Save trip with ferry?
 

I want to take a trip in Italy with a transfer ferry to Greece but i am not sure if it safe.Can anyone say me if it's safe/

If what is safe? Italy? Greece? The ferry? Which ferry? What makes you think any of it is unsafe?

Hi zgamboi

The ferry services between Italy and Greece are operated by established well known companies. The ships are large and comfortable. I've used them three times over the years and enjoyed the trips.

Both Italy and Greece are safe countries for tourists. Before you go however make sure you check out each government's travel warnings, just in case!

Also, don't take risks with your travel documents and valuables, including money/travellers cheques. Keep them secure.

Spend some time looking though the messages on this board where you will find hints and tips from fellow travellers regarding safety when on vacation.

Joe

Thank you verry much . In fact i ask you this because a i saw at tv the red sea disaster and i was a little beat afraid . But now i am sure that i want to do this . However any answer from you is a big help for me . Thank you again.

Three of the companies running between Italy and Greece have built new ships in recent years (www.minoan.gr, www.superfast.com, www.anek.gr).
The European Union has much tougher safety rules and inspection routines than a country like Egypt, so even the older ships running between Italy and Greece are as safe as ships anywhere else in Europe.

did someone take the route Brindisi - Igoumenitsa by night ? How is it? I will go in Italy with a group in april and we have included in price the ferry to Greece . I want to know more about this thing. Thank you.

Several companies run from Brindisi to Greece, but your group is most likely to be going with Fragline (www.fragline.gr) or Maritime Way (www.maritimeway.com). The crossing to Igoumenitsa is short and, if you travel overnight, you will spend most of the time asleep.

zgamboi, the ferry disaster in Egypt is indeed sad, but every mode of travel will have accidents from time to time. There's no need to worry about such accidents just because it happened somewhere in the world. Enjoy your trip.

I traveled Patras to Brindisi overnight and was so sick I could not crawl out of the bunk. Do take some remedy if you are prone to seasickness. As far as your ship sinking to the bottom of the sea -- it probably won't.

European ferry tragedies? Well, in 1994, the M/S Estonia sank between Tallin and Stockholm. 852 people died. And in 1987, the M/S Herald of Free Enterprise capsized off the Belgian coast, enroute to England. 193 people died. Main cause is crew negligence in failing to proper close the bow door and empty the ballast.

In 1990, 158 died when someone started a fire on M/S Scandinavian Star between Norway and Denmark.

Like others said, accidents do happen, in Europe or elsewhere. Like the 101 who lost their lives on the German ICE train that hit a bridge in 1998; or the 155 skiers who died in the Austrian funicular in 2000.

Sometimes weather kills in Europe too. The death toll of the heatwave in 2003 is over 50,000; those most are elderly. Probably few tourists.

But back to ferries. I think I would hesistate to take a ferry in Bangladesh; and probably cautious in the Philippines and Indonesia. But Greece? No problem. In fact, I took a Greek ferry from Haifa to Piraeus and back.

Thank you for all yours messages you sent to mee or will send to me later.

Greek ferry are known to have safety problems. However since the "Express Samina" sank in 2000 (over 70 people dead, severve safety and organizational problems) no fatal accidents have happened afaik. Old ferrys and disregard of even the most basic safety installations and procedures are still a problem on ferrys travelling inside of Greece.

International ferries within the EU are now extraordinarily safe - and that's precisely why we hear of so many ferry tragedies in the world's poorer countries.

The 1987 Zeebrugge and the 1994 Estonia disasters forced the EU to change its safety standards drastically. As a result, many of Europe's older ships were sold off to the countries (like Indonesia, Egypt and Senegal) which report huge tragedies every year.

So on the key international routes - like the Channel, the Baltic and the Adriatic - we can be confident we'll be safe as it's possible to be anywhere. Knowing that the deathtraps we don't want are now dumped on the poor sods who can't afford anything else.

Whether every domestic ferry in Greece lives up to the EU's highest standards might not be quite as certain.