For the past two days I have been trying to book my ferry tickets through Hellenic on their online service. I get all the way to the end right before I have to pay and it gives me an error telling me that the prices aren't scaling and to retry. I have sent the their website 2 emails with no response. I called them directly but unfortunately got someone who didn't understand English very well and I wasn't comfortable booking it with him over the phone. I like the fact that they offer an early booking discount. Does anyone have a "good" travel agent they can recommend to help me get my tickets. I had also contact a travel agency but they want an additional 50 euros if it's under $400 euros. Please help - I'm a little frustrated at this point. Oh and do these Hellanic boats have A/C or does that depend on where you sit on the boat?

Contact George Sotiopoulos: [email protected] in Athens and he'll take of any travel bookings within Greece.

Much of the Hellenic fleet are self-contained catamarans with no real outside deck space. These have A/C. Not sure about their 'regular' car ferries but I suspect the indoor common spaces will have A/C as well.

Try booking through www.danae.gr or on the www.openseas.gr website. Clik on the British flag for English.

Thank you both for your responses.

This notice dated 15 May 2008 has just appeared on the Danae website:

<i>Online booking is not possible at the moment due to central reservation system upgrading systems. We are sorry for the invonvenience. Please try again later.</i>

I don't know if that is the same problem affecting Hellenic Seaways, but keep trying, and it should sort itself out.

BTW, Hellenic Seaways appears to be cutting some of its highspeed and flying cat sailings before mid-June and after mid-September. The cutbacks are driven by rising fuel costs. Anyone planning to use highspeeds should keep an eye on the timetables.

FlyingCat 4 Heraklion-Santorini-Ios-Paros-Mykonos sailings don't seem to be affected.

Hi Sue - Just a note to let you know that George is no longer at Zeus - he left 2 years ago. Someone else did contact me though on his behalf. Thanks.