Flying Dolphins
Operated by Blue Star Ferries
Flying Dolphins
Operated by Blue Star Ferries
Operated by Blue Star Ferries on the Aegina Athens (Piraeus), Athens (Piraeus) Hydra, Athens (Piraeus) Ermioni, Athens (Piraeus) Spetses, Athens (Piraeus) Porto Heli, Poros (Saronic Islands) Hydra, Poros (Saronic Islands) Ermioni, Poros (Saronic Islands) Spetses, Hydra Ermioni, Hydra Spetses & Ermioni Spetses routes
Operating in the Saronic Gulf, Hellenic Seaways has placed their fleet of 3 Flying Dolphin ferries on these routes to offer passengers a unique high speed service. All three ferries are hydrofoil/passenger only. Sister ships Flying Dolphin 17 and 18 were both built in Russia in the early 1980’s and have a passenger capacity of 141 while the newer Flying Dolphin 29 was built in the nineties. All 3 Flying Dolphins can travel at a speed of up to 33.5 knots.
Please Note: Whilst we have taken great care in making our Flying Dolphins guide as accurate as possible, onboard facilities, services and entertainment may vary depending on the date and time of year that you travel, facilities mentioned may change without notification and ferry companies reserve the right to operate vessels other than those mentioned at time of booking without prior notification.
out of 5
64% of our customers recommended this ship
"Seamless"
Punctual, reliable & professional service. Slightly cheaper if you buy tickets at port in euros
"Non of my ferries has worked "
Non of my ferries to Hydra( 2 on my reservation ) have been working. I still have No info about refund.
"My ferry was canceled "
My ferry was canceled So far no one came back about the issue
"Great service & on time"
Great service & on time
"Will use again!"
There were NO problems from booking online, the fare, obtainin tickets and finding the ferry at Piraeus. Ferries were clean, punctual and staff were really professional in getting passengers on or off at the relevant stops.
"Good Trip"
Great trip, punctual and comfortable
"Trip to Poros"
The trip to Poros went very well, the ferries were on time and were very comfortable. We found it a great experience as we hadn’t done this sort of thing before. All in all I would recommend Blue Star Ferries.
"Blue Star Ferries "
Both journeys on time staff really helpful as we are disabled they gave assistance with luggage
"Dog Trials & Tribulations"
The trip was fast and efficient. The only thing that annoyed was that as a travellor with a dog on the Flighing Dolphins was I was not allowed to have a seat but required to stand in entry/exit recess open to the weather. Not a satisfactory situation.
"Holiday to Athens and Greek island."
A very efficient quick service to Agistri staff were helpful with luggage Ship a bit noisy both trips but quick and did the job also very hot onboard could have done with air con but would use again as only 45mins crossing.
"Flying Dolphin"
I was booked to return from Spetses to Piraeus with Blue Star Ferries but discovered I was traveling with their sister company Hellenic Seaways on its Flying Dolphin. Ours did not fly! It was 40 minutes late leaving Spetses and 1 hour 30 minutes late arriving in Piraeus. There was no air con in the standard lounge and no catering service. The hydrofoil was congested with luggage piled in the entrance to the lounge. The staff made no effort to show people to their seats or to deal with a passenger who was occupying someone else's seat for his luggage. In contrast, the outward trip from Piraeus to Spetses on a Blue Star ferry was much better. The upper lounge was spacious and well ventilated, with overhead lockers for storage. Drinks and snacks were available to purchase. Despite being full and calling at two other islands, the boat arrived on time at Spetses. Your stars don't work for me. Another fix!!!
"Good service overall"
The boat it's self was very clean and comfortable. The service ran on time and was very efficient. I think there is a break down in communication however between the booking service and the actual boat company, as we were told to be at the port an hour before departure despite the boat only arriving 5 minutes before departure. Also it is not clear at all where the boat leaves from, Pireaus port is massive and 3 different people pointed to different parts of the port. Evidentially after boarding the wrong boat, a kind Greek ferry worker pointed us in the right direction. Finally, the boat has allocated seat numbers which I think need to be highlighted by the booking service and reinforced by the boat staff. On the outward journey we were unaware of the allocated seating and were asked to move by another couple as we were in their seats, this we did apologeticially, however we then received criticism when we asked another couple to then move out of our allocated seats. Furthermore on the return journey, when we asked a couple to move out of our allocated seats they were very rude and refused, meaning we had to sit elsewhere and separated. This I thought was very unfair, the system definitely needs to be reviewed and allocated seating reinforced.
