Apparently, I have been reading ferry service isn't reliable and the only flight I can find routes me through Athens and back to Santorini.
Any help is appreciated. I also want to travel on to Paros and then Athens after Santorini, so if you could advise on how to get ourselves from island to island that woud be great.

No, the ferry service is reliable, but it's just not necessarily available on your travel dates. In April you will have a choice of Blue Star Ferries-M/W/F-5pm departure, 12:40am arrival http://www.bluestarferries.com/site/...?sel=624&loc=2

and Anek Lines: http://booking.anek.gr/html/onlinebooking.jsp (several each week) Santorini=Thira.

Both Blue Star Ferries and Hellenic Seaways have a ferry from Santorni to Paros. From Paros the same Blue Star ferry will take you the rest of the way to Athens. It's also possible that others will be available then but because April is early in the season it's also possible that others won't have started that run yet. Check with www.gtp.gr and www.openseas.gr/OPENSEAS/index_en.vm for schedule updates once they're "official."

Thank you, if I may ask..what do you know about domestic flights between the islands?

Any idea how long the ferry takes to cross from Rhodes to Santorini? Am I reading the schedule right, is it possible that it leaves at 5am and arrives at 9:55pm?

Hi annabelle,

Blue Star Ferries are as reliable as they come. The company publishes it's timetables a year in advance, and it's rare that they don't sail as scheduled.

The trip from Rhodes to Santorini on Blue Star 1 or 2 takes just over seven hours, with one stop (Kos) enroute. The Anek ferry indeed takes from 5am to 9:55pm. It's a slower ferry, and stops at Karpathos, Kassos, Sitia, and Heraklion before going on to Santorini. If you look at a map, you'll see it's a meandering route.

It's worth changing your itinerary by a day or two if necessary to get on Blue Star. It's probably the fastest you will be able to get between those two islands, including by air. If you need to get from Rhodes to Santorini on a day not covered by the ferries, it will be necessary to fly back to Athens for a connecting flight.

The only airline flying between directly between Rhodes and Santorini is Sky Express, and that is a seasonal route. I sincerely doubt they will be flying that route as early as April, but you can check at http://www.skyexpress.gr/. Don't wait for them to update the schedule on their website - contact them directly by telephone or email.

Heimdall is SO well-versed in these matters! If you find you must go on Sky Express, do be aware that -- since the planes are small (18 passengers???) the luggage limits are strict, max being 12.5KG (27.5 lbs) and overage charges of 3€ per Kg.