Ferry or Fly to Santorini
 

I am working on our booking to Athens/Santorini for September...We were going to fly return from Athens to Santorini, but later changed our minds and decided to take the high speed ferry to Santorini and then fly back to Athens and connect on for the remainder of our vacation in Amsterdam...We thought that this would allow us to have the excitement of arriving on Santorini on a boat..Since then, I am under the impression that often times high speed ferries are cancelled because of weather and am now wondering if we just shouldn't fly both ways..Any opinions on this? Thanks.

We were on Santorini - and the high speed ferries were cancelled... but so were the flights.

Arriving in Santorini by plane is dissappointing at best. I would probably take the ferry down and fly back as you plan. Just don't assume you will get on or off Santorini on schedule (we didn't).

The three times we went to Santorini we arrived by high speed ferry, then left by plane as you're about to do. We had no problems. One time the ferry was delayed because of high seas, but only by an hour. So far have had no problems with return flights, they always left on time (knock on wood). I love getting to the islands by ferry, don't miss it.

Teresa

Thanks, that is what I was hoping to hear...However, Julie if your flight and ferry were cancelled, how did you get back to Athens? In our case, we have a flight we have to catch to Amsterdam...I quess we will have to cross that bridge at that time.

I'd actually recommend taking the slower ferryboats to Santorini. I took one there last fall and took the high speed back. The slower boats have outdoor decks and you can get outside and enjoy the approach into Santorini rather than only seeing it through the window while being bounced around. If time is a major issue then the faster boats will save you three hours or so but otherwise I'd take the time to enjoy the view. The view as you approach is hard to describe and worth every minute.

Thanks, that is an interesting idea...The slow ferry...I never thought of doing that...
Which one would give the most motion sickness...the high speed or the slow ferry?

Hi Tracy,
We got the high-speed catamaran which is fully enclosed (no outdoor deck) to Santorini and flew back to Athens. The flight took about 25 mins. The view of Santorini, approaching by water, is wonderful. The villages along the top of the caldera look like white frosting on a chocolate cake.
I get terribly seasick and found less motion on the high-speed catamarans and it also means less time on the water - a plus for me.
Kay

Thanks Kay...I get terrible motion sickness too, but I will take a pill before I get on...I like your description of the view of Santorini from the boat..I am glad we have chosen to take the ferry to Santorini as opposed to flying...

If you are worried about getting sea sick, I highly recommend the wrist bands that you can buy at your local drug store. They really work. Apparently they apply pressure on the pressure point which controls motion. I have used them over and over and over including one very rought crossing from Greece to Turkey when several of my friends were sick. Sometimes the pills make you very sleepy.

You are right that the pills make you sleepy, but I tried the wrist bands once and they did not work. Any advice on how to use them properly?..I have booked the ferry to Santorini, so any suggestions are really appreciated.

We took the slow ferry to and from Santorini, although we were going to and from Sifnos...not such a long trip. My two children and I took dramamine and were fine. The return trip was on fairly high seas and although it was quite a ride, even on a big boat, we didn't get sick. We arrived in Santorini at sunrise...the view from the deck of the boat was spectacular. The ferry was delayed when we left and we ended up leaving at sunset...the pictures we took were so lovely...the colors at sunset and sunrise along the caldera brought tears to my eyes.

Have a wonderful trip!

Christine

As an example of ferry schedules, tomorrow there are departures from Pireas to Santorini at 0745 by BLUE STAR PAROS, 0745 by HIGHSPEED 1, 0800 by EXPRESS SANTORINI, 1530 by HIGHSPEED 2 or 3, 1630 by PANAGIA EKATONTAPYLIANI, and 2200 by EXPRESS POSEIDON. For more details, see www.bluestarferries.com (for Blue Star) and www.dolphins.gr (for the others). All apart from the HIGHSPEEDs are proper ships, but the Blue Star ship is faster than the other ships. The fast craft are smaller and lighter, so will have a less comfortable motion and are more likely to be cancelled or disrupted by bad weather. Whichever way you return from Santorini, it's best to allow a spare day in the Athens area if you have an onward connection, in case of delays getting from the island.

Just a quick question if I may- How long does it take by slow ferry from Athens to Santorini? Thanks...

to Beatle:
Bluestar Paros/Naxos/Ithaki: approximately 7 hours

Other conventional ferries: 9 1/2 hours

Highspeed ferries 4 1/2 -5 hours.

Bear in mind that these times are merely indicative since the actual time needed to get from Athens to Santorini depends on how many islands the ferry stops before Santorini.

oops... sorry, I didn't see the question. Our flight from Santorini was cancelled - but we had built a one day buffer in Athens before our return to the US. I learned a big lession - since my Santorini/Athens flight and Athens/Denver flights were purchased seperately, it would have cost us a lot of money to get home if we had missed our flight out of Athens. Luckily, we managed to get out of Santorini just in time to get our flight home. Several people in the Santorini airport were scrambling to rebook their flights home from Athens.