mapleleaves

Oddly enough this service is one-way only.  Or has been for many yrs. 

HOWEVER, in a trip report last yr, someone reported a DIFFERENT company with 2 small boats offering a return trip back to Skala ( the pier below Fira).  They weren't operating from the same location as the large water taxi.   The large water taxi drops off at a dock at the bottom of the road on Amoudi Bay, whereas these 2 boats were at the bottom of the Amoudi Stairs which lead up to Oia.  She said they were even taking reservations, 20E.  She had walked down the stairs just for the heck of it, and was prepared to walk back up, but this was the perfect option for avoiding the cable car fiasco.

p.s. I don't know how many ships are in port with you, but keep in mind that the water taxi to Amoudi is a great option if there is a long line at the cable car to get up to Fira 

7 minutes ago, RobInMN said:

 "Via Tolemaide Private Apartment" (by Cory). I just looked it up, and they've more than tripled their price, so maybe it's not as good of a deal as when we rented it.

 

 

 

It's always nice to have multiple options to check out for future trips. Trip reports are a great resource for recommendations.  The Vatican area does not appeal though.  But thank you for posting this info; might be ideal for another CC member. 

On 5/5/2024 at 10:54 AM, Joe33472 said:

Finally settled into our AirBnB in Rome from a long day of travel, grocery stores, much needed laundry, and quick walks to the Pantheon and Trevi fountain.    

 

 

Would you recommend this AirBnB ?

15 hours ago, redmomof4 said:

What do you mean which schedule works for me? 

look at the train schedule and bus schedule for your specific travel day to determine which departure time works better for your plans.  I assume you want to get into Venice early enough to sightsee, but if the train doesn't leave until 10am would you prefer to take a bus leaving at 8am?  

17 hours ago, redmomof4 said:

Would you recommend train the opposite way too? Trieste to Venice. Haven’t decided where to stay yet in Venice. 

Can you easily manage your luggage?  And which schedule works best for you?

If you arrive to Venice by train, the Venice SLucia station is on the Grand Canal, just across the bridge from the Piazzale Roma.   PRoma is the last point of land travel in Venice so it's where you find transportation to the airport.  You can stay near the train station or PRoma for easy access to airport transportation and a vaporeto station for exploring Venice.

If you can't easily manage your luggage, the train might be the easiest option and chose a hotel within a few blocks.  'How Many Bridges?' hotel listings for Venezia Santa Lucia train station | Venice for Visitors (europeforvisitors.com)

If you arrive to Venice by FlixBus, you disembark at Tronchetto, which is a huge parking lot at the edge of Venice. In Tronchetto you board the PeopleMover (monorail) to Piazzale Roma.  It's a 3 minute ride for under 2E.  Flix also drops off at the airport and Mestre so be mindful of which destination you chose.

Alos, keep in mind that the Trieste train and bus stations are within a block of each other and about a 15 minute walk from the cruise pier. Easy flat walk on a nice day, but a long wait for a taxi on a rainy day.

57 minutes ago, AlaskaGoer said:

 

Stupid question,  but the water transports are probably easy to find? Do you buy a ticket while getting on the boat or is there a kiosk or booth?

As marazul says " the port is tiny".   When you step off the tender you'll see a stretch of storefronts. The water taxi had a kiosk and storefront ;  hard to miss their signage. Plus they had several employees walking around with brochures.

11 minutes ago, AlaskaGoer said:

 

Getting back to the ship via the cable car doesn't worry me, we'll just walk the steps if needed. 

 

Getting off the ship with the ability to hop on a bus or taxi to Oia is a bit more stressful. 

 

I'll look for the water taxi when we get off the tender. Cross my fingers. 

The water taxi is pretty large, holding about 80-100 pax IIRC.  It sits at the dock until it collects enough pax to make it worthwhile.  The employees 'worked' the cable car line encouraging people to take their boat instead.  It sat there for an hour before it finally left for Amoudi Bay. In hindsight we should have taken it, but I didn't expect to wait a 2nd hr for the cable car.  When the water taxi gets to Amoudi Bay, there's a shuttle that takes you up the hill to Oia, and they give you a bus ticket to Fira.

BTW, last yr someone reported that there were 2 small boats at Amoudi Bay taking people BACK to Fira.  They didn't use the same dock as the water taxi.  These 2 boats were across the Bay, at the foot of the stairs going up to Oia.  So look for them.  That would be ideal .... you'd skip the cable cars altogether. 

1 hour ago, AlaskaGoer said:

 

I did. 

 

https://www.cruisemapper.com/ports/santorini-island-port-69?month=2024-06#schedule

 

We are in on the 10th. We get in around 1, and leave around 9. One of the big ships leaves at 6. 

 

Compared to other days, it doesn't seem that crowded?  Obviously our ship is a good size tho...

10,000+ cruise pax and only 40 taxis.  

IIRC the taxi stand and bus depot were on the same block in Fira.  When you exit the cable cars, instead of going right or left along the cliffside walkway, you go straight ahead to a main street then turn right for 5/6 blocks.

I was on the NCL Dawn 2pm-10pm and the only other large ship was 8am-4pm.  So I didn't expect much of a cable car line, esp since we were on the 4th tender.  Wrong! 

The only positive was that the other ship left at 4 so those pax were long gone when we decided to return to the ship around 6:30 to watch the sunset.  

22 hours ago, AlaskaGoer said:

Docking in Santorini in June. Oia seems like a decent place to check out, but I know it can be a bit rough to get too.

 

This guide seems to suggest taking the bus etc. from Fira over.

 

https://zeweekendtraveller.com/index.php/europe/greece/seeing-santorini-in-a-few-hours/

 

Knowing the mass chaos of people trying to get off the ship etc, is it better just to grab a taxi? And if so, how easy is it to grab one and where...

