Blue Star Ferries

1. BEFORE AND DURING THE BOARDING OF THE SHIP
Passengers must comply with the following control measures during boarding:

• Social Distancing
  A minimum distance of 1.5 meters between passengers (and simultaneous use of a mask ) should be observed.
  The ship’s crew will oversee the boarding process and scrutinize the respect of the foreseen distances.
• Before boarding the vessel, it is mandatory to follow the instructions that you’ll find here.

2. DURING THE TRIP
Passengers must necessarily comply with the following precautionary measures during the trip:

• We keep wearing our mask1  both in indoor areas as well as on the deck areas of the ship. We make sure that the mouth and nose are covered, we do not touch the mask while wearing it, we dispose off  the mask immediately into a trash bin after use and we wash our hands.
• We cover our coughing or sneezing with the inside of the elbow or with a paper towel which we dispose off immediately into a trash bin.
• We wash our hands regularly and thoroughly with soap and water or an alcoholic solution and avoid contact of the hands with the face (eyes, nose, mouth). The use of gloves does not replace hand washing.
• We keep safety distances from other passengers around us (> 1.5 meters).
• We avoid crowded spaces.
• We avoid contact with people who have symptoms of a respiratory infection.

Please see the respective flyer of the National Public Health Organization

• It is recommended that passengers arrive at the port of departure on time to facilitate the check-in process before boarding.
• In case passengers experience respiratory symptoms during the trip, they must report it immediately to the ship’s crew.
• If passengers develop respiratory symptoms after the trip, they should seek medical help immediately and inform their doctor about the history of the trip.

3. DENIAL OF BOARDING
Based on the above, if the crew members who carry out the control measures during the boarding assess that:
i.  The passenger has symptoms which indicate a COVID-19 infection or
ii.  The passenger holds the required medical certificates/documentation or
iii.  The passenger refuses to use a mask1 on the ship
the passenger will be denied boarding the ship and the applicable provisions for the use of tickets at a later date or for their cancellation will apply.

In case (i) valid is what is defined by the National Public Health Organization.

1 The use of a protective mask is mandatory. The use of a double mask or mask (FFP2 or N95), in all common passenger areas, is recommended.

PASSENGER NAME LIST

The provisions of Presidential Decree no. 23/1999 “Registration of persons traveling by passenger ships operating to or from Greek ports in accordance with Directive 98/41/EC/1998”, are amended, according to PD 102/2019 (A΄ 182).

To make that possible, tickets are issued BY NAME and specifically must include:

• PASSENGER’S LAST NAME
• PASSENGER’S FIRST NAME (in full)
• GENDER: MALE/FEMALE
• NATIONALITY (i.e. GR)
• DATE OF BIRTH (Day/Month/Year)
• In addition, the issuing agent must be notified of passengers requiring SPECIAL CARE.
• It is strictly forbidden to issue tickets on board; therefore, for their convenience, passengers must contact their travel agent on time, to book and issue their tickets.
• Children up to 5 years old: it is obligatory to issue a Free of Charge ticket.

NUMBERED SEATS

Use is only allowed to the holders of numbered seat tickets.

EMBARKATION PROCEDURE

Passengers must:
a) report at the embarkation area at least one (1) hour before departure.
b) if travelling by car, one (1) hour before departure.
Drivers are obliged to embark and disembark their vehicle. Vehicles’ passengers must exit the vehicle before embarkation. Vehicles’ priority order for embarkation is determined by the Port Regulations of each Port Authority, where embarkation takes place.
All passengers should be able to present their valid travel documents. The company reserves the right not to allow boarding in case of a passenger not having the travel documents required.
In case a passenger wishes to disembark prior the ship’s departure, he/she is obliged to inform the vessel’s Purser’s Office and upon leaving the ship to take all of his/her luggage as well. In case of vehicles, please mind that there is the possibility of being unable to remove them from the ship’s garage due to their pre-arranged parking positions.

TICKET OPTION DATE

Tickets must be issued within a specific time period following their booking, of which passengers are advised by their travel agent. If tickets are not issued within this period, the booking is automatically cancelled.

