I booked a $50 ticket on an 8-hour ferry from Athens to Santorini. The views were great, but I don't think I'd do it again.

My ticket told me to arrive at Piraeus Port's Gate E2 one hour before departure. I arrived an hour and 10 minutes early, but I couldn't find my ferry.

Assuming I was too early, I waited for a while, but 45 minutes before departure, I decided to ask someone. The Blue Star Ferry counter nearby was closed, so I spoke to a police officer who informed me that "Gate E2 is big."

He said my ferry would leave from a spot a five-minute walk away, but it was more like 10 minutes with a suitcase.

I left my luggage in an unorganized pile in the ferry's car park — slightly concerned about finding it again — and boarded the boat.

After booking, I learned that economy tickets don't come with assigned seating — it was first come, first served — so I knew I wanted to get there early.

Despite my false start, I boarded the ferry before many of the other economy passengers, giving me a choice of seat. There was a mix of shared sofas, tables and chairs, and outdoor garden-like chairs.

I opted for a small table with two low-slung, padded seats by a window. Like most economy-level seats on the ferry, mine didn't have headrests, so it was a bit uncomfortable after a few hours.

I later discovered I could've booked a comfy lounger seat on the ferry for a few more euros.

The journey took seven hours and 50 minutes — roughly the same as a flight from New York to Berlin — and there wasn't much to do on the boat.

I found a small shop selling books, toys, headphones, and slippers, and Wi-Fi was available for a fee.

But I was glad I brought a book and downloaded Netflix shows to watch as we sailed. My portable power bank also came in handy because outlets were sparse.

When it came to food, there were only two cafés serving coffee and snacks and a fast-food restaurant.

I ended up getting a coffee and a burger with fries for lunch.

I traveled in early March, so the views from the ferry weren't the vibrant summer blues typically associated with the region.

The sea and sky were gray for most of the journey. But we stopped at Paros and Naxos before reaching Santorini, and I loved peering at the islands as we approached them.

I tried to walk around some of the ferry's outdoor decks a few times during the journey to get better views. But it was cold, windy, and rainy, so I didn't last long.

My ferry was large and slow, which made the journey fairly smooth despite the wind and waves.

The many (very loud) announcements in both Greek and English ensured I knew when it was time for me to disembark. And finding my luggage was surprisingly quick and easy.

Transportation is necessary to get around Santorini's impressive, towering cliffs, so I was glad I arranged a ride ahead of time. But there were some taxis, car rentals, and buses available at the port.

There was nothing terrible about my journey from Athens to Santorini. But I don't think I'd book an economy ticket on the ferry again.

Flights between the Greek destinations take less than an hour and are sometimes even cheaper than 45 euros.

It's nice to have the option to take as much luggage as you can carry on the ferry, which isn't possible on a plane. But the journey felt long and a little uncomfortable at times.