Blue Star Ferries

Who they are

Blue Star Ferries is part of Attica Group and the dominant conventional car-ferry operator in Greece, with a long-standing reputation for reliability on the Aegean. They operate a fleet of large roll-on/roll-off ferries designed for carrying both foot passengers and vehicles across the main routes of the Greek island network.

Unlike the high-speed catamaran companies, Blue Star's strength is in frequency, capacity and the range of islands they serve. For travellers with a car or motorbike — or anyone planning a multi-island trip where time pressure is not the main concern — Blue Star is usually the first operator to check.

Main routes

Blue Star's core network radiates from Piraeus:

Cyclades. The busiest routes: Piraeus to Santorini (about 8 hours), Mykonos (roughly 5 hours), Paros (~4–5 hours), Naxos (~5–6 hours) and Ios (~7 hours). These are served daily in summer, with the frequency dropping to 3–4 times a week in winter.

Crete. Overnight sailings from Piraeus to Heraklion (the island's main port) and Chania. Crossing time is around 8–9 hours; the evening departure typically arrives early morning. Blue Star shares the Crete routes with ANEK Lines and Minoan Lines.

Dodecanese. Blue Star runs south through the eastern Aegean on the long route from Piraeus toward Rhodes (13–17 hours), calling at islands including Patmos, Kos and others along the way. It is a full day or overnight crossing depending on direction.

North-east Aegean. Routes to Lesvos, Chios and Limnos, again usually overnight from Piraeus.

On board

Blue Star ships are designed as proper ferries, not just transport. Expect airline-style reclining seats in the deck-class lounge (included in the base fare), deck space to sit outside and watch the islands pass, self-service cafés, a restaurant, a small shop and an ATM. On longer overnight crossings — Crete, Rhodes — cabin berths are available to book at additional cost; a 4-berth inner cabin is a practical option for families or groups.

Car and motorcycle decks are at the bow and stern; you load your vehicle at the port and then head upstairs to the passenger decks. Luggage storage is informal — most passengers bring bags to their seat or deck area. On the Cyclades runs, the boat often calls at multiple islands, so you need to pay attention to your stop.

Booking tips

Book Blue Star ferries early for July and August, particularly if you have a vehicle — car-deck spaces are genuinely finite and are the first category to sell out. Foot-passenger tickets remain available closer to departure in summer, but popular sailings like the evening Piraeus–Santorini do fill up.

You can book directly through Blue Star's website, or compare Blue Star against other operators (SeaJets, Hellenic Seaways, Golden Star) in one search via Direct Ferries.

For island-hopping, Blue Star often anchors the inter-island legs of a Cyclades circuit — particularly the longer hops like Naxos to Santorini or Paros to Santorini where a reliable car ferry is useful. Mix with a high-speed catamaran on the shorter legs to balance time and cost.

Alternatives

For speed: SeaJets and Golden Star Ferries run high-speed catamarans on most of the same Cyclades routes and get you there in roughly half the time, at higher fares and with smaller vehicle capacity.

For overnight routes: ANEK Lines and Minoan Lines offer broadly comparable overnight services to Crete, sometimes with different cabin configurations or departure times that suit your itinerary better.