Zeus Palace ferry

Zeus Palace ferry is a Ro-Ro passenger vessel operated by the Italy-based company GRIMALDI LINES. The ship has a max capacity of 1706 passengers and 580 cars (or 150 cars plus 122 trucks/trailers). The vessel was launched in 2001 and currently operates on the Italy-Sardinia Island-Tunisia ferry routes Civitavecchia-Olbia-Tunis (crossing time 18.5 hours) and Salerno-Palermo-Tunis (crossing time 16.5 hours). The Sicily-Tunisia crossing time is 11.5 hours. The Italy-Sardinia crossing time is 6.5 hours.

In 2022, the Italy-Sardinia service Savona-Porto Torres was added (crossing time ~8.5 hours). During the low season, Cagliari Sardinia is also added.

Cabins

As a cruise ferry, Zeus Palace has 202 cabins (including 2 Suites and 2 handicap-accessible cabins) with a total of 500 berths. All staterooms are air-conditioned and have en-suite bathrooms (toilet/shower/washbasin, hairdryer), lower twin beds (fixed) and upper bunk beds (wall-mounted), bedside table and reading lamps, chair, mirrored vanity (small writing table with chair or stool), phone and wall-mounted reading lamps. The ferry company provides bed linens, towels and toiletries.

Outside cabins have bay windows. Superior cabins (Suites) additionally offer amenities such as TV (satellite reception), mini-bar, double bed, armchair and 3-seater sofa with low table. Two staterooms are wheelchair-accessible (cabins adapted for disabled passengers). The boat additionally offers a total of 211 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 Zeus Palace ship offers:

• The ship has two main restaurants - A La Carte Restaurant and Self-Service (Buffet) Restaurant. Both have floor-to-ceiling windows and are suitable for quick meals prepared by Italian master chefs. Personalized menus are also available, offering dishes made with gluten-free products. Booking onboard dining in advance (online) offers up to 50% off the onboard prices.
• Onboard dining includes 3 restaurant menus (Standard, Business, Premium), each with fixed per-person prices for Breakfast and Lunch-Dinner.
• The Premium menu is served at the A La Carte Restaurant only. It includes 1 starter, 1 first-course meal, 1 second-course meal, 1 side dish, 1 dessert (or fruit) and 1 drink (0.5 L bottled water, 330 ml domestic beer, 370 ml wine or non-alcoholic beverage).
• Standard and Business menus are served at the Buffet Restaurant only.
• The Standard menu includes Breakfast (1 hot drink, 1 croissant or 2 butter-and-jam sandwiches, 1 glass of fruit juice), Lunch (1 first course, 1 main course, 1 side dish, 1 bread, 1 seasonal fruit, 1 drink / 0.5 L bottled water, 330 ml domestic beer, 250 ml wine or non-alcoholic beverage) and Dinner (1 first course, 1 main course, 1 side, 1 bread, 1 seasonal fruit, 1 drink).
• The Business menu includes Breakfast (1 hot drink, 1 glass of fruit juice, 2 butter-and-jam sandwiches or 1 croissant + 1 yogurt), Lunch (1 appetizer, 1 first course, 1 main course, 1 side, 1 bread, 1 seasonal fruit, 1 dessert, 1 drink / 0.5 L bottled water, 330 ml domestic beer, 250 ml wine or non-alcoholic beverage) and Dinner (1 appetizer, 1 first course, 1 main course, 1 side, 1 bread, 1 seasonal fruit, 1 dessert, 1 drink).
• The ship has 3 bars, including a Snack Bar (Cafeteria / Patisserie), open year-round and selling sandwiches, cakes, pastries, fruit salads, yogurts, ice cream and hot/cold drinks.
• Children's Room is a dedicated indoor playground for kids, equipped with a large TV (for watching cartoons), bean bags, small tables with chairs, toys, games, a ball pool pit and supervised activities.
• The ship also has Disco (glass-dome-covered nightclub), Casino (gambling lounge with slot machines), Video Games Room (arcade machines), Reserved Seating Lounges, Main Lounge, Cinema, Piano Bar (live music), Pool Bar, Card Room, Wellness Center (Spa, Gym) and Internet Cafe.
• There are two Reserved Seating Lounges (Economy-Class, Club-Class) fitted with comfortable Pullman seats (fully reclining armchairs) and large TVs. There are also two exclusive Truck Driver lounges (restaurant, bar lounge).
• Onboard shopping includes several retail shops (boutiques) and a Mini-Market selling discounted alcohol (spirits, wines), tobacco, premium-brand perfumes and cosmetics, designer jewelry, fashion clothing and accessories, footwear, designer watches, handbags, sunglasses, personal hygiene products, travel essentials, confectionery, snacks, toys, books, magazines, electronics and gadgets, special-occasion gifts and souvenirs.
• (Lobby Deck) ATM/cash machine is located next to the Reception (Information Desk). Onboard Wi-Fi service is paid. WiFi packages can be purchased online (during ferry booking) or on the ship (at the Reception). WiFi service is available on all GRIMALDI ships.
• Wellness Center consists of Spa (sauna, locker rooms, jacuzzi pool, relaxation area, massage rooms), outdoor sundeck area (with loungers and tables), Beauty Parlor (Salon and Shop / for beauty products) and Fitness (gym with Technogym equipment). Wellness Center can be visited only by adults and teenagers (14 to 18 years old) accompanied by adults.
• Sun Deck is an outdoor area with swimming pool and whirlpool (jacuzzi), poolside bar, sunbathing area with loungers, deckchairs, 4-seat tables and TVs.

