# Industrial action in Greece



## Don_Madge

INDUSTRAIL ACTION IN GREECE

I know that a few people are planning trips to Greece in the coming months.

There have been two? 24 hour strikes so far and they have brought the country to a stand still.

A couple of points worth noting if you have already booked your ferry to Greece.

If your ferry is cancelled you can only rebook through the agent you made your original booking with. This could involve an expensive phone call to the UK. This info I obtained from a Turkish travel agent with whom I had booked my Crete ferry sailings, I've not been able to confirm it.

If your booking is for the camping on board option on the longer crossing you might not be able to rebook a crossing for some time as the option is very popular.

It might be worth having a "Plan B" just in case you can't rebook to suit you.

On the shorter sea crossings from Bari/Brindisi to Igoumenitsa/Patras it is usually possible to book an over night (camping on board) sailing when you arrive at the port.

The Greek English language newspaper http://www.ekathimerini.com/ should be a good way of finding as and when future strikes are planned.

We are lucky our ferries to and from Crete are on a Sunday as strikes don't usually happen on a Sunday I'm keeping my fingers crossed that a knock on effect won't cause us problems.

A very good site for checking ferry sailing options is www.ferries.gr

Safe travelling.

Don


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## Grizzly

Thank you Don, useful information as always.

Have you noticed any antipathy to tourists that you've not noticed before ? We're quite prepared to get on unobtrusively with our holiday, bearing in mind things we hoped might be open might unexpectedly close due to strikes etc. but we do want a holiday not to be a target !

We booked with Anek direct in Ancona via Skype so, if all else fails, we'll ask for a refund and spend our euros in Italy or France or turn round and go to Spain.


G


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## 38Rover

We got caught out in Greece 2008 tanker drivers were on strike could not get diesel for about 3 days had to stay put near Patras waiting for ferry back to Venice only had 1/4 tank.
So keep your tank topped up.


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## Don_Madge

Grizzly said:


> Thank you Don, useful information as always.
> 
> Have you noticed any antipathy to tourists that you've not noticed before ? We're quite prepared to get on unobtrusively with our holiday, bearing in mind things we hoped might be open might unexpectedly close due to strikes etc. but we do want a holiday not to be a target !
> 
> We booked with Anek direct in Ancona via Skype so, if all else fails, we'll ask for a refund and spend our euros in Italy or France or turn round and go to Spain.
> 
> G


Hi G,

We are still in Turkey where I wish they would stop arresting generals it makes me nervous. :wink: :wink:

We have visited Greece a couple of times on our way to and from Cyprus when there has been unrest and never had a problem. We stay well clear of the major cities where the troubles usually are. The police won't let any tourist into an area where they are expecting problems any way.

We got caught up in the farmers dispute a few years ago they were blocking the roads with their tractors. Twice they let us through and given a drink and some oranges.

The problems now I think are a bit more serious but if you stay on the tourist routes, like the Peloponnese where you are considered a source of income and every Euro counts these days.

I think the troubles might put a few inexperienced travelers off but we will stick to our plans if possible.

Safe travelling.

Don


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## DocHoliday

I haven't come across any unrest. And the call by a leading consumer organisation to boycott German firms hasn't affected Lidl as far as I can see!


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## Don_Madge

There's a general strike been called in Greece on Monday and Tuesday 15/16 March.

We were due to arrive in Greece on the 16th so have delayed it a day leaving Turkey.

Safe travelling.

Don


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## PAT4NEIL

Thanks Don

I hope its all sorted out before May otherwise they might end up shooting themselves in the foot.

Safe travelling Don,

Kind regards

Pat


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## peejay

This is probably because they've announced a VAT increase to 21% which starts wef 15 March.

 


Pete


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