I booked a private cabin on a 13-hour overnight ferry through Greece. The extra space made me feel like I was on a cruise.

"My private cabin contained two rooms separated by a door, the first of which was a small living area with a couch, TV, and mini-fridge. The room also had two large front-facing portholes, which provided a beautiful view of the ship's bow and breathtaking vistas. Thankfully, there were curtains, which I could easily close for privacy. There was also a cozy bedroom with a queen-size bed, and an ensuite bathroom with a toilet, sink, vanity mirror, and walk-in curtained shower."

"Among my top itinerary priorities was to take a ferry across the Aegean Sea to Lésbos, a Greek island reachable in about 11 to 13 hours (depending on the ship) by overnight ferry from Athens. For 55 euros (about $63), I could've booked an economy ticket with non-reserved airplane-style seating. However, expecting to be exhausted after days of running around the Greek capital, I decided to treat myself to the deluxe private cabin for 156 euros (about $180)."

I took a 13-hour overnight ferry from Athens to Lésbos and booked a private room on the ship. I arrived at Piraeus port two hours before the 8 p.m. departure and boarded smoothly after showing an e-ticket. The deluxe cabin cost 156 euros compared with 55 euros for economy seating. The cabin had two rooms separated by a door: a living area with a couch, TV, mini-fridge, and large front-facing portholes, plus a bedroom with a queen-size bed and ensuite bathroom. A hot shower with good water pressure and fluffy covers provided a restful end to a long day.

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