Viaggiare in traghetto

Tips for traveling by ferry. 1

Ferry cabins. 1

Bars and restaurants on the ferry. 2

Having fun on board the ferry. 2

Doctor on board the ferry. 3

Emergency drills. 4

You’re finally boarding. After much suffering (and paying), the enormous metal monster has finally detached itself from the dock and your journey has finally begun. Yes, you’re only just getting started. Now you need to figure out how to navigate the various onboard services , avoiding the most common mistakes that sometimes turn your stay into a real obstacle course.

Tips for traveling by ferry

This guide aims to achieve precisely this ambitious goal, presenting a brief overview of what you can generally find on board a ferry , along with some tips for making the most of it. It’s important to keep in mind, however, that the differences between the various companies are extremely varied, and a comprehensive presentation of the topic would require a more extensive treatment. Therefore, we’ll limit ourselves to presenting a series of tips for each type of offering (from food to accommodation) that we hope will be universally applicable.

Ferry cabins

There are first- and second-class cabins , often designated in company brochures with evocative names and dreamlike images. Each type of accommodation offers different solutions , but be careful, as a company’s offerings can vary from ship to ship. It’s important to carefully evaluate the amenities offered by the chosen accommodation (possibility of breakfast in the room, television or not, en-suite bathroom or shared facilities).

A ship’s cabins bear the marks of numerous battles, the scars of past seasons spent transporting thousands of passengers to their dream destinations. The older a ship, the harder it is to find a cabin where everything works perfectly.

Typically, the air conditioning is the biggest problem: either too hot or too cold. If the air conditioning is regulated manually (a screw that, when tightened, reduces the flow), there’s a solution. But if you’re dealing with an electronic system, you’ll spend hours circling the knob trying to get an acceptable temperature.

But that’s just the beginning. If the airline provides an electric hairdryer in a cabin , there’s a good chance it won’t turn on or the hose connecting it to the motor is disconnected. The courtesy lights at the headboards work, on average, in three out of four beds, much less so in the bathroom. The prankster who occupied the cabin on the previous trip took the coat hangers from the closet as a bizarre souvenir. And then there are toilets that don’t flush, doors that don’t open and, when they do, refuse to close, broken bedside tables, and clogged drains.

The first thing that would come to mind is to rush out of the cabin, grab the first person wearing any uniform and ask for help.

Wrong. In fact, to be honest, it’s the worst thing you could do.

The person you’re talking to most likely has other things to do and isn’t even capable of solving the problem. It’s best to contact the information desk and make a detailed and precise list of the problems encountered. Here’s the first piece of advice: once you’re in the cabin, personally check that all the devices are working and that all the furnishings are in order. There’s nothing more irritating than discovering, perhaps at 3 a.m., that the lights aren’t working and being told, with a hateful, patronizing smile, that there’s no way to help at that hour. It’s best to present all your requests right away. And wait.

The technician will arrive, rest assured. Obviously, not immediately, especially if the ship is departing and the delicate nature of the maneuvers requires all the engine room staff (including the various onboard technicians) to be at the disposal of their superiors. Only at a later time will they be able to intervene.

For safety reasons related to fire prevention, smoking in cabins is strictly prohibited . In fact, in compliance with the law, cigarettes cannot be lit in any public area and therefore in any part of the ship other than the external decks.

Pets are not allowed in the cabin ; certainly, the cages provided for our little friends are the most gloomy and saddening thing imaginable for them.

However, staying in such a cramped space as a cabin is expressly prohibited by the conditions of carriage of almost all airlines and is motivated by obvious health and safety reasons. Take comfort in the fact that the journey to your vacation destination should (on average) take a day or so, and that during the day you can always walk your pet on the outside decks.

Bars and restaurants on the ferry

The eternal question: do you pay for lunch on the ferry or is it included in the price? And if so, how much?

Lunch is generally paid for . Some airlines offer, on particularly long journeys, a tourist menu included in the ticket price, but you can always choose to have lunch at a restaurant (for a fee). Prices are obviously very expensive, not comparable to self-service restaurants and trattorias on land. The quality of the food isn’t always excellent either: since these are coastal vessels, they can only replenish their food supplies at specific times (roughly once a week). Frozen and freeze-dried products therefore dominate, with a few courageous and touching exceptions.

The choice of where to find something to eat is usually limited to self-service or a bar; some airlines offer a true à la carte restaurant (more expensive, but with better service and a wider selection); these aren’t always available, especially in winter.

One last piece of advice: even the ship has its own hours , dictated by work requirements aimed at optimizing the limited human resources available. It’s therefore advisable to always check the opening hours of bars and self-service restaurants in advance to avoid finding yourself starving late at night and without even a bottle of water!

Having fun on board the ferry

Or rather, how to pass the time on the ferry without getting too bored.

Don’t believe it. It’s not true. The photos showing you happy, smiling people, the man with a toned body carefreely soaking in a huge pool, the young couple exchanging languid glances from the tables of an elegant restaurant, the busty beauties who seem to crowd this part of the world in large numbers, simply don’t exist; they’re actors honestly doing their job.

