Using the calendar funciton on www.openseas.gr to backtrack, it appears that last July there was a ferry between Kythira and Kissamos/Chania 4 days/week: Wed, Thurs, Saturday and Sunday. Once on Crete you can catch the highspeed Hellenic Seaways catamaran ferry, the FC4, that will take you to Paros after stopping at Santorini.

What brotherleelove said!

Thanks! Just what I needed, as always.
Any general idea about time including the stop? We usually stick to the slow ferries - I'm guessing is between 4-6 hours on the catamaran? Can't seem to find that timetable...

Here is the FlyingCat 4 timetable for 2012. Bookmark it on your computer, and it will be updated for 2013 sometime in March: http://www.ferries.gr/hfd/.

What Heimdall said!

lol!

You two are so in sync! Thanks again.

I took this route once and it was good. It is a car ferry but it travels at a good speed. Left Neapoli after visitng Elafonisos Isl; Monevassia and Gythio etc. arrived in Kissamos and with some guidance was able to get a direct bus to Hania without very little waiting time. It was the first time I was able to find a very useful use of the greek word signomi, in english, excuse me.

Thanks Chania. Those details are helpful.
I have the advantage of a husband who has learned to speak and read Greek fluently. This always astonishes Greeks when we travel and certainly adds to our fun, esp. when lost in rural areas.
Signomi is one of the few phrases I've used, as I am generally stumped by the language.
Do you recall if it was a morning ferry and how long the bus took to Chania?

The ferry from Neapoli was early morning. That I recall because I left Elafonisos Is. reluctantly the night before and spent the night in Neapoli so as to make sure I got that ferry. The time it took to get to Crete, I don't recall. There was one brief stop in Kythera, I talked non stop to a woman I met from Nice but I would guess it was 1/2 a day. I remember when we docked in Kastelli there was no direction how to find the bus and no one to ask. Another couple were confused as well and we couldn't get any help so I walked up to a person in uniform who was talking to several local people and I said to the couple, watch this. I said "Signomi!" and he quickly turned around and gave me his full attention and directed us to the bus stop for Hania. I think it was maybe 2 hrs to Hania. I don't really recall altho if it was longer I would probably remember that. My memory gets confused as I recall staying in Kastelli but that I believe was on another trip and I was heading back to Neapoli. One time I took the bus from Hania and did a day trip to Afrata on the pensiula east of Kastelli, west of Hania. I walked up to the village from the bus stop on the highway. The village was the centre theme of a book written by a british writer who lived in the village. I met a german woman sitting alone on the front deck of the main restaurant in the village having a coffee. I told her about the book I had read and why I had come to the village. She knew some greek and asked at the restaurant about the book. http://www.cretanvista.co.uk/goodreadingx3.htm
We were directed to the restaurant described in the book and the owners made us lunch and talked about the author. The restaurant was not open but they opened for us. 2 strangers. One from Germany and one from Canada. These are the memories that are never forgotten.

Note that the ferry port in Crete, Kastelli, is sometimes referred to as Kissamos, but they are one and the same.

What a wonderful anecdote Chania - thank you. I will look for the read by Saunders. Reminds me of John Mole's story about a place he bought in Evvia.
I found a schedule on LANE that showed a ferry from Piraeaus to Kythira, although other forums say that is no longer. Did you drive to the south? We'd like to drive, but apparently the picking up/dropping off a rental car at separate locations is an issue. The KTEL schedule seems run down to Neopoli only at night (plus inhibits the wandering). I'm intrigued by this route to Crete, yet still figuring out how to get to Kythira reasonably. We'll only have 5-6 days before we expect to be on Crete. Any thoughts appreciated.

Friends of mine who are from Kythira say that the fastest way to get to the island is with the ferry from Neapoli

The drive from Kastelli Kisamou to Chania is about 45 min., the distance is 40 km

Helpful info - thanks again!