Government is in talks with shipping companies over high ferry prices

After citizens complained, and often outraged, about high ferry prices, the government finally decided to take action, and on Tuesday the Minister of State met with representatives of shipping companies in an attempt to convince them to lower prices.

According to the daily ethnos.gr, ticket prices have increased by 25%-30% compared to the same period in 2022, and if compared with prices before the pandemic, then by all 70%. The cost of a ferry trip to the islands is prohibitive for the average Greek family due to very expensive tickets, resulting in many canceling their holidays or looking for destinations by road, and costs will be more limited accordingly.

Rising prices for ferry transportation

According to the vice-president of the Panhellenic Federation of Tourist Offices, Grigoris Lavdas, prices for ferry tickets this year are about 25%-30% higher compared to the corresponding period last year. As a result, almost one in three Greeks who thought or planned to spend a vacation on one of the islands cancel their plans and look for tourist destinations in mainland Greece, guided by the fact that they are close to their permanent place of residence.

“It is a fact that ferry ticket prices rise even up to 30% this year, depending of course on the destination. Our industry has complained many times about the problem of ticket prices, but unfortunately you can’t argue with the ferry companies.. “They refer to more expensive oil, but at the same time add other increases, which leads to higher ticket prices. Of course, there is still a solution to fly to the island by plane, but for a family this solution is even more expensive, so the ferry is the only way out,” Lavdas stressed.

Typical examples of the fare on the ferry, if the passenger does not book a cabin, but sits in the common hall of the ferry:

• The Piraeus-Rhodes ferry for a family of four costs €364 one way and €728 return.
• The fare from Piraeus to Kos for one person one way is 77 euros, and a family of four will have to spend 308 euros, which is almost 2 times more expensive than a year ago.
• For Paros and Naxos, a ticket with an individual transfer this year costs 50 euros. Thus, in order for a family of four to get to these islands from Attica and return back, you will have to pay 400 euros.

It should be borne in mind that these prices do not include the cost of travel by car, as well as the cost of accommodation and meals, which have also increased dramatically on the popular islands, and salaries in Greece are actually not the same as they say in various directories … “Such ferry ticket prices practically mean that … Greek tourists are not wanted on our islands, because to this should be added the very high cost of living. Unfortunately, this is used at the peak of the tourist season,” Lavdas added.

Meeting of government and shipping companies

At the meeting, Minister of State Akis Skertsos asked shipping companies to submit specific proposals by Thursday 13 July. Coastal carriers should submit proposals to offer travelers significant discounts on tickets on main routes, i.e. those departing or arriving at the ports of Piraeus and Rafina in Attica, Thessaloniki and Kavala in northern Greece, and not necessarily on routes between the islands.

Shipping companies listed their problems with inflation, fuel prices, maintenance of unprofitable lines and significant losses from previous years, along with the need to renew the liner fleet.

And this despite the fact that ferry ticket prices in August this year remain at the same level as in August 2022. World oil prices in the summer of 2023 fell by about 40%, while Greek ferry prices remain at the same level as a year earlier.

The shipping companies reportedly promised that, within the framework of healthy competition and commercial policy, they would immediately respond and contribute to alleviate the situation of Greek families by providing special discounts and packages. In addition to discounts for island residents, social tourism beneficiaries and other mandatory social policy discounts (students, large families, disabled people, etc.), the government required that discounts also apply to cars.

PS It’s not that the peak of the summer holiday season has already arrived, but travelers have already booked ferry tickets, including round trips. How will these passengers use the “discounts”? Probably the captain will give each passenger 3 euros in cash when disembarking, or give a voucher for 5 euros for another trip on the ferry. But it’s true, thinking out loud…

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