Blue Star Chios ferry

MV Blue Star Chios ferry (fka Nissos Chios) is a Ro-Ro passenger vessel operated by the Greece-based company BLUE STAR FERRIES. The ship has a max capacity of 1715 passengers and 425 cars. The vessel was launched in 2007 and currently operates on the mainland Greece to Greek Islands ferry route Piraeus-Kalymnos-Kos-Rhodes-Ikaria-Fournoi Korseon (archipelago)-Astypalaia-Patmos-Leipsoi/Lipsi-Leros-Nisyros-Tilos-Symi-Karpathos-Kasos-Kastellorizo.

Cabins

As cruise ferry, Blue Star Chios has a total of 74 cabins with 252 berths, all of which are air-conditioned and with en-suite bathrooms. The ferry company provides bed linens, towels, and toiletries. The ship also has wheelchair-accessible cabins (adapted for disabled passengers).

The Reserved Seating Lounge (Neptune Lounge) is equipped with large TV and reclining Pullman seats (comfortable, fully reclining leather armchairs). Reserved seats are available for pre-booking. These deals are inclusive of complimentary beverages (tea, coffee, soft drinks). The Lobby Bar Lounge is furnished with comfortable leather sofas and chairs and round tables.

The ship has dedicated "Pet Cabins" with linoleum flooring. For reasons of hygiene, dogs are not allowed in other indoor areas of the ship (restaurants, bars, lounges). Pets can travel only in cabins or in special cages. Dogs can be walked at pet-dedicated outdoor areas, but always must be leashed and muzzled, and under passenger's personal supervision.

All passengers must vacate their staterooms 30 min prior to homeport arrival.

Shipboard dining and entertainment options

As facilities, the Blue Star Chios ship offers:

• Accommodation options - cabins, Sirena Lounge seats (standard), Neptune Lounge seats (reserved / leather recliners), Lobby Bar seating. All lounges are fitted with large TVs.
• Dining options - Self-Service Restaurant (full menu, single courses, kids-vegetarian-healthy meals, traditional local dishes), Bar-Cafeteria (patisserie - pastries, cakes, drinks, snacks, sandwiches), Outdoor Bar (grill, cocktails, beers, sundeck barbecues), chocolate and ice-cream parlor. Purchasing dining services in advance offers a 10% discount.
• Entertainment options - supervised children's entertainment, live stand-up comedy and magic shows, DJ music parties and live performances by guest artists (on Sun Deck), 3D Cinema, Casino (slot machines gaming area).
• Family services - the company provides high chairs, cots, safety bars for cabins' bunk beds, baby changing rooms, kids menu, children activities (games, toys, drawing sets, board games), kids play area (ball pool). The kids' entertainment program is available during peak season (movies, handicraft workshops).
• Passengers with disabilities - 2 adapted cabins (2-berth / for passengers with reduced mobility), adapted toilets (in all onboard communal areas), 10 disabled lounge seats, 10 safety anchorage points (for wheelchairs), lifts (passenger elevators connecting all decks).
• Solarium (sundeck sunbathing area)
• Gifts & Travel Necessities Shop (combined boutique and general store - gifts and souvenirs, alcohol and tobaccos, perfumes and cosmetics, drinks, snacks, sweets, toiletries, electronics, toys, books, newspapers, local gourmet produce)
• Luggage Compartments - there are luggage lockers (available in the ship's passenger lounge) which are accessible throughout the voyage.

Blue Star Ferries offers Lounge seats in categories Super Economy, Special Economy, and Economy.

All Blue Star ships are equipped with CCTV cameras with image recording. Wi-Fi and Internet are available at extra cost. Mobile phone chargers and Ipad rentals are also offered. All onboard emergency instructions are displayed in staterooms, on the TV screens and at the ship's assembly stations (muster stations). Life jackets are issued at the assembly stations. In case of emergency, the use of elevators/passenger lifts is forbidden.

Smoking anywhere inside the ships (all indoor public areas and in all cabins) is not permitted. Smoking is allowed only outdoors, at designated areas on open decks.

Pets on the ship

The ship provides Pet Cages (upon booking, pet cage's type must be indicated).

For pet owners, all large Blue Star cruise ships offer 2 types of cages - small cage (max height 50-75 cm/pets less than 30 kg) and large cage (max height 70-90 cm/pets over 30 kg). Passengers can also bring their own pet carriers.

Cage pricing is fixed (per voyage) and varies depending on the ferry route. Valid health cards for pets are required. Under no circumstances, pets are allowed out of their cages/carriers during the crossing.

During embarkation and disembarkation, dogs must be leashed and muzzled. Passengers with pets always disembark last.

Blue Star ferry deals

• Bicycles are ferried free of charge.
• On all Greek Islands routes, the company offers 20% "Special Economy" ticket discount, EUR 20 pp "Super Economy" ticket discount, 15-20% cabin discount (all staterooms) and 20-30-50% ticket discount for SeaSmiles (loyalty program) members. All these special offers are for Piraeus departures only.
• On Greece to Crete routes (Piraeus to Heraklion), the company offers discounted cabin plus car packages. These packages are valid for one-way crossings only and booking a full cabin (grades A2, A3, A4, AB2, AB3, AB4). A 20% return ticket discount is also offered with each package.

All-year-round ticket discounts are offered for kids ages 5-10 yo (50%), kids ages 0-5 yo (travel free in Economy Class seat or at 50% / half price in cabin), students (50% for ISIC cardholders), Greek Domestic combined with Greece-Italy (30%), roundtrip Piraeus-Paros (20%, summer evening departures), ferry plus train travel (50% off seat tickets, 25% off cabin tickets - valid for FIP members / currently active personnel and their families, excepting July and August and LUX cabins).

Car decks

All ferried vehicles must have documentation and valid insurance. Having the car's technical data sheet makes boarding checks easier. Upon booking, the vehicle's model, length and height must be specified. Car ferry passengers must arrive at the departure port 90 min prior departure.

Special vehicles (height over 3 m / 10 ft) must be booked via the company's Call Center (902 160 180).

Follows a list of car decks related safety procedures:

• Disabled passengers or those requiring specific assistance should visit the ship's Information Desk.
• Apply handbrake and place the vehicle in park or 1st gear position. Switch off the ignition, alarm, electrical equipment, headlights. Gas cylinders, if any, must be switched off. Lock the vehicle.
• From your vehicle take only valuables and essential hand baggage.
• Make a note of your vehicle's location and garage deck number/stairway before leaving the car deck.
• Access to the ship's vehicle (cargo) decks during the voyage is prohibited.
• Smoking on vehicle decks, as well as in cabins and passenger lounges is forbidden.
• Wait for the onboard announcement before returning to your vehicle.
• In order to avoid air pollution, don't start the engine until instructed.

The shipowner Blue Star Ferries (fleet, 2000-founded, headquartered in Athens Greece, part of Attica Group) offers ferry services from mainland Greece to the Aegean Islands. It is the largest ferry company in Greece (sister-company is Superfast Ferries) and serves more than 20 island destinations.