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Tourists hopping betweenGreece’s islandson high-speed ferries are reporting rough rides and brutal bouts of seasickness along the way.
Across social media, travelers this summer have been opening up about stories of rocky crossings, ill passengers and crews handing out sickness bags.
Given all the reports, the ferry has been dubbed the “vomit comet,” according toThe Wall Street Journal.
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High-speed ferries are a popular choice for travelers looking to move quickly between Greece’s islands, said Mina Agnos, founder and president ofluxury travel company Travelive.“We see most clients looking for the quickest point from A to B,” she said.
But the journey can turn rough when wind and sea conditions deteriorate, Agnos said, particularly aroundthe Cyclades, where seasonal Meltemi winds can churn up the Aegean.
Greece’s beaches and rich history draw huge tourist numbers.Yet high-speed ferry rides between the islands can be stomach-churning for some tourists, according to social media reports.(iStock)
Greece’s beaches, sunsets and rich history draw tourists in big numbers.Tourism rose about 21% from January through May versus the same period in 2025, according to the Bank of Greece.
Santorini alone drew roughly 3.4 million visitors in 2023, according to Fraport Greece and Santorini’s Municipal Port Fund.
Yet the high-speed ferry rides can be stomach-churning for some tourists, according to a number of social media posts.
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Some high-speedcatamarans and speedboatsin Greece reach speeds of between 40 and 50 knots, roughly 46 to 58 miles per hour, according to ferry companies in the region.
On popular routes between Athens and the Cyclades, high-speed vessels can reduce travel times by roughly half compared to conventional slow ferries, Greek ferry companies say.
Greece’s high-speed ferries (pictured here) offer a faster way to island-hop.(iStock)
But that speed comes with pitfalls, The Wall Street Journal reported.
High-speed ferries can feel bumpier in rough weather, while choppy seas can increase the likelihood of motion sickness, according to booking operator Direct Ferries.
In a recent post in a Reddit thread dedicated toGreek tourism, one traveler expressed concern about taking a ferry from Piraeus to Naxos after reading numerous accounts of rough crossings.
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The traveler said no one in the family was prone to seasickness, but they sought advice after encountering “nonstop seasick” anecdotes about passengers aboard faster ferries.
“I’m not prone to seasickness, but my stomach did not enjoy the fast ferry on a different route [Paros to Milos],” a Reddit user replied.“It’s a different kind of motion sickness, and I guess you cannot really guess if you will get [nauseated] or not.”
High-speed ferry routes to Syros (pictured above) primarily connect the island to Athens via the port of Piraeus.(iStock)
“It’s a relatively windy area, so ferries can move quite a bit,” another person said.“If people start feeling sick, it usually causes a domino effect.”
A third person bluntly suggested, “Fly backfrom Naxos.”
Last year, a Reddit post was entitled “Was this ferry from hell normal or just bad luck?” The person writing the post said, “The rocking and sloshing on this ferry to Milos was so violent I started vomiting within 15 minutes.I was horrified, but noticed others had started getting sick too.”
Thousands of social media posts have called the boats “vomit comets” and your “worst nightmare,” the Journal reported.
Agnos of Travelive, who splits her time betweenFlorida and Greece, disputed the idea that stomach-churning ferry rides are becoming more common, saying she believes social media is amplifying the issue.
“When it comes to traveling within Greece, it’s not as easy as it might look online.”
“We’ve seen a huge surge in the number of people traveling to Greece,” she said.
“As a result of that, we have a lot more noise [in terms of] people who are having these experiences.”
“I can say that, in 25 years of operating a businesswithin Greece, I’ve had this experience twice in my lifetime,” Agnos added.
“So it’s not something that’s common.… But when it does happen to travelers who are just here for 10 or 14 days, it’s obviously something that is going to affect the quality of that experience for them.”
A travel expert who spends part of her time in Greece said many clients prioritize the quickest transportation option when traveling between Greek islands, such as the ferry pictured here.(iStock)
Agnos recommended working with atravel adviserwho knows Greece and can help plan routes that minimize long ferry rides and the potential for rough crossings.
“When it comes to traveling within Greece, it’s not as easy as it might look online,” she said.
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Indiana-based travel adviser Kelly Shea said she recommends that clients visit Greek islandsvia airports, including Santorini, Mykonos, Crete, Paros and Milos, rather than risk rough ferry crossings.
Tourism rose about 21% from January through May versus the same period in 2025, according to the Bank of Greece.Santorini (pictured above) has been a big draw, in particular.(iStock)
“The Cyclades are always tough, especially this summer with the high winds and waves,�
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“Weather these days is just too dicey to expect boats and winds and waves to go well together,” she added.
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