Advance ferrybookings yes/no

[Robertsmits]

My plan is to take the ferry from Ancona (Italy) to Ingoumenitsa in Greece and I wonder If I can just show up and buy a ticket at the terminal or should I book in advance? I will be traveling (solo) in june and prefer a cabin over one of those seats or even the floor! Rob.

[pecha72]

Been over a decade, since I went that way by boat... but personally I don´t think I´d make an advance booking on June. End of July / beginning of August could be a different story.

Check out ferrylines.com: Europe's Ferry Booking Portal, lots of info about routes and bookings, even maps with the ports displayed.

[John933]

If it's just a bike and you. It's ride on ride off. I've done it twice and not booked both time's. Grab a seat and get some sleep.
As easy as falling off a log.
John933

[PanEuropean]

I took the ferry along that same route in September 2011. I just showed up and bought a ticket.

I don't think there are any advantages to booking ahead of time. You might want to browse the websites of the two ferry companies that work that route to see if the prices vary based on time of day, or day of the week - but beyond that, there's not really much else to it.

I believe that the two companies might not be arms length from each other - I think there has been a bit of a drop-off of traffic on that route, and I think that they have partnered up with each other, but still operate under different names.

I took the 'Superfast' ferry, it was OK. Some of the ferries offer cabins, some offer cabins and dorms. If I had to do it all over again, I would probably take a dorm, rather than a cabin. The inside and outside cabins are identical in every respect, save for the missing window on the inside cabin.

Michael

[PanEuropean]

By the way, bring your own ropes or straps to secure the motorcycle - the ferry company does not carry any (other than a few scraps of old rope).

[Robertsmits]

Thanks for the info guys!.....By the way, has anyone taken the ferry back from Zadar (Croatia) to Ancona (or VV)? I am tempted to take this ferry on my returntrip from Turkey through the West Balkans. From the information I have gathered they seem to start summer-operations from the 29th of june onwards.
It also seems that a few of those Ferry-operators have gone out of business due to slow demand. I don't fancy the ride up north through Slovenia , crossing the border into Italy around Trieste...been there a couple of times before in another life, camperstyle......