The ship's top deck is a Heli Deck with a helipad (helicopter landing area used in emergencies).

The vessel offers plenty of outdoor deck space. Infirmary (ship hospital) provides 24-hour nurse service.

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 cases of emergency, the use of elevators/passenger lifts is forbidden.

GRIMALDI ferry and cruise deals

As on cruise ships, all Grimaldi ferries offer passenger cabins with modern amenities, individually controlled air-conditioning and en-suite facilities. Some suites have private balconies.

Occasionally, the largest Grimaldi ships are also used for Mediterranean mini-cruises - especially during the Christmas and New Year holidays.

• Each crossing can be customized and specifically themed by travel agencies and event organizers, thanks to GRIMALDI ships' large event spaces, which can be adapted differently according to specific requests. Among the most popular theme cruises, GRIMALDI offers voyages themed on sports, art, culture, history, music and religion.
• On the Rome-Barcelona routes, 2-day mini-cruise deals are offered.
• Through the company's "Ad hoc" programs, religion-themed cruises are organized for small and large groups of pilgrims. The itineraries allow pilgrimages from Italy (Civitavecchia-Rome and Porto Torres Sardinia) to Spain (Barcelona, tour to Sagrada Familia), France (Lourdes, tour to Grotto of Lourdes) and Carcassonne (Cathedral, Basilica of St Nazaire and St Celse).
• GRIMALDI FREIGHTER CLUB is reserved for all ferry passengers with a minimum of 2 crossings on GRIMALDI LINES ships. Club membership allows a 5% Freighter Travel discount on the price.
• The ferry company offers discounted group travel rates for all types of passenger groups (minimum 20 people / with or without vehicles), including students, sports fans, religious groups, campers, music bands, etc.
• GRIMALDI's "Nave Piu Hotel" ("Ferry and Hotel") packages are offered for the Italian islands Sardinia and Sicily. The program is arranged via partnerships with local hotels, villages and residences.
• Shuttle bus service (between Naples and Civitavecchia-Rome) is offered for all daily departures, except Sundays. The bus ticket price is EUR 24 pp (each way), added to the ferry ticket price. The shuttle bus ticket can be purchased with the ferry ticket or on the ship. The shuttle service is subject to change and availability. Departure from Naples is at 4 pm (bus boarding starts at 3:30 pm) at Piazza Angioino / in front of Stazione Marittima. Departure from Civitavecchia is at 8:30 pm (bus boarding starts at 8 pm) from the port.

GRIMALDI company offers the following discounted ferry travel deals:

• 20% discount for early bookings and departures (January through April 30th) for Sardinia, Sicily, Spain and Greece.
• 20% discount on routes to and from Palermo Sicily (bookings and departures, January through April 30th).
• 20% discount on bookings that include departure within 7 days after booking. The offer is valid on ferries to Sardinia, Spain and the Livorno-Palermo route (January through April 30th).
• 20% discount for senior travelers (passengers over 60). The offer includes Inside Cabin with no single supplement. The offer is limited and subject to availability.
• (Spain) 20% discount on campers is offered on return crossings from Barcelona to Civitavecchia and Porto Torres.
• (Greece) 20% discount is offered on return tickets (low-season departures) on the Italy-Greece routes Brindisi-Igoumenitsa, Brindisi-Corfu and Brindisi-Patras. This low-season discount is also available on the reverse routes (from Greece to Italy).
• (Tunisia) 20% discount is offered on the return ticket on Italy-Tunisia and Tunisia-Italy routes.
• (Morocco) 20% discount is offered on the return ticket on Italy-Morocco and Morocco-Italy routes.
• (Greece) 30% discount is offered on low-season crossings from Italy to Greece with combined Grimaldi Lines and Minoan Lines bookings.
• 50% discount for kids from 2 to 12 years old and 100% discount (kids travel for free) for toddlers up to 2 years old. These offers are for a maximum of 2 kids per cabin and can't be combined with the "Superfamily and Friends" offer. Both offers are for roundtrips and subject to availability.
• 100% discount (kids travel for free) for children up to 12 years old is offered on all lines to and from Sicily Island. The offer is for roundtrips and subject to availability.
• 100% "SARDI DOC" discount (free car or motorbike in tow) and single cabin (no supplement) is offered for Sardinia Island natives and residents. The same applies to the 100% "SICILIANI DOC" discount (for Sicily Island natives and residents). These special offers are limited and subject to availability.
• (early booking through April 30th) 100% discount for cars is offered on the routes from Civitavecchia to Sardinia (Olbia and Porto Torres) for year-round departures. The offer can be combined with SARDI DOC (Sardinia resident discount rate).
• 100% discount on cars and motorbikes is offered on return crossings from Spain to Italy (not on all departures).
• (Spain) Special rates on Wednesday departures are offered on the Civitavecchia-Barcelona and Barcelona-Civitavecchia routes. The offer is limited and subject to availability.
• (Spain) Special rates for couples (2 passengers booked in the same stateroom) are offered on routes to and from Spain. The offer is limited and subject to availability.
• Special rates for kids and children up to 12 years of age are offered on all routes connecting Italy with Sardinia, Sicily, Spain, Tunisia, Morocco and Greece.
• (Spain) "Superfamily and Friends" discount rates are offered for 4 passengers booked in the same cabin. The offer is valid for 2 full-paying adults (3rd and 4th passengers travel for free) on return crossings from Spain to Italy. "Superfamily and Friends" rate can be combined with other discounts and special rates on offer.

