Two new ferries on Italy - Greece routes

[Kai R]

Hallo,

these days, two new ferries take up their duties in the mediterranean. Superfast II http://www.shipspotting.com/modules/myalbum/photo.php?lid=977713 is going on the Bari - Igoumenitsa - Patras route, joining Superfast I.

More spectacular, on October 15th the new Minoan Cruise Europa http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Cruise_Europa.jpg/800px- will arrive in Patras for the first time. The largest ferry ever in Greece will go on the Ancona - Igoumenitsa - Patras route. The ship will be italian registered (no more camping on board) with an italian and romanian crew. Rumor has it that Ikarus Palace is already sold, so one of the Ancona ferries will change to the Venice route and the disappointing Zeus palace will probably run on the Venice route as well until the sistership Cruise Olympia is delivered in June 2010.

It remains to be seen what impact the new ferry will have on the competition in the adriatic market and the pricing situation. It will certainly be no small task to continously fill this big boat.

Regards

Kai