Editorial guide

Is the overnight ferry from Piraeus worth it?

Updated 21 Oct 20266 min readRoute decisions

Short answer: Yes, if you book a cabin and treat the crossing as transport plus a night's accommodation. It works best on long routes (Crete, Rhodes, Kos and the eastern Dodecanese), where the alternative is a flight plus a hotel night or a lost day. It is not worth it if you plan to sleep upright in a seat, if you are a very light sleeper, or if your hotel cannot take you before 15:00 and you have nowhere to go at 06:30. The cabin is the product; the seat is just a long night.

The overnight ferry is not automatically cheaper than flying. It becomes good value when the cabin replaces a hotel night and the arrival time buys you a day on the island.

Routes, departure times, cabin classes and fares change seasonally. Check the exact sailing, vessel and arrival time before booking.

Which routes are overnight

Route	Typical pattern	Notes
Piraeus to Heraklion	Departs ~21:00–23:00, arrives ~06:00–07:00	The busiest overnight service; daily in summer
Piraeus to Chania (Souda)	Departs ~21:00–22:30, arrives ~06:00–08:00	ANEK/Blue Star; beautiful dawn approach
Piraeus to Rhodes, Kos and the Dodecanese	Departs afternoon/evening, arrives next morning	Long; cabin strongly advised
Piraeus to the northeast Aegean (Chios, Lesvos, Samos)	Overnight or very long day	Fewer sailings; check the date
Piraeus to the Cyclades	Mostly day sailings	Overnight is the exception, not the rule

For a crossing of 8–10 hours, the arithmetic is simple: a cabin turns a wasted night into sleep. For a 4–6 hour crossing, a cabin is a nap, not a night, and the value is less obvious.

Cabin versus seat

Cabin

What you get: a private or shared berth, a door you can close, a bed, and usually a washbasin; many cabins have a private shower/WC.
Best for: couples, families, anyone who values sleep, seasickness-prone travellers, and people arriving to a full day of driving.
Cost: roughly €60–110 per person for a shared inside cabin on Crete routes, more for outside or single occupancy. Luxury cabins cost significantly more.
Book early: cabins are the first thing to sell out in July–August.

Reclining seat

What you get: an airline-style seat in a lounge, often reclining, sometimes in a quieter class.
Best for: short overnight crossings, very tight budgets, and travellers who genuinely sleep anywhere.
Reality: eight hours upright is tiring. Noise, light and people moving around are part of the deal.
Cost: usually €35–50 including the passenger fare, depending on class.

Deck or lounge seating

Cheapest, but the least comfortable. Fine for a short hop; a poor choice for a full night.
Not all ships allow sleeping across multiple seats; crew may move you on.

Rule of thumb: if the crossing is longer than six hours and you have a full day afterwards, book the cabin. The extra €30–50 is good value for many travellers.

What it actually costs

Indicative prices, per person, one way, Piraeus to Heraklion:

Option	Rough range
Economy/deck seat	€35–45
Airline-style reclining seat	€40–55
Shared inside 4-berth cabin (AB4)	€55–75
Shared inside 2-berth cabin (AB2)	€65–90
Outside 2-berth cabin (A2)	€75–110
Luxury/single cabin	€120–200+
Car (4 m), separately priced	€90–150

Fares vary by operator, vessel, date and how far ahead you book. A cabin priced per person in a shared berth is very different from a whole-cabin price; check which one the booking screen is showing.

Compare like with like: a cabin plus ferry fare may cost about the same as a cheap flight plus one hotel night, but it also gives you a morning arrival and no airport transfer. A seat plus ferry fare is cheaper than a flight, but you may spend the saving on coffee and a wasted first day.

The arrival-gap problem

This part is often overlooked.

You arrive at 06:00–07:00. Hotels typically check in at 14:00–15:00.
You will be tired, even after a good cabin. A full day of driving or sightseeing straight off the boat is optimistic.
Plan the gap deliberately: a long breakfast, a port-side café, an early check-in request, luggage storage, or a slow first morning near the harbour.
Ask the hotel in advance whether early check-in or baggage drop is possible. Do not assume it.
If you are picking up a rental car, confirm the office opening time. Airport desks may open later than the port arrival.
If you have a fixed appointment or flight connection on arrival day, the overnight ferry is a poor choice.

The overnight works best when the first morning is slow by design, not when you have scheduled a 09:00 meeting or a five-hour drive.

Sleep quality: an honest assessment

Cabins are quieter than lounges but not silent. Engine hum, doors, announcements and neighbours are part of ship travel.
Mid-ship, lower decks generally move less than forward or upper cabins. If you are prone to motion sickness, ask for a mid-ship cabin and take medication before boarding.
Inside cabins are darker and often calmer; outside cabins give daylight and a porthole but can be brighter at dawn.
Bring earplugs, an eye mask and a layer. Cabins are often cold or stuffy, rarely perfect.
Do not plan on a full eight hours. Six hours of decent sleep is a realistic expectation.
Avoid a heavy late dinner and too much alcohol. The ship moves; your digestion notices.

Who the overnight suits

Good fit:

Couples or families heading to Crete with a cabin and a relaxed first day.
Travellers who want to arrive with a car and start driving after breakfast.
Budget-conscious travellers replacing a hotel night with a cabin.
People who enjoy the crossing as part of the trip. Dawn over the Aegean is memorable.

Poor fit:

Light sleepers who need silence and a still bed.
Anyone with a same-day flight, meeting or long drive.
Travellers who booked a seat to save €40 and will spend the next day recovering.
Families with toddlers who will not settle in a shared cabin.
Anyone whose hotel refuses early baggage drop.

Practical checklist

[ ] Book the cabin, not just the passenger ticket, and check the occupancy (2-berth vs 4-berth).
[ ] Confirm the arrival port (Heraklion vs Chania vs Sitia) and the transfer to your base.
[ ] Ask the hotel about early check-in or luggage drop.
[ ] Pack a small overnight bag with medication, earplugs, eye mask, charger and a layer.
[ ] Eat before boarding or early on board. Check when restaurant service closes.
[ ] Shower before arrival if you have a private cabin; bathrooms get busy at dawn.
[ ] Set two alarms and confirm the arrival time the evening before.
[ ] Keep your ticket/QR and ID accessible for the morning disembarkation.

FAQ

Do overnight ferries have cabins?

Yes. Most large conventional ships on Crete and Dodecanese routes have inside and outside cabins, from shared 2- and 4-berth to singles and luxury classes. Availability and layout vary by vessel.

Can I sleep in a seat on the overnight ferry?

You can, but most people sleep poorly. A reclining seat is acceptable for a short overnight or a very tight budget; it is not comparable to a cabin.

What is the cheapest cabin option?

A shared inside cabin (2- or 4-berth) booked early is usually the cheapest comfortable option. A single cabin costs more per person because you are paying for the whole berth.

When should I not take the overnight ferry?

If you are a very light sleeper, have a fixed commitment on arrival day, cannot access your hotel before mid-afternoon, or need to be fresh for a flight or meeting. In those cases, fly or take a day sailing.

Last checked

Vessel assignments, departure times and prices change seasonally; verify your exact sailing.

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