"NOT a happy experience"
The lack of air conditioning and the smell of diesel was quite appalling. The staff did their best to help in a situation that was pretty intolerable. There was nowhere to get any water which is unacceptable in the high summer heat in a totally stuffy sweltering boat
"Ferry trip from Piraeus to hydra and back."
First time to hydra and was a bit apprehensive regarding ferry but it was a fantastic trip both ways. Booked seating comes as standard with ticket picked tickets up from refractive in Piraeus easily, was given great directionsons of where to board the flying cat, ride was smooth and beautiful scenery. Would recommend. Great start to our holiday on Hydra.
"Concern re. Flying Dolphins"
We went from Piraeus to Hydra on Friday, 14th June on a Flying Dolphin - we were very concerned about the pungent smell of fumes emitted from the vessel. Indeed seeing such a vessel from the island during a weekend stay it was evident that large amounts of black exhaust fumes were being put into the atmosphere. The return journey on Monday, 17th June was on a Flying Cat - this was indeed a much better experience. No pungent fumes and no evidence of pollution.
"Excellence"
From booking on line, ticket collection, punctuality of ferry services to Hydra from Piraeus and return was superb and stress free. A big thank you to the whole team and crew for a seamless experience.
"On time, clean and fast Aegina to Piraeus"
The title says it all! No catering on offer.
"Piraeus to Poros return"
Both the flying dolphin & flying cat services are excellent! Use them many times throughout the islands ! The Flying cat is preferable as it is more comfortable, smoother , and has a refreshments bar - the dolphin is noisy & bumpier! The staff are amazing at helping customers & adept at quick turnarounds!
"Excellent service"
Both journeys to and from Ermioni and Piraeus went well and were on time. The larger boat is probably better in terms of facilities as it has a small cafe and, for a 3 hour + journey is a bonus. The Flying Dolphin has not got that and that was a miss. However I preferred the comfort of this boat. I could not get my head round the reserved seating numbers which are 4 digit and very confusing. There is not enough luggage space on either boat and both times my luggage got totally buried and I had to remove lots of heavy suitcases out of the way of my small case in order to get off at Ermioni.
"Admin..."
The ferries were clean, comfortable and punctual. However the link to check in before our journey did not work. Also, when we arrived one hour early to physically check in, the staff member said she had no record of our booking. She found it eventually but there must be a glitch in the system somewhere. Not sure why we had to be there an hour early either...?
"Direct ferry’s great,Hellenic seaways not so great"
The ticketing process with direct ferry’s was easy and accurate. The Hellenic personnel were rude, unhelpful and customer service disconnected me when I had trouble on an return trip that leg was rrelated to, but not tied directly to, this itinerary and was purchased direct from Hellenic). The entire interaction with Hellenic was o e if the worst travel experiences I have ever had (I travel extensively around the world). Good luck if you use them
"Boat Cancelled"
Be careful when booking your trip, especially if you have onward connections - do not assume that the ships will depart as scheduled. The time for my outbound ferry from Pireaus to Hydra was changed by a couple of hours. This was fine and someone rang me a few days in advance which was good. But then for my return ferry, I was due to leave Hydra at 15.10, arriving 1645, with a flight to catch from Athens airport at 2115. I thought this allowed plenty of time for delays etc. But the boat didn't turn up. Half an hour later a lady came to tell everyone waiting to come to the office and exchange tickets for the 1830 ferry. There were some very frustrated people who, like me, were going to miss flights as a consequence. There was no hint of an apology, just a shrugging of shoulders as if to say 'not my problem'. I got the sense it wasn't an unusual occurrence. I had to re-book my flight and extra nights hotels in Athens, which cost 500 Euros. Not a nice way to end a lovely holiday. My advice would be to allow time for cancellations for your onward journey - your boat might not turn up and don't expect the staff to help you if it doesn't.
"last minute cancellation of ferry"
Our ferry from Athens to Spetses was fine. The ferry back was 'suspended' with no explanation, informed by a text 1.5 hours before it was due to leave. As a result, we had to pay 20. euros for a water taxi to mainland and then 200 euros from the mainland to Athens airport as this was the only way to make our flight. Although the ferry company reimbursed us and was helpful in organising taxis, this was extremely stressful and expensive. I would not trust this ferry company again.