OPEN DATE TICKETS

• Open date tickets are valid for boarding only if a boarding card, valid for the specific date of travel, has been issued. Open date tickets are valid indefinitely.
• If passengers wish to travel on a date when a higher fare is in force, then they must pay the difference between the current and the pre-paid open ticket fare.
• Upon embarkation, the original ticket and issued boarding card must be handed over to the ship’s Purser for ticket control.

TICKET CANCELLATION

• Bookings made via our company’s online booking system, can only be cancelled by email to [email protected]
• Tickets can only be invalidated by the issuing agency.
• Tickets cannot be invalidated over the phone. Passengers wishing to invalidate their tickets must hand them over to the issuing agency.
• The refund for the invalidated tickets can be made by the issuing agency and is valid for up to 2 years after the date of invalidation.

CANCELLATION FEES

A.  CANCELLATION FEES: CYCLADES – DODECANESE – NORTH AEGEAN – SPORADES routes
HIGH SEASON: 15/04/22-02/05/22 & 09/06/22-25/09/22(1

• Up to 7 days prior to departure: Tickets are cancelled without charge or can be converted to open date tickets or for another departure date.
• Up to 4 hours prior to departure: A 50% cancellation charge is applied or alternatively tickets can be converted to open date tickets or for another departure date.
• Up to the departure: A 50% cancellation charge is applied and the tickets cannot be converted to open date tickets or to travel another date.
• After departure: Tickets cannot be cancelled or converted to open date tickets or to travel another date.

(1)
For the period 15/04/22-24/04/22 & from 09/06/22-11/06/22 for all departures from Piraeus, Lavrio, Volos, Kavala & Thessaloniki and for the period 25/04/22-02/05/22 & 13/06/22-14/06/22 for all departures to Piraeus, Lavrio, Volos, Kavala & Thessaloniki, tickets are cancelled without charge or converted to open date tickets or for another departure date, up to 14 days prior to departure.
Up to 7 days prior to departure, a 25% cancellation charge is applied or alternatively tickets can be converted to open date tickets or for another departure date.
The same applies to all intermediate routes.
LOW SEASON: All other dates except those mentioned in HIGH SEASON

• Up to 3 days prior to departure: Tickets are cancelled without charge or can be converted to open date tickets or for another departure date.
• Up to 1 hour prior to departure: A 50% cancellation charge is applied or alternatively tickets can be converted to open date tickets or for another departure date
• Up to the departure: A 50% cancellation charge is applied and the tickets cannot be converted to open date tickets or to travel another date.
• After departure: Tickets cannot be cancelled or converted to open date tickets or to travel another date.

B.  CANCELLATION FEES: SARONIC ISLANDS routes
HIGH SEASON: 15/04/22-02/05/22 & 09/06/22-25/09/22(1)

• Up to 4 days prior to departure: Tickets are cancelled without charge or can be converted to open date tickets or for another departure date.
• Up to 2 hours prior to departure: A 50% cancellation charge is applied or alternatively tickets can be converted to open date tickets or for another departure date.
• Up to the departure: A 50% cancellation charge is applied and the tickets cannot be converted to open date tickets or to travel another date.
  In Piraeus-Aegina-Agistri route, tickets can be converted to open date tickets or for another departure date, up to the departure.
• After departure: Tickets cannot be cancelled or converted to open date tickets or to travel another date.

(1)
For the period 15/04/22-24/04/22 & from 09/06/22-11/06/22 for all departures from Piraeus and for the period 25/04/22-02/05/22 & 13/06/22-14/06/22 for all departures to Piraeus, tickets are cancelled without charge or converted to open date tickets or for another departure date, up to 7 days prior to departure.
Up to 4 days prior to departure, a 25% cancellation charge is applied or alternatively tickets can be converted to open date tickets or for another departure date.
LOW SEASON: All other dates except those mentioned in HIGH SEASON

• Up to 1 day prior to departure: Tickets are cancelled without charge or can be converted to open date tickets or for another departure date.
• Up to the departure: A 50% cancellation charge is applied or alternatively tickets can be converted to open date tickets or for another departure date.
• After departure: Tickets cannot be cancelled or converted to open date tickets or to travel another date.

