Flying to Greece, especially to the islands can be expensive and difficult. Taking the overnight cruise ship from Italy to Greece is a much cheaper, and a more fun alternative to flying.
Sure, flying sounds appealing compared to spending fourteen hours on a cruise ship in the middle of the Adriatic Sea. All you need to do is hop on the airport shuttle, get on a plane, and you are in the Cradle of Western Civilization in a few hours – right? Not exactly. First, flying to Greece is inexplicably expensive AND most major cities do not have a direct flight to the life of Greece, Athens. If you are lucky enough to find a flight to Athens for under 200 euro, you will undoubtedly have a layover in Zurich or some random city in the opposite direction from where you started. Next step is trying to get from Athens to the dazzling Greek islands. There is usually only 1 flight a day from Athens to places like Santorini, Mykonos, or Corfu. Limited options plus high demand equals high prices. So if you do decide to fly you would have several hours in Athens’ top tourist attraction, the Eleftherios Airport, to add up all of the money and hours you have now sacrificed.
What is the best Greece travel option? There are multiple cruise lines that depart from Ancona, Italy in the afternoon and arrive in Greece early the following morning. The cruise ship is more economical, and speaking from personal experience much more fun. The cruise boats come fully stocked with bars, restaurants, dance clubs, pool & hot tub (seasonal) and a church (if you happen to be there on Easter Sunday). There are two types of overnight accommodations, Airline Style Seating and Private Cabins. Airline style is just as it seems – upright seats in a communal room with plenty of floor space to spread out. Spend the night getting cozy and comfortable with your traveling comrades. A private cabin is a bit more expensive than the previous option but you get a smaller, quieter, overnight space. The cruise ship has options for all types of travelers, so don’t get stuck twiddling your thumbs by yourself in an airport.
From our experience, cruising is the best way to ride to Greece. The cruise is an incredible time, a great way to meet your fellow American, Greek, and International travelers and to create fantastic travel stories. Save some cash, save a night’s accommodation, have some fun, and hop on the Boat 2 Greece.
