Booking the ferry journeys

What does Camping All Inclusive on a ferry really mean?

As we are leaving in April and driving from the UK to Kefalonia, there is no direct ferry from Italy to Kefalonia. Aaaargh......

This means we have to go via the Greek mainland:
That's one ferry journey more than we bargained for! I hope the dogs aren't seasick!

                      Stage 1 - Ancona  (Italy) to Patras (Greek mainland) by FERRY
                      Stage 2 - Patras (Greek mainland) to Kyllini (Greek mainland)

                      Stage 3 - Kyllini to Poros (Kefalonia) by FERRY

       Stage 1 Ancona to Patras by ferry

So, when trying to book Stage1 of the ferry journey from Ancona to Patras through the Ferries-Booking.com App on the iPhone there were numerous cabin/seat combinations to choose from.

• 1,2,3,4 Bed Inside 
• 1,2,3,4 Bed Outside
• 1,2,3,4,5, Bed Junior suite 
• 1 Bed Lux
• Double Bed Lux
• 3 Bed, Double Bed Lux 
• Deck
• Aircraft Type Seat 
• Business

However -there was no way of adding pets!

Just for a split second, I imagined there being no pets allowed on board. In that moment of horror, I saw us having to travel back up through Italy through Slovenia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria to get to Patras (due to quarantine rules for dogs in the surrounding non-EU countries) by which time I would be thin (yes please), have long grey hair (no thank you) and look about 74 (which I'm not). It's truly amazing how much you can think of in a split second!

But I kept calm and carried on...

As we have 2 dogs we wanted a cabin where the dogs could stay with us as oppose to staying in a kennel. Rocky (the border collie) is 12 years old and I don't think he would take too kindly to being stuffed into a crate. Bobs (the Jack Russell) - well, he's a Jack Russell so I'll leave that to your imagination!
So I thought the best way round this was to e-mail someone. So I did, but if I thought it was bad trying to book via the phone App - it was even worse via e-mail. I swear there must have been 500 e-mails between me and the Greek ferry company.  I could smell the satellites burning! OK - a bit of an exaggeration but it certainly felt like it!

The words "Camping All Inclusive" kept getting bandied about along with "Discount" and "Deck Passage" and "Pet Cabins".

So I realized early on I needed a "Pet Cabin". Fair enough - straight forward, but what on earth is "Camping All Inclusive" on a ferry? Bearing in mind I DO NOT DO camping! AT ALL! We are new to camper vans having just purchased the one we are about to leave in and it's strictly for exploring on Kefalonia - NOT for sleeping in, on a long journey.
After numerous more e-mails and explanations from the Greek ferry services, I was still non the wiser, and started to get really frustrated.

I'm normally a relatively calm person but at this moment, I have to say, I shouted at the computer:

"I JUST WANT TO DRIVE MY CAMPER VAN ON TO THE FERRY, SLEEP WITH OUR DOGS IN THE CABIN AND DRIVE OFF THE OTHER END.  I DON'T NEED TO PUT A TENT UP ONBOARD THE FERRY, AND I DON'T NEED ELECTRICITY FOR MY HAIR DRYER!!!!". 

Eventually I reserved a cabin for Stage 1 of the journey.

         Stage 2 Patras to Kyllini by road

Fortunately, Stage 3 is a short ferry journey which doesn't require a cabin. Yaaaaay!

       Stage 3 Kyllini (Greek mainland) to Poros (Kefalonia) by ferry

Ferry journey for Stage 3 booked!


I'm still non the wiser about Camping All Inclusive though!