C. CANCELLATION FEES: OPEN DATE TICKETS

• Open date tickets are cancelled without charge when they have been originally issued as open date.
• Tickets which have been converted to open date, are cancelled according to the canellation terms and conditions of the originally issued tickets.
• If passengers wish to travel on a date when a higher fare is in force, then they must pay the difference between the current and the pre-paid open ticket fare

Cancellation Policy from 15/04/20-06/07/20 (FEK 84/Α/13-4-2020) – COVID-19

According to the Act of Legislative Content (Measures to address the ongoing consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic), published in the Greek Government Gazette 84/A/13-4-2020, the provisions of Article 65 (Refunds from maritime travel cancellations) come into force as of 15/04/2020 until 06/07/2020 and therefore the Company’s cancellation policy is modified as follows:
Passengers with tickets issued until 06/07/2020, for travel until 31/10/2020, who cannot travel due to travel restrictions, or who do not wish to travel due to uncertainty because of the pandemic or due to cancellation of their scheduled sailings, must convert their tickets to open date tickets at least 24 hours before departure. Open date tickets can be used on a next trip to any destination served by Blue Star Ferries and Hellenic Seaways, within the period of eighteen (18) months from the date of departure of the original tickets.
In case the passenger wishes to travel on a date or in an accommodation category for the same or different destination, with a higher fare than the fare of the original ticket, then the resulting fare difference should be paid.
In case that open date tickets have not been used by the end of the 18 months period, then the passengers are entitled to receive 100% of the fare of the open date tickets they have in their possession.

CANCELLATION OF DEPARTURE OR DELAY DUE TO EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS etc.

DELAYED DEPARTURE: Passengers and vehicles can embark without changing their tickets.

CANCELLATION OF DEPARTURE: The tickets of a cancelled departure are not valid for embarkation and must be exchanged with a valid boarding card for the next scheduled departure, pending on availability.

ATTENTION: In case of a departure being delayed or cancelled due to extreme weather conditions etc., passengers are kindly requested to contact the company’s port agencies in order to be informed about the new departure time.

LOSS OF TICKET(S)

When a ticket is lost, a new ticket must be bought. Passengers must declare in writing the ticket(s) loss, indicating the departure date, the itinerary and the number of the lost ticket as well as the number of the new ticket bought. The declaration and a photocopy of the new ticket bought must be sent to Attica Group central offices: 1-7, Lysikratous & Evripidou Street, 17674 Kallithea, Athens, Greece or can be sent to Customer Services Dept. by fax: +30 210 8919019 or e-mail: [email protected].
If the lost ticket has not been used within 1 month after the departure date, the company shall grant a ticket, for exactly the same value, free of charge. The number of the ticket lost, as well as other details, can be traced through the travel agency that the reservation was made and the ticket was issued.

PASSENGER’S PHONE NUMBER

The exact registration of passengers’ mobile phone is mandatory, so that they can be contacted in case of itineraries modifications (eg due to bad weather conditions). For passengers outside Greece, the 4-digit dial code of their country must also be indicated.

SCHEDULES

• The company will endeavour to adhere to the itineraries that are mentioned in the brochure. However, it maintains the right for their modification, if it is absolutely necessary.
• Arrival times quoted indicate the time the vessel arrives at the entrance of the port.
• The company reserves the right to reschedule its vessels if necessary.

TICKET CONTROL ON BOARD

Purser’s Office staff carries out ticket controls at embarkation and during the journey. Passengers are obliged to show their tickets on demand and proof of discount, if applicable.

LUGGAGE

Luggage should be placed in the designated areas of the vessels as per the crew’s instructions. Passengers are entitled to carry free of charge, luggage up to 50 kilos or 1m3. Luggage must not contain valuable items. These items can be handed over to the Chief Purser for safe-keeping.
The company is responsible for the damage or loss of luggage on board, only if they have been handed over for safe-keeping and a relevant receipt has been issued. The company cannot be held responsible for any loss of money or valuables left in the cabins, the ship’s common areas or the vehicles.

