Seajets is a Greek/Cypriotferry company founded in 1989 by Marios Iliopoulos and his father Panagiotis. Seajets operates a fleet of passenger, freight ferry and cruiseferry services in the Aegean Sea. Seajets is one of Greece's leading ferry companies.[2]
History
In 2004, Panagiotis ("Takis") Iliopoulos (1932–2022) and his son Marios founded Seajets, originally named Dolphin Sea Lines.[3]
Today, it operates a fleet of 14 high speed vessels,[4] and 3 conventional Ro-Ro ferries which services routes from the ports of Piraeus and Rafina to several Cycladic islands. It also sails on routes between Crete (Heraklion - Rethymno) and Central Cyclades (i.e., Santorini, Ios, Naxos, Paros and Mykonos) as well as Northern Greece (Thessaloniki, Sporades), Cyclades and Crete.
In total, Seajets sails to 17 islands and offers 140 connections among them.[5] Most of these routes are seasonal, operating between April and October every year.
In 2018 Seajets received the ”Passenger Line of the Year” award in the 15th “Lloyd's List Greek Shipping Awards 2018”[6] and in 2019 Seajets HSC WorldChampion Jet was awarded “ship of the year” during the Lloyd's List Greek Shipping Awards 2019 ceremony.[7]
In 2020 the company bought seven cruise ships, two of which were soon resold for demolition.
Seajets owns 30 high-speed passenger ships, 6 ferries and 4 cruise ships connecting 50 Aegean islands and Crete.[8]
Fleet
As of August 2024[update], the Seajets fleet consists of the following vessels:[4]
ex-Color Viking. Bought from Color Line in December 2022.
Cruise ships
Seajets have acquired four cruise ships, three for which their plans are currently still unknown and which remain in cold lay-up,[9][10] and one which is currently undergoing refitting for a service start sometime in 2025 under their new Neonyx brand.
Fincantieri, Italy. Previously with Costa Cruises (2004–2023). After drydocking at İÇDAŞ, was to enter service as Goddess of the Night for Neonyx Cruises in 2024.[11] Cruising launch postposed to 2025 following detentions for both sanitary condition and ship safety issues.[12][13][14]
Former cruise ships
In 2020, Seajets also acquired the following cruise ships, two of which were resold for scrapping and two for further service.
Fincantieri, Italy. Previously Maasdam of Holland America Line (1993–2020). In cold lay-up at Aigio. In August 2022, it was sold to a new French start up, Compagnie Française De Croisières and will sail under the name Renaissance.