REAL DEAL: Peak Greek summer is here...get to the islands faster than Jeff Bezos with Seajets!!
Make your move on Mykonos, Santorini, Syros, Milos, Ios, Crete and more right now
Here’s a little secret the super rich will never tell you: their so-called superyachts are slowpokes. The top speed of Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezo’s yacht Koru clocks in at just under 22 knots — that’s under 25 mph. Seajets’ World Champion Jet ship, by contrast, cruises smoothly at 50 knots, or nearly 58 miles per hour. That’s a big difference. There is no way to get to Mykonos or Santorini faster unless you fly.
But why would you want to do that? The less time you spend on the water, the more time you have to spend on the beach in Milos, sauntering around Syros or merrymaking in Mykonos. I have said it before and now, with peak Greek summer upon us I say it again: the best way to get the Greek islands is with Seajets.
With 29 ships, Seajets has the biggest high-speed fleet in the Aegean Sea, connecting the port of Piraeus with some 50 islands in the Cyclades as well as Crete.
THE SHIPS: The WorldChampion Jet is a high-speed catamaran/passenger ferry that operates on the Piraeus-Syros-Mykonos-Naxos-Santorini-Naxos-Mykonos-Syros-Piraeus route. That route also includes Ios. It is said to be the fastest ferry in the world.
There are 28 more ships in the Seajets fleet, some of which resemble the WorldChampion Jet. The Terra Jet, by contrast, is a monohull high-speed passenger ferry. The boarding process is generally a pretty swift affair, with passengers separate into two main groups: those traveling with cars and without. Bringing your rental car will add some cost to your ticket, but might be worth it if you plan to stay on a given island for at least a few days and want to be able to explore at your own pace.
THE STRATEGY: Seajets are about short journey times so that can spend more time in your destination. So if you want to pack three or four islands into, say, a one-week trip, you can do it easily, especially if the islands are famous ones like Mykonos, Paros and Santorini. But Seajets also puts less well-known islands like Ios and Folegandros within easy reach. We are talking seriously slick travel times: just two hours and 35 minutes from Athens/Piraeus to Mykonos! Three hours and 50 minutes from Piraeus to Folegandros aboard the Speedrunner Jet. Piraeus to Santorini, 4 hours 50 minutes.
THE ON-BOARD EXPERIENCE: Finding your seat is easy and seats are comfortable. They are more comfortable than most airplane seats these days, and certainly the cushions are thicker. If you want to stretch out a little more, you can pay a bit extra for the Platinum business class, which is located on the starboard and port sides of the upper deck. There is good recline on these seats and an extendable foot rest.
On the WorldChampion Jet there are small cafes located on both the main deck and upper decks. We were impressed by the range of sandwiches, salads, and beverages. If we could see the signature non-alcoholic beverage of our Greek summer, premium orange ginger ale from the Corfu Brewery, that would be even better!
The crew is nice and professional and ready to assist you with any questions that may come up during your journey. Make your booking now at Seajets.com.
By the way, we know that Mykonos has gotten some bad press lately. But while it can be extravagantly expensive it’s still a place that should be experienced at least once. Expect Santorini to be a bit overcrowded as we get closer to August. You might want to consider checking out smaller islands like Sifnos and Serifos — also served by Seajets. Just remember that those islands have fewer hotels, so some places may already be fully booked for many dates in July, August, and possibly even September.
©2024 Greek Column/Anthony Grant