“THE SCHOOL REPORT”

Always in our past years we remember a characteristical thing of our school: the report!!! So I decided to try giving a mark to the ferry companies, considering the former year of service, the 2004; sine this report the marks will be reviewed every six months, considering the new facts and the prospective. Hope that you would like this new section!

IMPORTANT: THE PRESENT MARKS ARE BASED ON OBJECTIVE FACTS, BUT ALSO ON PERSONAL OPINIONS; THEY AREN’T A QUALITY VALUE BECAUSE I’VE NOT THE NECESSARY KNOWLEDGE TO VALUE A FERRY SERVICE.

Name	Mark	Notes
Adria Ferries	6 (7)	As I hoped the “Riviera del Conero” is back in service. But the “Riviera Adriatica was chartered out.
Aegean Speed Lines	6,5 (8)	The company announced new ferries and services for this summer, anyway the “Speedrunner 1” is still alone in its Greek service flying the British Flag.
Agoudimos Lines	8 (8)	The company confirmed the good impressions and has very successful services. They should only improve minor things.
Anek Lines	5 (5)	The second ferry to Rethymnon was not deployed, even if it’s probably redundant; on Summer the Venice line is performed by only two ferries; the “Lissos” lost her ancient charme with an awful restyling. I heard rumours from a very reliable basis of two Japanese ferries being acquired by the Cretan company, but the only true fact, apart the very good “physical state” of the “Lato”, is the first place in Europe of the “Olympic Champion” on ADAC safety test.
Blue Star Ferries	6,5 (6,5)	They aren’t working on an expanding tonnage programme, but they have very good Aegean services plus a profitable Bari line.
Fragline	6,5 (6,5)	The veteran “Ouranos” is still good, and the company is alive.
G.A. Ferries	3 (3)	We don’t see nothing from this company, apart of advertisings. When we would see the heirs of “Rodanthi” and “Marina”?
Hellenic Seaways	3 (4)	This summer the company will not use the “Express Apollon” and the “Express Aphrodite”. This way the “Buses of Aegean Sea” are quitting a lot of stops and people is forced to wait long time at “bus stops”. And the “Nissos Mykonos” is a true 140-metres long coach with 900 seats, self service and first-class leather seats, but it isn’t a ferry.
Jadrolinija	6,5 (6,5)	From and to Croatia by the Italian ports of Ancona, Pescara and Bari, with also new ferries on order. Can we expect more?
Lane Lines	6 (6)	The unlucky period of “Ierapetra L” carries on. But the company goes ahead.
Maritime Way	3 (4)	I think that replacing “El Greco” and “King Minos” with “Elli T.” was a reasonable choice under some features; but I think no human brain could understand how the company thought to replace this ferry with “Milena” and “Daliana”. I would have retained the former Minoan ferries.
Marlines	3 (4)	We’re hearing about a sale intention about the “Duchess M”. And we don’t know anything about their summer plans.
Minoan Lines	6 (6,5)	Recently the company was rumoured to add new services, but the facts are only troubles. The “Ariadne Palace” can sail easily on time between Ancona, Igoumenitsa and Patras, but the 712 bed places of “Europa Palace”, which are not enough on summer, are a dream for the Korean-built vessel, which features 300 berths less.
Nel Lines	5,5 (5)	With Apostolos K. Ventouris at the rudder of the company we’re seeing a lot of purchases, even if they seem to have only financial relevance. The monohulls are laid-up and the company don’t think to order something new.
Saos Ferries	6,5 (6,5)	It’s very difficult to understand the programs of Saos Ferries about the half-dozen ferries moored at Perama and near quays. Let’s wait, nayway without many faith.
Sem Maritime Co. - Blue Line	4,5 (6)	They’re on highlights only because the detentions of its ferries rather of other purposes. I can’t recommend them.
Strintzis Ferries	7,5 (7,5)	The most complete service to Cephalonia. The “Eptanisos” is a very nice ferry.
Superfast Ferries	3,5 (4)	How can Superfast have a minor rate of those of the previous semester? Well, it’s easy when the ferry sailing on the evening Ancona – Patras departure arrives with a two-hour delay (23 hours at 21,9 knots average speed), and this is not acceptable considering that the ferry has enough power to regain delays. Also ferries as the old “Erotokritos” or “Lato” could be competitive against a service like this.
Tirrenia divisione Adriatica	3 (5)	The Ancona-line was closet: this statement is very uncomprehensible, considering that also a ferry like the “Emilia” could have been very profitable against the competitors. The “Aurelia” at Bari is not enough.
Ventouris A.K. – C-Link	6 (6,5)	This year the company is moving strong into Lavrion harbour. The Heraklion kine was not lucky.
Ventouris Ferries	3,5 (3,5)	Nothing new under the sunshine, and this situation goes on from many time.
Ventouris Sea Lines	6,5 (7)	One of the few companies operating to Western Cyclades. Anyway we’re waiting again the second ferry.

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