Note: Fixed fees (port charges, Government taxes) are excluded from discount fares.

The "Week-end a bordo" (Week-end onboard) program gives passengers the opportunity to spend the weekend in Barcelona (Saturday to Tuesday). GRIMALDI's "Hotel on board" formula allows the ferries Cruise Roma and Cruise Barcelona to be used as hotel ships during the Barcelona port stop on Sunday.

• Saturday (midnight) - departure from Civitavecchia (Rome)
• Sunday (8 pm) arrival in Barcelona, free-time city exploration, stateroom (overnight stay on the ferry)
• Monday - free-time city exploration, Barcelona departure 10:15 pm
• Tuesday (7 pm) - arrival in Civitavecchia (Rome)
• While on the ship (during the crossing), passengers can take advantage of all shipboard services and facilities (including spa, gym, casino, solarium, swimming pool, live music and entertainment, bars, lounges and restaurants).

GRIMALDI also offers honeymoon cruises at very affordable prices.

• Ferry fares are inclusive of Junior Suite cabin, roundtrip ferry cruise (for 2 passengers and 1 car), free entry to the ship's wellness center (plus 1 free spa treatment per person / "Back and Neck" massage), meals (dinner at the ship's restaurant), port fees and taxes, in-cabin dining (Breakfast, complimentary fruits and sparkling wine).
• All these price-inclusive services and amenities are available in both directions (outward and return crossings).
• Honeymoon ferry cruise deals are offered on the ships Cruise Roma and Cruise Barcelona, with prices per couple EUR 640 (low season), EUR 740 (mid-season) and EUR 920 (high season).

Pets on the ship

Traveling with pets / domestic animals is allowed on all GRIMALDI ships. Dedicated onboard lodgings are available for dogs and cats. Other animals (rabbits, birds, hamsters, etc.) must be in passenger-owned carriers.

• Animals are not allowed in staterooms, seating lounges, bar lounges and all public rooms. Animals are allowed only on outer decks, where they can be walked by their owners.
• During ferry booking, passengers have to select "Pet up to 6 kg" for animals traveling in pet cages and not requiring kennels. The "Pet over 6 kg" option is for animals needing an onboard kennel (which must be booked in advance).
• During the crossing, animals are fed by their owners. Water is provided by the crew. Animals must be cared for by their owners, who are obliged to remove excrement or any other mess produced by the animal.

Visually impaired passengers travel with their guide dogs at no extra cost. Guide dogs are allowed in the cabin. Disabled passengers or those with reduced mobility can also be accompanied by assistance dogs.

Car decks

As freight, GRIMALDI ships allow transportation of semi-trailers, lorries (with or without drivers), cars, motorcycles (only as freight, without drivers), caravans, camper vans (without drivers), cargo containers, mobile machinery, boats (on cradle) and industrial products.

Below is a list of car deck-related safety procedures:

• Disabled passengers or those requiring specific assistance should visit the ship's Information Desk (open 24 hours).
• Apply the handbrake and place the vehicle in park or 1st gear. Switch off the ignition, alarm, electrical equipment and headlights. Gas cylinders, if any, must be switched off. Lock the vehicle.
• Take only valuables and essential hand baggage from your vehicle.
• 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 Grimaldi Lines (fleet, founded in 1999, headquartered in Civitavecchia-Rome) is an Italian ferry company operating exclusively on Mediterranean shipping routes connecting mainland Italy with Sardinia, Sicily, Spain, Greece, Morocco and Tunisia.