Ferryboat fever mars visitor experience
“I for one still find it hard to believe that I actually paid money to be treated so poorly,” George Gigicos wrote on the English-language news site Nea Proini. The Greek-American entrepreneur, co-publisher of Nea Proini and former White House director of scheduling and advance (early in the Trump administration) was commenting on the state of ferryboat transportation in Greece this summer. Noting the combination of high prices and poor services – the delays and chaos in seating, the overcrowding etc, he added: “The real issue lies in how the passengers are treated. Upon arriving at each port, vacationers are greeted not with the warm hospitality that Greece is known for, but with rude, screaming and yelling port officials and ferry crew members. The process of boarding and disembarking is stressful and disorganized, making what should be an exciting part of the journey a source of anxiety and irritation.” And he noted, “It’s important to realize the current ferry system not only reflects poorly on the operators but also has the potential to turn visitors away from Greece altogether.”
The comment, reprinted in Kathimerini English Edition (“Greece and the ferry-tale nightmare”), notes the well-known conditions of our coastal shipping during the busy summer months, which we natives have accepted for many years. It is useful to be reminded by others that business as usual is not good enough, that it does not tie in with the country’s ambitions. If we want to sell the idea of carefree vacations, if we keep investing in ever-more luxurious lodgings, it is absurd to place people in danger and to rely on the possibility that many of them may be thirsting for the genuine Greek experience of hardship, sloppiness, tension and dependence on the unpredictable. Maybe some visitors may appreciate coming away with tales of madness with which to regale friends till the end of their lives, but most are not as hardened as Greek travelers so as to tolerate the harsh conditions and often insulting behavior of ferry crew members. Clearly there needs to be a radical change in habits and mentality of all involved in tourists’ travel – from politicians and state officials to the private sector.
It is useful to be reminded by others that business as usual is not good enough, that it does not tie in with the country’s ambitions
But the problem is not limited to “foreigners” being uncomfortable with our “customs.” Something is causing ever more frequent outbursts of tension between Greek travelers and between passengers and crew members. Given, it is no easy task to coordinate the transportation of so many people with a limited number of ships in the unpredictable weather of July and August, with very tight schedules, with the existing port infrastructure, with tired and pressured port officials and ferry crew members. If we add the frequency with which some passengers impose their aggression on the rest – by taking up more space than is their due, by shouting or playing loud music – the mix becomes even more volatile.
Let’s hope that this summer will play out without any worse incidents. And let’s demand that the next one will be better.
