Kicking ass and taking names. Or getting refunds. Whichever really.

I’m not the kind of girl you tell “no refunds” to. Not when the ticket I’ve paid €32 for doesn’t say “no refunds” on it. And not when I wasn’t warned before buying it that refunds aren’t an option. And not when I’ve previously had a ticket refunded for another ferry. And especially not when I wasn’t warned that the ferry I was buying a ticket for was running late. So you can take your “no refunds” and shove it.

I was planning on boarding the 3:30pm ferry from Santorini to Piraeus, which, had it been on time, should have got me into port at around 11:25pm. This was cutting it close, as I knew the metro would probably stop running around midnight, but I figured even if I got halfway to Athens I could bus it the rest of the way, or worst case scenario, take a taxi the remaining distance. A taxi from right from port into Athens would have cost way way too much for my traveller’s budget though.

So cut to 3:30pm, when the ferry should be leaving but has yet to even get into port. I check the schedule, and there are two options for tomorrow. I go back to the Blue Star Ferry ticket office and ask to change my ticket.

The guy snickers and then tells me it’s impossible.

I let him know how I feel about this.

Long story short, a different employee cuts in, probably fearful that his coworker was about to lose his head, and calls the head office. He tries telling me that they never ever give refunds, but he’ll look into it anyway. I tell him I don’t even need a refund, just a change of date, and eventually he makes it happen.

Meanwhile, I’m reading the posted information about passengers’ rights when sailing with Blue Star, and it specifically says that passengers are entitled to compensation in case of delayed or cancelled ferries.

On my way out I tell Helpful Guy that he’s much nicer than his coworker. In earshot of the coworker. Coworker looks hurt and I tell him on my way out “Yes, I’m talking about you. You’re not very nice.” Because when Canadian girls don’t like you, they let you know.

Stavros, the owner of the hotel who drove me to port, laughed and told me that they don’t care if the ferry is on time or not, all they care about is getting their money.

Thanks a lot, Greece. Jerks.

Anywho, I’m now signed up for the 12:40am ferry tomorrow night/Saturday morning. It’s a superfast ferry too, so I’ll be into Athens at the lovely time of… 5:40am. Gross. And Stavros has been super awesome about it; for only €25 I can have the room until I leave tomorrow night. I’ve otherwise been paying €19.50/night, so an extra €5.50 to stay an extra 12 hours is a pretty good bargain. And he’ll drive me back to port tomorrow night. Perfect! Well, as perfect as staying in Santorini another night could be.

This trip has exaggerated two things about me: 1, I’m way more calm and laid back than I was before I left, and I hope I continue to be this way because it’s nice being so relaxed and 2, but when shit needs to be taken care of, shit gets taken care of.

I should have been a lawyer.