LeslieC

I need help on flights/ferries between Rome and Greece as well as inter-island flights and ferries for Santorini and Crete. Our ideal itinerary for end of May - early June, 2017 is outlined below. First time to these destinations and zero experience with Greek ferry system. I am finding that flight schedules are either limited or it is too early to book (except Ryan Air). I am holding FF seats from LAX to NAP, returning ATH to LAX after 16 nights. Could do this in reverse and could also reverse order of Santorini and Crete.

I have to secure our international flights but worried that I don't yet know all potential flight and ferry schedules yet. Are we likely to get the flights and ferries we need if we wait. I'm afraid to let the Ryan Air seats holding out for Aegean Air or others. Never used Ryan Air and the thought makes me nervous since they only fly on certain days so a delay could be problem:

Day 1: overnight flight LA to Naples
Days 2 - 5: four nights Sorrento (2 day trips to Pompeii and Capri)
Days 6 - 7 Transfer Sorrento to Positano. Two nights Positano
Days 8 - 9: Ferry to Salerno, Train to Rome. Two nights Rome (we've been to Rome before so short stay is fine. We just cannot find flights from NAP to Greek Isles below)
Days 10 - 12: Fly FCO to Chania, Crete. 2 nights Chania, 1 night Herklion
Days 13 - 15: Ferry Herklion, Crete to Santorini. 3 nights Santorini
Days 16 - 17: Fly Santorini to Athens. Two nights Athens
Day 18 Fly home to Los Angeles.

Advice on transportation is what I really need.

brotherleelove2004

Understand that you might not find flight or ferry schedules for next May-June for a few months yet.

Flights: http://tinyurl.com/jpt56k3

Ferries: www.gtp.gr

bvlenci

If you really have little or no interest in visiting Rome on this trip, why not take an Alitalia flight from Naples to Athens, with a connection in Rome.

Heimdall

May is a bit early for flights from Italy direct to the Greek Islands (there may be some), but no problem with connecting flights via Athens.

If you only have three days for Crete it would be better to skip it and spend that time in the Cyclades. For example, fly to Santorini from Athens, then choose another Cyclades island, e.g. Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Folegandros.

stanbr

Major airlines allow you to book flights about354 days in advance so the proper process particularly with FF points is to get your tranatlantic flights booked. Now you have bookends. You will have to wait until probably January before Aegean starts seat sales and ferry timetables take time to come up as well. You need to be patient until these options open up then fill in the connections as they become available.


Your whole plan seems to be too crowded and you will end up spending at least a half day for every change of location but some people like that activity.
I agree with Heimdall consider dropping Crete. You will get a day and a half in Chania and a half day in Heraklion then uses a half day getting to Santorini.

For fun here are images of Sorrento and Chania.
Chania May 2016 https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr...57671465596275
Sorrento http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr5...7634654031558/

Having said that if I had three days in Crete I would make Chania my destination of choice.

One trip rather than traveling to Heraklion for the ferry connection to Santorini we waited for an Aegean seat sale and caught an early flight back to Athens and a flight to Santorini right away. We were in Santorini by 10am. With the seat sale that turned out to be less expensive than two seats on the ferry.