"It’s about time HELLENIC SEAWAYS scrapped Flying Dolphin 29"
On the 1st October 2018 our Flying Cat 5 was replaced by Flying Dolphin 29. FD29 must be one of the oldest most knackered vessels in the HELLENIC SEAWAYS fleet, it looks old, it bellows smoke, the cabin smells of fuel and it vibrates enough to shake your fillings out. Shortly after leaving Piraeus for Hydra the engine speed dropped and then picked up over and over. A message over the tannoy seemed to suggest we may need to return to port, which was enough to unsettle everyone aboard, but the craft continued at less than full power and arrived at Hydra about half an hour late. Okay, so we got there, but this was the same vessel we did the reverse crossing on a year ago when we experienced all the same engine problems, only this time the vessel was stopped mid journey, passengers were moved out of the front section while crew with big spanners lifted the floor and appeared to work on the engine. It’s impossible to use this boat feeling confident you will arrive at your destination and even if you do it is never a pleasant experience, which isn’t true of the many other vessels in the fleet we have used.
"very professional"
I booked a flying dolphin, it was on time and very fast, I would like to try next time the ferry boat also because I saw it on the port and it seems something that we mus try :) I recommend anyone to go with Hellenic Seaways.
"Refund due to strike "
My ferry was cancelled snd I had to endure a coschbtonanthens which I had to pay £50 euros plus an additional 2 euros for a small local ferry. I had to be dropped at the airport instead of in Athens where I was going to complete my holiday on s your but this was also lost another 39 euros lost and had to sit at the airport for another 4 hours I would appreciate a compensation for this,. Due to this I had to put my luggage in the hold as It was an inconvenience luggingbit around thisvincuured another 69 euros s. So as you can see sdditional cost that has has left me rather upset please could you advice how I can be recompensed for my additional feess Thank you Natalie Laudat
"TERRIBLE JOURNEY!!!"
We travelled with Hellenic Seaways from Spetses to Piraeus on Sunday 19th August on the 1050 ferry. The journey was an absolute disaster, lasting 5 hours rather than the scheduled 2.5 hours! There was clearly a fault with the ferry itself as it was travelling very slowly and took an alternative route to the one it should have. Yet we had only one announcement as we left Poros, the last pick up before heading back to Piraeus, saying that the boat was going to slow down to aid passenger comfort as the sea was choppy. The sea actually wasn't particularly rough, but it was clear that the ferry was not operating properly, with black smoke billowing from the chimney and very odd, straining sounds coming from below. At no point did anyone communicate with the passengers to explain that there was a problem and to give them a new estimated time of arrival. No water was brought round despite the heat and when we asked any of the crew how long it would take were just told 'about an hour'. When we asked an hour later, we were told the same thing!!! We eventually arrived in Piraeus at 1600, rather than the scheduled time of 1330.. There was no apologies and no explanations from the crew, in fact no communication at all!. We completely understand that, if there was a fault with the boat, then it was beyond their control but to just not tell anyone what was happening was completely unacceptable!
"Nightmare"
We caught the flying dolphin from Spetses to Piraeus on Sunday 19 August. The journey was supposed to take 2 hours and 40 minutes m about an hour in it became obvious that something was wrong with the boatbasnit slowed to What I can only describe as rowing boat pace. There was one announcement attributing this to the weather conditions which patently was not the case as black smoke was billowing from the back of the boat. Then radio silence. We reached Piraeus 3 hours late and miased our connecting flight to London. No information, no apology, no offer of water. Unbelievable.
"ferries from Piraeus"
As usual, both outward and inward journeys went without a hitch
"Fast and easy"
Though queuing and boarding at Pireas was a bit chaotic the crossings were fast and pretty smooth. The Flying Cat is bigger than the Dolphin, so Dolphin could be a bit less comfortable if the sea’s rough at all. A good service though.
"My Flying Dolphin Exoerience"
A smooth & comfortable trip, but felt slightly confined in the forward cabin (seats 1A/1B)
"Unreliable"
The only choice we had to get to our destination and back - they cancelled our ferry with very little notice and then the replacement was over an hour late. At the port there was no representative from Hellenic Seaways, it was a huge rush of people with no idea what was going on!
"It was a great service"
It was a great experience going on the Flying Dolphin from Pireaus to Aegina and back a week later. The staff were exceptionally kind, helpful and courteous. They were so helpful with my luggage and I really appreciated it.
"Where is the agency of Porto Heli??"
Very difficult to find where to withdraw tickets (no indication aboit where the agency is located) and absolutely no sign on the port where the ferry will stop. Information given by the staff from the agency where wrong about how to recognise which ferry it was and at what time it will be moored.
"Efficient and timely service"