How to Travel to Greece by Boat

Traveling by boat allows you to see the beautiful Greek islands from a different perspective.

Most travelers to Greece do so by air. If you wish to get to Greece by ship, options include a large number of cruise ships that include Greece in their itineraries, ferries within Greece itself, and a few transport ferries from Turkey and Italy. Any of these can be booked online with ease.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Internet access
• Valid credit card
• Valid passport

Instructions

1. Visit one of the major cruise brokers online at Cruise.com. Here you will find ships with itineraries that include Greece. You may find trans-Atlantic cruises from the United States, Mediterranean cruises departing from Spain, France or Italy, and Greek Island cruises that depart from the Greek mainland and travel throughout the Aegean Sea.

2. Visit one of the European or Mediterranean Sea ferry ticket broker websites next at Greekacom.forth-crs.gr or Ferries.gr. These sites show available ferry boats to Greece from other ports in Europe. The major lines run from Italy (Ancona, Venice, Bari and Brindisi), Albania and Turkey, and leave passengers at ports throughout Greece and its islands. Rates for the ferries run from around 46 euros (about $62) as of January 2011.

3. Visit one of the domestic Greek ferry line brokers online at Gtp.gr. These brokers sell rides on the many Greek inter-island and mainland transport ferries. Using these sites, you can travel throughout Greece and its islands at relatively low cost and all by boat. The ferries are primarily used by locals, but see a heavy increase in tourist traffic during the summer months.

4. Visit a luxury yacht operator online at Rentayacht.gr. Rentals come in all sizes, and prices run according to style and amenities. Power yachts are higher in cost than sailing yachts because of the use of fuel, but both are good options for the luxury traveler. Make your desired itinerary known when requesting rates.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider a private cabin on long-distance ferries. It is an added expense but can make the trip far more pleasant than an open seat. Consider the expense versus the comfort and multiply that by the number of hours traveled. That is the difference.

References

• Greece Ferries
• Greek Ferries
• Cruises Only
• Frommer's Travel: Greece, Getting There

Resources

• Cruise
• Greek A: Online Ferry Tickets
• Greek Ferries
• Greek Travel Pages: Ferry Schedules Within Greece
• Rent a Yacht