Hello-I'm traveling to Greece for my honeymoon in early May, and I hope it will be warm enough for the pool and beach! My concern is the ferries, even after checking a few posts on this website. I have booked my hotels without booking ferries, but they could be changed (do not want to change them). On Tuesday May 5 we are to go from Athens to Santorini. I wanted to take a high-speed ferry but finding a legitimate website seems hard. For this ferry, do you think I need to get a ticket in advance, or I could go to the ticket booth that morning and travel to Santorini within a couple of hours?

My greater concern is getting from Santorini to Crete on Saturday, May 9. I'm told ferries are less frequenct here, and maybe even more so in early May. Should I be getting this ticket in advance, and if so, where?

Finally, I was hoping to take an overnight ferry from Crete to Athens on May 11. I was hoping of leaving that evening and getting to Athens in the morning to catch a flight that leaves around 12:30pm. I'm wondering if I'm leaving myself enough time because I do not want to miss the flight! Where can I get tickets for the high speedo overnight ferries from Crete to Athens? Thanks for all your help!

Hi there

You can find all the ferries on the following sites Pireus to Santorini http://www.bluestarferries.com/ENGLISH/defaultmain.htm and to Crete http://www.santorini.com/holidays/bo...hydrofoils.htm
There is no need to buy tkts in advace as May is still slow in traffic.
You can if you wish book on line as well
There a plenty of agents heres one http://www.intickets.gr/en/greekferi...erry_boats.asp
May is not famous for high winds but always check the weather as ferries can stop is conditions are bad.

Greek ferries are run by various companies. Some publish schedules well in advance but others do not.
Today, for example, in the depths of winter, there are four sailings from Pireas to Thira/Santorini, run by four different companies:
BLUE STAR ITHAKI at 0725;
ADAMANTIOS KORAIS at 1550;
MILENA at 1700;
PREVELIS at 1900.
In May, there will be more sailings than this and there should be high-speed ferries as well. Most ships carry 1000 or more passengers and are very rarely fully booked.
From Crete, there are several ships every night to Pireas, usually arriving by 0600.
www.anek.gr
www.minoan.gr
www.superfast.com
These are all big ships with cabins, restaurants, etc.

Oh dear, oh dear. Perhaps you should have gone to a Greece-based travel agency for these bookings, since you really need coaching to get what you need. If you want to consider using an agency for the transport bookings, remember, it will not cost YOU money, except perhaps for a small fee; they get their commission from companies.
Two well-regarded agencies that deal online with US/canadian clients are Dolphin-Hellas and Fantasy travel, and maybe they could have given you a reality check upfront about what is do-able.

First of all, it will NOT be warm enough for "the pool" and beach.. you may have to settle for sunbathing. I have been to Greece in May 6 times in past 8 years; I'm from the N.E. US, used to Long Island sound; you freeze your backside off in Aegean waters before mid-May...and i've tried it in Crete which is more Southern. And the pools won't be too much different since they are unheated. Many people don't look at a map, and think that Greece is like the Caribbean - it is definitely not.

Second -- you only have ONE WEEK. why attempt to visit Crete for under 2 days??? You'd be there less than 48 hours, (Sat sunset to Mon Sunset) and for what?? A hotel in Concrete City, Heraklion & a bus to Knossos?

Here's the story -- The only ferry (a daily Hellenic Flying Cat) departs Santorini 1745 (5:45pm) and arrives Heraklion 7:45 pm. By the time you get off, find a taxi and go (where??) it's dark. To get back to Athens by ferry OR plane Tues am, you must leave hotel Mon by 12 noon (check-out time). get 8:40 pm Knossos Palace or Phaestos Palace, Minoan o.nite ferry to arrive Piraeus 5:40 am Tuesday -- that's about 36 hrs on Crete. No.

Why not just stay on Santorini the whole time? If you have picked too pricey a hotel to stay there 7 days, just move to one with less of a view for the additional days.

About taking a high-speed ferry on Tues May 5 to Santorini, you can do it IF you have arrived in Athens the day before, a fact u do not share. In May these ferries only leave at 7 am or 7:30 am. You would need to pick up your ticket before boarding so it would be good to pick it up the nite before at an agency near your hotel, or however you arrange it.

If you are planning to ARRIVE at athens Airport on Tuesday May 5, you cannot get a ferry to Santorini that day, and you should look into Aegean Air flights -- there is one at 16:15 (3:15pm). As I said, you can get an agency to do these bookings and tell you a convenient place to pick up the tickets, or delivr to an Athens hotel -- one less thing to think about.

All this long-winded explanation (for which I apologize) is really an alert for ALL Greece newcomers -- if you're trying D-I-Y trip planning, please please please do not lock yourself into island hotels until you find out if you can get here and back on the days you have in mind!!

Don't fret! You have time to get this straightened out, and it will be less of a fuss than where to seat people at your reception. Congratulations and best of luck!

Hi and congratulations!

Don't worry, the routes you have chosen are well served by ferries, and there is no need to prebook tickets in May.

To get off to a flying start on your honeymoon (pun intended ), why not take an Aegean flight to Santorini?
http://www.aegeanair.com/

Otherwise you will need to be at Piraeus in time for the early morning ferries (7AM - 7:30AM), which are likely to be a Hellenic Seaways Highspeed and Blue Star Paros. Buy your tickets the day before or at the airport when you arrive in Athens.

Blue Star has already published its timetable at http://www.bluestarferries.com/dromo...&lineid=11

Look for the Hellenic Seaways timetables to be published in April.

I completely agree with travellerjan that two days on Crete is pointless. Either extend your stay on Santorini, or take a day from that island and go to Paros, Naxos, or Mykonos. All are served either by the Blue Star or by http://www.ferries.gr/hfd/default.htm. From any of those three islands you will have a shorter ferry trip back to Athens.

Unfortunately there are no highspeed ferries from Athens/Piraeus to Santorini in May that I'm aware of, only the slower, conventional car ferries. These ferries are huge and advance ticket purchase isn't at all necessary in May. Just wait until you're at the Athens airport and buy them from the travel desk of Amphitrion Holidays in the Main Hall between Exit/Entry doors 2&3. They're open 24/7.

Flying makes better sense so you don't waste time.

Hi Lee,

To refresh my memory, I checked with OpenSeas, and it seems Highspeed 5 was running in early May last year. No guarantees that it will start that early this year, though.

I have (and would) fly.

Hi Don-

You're right, I should have checked first myself! Thanks for the correction. Hopefully one will be available when needed next May.