General rules for the use of campers and caravans on ferries
The Camping on Board it’s a formula that has been offered by some shipping companies to travel over long routes, so as to allow the owners of Recreational vehicle – approved as such – to stay and spend the night on the way directly in their vehicles, for which specific parking areas are set up on open decks. At the same time it is possible to use the rooms and the additional services that the boat offers. For those, the roulotte, also called caravan, is the trailer cabin of another vehicle, while the camper is the autonomous vehicle.
The camping on board is always arranged on Open Deck, which on some types of ferry ship is organized just at the ends of open places or that have an opening on one side but are they are provided with a natural ventilation.
In addition to staying on their own vehicle, those who use the camping formula on board can go to the bars, restaurants, other rooms and of course to the bathrooms, generally equipped with showers.
In compliance with the Safety Regulations and the Navigation Code, the following restrictions have been imposed by the Coast Guard on Camping on Board, regardless of the Company:
- the service is only available from April to October;
- in case of adverse weather conditions, the Captain can prevent access to the parking area for motorhomes and caravans, requiring passengers to remain in their private area;
- the vehicles cannot be connected to the on-board electrical network;
- it is forbidden to use gas or fire cylinders or stoves, even electric ones;
- it is forbidden to smoke and keep vehicles in motion.
Individual shipowners may draw up additional rules. Petrol vehicles are often prohibited or at least there is an obligation to have the tank almost empty (in case of methane or LPG fueling, this must be declared at the booking time). It is mandatory to disconnect alarms and burglar and of course to insert the handbrake. It is forbidden to embark vehicles over 2 meters and 20 centimeters high and over one meter and 80 centimeters wide.
Ferries with the possibility of Camping on Board
The possibility of camping on board is not allowed on all fleets and routes operated by the same company. Let’s see how and where you can go by ferry without having to stop your camping.
Anek Lines – Superfast Ferries to Greece
Camping on Board Anek Lines also in collaboration with Superfast Ferries, available on the outbound and return routes to Greece from the beginning of April to the end of October on almost the entire fleet, allows the use of all the ship’s services, as showers, toilets and 220 volt electricity, at the price of the deck passage for passengers and the price for the vehicle accompanying them (Open Deck), to be calculated based on the size. Members of certain automobile and camping associations are entitled to a 25% discount (offer subject to limited availability). The formula is not available on departures to and from Corfu on the Venice and Bari lines or on the Asterion II motorship. The lines on which you can camp are therefore the following:
- Ancona – Corfu – Igoumenitsa – Patras.
- Piraeus (Athens) – Crete.
- Cyclades Islands – Dodecanese.
Moby – Tirrenia for Sardinia
On the Moby and Tirrenia ferries, camping on board for Sardinia is allowed on the route from Piombino to Olbia and vice versa but only with vehicles approved as campers or caravans and with a maximum of nine passengers per vehicle (petrol engines are prohibited). Cars, vans and minibuses will not be able to take advantage of this formula; it is not available for all departures.
