Ferry to Tunisia from Southern Europe?
 

Can anyone recommend a reliable, at least half-way safe and comfortable ferry service that I could use to get my motorcycle and myself from Southern Europe (likely Italy) to Tunisia?

We took the ferry from Marseilles to Tunis. http://www.sncm.fr/us/index.htm (site in English as well as French, etc.) SNCM also run ferries from Genoa to Tunis, some quite new and large vessels.

Linee Lauro runs from La Spezia, Naples and Trapani to Tunisia
http://www.lineelauro.it/ (Italian only)

Tirrenia runs from Cagliari and Trapani to Tunisia
http://www.tirrenia.it/html/mainframe.htm (Italian only)

If your Italian isn't up to navigating through the ferry company sites, you might try Viamare. http://www.viamare.com/destinations.html

They are a travel agency based in London specializing in ferry services. Their website is a little flaky, but they do have e-mail and phone numbers to reach them at. http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/rolleyes.gif

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Good luck and safe travels!

Susan Johnson
Share the Dream!
at: www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

Thanks Susan, your advice is much appreciated.

Michael

Michael

Chris Scott recommends CTN (Tunisian Shipping Line) ferry from Genoa to Tunisia as being 20% cheaper than SNCM.

http://195.154.225.192/en/secret_france/ctn.php

This is also from Chris Scott: "Boats leave almost every other day from Marseille in southern France and Genoa, 200 miles further east in northern Italy, to Tunis. Both crossings take 24 hours, but prices vary by up to 30%, with Genoa being less expensive. Booking, especially in the busy period up to and including Christmas, should be done well in advance.

Many people expect the passage to be on rusty old banana boats, but nothing could be further from the truth. In 1999, the Swedish-built "MV Carthage" started operation, and it is as modern and well equipped as a cruise liner. Most Europeans travel in first class cabins: four berth affairs with en suite bathrooms and a sea view. You have a choice of restaurants on board with reasonable prices. All in all, you won't want to get off.

But arriving at the Tunis port can be a nightmare to the uninitiated. Sometimes immigration procedures are done on board--it saves time, but means hours of exhausting queuing for one form and another and frayed tempers."

Hope this helps.
Susan

[This message has been edited by Susan (edited 18 February 2002).]

Thanks Susan. Here's a link direct to the ferry company, Trasmediterranea

Sad for a frenchman to admit to this, but check also the record regarding strikes. I will be crossing the Med in late october, and I rather put up with the italian sense of (dis)organisation than the french dockers' tendency to go on strike!

More on the soundness of this comment when I come back!

NB: any Italian reading this: relax, just imagine what the french dockers feel in reading the same post!

To PanEuropean
from Genoa to Tunis, try also GRIMALDI at http://www1.gnv.it/default.asp (in italian and english)
I tried both COTUNAV and GRIMALDI and I prefer this last company, newer and nicer ships, even if the old "Habib" is probably more romantic.

To Philippe
I took ferry-boats from Italy and France many times, and I didn't notice any difference in the (dis)organization of the service.

[This message has been edited by pietro.spera (edited 27 September 2005).]