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Comments (6)
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Save/ShareFerries offer a fun, cost-effective twist on European vacations. Get inspired:
Heading between Britain and Ireland? Cheap train-plus-ferry combination tickets can be purchased at any British or Irish station offering the service. London-Dublin ferry tickets start at £27 (about $53) each way for both train and ferry, via Holyhead in Wales. (You can even buy the tickets at the station on your day of departure.) For comparison's sake, let's say you flew instead between Britain and Ireland. Putting aside the plane ticket cost, the commuter train from central London to the airport would cost around £13 (about $25) on its own, making the train+ferry fare a relative bargain. See www.seat61.com/Ireland.htm.
Going from London to Amsterdam? London to Amsterdam overnight (saving a hotel bill!) costs £59 one-way (about $116) including a private cabin with shower/toilet on the Harwich-Hook of Holland Ferry. You leave central London 8 p.m., arrive in Amsterdam just after 10 a.m. next morning. See www.dutchflyer.co.uk or www.seat61.com/Netherlands.htm.
Exploring the Mediterranean? How about a cruise ferry from Italy to Greece? Several ferry companies make this run, but the best operator on the shortest crossing is generally superfast.com from Bari to Patras (just 3-4 hours train ride from Athens by a scenic, narrow gauge train). Or you can cruise direct from Venice: www.minoan.gr and www.anek.gr both sail this route. If you fancy staying on a Greek island, but aren't sure which ferry goes there, start with the Greek ferry website, www.ferries.gr.
Ferries are also indispensable in the Baltic. Two operators link Stockholm with Helsinki overnight. The evening departure is wonderfully scenic, swiftly passing through some Swedish islands: silja.com and vkingline.com. You’ll also find ships between Helsinki and Tallinn (silja.com, tallink.ee and others) and Stockholm & Tallinn (tallink.ee).
—Mark Smith, blogging from Britain for our Affordable Europe series. See his previous post on saving on trains in Europe.
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Great post! Why pay loads of money to take a cruise along the Dalmatian coast when you can see the same sights on the coastal ferries that transport locals, not just tourists:
http://www.croatiatraveller.com/ferries/CoastalMap.htm
Posted By Marilyn Terrell on June 6, 2008, 1:16 AM
On the sobering side are the number of ferry accidents, including sinkings, and questions about the proclivity of ferry companies to set out with regard to weather forecasts. Then one has to consider the viability of the ferry's lifeboats, life preservers, and the crew's competence and willingness to help if there is a real emergency -- all of which are unknowable when you buy the ticket.
Posted By David A on June 30, 2008, 9:20 AM
I am looking for a good hotel in the Venice area during October 18-20th that is clean w/elevator, but not in excess of $150 US per night. Please help.
Also, from the Cruise Port in Venice if there is anything near it and then transportation into Venice area, Murano and Burano Islands.
Posted By Carol Teufel on July 3, 2008, 9:51 AM
Carol, you can find more reasonably-priced hotels in Mestre and take public transit to Venice, if that works for you. I did it because I needed to park my car there but the bus to Venice doesn't take long. Please see my website for other travel resources.
Posted By Barbara DesChamps on July 3, 2008, 3:13 PM
Great writeup thanks! Currently I love crossing the channel by ferry, but at the same time I enjoy Eurostar as well. What I am yet to try is reaching other countries by ferry, if crossing the English channel is any measure to go by then this should definitely be good fun !
Posted By Paris on a shoestring on January 22, 2009, 6:14 PM
Hey, nice art i add your blog to my rss!
Posted By odrzywki on February 17, 2011, 3:33 PM