Here's all I can remember about that route:
I bought tickets at an agent the day prior, then showed up at Cesme a few hours before the boat (which seemed excessive--everyone else arrived within a half hour or so of scheduled departure). The boat was late. As best I remember, it left around sunset.
The little cafe in the ferry terminal changes money if asked nicely, though at a poor rate. Customs was a bit disorganized, but quite easy; someone from the ferry company took my passport and delivered it back to me, stamped. The boat is a small one, and not terribly comfortable by international standards, but it's a short-ish ride.
At Chios (?), entry into Greece was also quite chaotic, but easy in the end. You then drive down the road and can stake out a table at one of the cafés to wait for the large Greek ferry which pulls in at a different spot some hours later. You can cut to the front of the lineup of trucks and cars, or take the small side entrance which deposits you in front.
This is a large overnight boat. I slept up on deck, as always. Negotiating Athens roads and traffic early in the morning on inadequate sleep is a bit of a chore, so try to find a local on the boat who'll guide you through. After that, all is simple, scenic and relaxed.
Now that I've done it, I'd probably opt for the land route unless I planned to visit some Greek islands or had a good reason to want to stop in Athens along the way. This way you could still include as much as you want of northern Greece, and there really wasn't anything special about the boat ride to justify the cost. I can't remember the price I paid through an agent, but it couldn't have been too far out of line: probably a couple of hundred dollars US for both ferries--myself and motorcycle.
Hope that helps.
Mark
Last edited by markharf; 29 Jun 2009 at 21:55.
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