bornintheusa

So do I want the business seat or are the air seats in the lounge fine to recline in and sleep....and does it make any difference which lounge to get--I was looking at the layout of the ship and it didn't say where the lounges were located

travelerjan

On the Blue Star PAROS, Lounge 1 & 2 are the best-located sections (they used to be the non-smoking before the whole boat went nonsmoking), they are forward, on the sides ... smaller sections (2 seats, middle aisle) by the windows, no thru traffic, quieter. The other sections are in the middle of the boat width-wise, larger (like a theatre, with 2 aisled dividing it in 3rds), more noise, TV, etc.

You don't have to order from Amphitrion ahead of time unless you are going in August (I re-read the thread but could not find where you told when you were traveling).

bornintheusa

Thanks Travelerjan--just what I wanted to know since will be sleep deprived from leaving LAX on Thursday night until we arrive in Santorini Saturday so a quiet lounge is the best bet!! Will be on the ferry June 18th so hopefully there isn't a run on Ferry tickets for that day. Husband is saying we should order tickets ahead on line just to have them on hand.

Heimdall

Actually I don't find Lounges 1 & 2 very quiet. They are small, but opposite the main blocks of toilets, with lots of through traffic on the nearby aisles. There is also a large television in each. Lounges 3, 4, & 5 are larger, run down the center of the ship, and have televisions as well.

Business Class has both sofas and chairs, but no reclining seats. The lounge is at the front of the ship, and reserved for Business Class ticket-holders only. There is no through traffic, so it's very quiet, especially first thing in the morning. All sofas and seats have tables, which is nice when it's time to eat, or if you have a netbook with you. Business Class has it's own bar/snackbar with a good menu, and waiters bring the order to your seat. There are windows at front and both sides of Business Class, so you get a panoramic view. While Economy passengers can't come into Business Class, you are free to wander around the ship and back to the outside deck. IMO the extra €10.50 is well worth the money, especially on the longer trips, e.g. Piraeus-Santorini.

travelerjan

I cannot think that a saturday in JUne, on a ferry holding 1400+ passengers, that there will be a sell-out. If you insist, think about doing it through one of those 24/7 airport agencies, Pacific Travel or Amphitrion, & picking up the paper tickets on arrival. My memory may be fading with advanced age, but I seem to recall that when I once ordered online direct from Blue Star, they had the options of having to pick them up at only a blue star office, or having them FedExed to me, a very pricey choice. SOmeone can doubtless correct me on that score.

As for what seats, you may have a good option if it's not high season -- get those "reserved economy" seats and when you board, take a look. Also, go look at business class. from outside its doors. If you think you'd prefer it, go to a steward and pay for an upgrade. If you go on board an hour or so before sailing, as Heimdall advises, you'll have ample time to decide on the spot.

Heimdall

There's nothing wrong with pre-booking online, although I never do (except just once to see how it works). You won't "have them on hand", only a reference number which you bring to the agent to retrieve the actual tickets. That takes just as long as buying tickets on the spot, but at least you won't have to worry between now and next June that the ferry might be full. ;-) It also means paying for the tickets up front with your credit card rather than waiting until you get to Greece, so if you want to get that expense out of the way before the trip, go ahead. Personally I like to hang onto my money as long as possible.

If you decide to prebook, suggest doing it on the Blue Star website, then you can pick up your tickets from the booth right next to the ferry. Or book through the Amphitrion Holidays website and pick up the tickets at their airport office. Whatever you do, <i>don't ask to have the tickets mailed to you!</i> There's absolutely no advantage in doing so (the reference number is all you need), and you risk the tickets being delayed in the mail or mislaying them before you get to Greece.

AthanasiaDel

Hi there, for anyone reading this now, you might want to check this out! I used an e-pass this summer with some friends and went to 7 islands including Crete & Santorini! I would always choose the ferry for my travels around the greek islands... it is a part of the Greek summer after all! ( www.hostelbay.com/ferries the ferries belong to Hellenic Seaways I think)