Cabins allow some privacy and the ability to stretch out, but on smaller ferries the best of them are still pretty cramped. Major, heavily-traveled Greek ferry routes will offer better first-class cabins as well as ordinary cabins. Know what you're paying for: some ferries will assign same-sex singles to cabins together; the price in that case is per bunk, not for the whole cabin.
Many short-run ferries offer just bench seating, or booth sections with tables. These are about as comfortable as the seating in an average cafeteria.
Deck space is just that: space on the deck for backpackers to "camp" overnight on the ferry. You probably know already if this is right for you.
The best-known hydrofoils are the Hellenic Seaways Flying Dolphins (and similar vessels) operate between many locations in the Aegean.
Travel with a Vehicle
RV'ing through Europe? Greek ferries may charge you by the length of your vehicle, by each meter or fraction thereof. Over a ferry-heavy trip, a shorter camper or RV could save you hundreds of Euro.
Even on the ferries that allow vehicles, you will not be able to stay in your car for safety reasons. The occasional Greek truck driver might get away with it, but your average traveler will not. Nor should you - in rough water, vehicles can shift.
One Last Thing - Do You Know Where You're Going?
Throughout Greece, many similar names and the lack of standardized spelling can cause some problems. One crucial one for ferry travelers: Iraklio is not the same as Iraklia. Iraklio (and its variants Heraklion and Heraklio) is the main city on the island of Crete. And Iraklia is a remote small island in the Cyclades.
Also, virtually every island capital is known as Chora, sometimes spelled Hora. Asking to "go to Chora" could get you a ticket to virtually anywhere.
Hope for the Future of Greek Ferries
With European Union rules gradually sliding in place, Greece will be opening up the ferry routes to international operators, and the crippling effect of the monopolies some companies have enjoyed will gradually improve. That's still several years ahead for now.
