# Hook up on deck on Greek ferries



## Grizzly

Would I be right in assuming that the hook up lead and connector on the camping deck of a Greek ferry ( specifically the Anek _Olympic Champion _ from Ancona to Patras) is the normal type as used most of the time in UK and Europe ?

Thanks

G


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## bigfoot

Yes it is but limited in number. Get your co pilot to nip out when you arrive on deck with the lead and waste no time in connecting!!


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## Grizzly

Thanks very much. One more thing to tick off my "to do" list !

I'll be sitting with the lead in my hand as we board....

G


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## kennyboy

Yes same connector.
We travelled that way last September and there were plenty of leads and we had to wait for a crew member to connect u and it was great fun and an excellent experience!
Ken


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## peejay

bigfoot said:


> Yes it is but limited in number. Get your co pilot to nip out when you arrive on deck with the lead and waste no time in connecting!!


Interesting, are they different to Minoan then? 
No shortage of hook ups on their ships and no need for your own cable, they pull the cable down from a reel in the ceiling and plug it in (cee17) direct for you.

Pete


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## kennyboy

That's right Pete, and we did travel with Minoan.
Ke


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## Grizzly

It will be our first experience of camping on board and I'm going in the expectation that everything will be AWFUL.

Boarding will be chaos, we'll be stuck in the middle lane of the deck with refrigerated lorries running all night next to us and no view, we'll not get a hook up, it will be stormy with rough seas and the boat will be packed.

With these expectations things can only get better ( I hope!) so I won't be disappointed.

So long as I don't get run over racing to plug in our lead.....I've not allowed for that.

G


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## peejay

:lol: :lol: 

You'll be fine Chris.

It used to be a bit of a shambles when boarding a few years ago but i'm led to believe the companies have got their acts together now.

I'm pretty sure you won't need your own cable and a man will plug it in for you.

Can't guarantee you'll get a good spot at the side of the ship, thats up to the loading crew but you'd have to be fairly unlucky to get plonked between a couple of artics.
Having said that, it happened to us, only once though :roll: 

The positives will far out way the negatives and all part of the adventure.

Pete


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## Grizzly

Thanks again Pete, that's very reassuring. All we have to hope now is that the Greek state holds up ! They've been around a very long time so I reckon even a died-in-the-wool pessimist like me may be taking this fear too far !

G


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## Grizzly

I was wrong on most counts !
Boarding was orderly and relaxed.
The hook up was pulled down for us
It was 16 amp so I could run kettle and hot water
There were good showers and loos provided for the camping deck
We had a "window" place so could see everything
Food in the self service restaurant was good, cheap and portions were HUGE!

Finding our way around Ancona was not quite so straightforward: first you have to find the Anek ticket office to exchange your internet voucher for a physical ticket, then you have to find the actual dock where the ferry loads. Signs were confusing to say the least and even the plan drawn by the Anek lady did not help a lot.

The " new " sosta at Ancona is just right. We were the only people there, had 3 amp electricity and the usual facilities, a 10 minute journey next day to the ticket office and a very quiet night perched above the city and with a park across the road. It costs 10 euros per night.

Buses outside were frequent and, we later learnt, went to the docks so we could have done the ticketting bit the day before.

I'll put a review in later but it is Camper Club Adriatica sosta di campeggio. (Via Sanzio Blasi, localita' Posatora
GPS N 43° 36' 01.19" - E 13° 29' 07.33".)

G


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## Seeker

When we did the trip from Patra to Ancona a few years ago lots of veterans had prepared a large "OPEN DECK" sign to place in their windscreen for boarding. We didn't have one but still ended up on the open deck. It's just possible that you might get shunted downstairs if you don't have one.

Harry


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## Seeker

to add ... downstairs you're not allowed to stay in your van.

H


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## Grizzly

If you've booked an Open Deck van passage and 2 passengers then you're given a huge yellow OPEN DECK poster at the ticket office to put on your windscreen and, to make sure they don't board you with the Igoumenitsa people, a yellow PATRAS sign too.

Certainly there was no danger of anyone being sent down to the lorries or of having to make your own poster.

It was all very civilised and organised.

G


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## ebfordboy

*Greek Travels*

Has anyone travelled to Greece from Brindisi during September/October. If so is Patras a good place to land. Are the campsites still open, are they expensive :


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## SaddleTramp

Did Igoumenitsa to Brindisi 5 years ago, In October (Late) When we left the sites were open but they appeared to be gearing up for closing.

Nothing is expensive in Greece.

Oops nearly forgot we drove to Igoumenitsa from Patras.


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## 38Rover

Did Venice to Patras 2 years ago Minoan Line great journey 2 nights each way about £425 return window position both ways they connect up your electric so standard plug clean showers good food on board but can't agree that Greece is cheap I live in Spain and found prices in Greece much higher eating out much dearer than Spain and with the current crisis prices set to rise!!!!!!!!


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## Grizzly

*Re: Greek Travels*



ebfordboy said:


> . If so is Patras a good place to land. Are the campsites still open, are they expensive :


Patras is an easy place to land - convenient hour of the day to arrivel and depart, straighforward town to leave and arrive at-and you are in the middle of most of the places you might want to visit.

We think there are 3 suitable campsites for first and last nights:

Camping Rion Beach- the one we used 3 weeks ago. This is a straight drive of about 6 km on turning left out of the ferry port. It is almost under the Rio-Antirio bridge, on the sea front and is small, quiet and nicely laid out with helpful staff. We paid 20 euros for the night of the 21 April and this included electricity. It is open all year round except a couple of weeks over Christmas so I guess the October price will be the same.

Camping Kato Alissos: about 20 km west of Patras along the main road running along the west of the Peloponnese. We stayed here last week and it cost 18 euros per night, including EHU. This closes at the end of October so you would have to check. Again,a pleasant site and easy to reach the ferry.

Camping Dounis Beach, Nafpaktos: This is at the other end of the Rio-Antirio bridge ( 12 euro toll) from Patras, about 6 km away from town. We passed it last week and it was closed though it was supposed to open 1st May. It closes end of October too.

We've been watching campsites open and I guess you will see them closing. Today is the ICE Cream Delivery Day when all the shops are filling their freezers- ie summer has come. We were told last week that only children eat ice cream in winter ( ie last week)

I'd say your best bet is the first one.

I'm afraid prices have risen in Greece and food - especially meat- is expensive. Fish too. The tax has just risen to 23 % on food- quite a hike. Fuel is E1.235 ish per litre for diesel but is going up too any day now.

Smashing country though !

G


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