I took a 25-hour ferry from Europe to Africa along the Mediterranean. My trip on the massive ship felt like a nice cruise.

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Riding nan ferry ended up costing astir arsenic overmuch arsenic flying would've.

I started my travel astatine nan larboard of Genoa, Italy — I had nan action to recreation from France instead, but those tickets were much expensive.

I reserved my spot online utilizing Ferryhopper and paid 137 euros, aliases astir $151, for a furniture successful an all-women compartment for four.

Round-trip flights for nan aforesaid way commencement astatine $330, truthful going some ways connected nan ferry costs astir nan aforesaid (just somewhat cheaper).

However, carbon emissions from ferries are typically overmuch little than planes — though location are immoderate variations connected this depending connected nan circumstantial type of diesel nan ferry uses and really agelong it spends idling. The situation is important to me, and I felt amended astir nan effect of my trip.

The check-in process was reasonably simple.

My email confirmation told maine to get astatine nan ferry terminal 4 hours earlier departure for check-in. I've ne'er done thing for illustration this before, truthful I figured it was amended not to consequence being late.

When I arrived, though, nan process was simple. I didn't spell done a security check, and I conscionable had to hold successful 1 statement to get my passport stamped and salary an other 12 euros arsenic a departure fee.

After waiting a fewer hours successful nan lobby, I followed a crowd of group heading downstairs to board. Before getting our tickets checked, we crossed a parking batch successful beforehand of cars that were besides waiting to thrust onto nan ferry.

It looked much for illustration a cruise vessel than a ferry.

The vessel was huge. It reminded maine overmuch much of a cruise ship than immoderate ferry I've ridden.

Inside, location was a restaurant, cafeteria, coffee shop, and souvenir shop.

I didn't get nan chance to usage it, but location was moreover a pool.

I was amazed to spot location was a excavation connected nan ferry — that particularly made it consciousness much for illustration a cruise.

There wasn't h2o successful it during my journey, truthful I couldn't spell for a swim, but I strolled past it while checking retired nan boat.

Elevators whisked maine to nan seventh floor, wherever I recovered my room.

My compartment connected nan seventh level of nan ferry had a sea view.

There were 2 sets of bunk beds, and my mattress was comfortable. I had nary problem sleeping.

I shared nan room pinch 2 women from Tunisia and 1 from Germany. They were each beautiful and nosy to talk to.

I was shocked that we had our ain bath pinch a shower.

Inside nan cabin, we moreover had entree to a clean-looking bath pinch a well-functioning ablution — thing I've ne'er knowledgeable connected a long train ride aliases plane.

The nutrient connected committee was bully quality, varied, and not excessively expensive.

There was a full-service restaurant pinch entrées, for illustration pasta and grilled fish, for betwixt 14 and 25 euros.

I was looking for thing simpler and cheaper, though, truthful I went to nan self-service cafeteria and picked up a sheet of ravioli for 7.50 euros.

It was chewy and swimming successful a tasty tomato-basil sauce. The nutrient was decidedly cruise-level bully — not astatine each what I'd expect from a ferry.

The adjacent morning, I besides enjoyed a sheet of scrambled eggs for 4.30 euros while looking retired complete nan sea. The eggs were creamy and light.

The views of nan Mediterranean were much than worthy nan journey.

Around sunset, I headed up to nan apical deck, which had benches anyone could beryllium on. I braved nan whipping upwind to watch america propulsion farther distant from Genoa.

The travel lasted from astir 3 p.m. connected nan time we near to 4 p.m. nan adjacent time — giving maine plentifulness of clip to watch nan colors alteration from dusk to acheronian and dawn to daylight.

The adjacent day, nan h2o seemed to move an wholly caller shadiness of bluish arsenic we approached Tunis.

I'd decidedly return this ferry again.

The ferry ported successful Tunis, Tunisia.

When we arrived astatine nan port, I went done customs and called a Bolt taxi to return maine into nan superior city. I spent nan adjacent 2 weeks exploring beaches, architecture, museums, ruins, and caller foods.

This was nan past extremity of my trip, truthful I flew straight from Tunisia to Chicago and didn't thrust nan ferry back. But I can't hold to return to Tunisia.

If and erstwhile I do, I'll decidedly return nan ferry again.