- Booking ahead is nice in theory, but Greeks know the real fun begins with last-minute panic at the ticket counter.
- Deck chairs on the ferry are a blood sport; claim early or prepare to squat by the trash bins.
- Snacks are mandatory because the cafeteria will happily charge €8 for a sandwich that tastes like 1997.
- Locals bring pillows, blankets, and sometimes their cousin’s entire kitchen; tourists bring only regret.
- Delays are part of the package — think of them as “extended sea meditation.”
Booking: The Illusion of Order
Every guidebook will tell you to book ferry tickets in advance. Cute advice. In reality, most Greeks will casually stroll to the port a few days before departure, buy whatever is left, and shrug if the boat is sold out. There is always another island, another ferry, or a cousin with a speedboat.
Travel tip: Do not panic if the online system shows “full.” Sometimes “full” means the company has not updated its page since last Easter.
Boarding: Welcome to the Olympics
Boarding a Greek ferry is not so much travel as it is a sport. Cars, scooters, and trucks pile in while passengers shuffle up the ramp, clutching bags, pillows, and occasionally pets in handbags. If you survive without being yelled at by a deckhand in a fluorescent vest, you have passed level one.
Level two is finding a seat. Deck chairs go first. Indoor lounges are next. Miss both and you will spend the crossing perched on your suitcase like a budget philosopher.
The Food Situation
Yes, there is a cafeteria. No, you do not want to rely on it. Sandwiches taste like they were prepared during the Athens Olympics (the 2004 ones). Coffee is often hot, bitter, and comes in plastic cups that double as hand-burners.
Locals know the rule: bring your own food. A proper ferry picnic includes spanakopita, koulouri, maybe a plastic bag of cherries, and a thermos of iced coffee that could wake the dead. Bonus points if yiayia packed it.
Sleep Like a Veteran
On overnight ferries, real Greeks transform corridors into bedrooms. They spread blankets on the floor, use backpacks as pillows, and fall asleep within five minutes. Tourists who book “airline seats” soon discover they’re essentially just upright chairs with extra neck pain.
If you want to blend in, bring a pillow, claim your spot early, and do not be shy about napping next to a stranger’s cooler of beer.
Delays: Part of the Package
Your ferry will not leave on time. It will not arrive on time either. This is not a glitch; this is tradition. Think of it as free meditation on the Aegean. Watch the horizon, breathe the salt air, and accept that punctuality is for Northern Europe.
The Secret Weapon
Every seasoned ferry traveler has one secret: headphones. Between the screaming toddlers, the blasting ship announcements, and the guy playing bouzouki from his phone speaker, silence is not an option.
Greek ferries are chaotic, loud, occasionally smelly, but also unforgettable. They are where holidays begin, romances spark, friendships form, and entire watermelons are consumed on deck.
Survive them like a local and you will not just get to your island — you will earn the right to tell the story for years.
