Festos Palace ferry

MS Festos Palace ferry is a Ro-Pax passenger vessel operated by the Greek company MINOAN LINES. The ship has a max capacity of 2500 passengers and 600 cars (or 90 trucks/trailers). The vessel was launched in 2001 and currently operates on the Greece-Crete ferry route Piraeus-Heraklion (crossing time 6 hours).

Cabins

As cruise ferry, Festos Palace has a total of 758 berths in single-occupancy (1-bed), 2-, 3-, and 4-berth staterooms in several categories (Deluxe, First Class and Second Class). Room service is offered for all Deluxe and 2-Bedroom Outside cabins.

All cabins are soundproof, air-conditioned, with en-suite bathrooms and fitted with a small writing table with chair, phone, flat TV. The ferry company provides bed linens, towels, and toiletries. Some staterooms are wheelchair-accessible (adapted for disabled passengers). The boat additionally offers a total of 742 reclining seats (aircraft-type seats in reserved seating lounges) available for pre-booking.

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

Shipboard dining and entertainment options

As facilities, the Festos Palace ship offers ATM machines, slot machines, an Internet cafe, two bars (outside and inside), restaurants (fast food, self service, a la carte), kids playroom, Erofili shopping centre, cinema, Internet Cafe, disco, top-deck swimming pool (heated, open only during summer months).

The ship's shop sells travel essentials, gifts, souvenirs, spirits, wines, tobaccos, clothing, sunglasses, handbags, fashion accessories, jewelry, perfumes, cosmetics, toys.

The Navigation Bridge is located forward. The red-painted funnel is midship. The aft-located helipad is a helicopter landing pad used in cases of medical emergency.

There are two Reserved Seating Lounges (Economy-Class, Business-Class) fitted with comfortable Pullman seats (fully-reclining armchairs) and large flat TVs. There are also two exclusive Truck Driver lounges (restaurant, bar lounge).

All onboard emergency instructions are displayed in staterooms, on the TV screens and at the ship's assembly stations (aka muster stations). Life jackets are issued at the assembly stations. In case of emergency, the use of elevators/passenger lifts is forbidden.

Minoan Lines ferry deals

The company currently offers the following discounts:

• 50% discount for NAT pensioners (spouses, domestic routes, applies for all cabin classes but LUX), plus a 20% discount to motorbikes and cars (same itinerary).
• 30% discount for Unemployment Cardholders! (domestic routes, offered for all cabin classes but LUX) plus 20% discount to motorbikes and cars (same itinerary). Unemployment cards and ID cards are required upon boarding.
• 50% discount for kids 4-16 yo. The offer applies for all cabin classes but on international routes (Greece-Italy) only. When a cabin is booked, children must be accompanied by an adult.
• 50% military discount (for Greek army conscripts) on domestic routes only. Military ID is required. The discount doesn't apply for permanent military staff.
• 50% ticket discount for war invalids/victims and their companions. It applies for all cabin classes (except LUX) and for their cars (must have special number plates).
• 50% ticket discount for passengers with disabilities over 80% (certification document is required, applies for all cabin classes except LUX). Also, a 50% ticket discount is offered for the companion (all cabin classes but LUX). The 50% discount also applies for cars with disability number plates (if the owner travels with it).
• 30% discount for families with 3 children (applies for all cabin classes except LUX), plus a 20% discount for bicycles and cars. This discount applies for children up to 25 yo. A family status certificate is required.
• Discount for large families (domestic routes only): 50% for VIP and DECK reclining seats, 30% for all cabin classes (except LUX), 20% for bikes and cars.
• Discount for kids up to 4 yo - kids travel for free (economy-class seats) and at 50% rate (cabin / all classes).
• In 4-bed cabins, 1 passenger travels for free (domestic routes only, 2 of 4 tickets must be full fare / without discount).
• 30% ticket discount for the Greece route on combined International+Domestic routes (Greece plus Italy). Tickets for both routes must be issued simultaneously.
• 30% ticket discount on return legs (domestic routes only, valid for passenger plus vehicle tickets).
• Cabin discounts for University Students (domestic routes only): 50% for VIP and DECK reclining seats, 50% for all cabin classes (except LUX), 20% for bicycles and cars. Student IDs are required.
• Discounts for ISIC Student Card holders (on both international and domestic routes): 50% on tickets with DECK and VIP seats plus 20% for cars or motorcycles (Greece routes), 20% on tickets with all cabin classes (except LUX) and cars or bicycles (Italy).
• One-way and roundtrip discounted "cabin plus car" package pricing.
• Roundtrip "cabin and car" discounted deals.

Car decks

Follows a list of car decks-related safety procedures:

• Disabled passengers or those requiring specific assistance should visit the ship's Information Desk (deck 7, open 24-hours).
• 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 ship-charterer Minoan Lines (founded in 1972, headquartered in Heraklion Greece) is a Greek ferry company (part of Grimaldi Group) operating on the shipping routes between Crete and Piraeus (mainland Greece), as well as in the Adriatic Sea (between Patras and ports in Italy). Minoan Lines current fleet includes the ships Festos Palace and Knossos Palace (sister-ship). Minoan also operates under the charter the Grimaldi ferries Cruise Europa and Cruise Olympia. The Minoan ships Olympia Palace and Europa Palace are currently chartered to TIRRENIA.