Cabins, Seats & Deck on the Italy–Greece Ferry

Overview

Four ferry companies serve the Italy–Greece routes on this site, and each names its cabins differently. Superfast Ferries and ANEK Lines are, in practice, the same product on the Adriatic: both belong to the Attica Group, and Ancona/Bari/Venice–Patras, Igoumenitsa and Corfu are legally run by one joint venture, Blue Star Ferries Maritime & Co. Book through either brand and you get the same ship and cabin categories – see our /en/operators/superfast-anek.php page for the full route list. Grimaldi Lines only runs Ancona–Igoumenitsa here – Brindisi and Patras aren't part of its network, details on our /en/operators/grimaldi-lines.php page – while /en/operators/ventouris-ferries.php limits its Greece–Italy service to Bari–Igoumenitsa, sailing only in July, August and September.

Minoan Lines sells tickets for Ancona–Patras, but on the Igoumenitsa–Corfu legs it acts as sales agent for Grimaldi's own ships, so the cabin you sleep in can belong to a different brand than the one on your ticket. None of this affects safety or comfort, but it's why cabin names vary so much and why the deck plan matters more than the brand name. For what a night in each option actually feels like, see our /en/blog/overnight-ferry-experience.php report.

Cabin, Seat & Deck Categories by Operator

The table lists the categories each operator actually uses on its own site – match the code here before comparing fares.

On Grimaldi, every cabin comes with sheets, towels and a shower kit, and the company is explicit that cabins are “for exclusive use” – you book the whole room, not a single bunk in a cabin shared with strangers. Superfast doesn't spell this out, but its “Digikey” phone-unlock system points the same way: one key, one party, one door. At most operators here, a bed inside a shared cabin simply isn't a booking option any more – if budget is tight, the seat or deck category is the real economy choice. Minoan's cabins are categorised by passenger count, not by the number of beds, which backs this up indirectly.

What Cabins Actually Cost

None of the four operators publishes a current, dated 2026 fare table – prices appear only once you search with real dates. As a rough structure, deck passage is cheapest, a seat costs a bit more, an inside cabin is a clear step up, an outside cabin more again, and a lux or suite cabin sits at the top. The “from” fares you see on booking sites are the floor for the cheapest low-season fare, not a cabin price.

Single-occupancy supplements are common: Superfast's own Adriatic fare rules add 50–70% for one person alone in a two-berth cabin. Prices climb steeply between low and high season, with July–August running well above a May or October search. Live prices change by date and route, so the search tool above beats any figure printed here.

Camping on Board: What's Actually True in 2026

Camping on board still gets mentioned as a general Italy–Greece feature, but the current picture on these four routes is narrower. Superfast Ferries discontinued it on 4 March 2004, citing the International Ship and Port Security (ISPS) Code; booked passengers were moved into cabins, and the policy has stood ever since across the shared Superfast/ANEK service. Grimaldi doesn't offer it either: garage decks stay locked for the whole crossing, and the closest thing on offer is “Camper & Meals”, a 30% restaurant discount for camper bookings – not an overnight stay. Ventouris states the same restriction in its FAQ: the parking area locks after departure and reopens only shortly before arrival.

Minoan Lines is the exception. On Ancona–Patras and Ancona–Igoumenitsa it markets “Camping All Inclusive”: the price matches a deck ticket plus a camper or caravan reservation, bundled with a 30% meal discount. It's aimed at fully equipped, registered campers and caravans with their own sleeping area, kitchen and toilet – ordinary cars and minibuses don't qualify, and gas appliances stay off during the crossing. Confirm the exact terms at booking, since Minoan publishes no further detail. Our /en/camper/ guide covers vehicle fares and deck logistics more broadly.

Taking a Pet Into Your Cabin

Cabin access for pets is one of the clearer differences between operators. Superfast runs dedicated Pet Cabins at €50 per animal per crossing, as 2-, 3- or 4-berth inside or outside cabins; a plain kennel space costs €20 per animal, limited availability, so book it with your ticket. Grimaldi's “Pet in Cabin” service is priced per cabin, not per animal – €10 covers up to three pets in whichever category you've booked, plus a bedding kit and cleaning; without a deworming record, dogs are limited to the kennel. Ventouris doesn't sell a pet cabin at all: pets travel free of charge in a kennel area with cages of various sizes.

Leash and muzzle rules apply outside the cabin. Grimaldi states both are mandatory on open decks, with boarding refused without them – guide dogs are the explicit exception and travel free. Ventouris requires the same on deck and in shared areas. Superfast's pet page doesn't spell out a muzzle rule, so bring one regardless. For documents, kennels and which ships carry pet cabins on a given sailing, see our /en/guide/ferry-with-pets.php guide.

Which Cabin for Which Route – and When to Book

The right choice depends mostly on how long you're at sea. On the daytime Bari–Igoumenitsa crossing – roughly eight hours with Ventouris in summer – a seat is genuinely enough. The Ancona routes are different: at around 21 hours to Patras, via Igoumenitsa at roughly 15 hours, most travellers are glad they booked at least an inside cabin. On the longest crossing here, Venice–Patras at close to 30 hours, an outside cabin earns its premium – a porthole and extra space matter over two days at sea. Our /en/routes/ancona-patras.php and /en/routes/bari-igoumenitsa.php pages set out schedules for each option.

Book early for July or August: Ventouris' early-booking discount for Italy–Greece, up to 30%, closes 28 May 2026 with limited spaces, and cabins on busy Ancona sailings sell out weeks ahead. Return-trip discounts combine well with early booking – Superfast/ANEK offers 30% when outbound and return tickets are issued together, Grimaldi 20% on its Greece routes, Ventouris 20% under the same condition. None apply retroactively, so fix your return date before booking. Our /en/guide/cheapest-ferry-tips.php guide has more fare-saving tactics.

FAQ

What's the difference between an inside and an outside cabin?

An inside cabin has no window – on Superfast/ANEK that's the AB2, AB3 or AB4 category, on Grimaldi simply “Inside cabin”. An outside cabin adds a porthole (Superfast A2, A3, AA4; Grimaldi “Outside” or “Superior outside”) and usually a little more space. The layout is otherwise similar – you're paying for the view and, on some ships, a bit of extra room.

Can I book a single bed in a shared cabin, or only a whole cabin?

At most operators here you book the whole cabin, not one bed shared with strangers. Grimaldi says so explicitly (“for exclusive use”), and Minoan's cabins are sized by passenger count rather than bed count. If you're travelling alone on a budget, the deck or seat category is the real economy option, not a shared bunk.

Is camping on board available on the Italy–Greece ferry?

Not with most operators. Superfast/ANEK stopped it in 2004, and Grimaldi and Ventouris both keep the garage decks locked for the whole crossing. Minoan Lines is the exception, marketing “Camping All Inclusive” for fully equipped campers and caravans on Ancona–Patras and Ancona–Igoumenitsa – confirm the details when you book.

Can my pet stay in the cabin with me?

Yes, with the operators that offer a pet cabin. Superfast charges €50 per animal per crossing for its Pet Cabins; Grimaldi charges €10 per cabin, covering up to three pets, for its “Pet in Cabin” service. Ventouris doesn't offer a pet cabin – pets travel free of charge in a kennel area instead.

Which cabin should I book for a short daytime crossing versus an overnight one?

For the roughly eight-hour daytime Bari–Igoumenitsa sailing, a seat is usually enough. For the overnight Ancona routes (around 21 hours to Patras) or the longer Venice–Patras crossing, an inside or outside cabin makes the trip far more comfortable – you'll actually sleep instead of dozing in a chair.