Blue Star Ferry workers strike 30th May 2018

[Windsor123]

Hi my name is Alan I am new to Symi Chat I have visited Symi twice and plan to visit again travelling on the 30th May. I have booked tickets for the Blue Star ferry leaving at 18:00 however I have heard there may be a strike on that day can anyone confirm. I have emailed Blue Star but have received no reply.

[Andy W]

Much too soon for anyone to be able to confirm or deny this. Piraeus (Athens) based ferry crews working for all ferry lines frequently strike, or threaten to, often because they don't like something the government has done. It is rarely because of anything the ferry companies have or have not done.
Sometimes the strikes happen, sometimes the dispute is resolved and nothing happens, sometimes a court issues an injunction to prevent the strike. Really nobody, Blue Star or unions, has any idea whether a strike will go ahead or not until a few days before.

Welcome to the forum, and enjoy your time on Symi. I hope you get there on time. Should you visit again, there's absolutely no point in booking Rhodes to Symi journeys on Blue Star in advance. The ferry holds 2000 people (really) and never has more than 300 on board at this point in its long overnight journey to Piraeus. It takes just as long for the ticket office to exchange a booking confirmation for an actual ticket as to issue a new ticket from scratch, so you don't even save any time before boarding.

[Windsor123]

Thanks Andy I’ll have to wait and see what happens.

[Andy W]

Looks like the strike will happen, but only affects ships due to depart Piraeus on 30 May. As Blue Star Patmos departs Piraeus on 29 May for Rhodes, returning from Rhodes on 30 May, she will operate as usual. This is fairly logical from the union's point of view. While the crew are away from the home port the company provides accommodation and meals onboard ship. If they go on strike away from home port they end up having to find and pay for their own.

[Windsor123]

Thanks Andy I hope you are right and we can arrive in Symi on the 30th as planned.
Regards Alan

[Windsor123]

Andy you were right I have received confirmation from Blue Star the ferry will sail as scheduled on th 30th from Rhodes. So looking forward to returning to Symi again in 5 days time.