Ferry from Mykonos to Santorini
 

Is there a big ferry from Mykonos to Santorini in early September? We were planning on taking the flying cat but now our travel agent suggests we fly instead in case the cat is cancelled due to high winds. Well, in case of high winds I don't want to fly either, particularly on a 17 seater express jet. I've traveled on a cat before between St. Thomas and St. John in the Virgin Islands and then again in Italy. Both rides were relatively mild and enjoyable. I've also flown on a 19 seater between Key West and Miami and it was uncomfortable - quite a bit of turbulence. So, I thought the ideal solution was a large ferry but I can't find one. HELP! Any other route suggestions? Let me add that we're already committed to our itinerary, having paid for our stay at the Petasos Beach in Mykonos and Sun Rocks in Santorini, so I'm not looking to change my trip but if the cat is cancelled it could result in a loss of time in Santorini which would a terrible shame. BTW, I've read about the winds in Greece but I thought they're usually over in September (?)Thanks!!!

You could take a ferry from Mykonos to Naxos or Paros, then the Blue Star from there to Santorini. There is a small risk of the FlyingCat 4 being cancelled due to wind in September (the Meltemi isn't just in Jul and Aug), but if it were that big a problem they wouldn't offer the service. Were it me, I would plan on taking the FlyingCat 4, but keep a close eye on the weather forecasts two or three days before the day of travel.

Thank you, Heimdall. Per your suggestion, I went on-line and found that, as you said, a Blue Star ferry is available to Santorini via a Naxos or Paros connection. Thanks so much! It's great to have a "backup plan" in case of strong winds. But I have 2 more questions: First, what kind of ferry is the Hellenic Seaways Highspeed 2 that goes from Mykonos to both Naxos and Paros? And second, do you think we'll have a problem if we don't buy the ferry tickets ahead of time for travel on September 6? Are the islands still very croweded at this time? Ideally, I'd like to follow your advice and stay with the original cat, but travel the other via if inclement weather. Thanks again!

Hi njlady,

Highspeed 2 is also a catamaran, but a completely different class from FlyingCat 4. Highspeed 2 is one of a series of five large car-carrying cats which have become the mainstay of Hellenic Seaways. You can find out more about these ships by going to: http://www.hellenicseaways.gr/index.asp?a_id=209 and clicking on "The Fleet" at the top of the page.

There are no guarantees when it comes to weather, but the highspeeds are less likely to be cancelled because of high wind than the flying cats, and more comfortable sailing when they do run in high winds.

Now for your question of whether to book ahead: crowds begin to melt away at the end of August, and the first week of September is one of my favorite times to be on the islands. It's not necessary to book ahead for ferries in September, but if your primary plan is to take FlyingCat 4, you may as well book ahead anyway. I say this because it doesn't sail on Sep 5th, and therefore demand for tickets the following day may be high - if there is one day in September when it will be sold out, it will be Sep 6th. See http://www.ferries.gr/hfd/. Don't worry about booking ahead for ferries in your backup plan. Just wait and see what the weather is like. Chances are the FlyingCat 4 will sail as scheduled. Have a wonderful holiday.

Hey, Heimdall!
Thank you and thank you again. You've been sooooo helpful. I feel so much better knowing that, in the worst case scenario, we won't be stranded. I'll go ahead and book on the cat.
Thanks again!!