by all and sundry and there were no checks on users.( the same applied to the economy recliners on the Patreus legs.
Funny thing was it was more expensive on the ferry to heraklion than it was on the Venice-Patras ferry!
On the return journey, we bought some cheap sleeping bags and air mattresses and slept on the floor instead of the seats - seems to be the done thing as most of the other passengers did the same.

[Emma1310]

I used Anek as they were cheaper. 28€ Piraeos to Chania, and 41€ in a shared cabin on the return from Heraklion. The situation with the reclining seats was the same as on Minoan lines. It was also noisy with lots of tvs on so make sure you take your ear-plugs and eye-mask!

The travel agent told me that if you save the stubs from 5 trips in a year, all with the same name, then you get a free trip. I don't know if it has to be the same route though.

[Wim]

Every complaint needs an advise.

The main reason, as far as I'm concerned, to take a ferry to Greece/Crete is the simple fact that getting there by boat is the ultimate way. The bumping sound of the machine room, the strolling over the decks by moonlight, the sound of the water pushed from the ship leaving behind a trail of foam and even the chance of spotting some dolphins, it all adds to the magic that is part of visiting Greece/Crete. I always experience it as as an intro to a play in which I'll play the prominent part.

The early morning sun that shines a pale light over your destination is the reward you get for not taking an air plane which is the less romantic way of travelling. It's for those who are short of time or just in that funny mood that fits our society so well. Why wait if we can get it right now.

Indeed, like Emma already suggested, hiring a cabin brings that ultimate extra that gets you through the night if you want to sleep that is. If the weather let's me I just get my self a deck chair and wonder, every time again, how bright the stars are shining in that silent universe of theirs. A glass of wine in my hand that often woke me up when it fell to the deck, sheltered by a blanket to keep me comfortable just sailing away on the waves of my thoughts, wondering about the adventures that would be ahead of me.

Funny, Rod Steward is coming along side....

[bondopollis]

Enjoyed that post Wim I was on the ship then, must be the romantic in me,as for Rod Stewart and Sailing reminds me of the old Ark Royal

[Ton]

Wim is a bit romantic about the boat. Unless you are driving to Crete and stay for more than three weeks it does not make sense to come by boat. It's better to find a charter flight and rent a car around 18 euros per day including insurance. The costs coming by boat add up if you take into account the expensive petrol to pay these days to come over and the road tolls on the way. Besides that all the Greek boat liners announced yesterday an increase of up to 28% on all boat tickets. I am really puzzled about the official Greek inflation rate of around 4% when everything except potatoes and onions have gone up more than 15%.
The choise between taking a sardine container charter flight and go through missel thrush Heraklion airport or coming by car risking your lives through crazy banana republic roads in Italy and Greece is yours.

[Wim]

the reward you get for not taking an air plane which is the less romantic way of travelling. It's for those who are short of time or just in that funny mood that fits our society so well. Why wait if we can get it right now.

Did you miss that one Ton

Of course I drove from Holland (several times) by car and I reserved 4 weeks for the whole shebang. But also flying to Athens, stay there one night to stroll the Agora, and ship from Piraeus to Heraklion is a little bit of an adventure. It makes a lot of difference to the start of your holiday on Crete. It makes you feel like travelling.

[Ton]

No Wim I did not miss it.
quote
'getting there by boat is the ultimate way' I think this statement takes precedence over the other statement you made.

Cheers-Ton

[Wim]

Right Ton, if you put it that way than I stick to my statement that getting there by boat, is as far as I'm concerned, the ultimate way.

[David and Glenda]

Our last driving visit to our Skopi home was perforced on us having to bring goods and chattels available at much lower costs in the UK than on the island.
We drove down via Boulogne, Luxembourg ( filled up with the cheapest Euroland fuel there ) Switzerland ( Filled up again there as it was cheaper than Italy ) and thence to Venice.
Travelled on free motorways through France and Luxembourg and paid the annual Motorway toll for Switzerland ( useful for our skiing holidays ), in Italy we chose to use the SP roads which was possibly a mistake as that was the slowest leg of our journey- however the little villages and the approach into venice past all those Villas made it worthwhile.
We had overnight stops at Metz and Lugarno so average daily mileage was around 350 miles ( A gross under estimation on my part - we could have done more, though that would have meant an overnight stop somewwhere in Italy where hotel prices were much steeper.
The Ferries then gave us the other night snoozes.
I'm not sure we found any crazy Banana roads in either Italy or the drive from Patras to Patreus. Apart from the area in and out of Switzerland, the SP roads in Italy were pretty good and the Italian driver seems to have mellowed from previous experiences.
We have, however decided the next time we bring another Picasso load out from UK we'll go via Germany and Austria thus cutting out that cross country route from Milan to Venice.
Shame about the increased ferry costs, but then one has to learn to ride the ever inflating costs these days.

[snapperjac]

Well I'm quite confused about taking the ferry now.

Should I...or shouldn't I!? Such mixed reviews!

From what I see, I will save about £50 by booking an 'airplane type seat'- and probably end up sleeping on deck. I'd be fine with that, but not so sure my boyfriend will be as keen! But...I really love arriving at a greekisland by ferry though, but the fast ferry doesn't seem to work with easyjet flight times

[armando]

x David & Glenda: we live in Brescia (not far from Milan direction Venice) go to Greece since many years, but prefer in general start from Ancona instead of Venice: is less expensive and the timetable is easier for us. Companies are Superfast or Minoan.

x Ton: here a webcam on the segment of CBRH Milano-Venezia (")

http://www.autostrad...mera.do?tlc=176

Geia sas
Armando





* CBRH = Crazy Banana Republic Highway

[Ton]

Hi Armando, just for your info starting this year Superfast introduced a fast service Ferry departing in late afternoon from Pireaus arriving in Heraklion 6 to 7 hours later on the same day. This new service makes it easier to depart from Venice rather than from Ancona thus avoiding Milano & Bologna traffic problems and it is overall cheaper since no cabin is needed for the Pireaus to Heraklion segment. The overall trip time is some hours longer via Venice. Instead of arriving in Heraklion in the morning you arrive in the evening. Price is about the same although may be a bit cheaper departing from Venice since there are fewer tolls and gasoline to pay.

As for the Banana republic roads I seriously consider both Italian and Greek highways extremely dangerous specially close to big cities where traffic lanes are merging and in tunnels.

http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

[armando]

Thanks Ton, I know about the new line of Superfast, receiving the SF news as customer. I remember also, in july-august previous years, some additional runs (Minoan ecc.) starting in the afternoon from Pyraeus.
But we prefere start in the evening ad 21.00, arriving in Crete on early morning (of course others could rather differently)
In these lines, that we use from 1983-84 with older and slower ships, it's habit that people sleeps quite everywere, then there are no problems for the night also without cabin: usually we point the best bar, spend ~2-3 hours drinking something and reading, and after we sleep on the bar sofas.

Accidents: I am sure that you can find this kind of terrific "YouTubes" also for other vegetable-Republics
Anyway I keep my 40 years driving, about 30-35000 Km/year mostly in Italy for work or for fun, including 24 summer holidays trips in Greece (2 in motorbike, 3 in car, others in camping car) without accidents; and I think that it's a normal curriculum.

Bye
A.