PASSENGERS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

On board our vessels there are specially designed cabins with easy access and operation to accommodate passengers with special needs. Due to a limited number of cabins it is necessary to reserve in advance (Reservations Dept.: +30 210 8919950). For further assistance: Customer Services Dept., tel.: +30 210 8919010, e-mail: [email protected] .

TRANSPORTATION OF UNACCOMPANIED MINORS

The transportation of minor passengers, who have reached the age of 15 to 18 years, without being accompanied by a parent or a guardian, is permitted under the following conditions:
Completion of a Statutory Declaration by the parent or the legal guardian of the minor, with his/her signature, certified by the relevant Police or Port Authority. For boarding on vessel, the minor passenger must possess in hand the original Statutory Declaration, along with the ticket, as well as his/her Identity Card for identification purposes. In any case, the parent or the legal guardian of the minor passenger bears in full the responsibility for the prompt acquisition and certification of the Statutory Declaration, as well as of any accompanying documents that may be required at the port of departure. Under no circumstances will the company be liable if, due to inadequate documents and/or identification certificates, boarding is not allowed by the vessel’s Officers or the Port Authorities.
Relevant declaration forms are available at the Customer Services Dept., tel.: +30 210 8919010, e-mail: [email protected], as well as at the local port offices of the company.

PET ACCOMMODATION

A limited number of Pet cabins are available on board. It is necessary to reserve these cabins in advance. Should these be fully booked, a small number of kennels are also available, except for FLYING DOLPHIN ships, where pets can only be transported in a transport cage for small pets up to 10 kg.
For reasons of public hygiene, pets are not allowed in cabins (other than the specially designated pet cabins), bars, restaurants and the ship’s indoor public areas. When walking on the open deck, they are required to wear muzzle and be on a leash, accompanied by a guardian.
Passengers traveling with a pet should hold updated health documents for their pet and are responsible for the pet’s care, safety and hygiene. Special areas for the pets’ daily hygiene are available on board (except for FLYING DOLPHIN ships).
Unaccompanied pets are not accepted for embarkation.

LOST AND FOUND SERVICE

Passengers, who have lost or found a lost item on board, are kindly requested to contact the ship’s Reception immediately during their journey and most importantly before disembarkation. For any information you may require after disembarkation, please contact Company’s Head Offices, Customer Services Dept., tel.: +30 210 8919010, e-mail: [email protected]

CUSTOMER SERVICE DIRECT LINE

For any Customer Service inquiries, comments or suggestions, please call, tel.: +30-210-8919010 or send an e-mail: [email protected]

SECURITY NOTICE

For security reasons, all persons and all items brought on board the vessel are liable to be searched. Persons refusing to comply with this demand shall be denied access on board and will be reported to the appropriate port authorities. All passengers are required to present their ticket, identity card or any other official documents to the vessel’s authorized personnel. The carrier reserves the right to deny embarkation to any individual who does not possess valid travel documents or fails to prove beyond doubt, his/her identity.
Once a passenger has boarded the vessel, they are not allowed to disembark prior to departure, unless approved by vessel’s Officers. Passengers who wish to disembark, must take with them all their luggage and/or vehicle (if possible).
Any weapons carried must be declared upon embarkation.

NO SMOKING LAW 3730

As per the National Law 3730 of the Greek Ministry of Health, as from 1st July 2009 smoking is strictly prohibited in all enclosed public areas, as well as the vessels’ cabins. Passengers may smoke in the designated areas on the open outer decks.

RIGHTS OF PASSENGERS IN THE EVENT OF ACCIDENTS

Rights of passengers travelling by sea in the event of accidents: http://www.hcg.gr/node/12912

Last update: 20/02/2025
Source: https://www.bluestarferries.com/en-gb/general-conditions-cyclades-dodecanese-n-aegean-sporades-saronic-islands