The reality is sadly quite different. Of course, all the services offered are there. Except that the pool isn’t usually that big, cinema admission is paid (though not at all companies), and the films shown aren’t always new, and other services are simply closed.

This is especially true during the winter months. The decline in passengers is alarming for the company’s tireless accountants. From summer, when passengers average 1,500, with peaks of 2,000 and more, to “dead” periods where passenger numbers fluctuate around 200-300 (though there are also trips with 50 or fewer passengers). Therefore, it makes no sense for management to continue renewing agreements with the beauty salon’s management, and they prefer to substantially reduce the presence of the entertainment staff.

Some services, such as ice cream parlors or outdoor bars, are unavailable in the dead of winter, and the disco, on trips with around twenty people, is a disheartening sight. In some cases, these decisions are based on common sense, but even then, it’s clear that better communication would help passengers better accept the situation.

Getting on board and hearing the annoying “closed” repeated every time you request a service listed in the advertising brochure (and, in many cases, included in the ticket price) leaves many people feeling like they’ve been ripped off. It’s hard to blame passengers, but the only solution is to file a complaint directly with the airline. And bring a good book to read.

Doctor on board the ferry

The presence of a doctor on board the ferry is not as obvious as common sense would suggest.

Specific agreements with the port authorities allow companies to do without them if the number of passengers is below a certain number (around 500 passengers), but companies still prefer to avail themselves of the services of these types of professionals.

It’s important to clear up a misunderstanding right away. The doctor is present not to treat the sick, as you might naively think, but for financial reasons. Each passenger is covered by insurance that protects them in the event of accidents or injuries on board.

The doctor, in addition to providing first aid, is required to prepare a specific report informing the airline of the circumstances of the accident, the measures taken, and the treatment provided. His or her role is to determine whether the accident actually occurred on board (and therefore the passenger is entitled to insurance reimbursement) or whether
any injuries or symptoms are due to trauma or illnesses contracted before boarding. In this case, the insurance company is not required to reimburse anything.

In short, if Italy is the country of the crafty, the Medical Director (as the ship’s doctor is pompously called) is the valiant bulwark standing against them.

In addition to this essential role, the doctor is present on board only for cases of extreme emergency and, although in some cases he is available for outpatient visits, his job does not consist of offering a 24-hour emergency service.

It should also be noted that the onboard medical station isn’t always well-stocked; while essential medications are available, they may not necessarily include the medicine specifically prescribed for your condition.

It is always advisable to bring all your medicines with you, especially those for children, and pay close attention to insulin, if you are diabetic, or blood pressure medications.

Emergency drills

If you are lucky (or incredibly unlucky, depending on your point of view) you will make the crossing on the day that the general emergency drill is scheduled for that ship.

Onboard safety is a topic that is treated with great care and seriousness by all shipping companies, who invest considerable time and money in updating equipment, and equally as much effort in training their staff.

General emergency drills are the culmination of this preparation, the testing ground where the initiatives undertaken over the previous days are tested and from which precise recommendations for improvements are drawn. The drill requires the involvement of all personnel on board; hotel services will therefore be closed for the entire duration (usually half an hour). We prefer not to discuss the regulatory references governing this matter, as they would require a separate discussion.

But it must be kept in mind that the passenger is also required by law to participate in the exercise itself, and, despite having a completely passive role (essentially, it involves following the instructions provided by the crew members), his presence guarantees this simulation a higher value.

Of course, it’s worth remembering that no one will force you to take part, but doing so can still be a curious experience that helps you better understand the ship’s organization in an emergency situation, as well as familiarize yourself with some simple, yet fundamental, basic concepts on the subject.

Furthermore, the presence of passengers is truly a significant aid, as it allows us to test both communication strategies and the crew’s ability to interact with passengers in a context different from their usual one.

Websites about traveling by ferry

Grimaldi Lines
: Not to be confused with GNV, which until a few years ago also bore the glorious name of one of Italy’s most important shipowning families. Today, GNV has become a joint-stock company, while the Neapolitan company, which we present in this article, has retained its original name. Today, the company offers departures from Barcelona, ​​Civitavecchia, Tunis, Toulon, Salerno, and Palermo. The website is visually appealing, complete with information on travel conditions, useful links, and online booking. The ships include photographic descriptions of the cabins, exterior decks, and virtual tours. For offers, please visit www.grimaldi-touroperator.com, where you can subscribe to the mailing list to receive advance notice of new arrivals.

TTT lines:
A very simple yet comprehensive website: photos of ships and their interiors, schedules and fares, as well as port maps. Camping on board, the option to book your ticket online, and promotional offers are clearly marked with links. The terms and conditions of carriage can be downloaded in PDF format. TTT lines offers connections to Sicily, with departures from Naples and Catania.

Informare:
A truly comprehensive information portal. The journalistic content is well-curated and regularly updated. The site also offers news on departures from the main Italian ports, but its real strength is the extensive database that accompanies the site. Shipowners, shipping agencies, and company headquarters are just some of the information you can access through the site.