Virtu ferries to Sicily – half price offer
In general, Virtu ferries are a relaxing and hassle-free means of travel between Malta and Sicily.
There is no need for ridiculously early check-ins, or convoluted security procedures as at the airport. While it takes longer than the flight to Sicily, it’s also a very pleasurable experience: a modern catamaran with plenty of space.
They are not, however, without their issues:
– Virtu ferries have a monopoly on the sea route between Malta and Sicily, and their prices reflect this (from 1 May 2013 a standard return is an eye-watering €108, albeit there’s a reduced rate of €80 for a 4 day return. That means a standard return for two adults and a car is €330…)
– They claim the journey takes 90 minutes, when I’ve never been on a crossing (and I’ve been on several) that takes less than 2 hours.
– While they do not explicitly state this, they do very little to discourage the widely held misconception that they sail to Catania (their booking choices have a “Malta-Catania” option, for example). They don’t sail to Catania: they only sail to Pozzallo and you have to get a bus transfer to Catania. That could be a nasty surprise for many, and is obviously no use if you have a car.
– They charge a “Ryanair rip off” style €10 per ticket to reprint your booking confirmation if you turn up without it – even though they have all the information online, and need to issue your tickets anyway.
– They certainly don’t run any loyalty programme (but don’t forget that you should use a KMiles-earning credit card to book with Virtu ferries, thereby at least earning you KMiles on the trip).
However, if you book tickets with Virtu ferries during May 2013, for travel by 30 September 2013, you will get the day return or the 4 day return ticket for just €48 per person. That is a reasonable return fare.
Note that this offer is limited to a maximum of the first 5000, and does not include the cost of a car, should you take one (an extra €77 return).
So I’ve just tried to book with the “special offer” online for 2 adults and 3 children with a car and ran into a problem. The booking price all in should be around 250 euros but its coming up as 350 euros – the promotion can’t be used with any other offer except the family plan, which lets 2 children go for free, but this is not being included in the booking engine’s price. I’ve sent them a note to see if this is an error – if it’s not, I can fly the family to Trapani and rent a car for under 250 euros. #virtuferries #monopoly #fail
I agree that is very poor. As you note, they specifically say that the “Family Plan” (2 paying adults + 2 children free) is included in this offer, so you should be paying half price for the two adults, full price for the car, and get the first two kids free (the other will be full price).
Hopefully you will get a positive response from VF.
As an aside, their website has been incredibly slow/inaccessible for most of the day.
can you cheack for me how much it comes per person and cars please for september with virtu ferries becouse for 4 days they tell me 70euros per adults and 124euros for the cars. i down`t now if is true price. thank you
Hi Geraldine
By my calculations the 4 day return price (to Pozzallo) for an adult in September 2013 is €125 full price, so half price should be €62.50.
Cars are not included in the offer, so the €124 is correct.
So, if you can get €70 per person that is a large discount, but not quite half price. I am not sure why they are saying €70 and not €62.50.
Incidentally, when I did an online test booking for September, they stated that the price for an adult was €54.50 (which is better than half price), but then the website was actually charging €70.50 for an adult, without explanation.
Hi can you check for me the price for 2 adults, child of 12 year old and a car for 10 days is august pls.
thanks
Marika
Marika
The half price offer has now ended.
Unfortunately you are now subject to Virtu Ferries (upwardly) revised fares, which have made already expensive fares more so.
In terms of your price, it does depend when you are going of course. However, by way of example, a return trip to Pozzallo leaving on Sat 10 August and coming back on 20 August would cost you a quite staggering €519 (€157 per adult, €89 for your 12 year old and €189 for the car).
By way of contrast, a flight to Trapani with Ryanair leaving on Friday 9 August and coming back on Tuesday 20 August would cost you €186 total (i.e. for all three of you) return (inc taxes).
hello we wil go to Mlta for holidays and we also want to travell from malta to sicily -catania more specific… Do you know the pricec on August?
How do we get from pozzallo to syracuse on sat june 4th 2016 and ret from syracuse to pozzallo on Tuesday 7th June and how much would it cost for two people over 70 yrs thank you