Have you checked cruisemapper or similar site to see how many ships are in port with you? their hours and # pax?

I read somewhere that there are less than 40 taxis serving Santorini, primarily serving the airport. And how many cruise pax on each ship vying for those taxis?   We had NO luck getting a taxi from Fira to Oia, and we just missed the bus so it was a 30 minute wait for the next  Given that we had waited 2 hrs for the cable car, we decided to pass on Oia just in case we couldn't get a ride back.

If I was to return to Santorini I would; 1)  take a ships excursion to Oia.OR 2) take the water taxi to Oia.  And on the return, I'd take the stairs if the cable car line was long. (The water taxi includes a bus ride back to Fira, 30E IIRC. )    

Good luck

In a trip report last summer, someone reported that at the bottom of the stairs at Amoudi Bay ( OIA)  there were 2 boats taking pax back to the tender dock below Fira.  They were even taking reservations.  These were not the same boats that take pax from the tender dock TO Amoudi.

So when you're in Oia, it might be worthwhile to see if those boats are operating.  This would enable you to avoid the cable car fiasco. You'd also miss Fira but hopefully you got your fill of blue domes and views in Oia.

2 hours ago, marazul said:

I think the OP is taking a ship's tour that ends in Fira and needs to take the cable car down. Chances are they tender to Athinios and only return from Fira.  AFAIK - ship excursions provide the return ticket for the cable car.

You may be right ! I read it differently.

Even with a return ticket you still have to stand in line. In order to board the cable car you have to stop at the ticket office, whether you're buying a ticket or showing them a ticket/voucher.

@Jayhoaps  use cruisemapper or a similar site to see which ships are in port with you, as well as their hours and # of pax.  Are you prepared to walk down the stairs if the line is long? 

Your tour includes the cable car ticket??

You don't ride the cable car to get TO the pier.

Typically you take a tender from your ship to the pier and immediately join a queue of a few thousand people who are waiting to buy a ticket.

There are only 6 cars in each direction and each car only holds 6 pax, so the line can be horrendous.  It's only a 3 minute ride but do the math to see how long it takes to move a few thousand cruise pax.

And you CAN'T buy a return ticket so you have to stand in line for each direction.  And there is only one line ....whether you have a ticket (voucher) already or not you stand in the same line. Our line was 2 hrs for the trip going up, but no wait for the return trip. 

On 4/25/2024 at 5:13 AM, FriendlyContributor said:

 

 

 

 

Additionally, we're seeking a reliable tour group or agency to guide us through this adventure. While browsing through Viator, we've come across mixed reviews that raise concerns about bait-and-switch tactics and lackluster experiences. Some reviews mention little time spent at each spot, overcrowded minivans, and a lack of guided tours. We're specifically looking for a genuine small group tour with knowledgeable guides and ample time at each stop.

Do you have any recommendations for a reputable tour group or agency that meets our criteria? We would greatly appreciate any insights or personal experiences you can share to help us make the most of our day trip to the Amalfi Coast.

 

 

Our cruise stopped in Naples (Sept 2019, 7am-7pm) and we chose a private tour/driver for a day on the Amalfi Coast.  IIRC it cost 400E but we were a party of 4 so quite affordable.  If you want another couple to share the cost, post on your Roll Call or facebook.  It was a Mercedes minivan so 4 pax was great. 6 would be ok but nothing more.

I used past and present trip reports as a resource.  There are many options available for the Amalfi Coast tours, incl RomeInLimo, ItalyTourSharing, JoeBanana,TaxiMisterCabDriver, AldoLimo, CarminesAmalfiCoast, italytours.   I specifically wanted to see Positano, Amalfi, Ravello ( my favorite) and also wanted to take the ferry from Positano to Amalfi, so a private tour was the way to go.  Not all companies will cooperate.  The driver suggested we start a bit early to get ahead of traffic so we met at 7:30am, and this worked very well. The ferry provided outstanding views of the villages from the sea.  After Ravello we took a back way thru the mountains to Naples and avoided the AC traffic. 

As previously stated you have to look closely at tour details.  Many of them say they stop in Positano but really they only stop at an overlook for a photo opp of the village.  So be very mindful of the details. And often times the driver will encourage a stop at a shop, factory or restaurant since they get a kickback so another caution.  We had a fabulous day! 

I don't know what your port times are but you might look at doing this trip DIY using the ferry from Naples (NLG is one)  and then a smaller ferry (travelmar)  from Amalfi.  Then you can void the road traffic altogether except for a taxi to reach Ravello.

Good luck with your research.

I was on the GEM last Sept 28, 2pm to 10pm. Also in port, COSTA 7am-4pm with 2700 pax and a WINDSTAR 8am-9pm with 200 pax.   I certainly didn't expect a line for the cable car. Even though we were on the 2nd tender we still stood in line for 2 hrs !!!   It was brutal. 

In hindsight we should have taken the water taxi to Amoudi Bay for 25/30E.   It sat at the pier for just over an hr hoping to collect more pax.  But I didn't think we'd be in line for another hour!  And realistically my travel partner couldn't have managed the stairs if the cable line was too busy on th return. 

On a positive note, we decided to watch the sunset from the ship so we headed to the cable car counter around 6:30/7pm and there was NO ONE in line.  Same sunset and no crowds!  Plus it was wonderful to watch the lights slowly come on all along the cliff side.

Good luck!

1 hour ago, sweets2323 said:

The train information is now up. I was able to also locate a company to transfer from Ravenna to the port,

for the benefit of others, perhaps you could post the name of this transfer company and the cost.  The Ravenna transportation question is a popular one. 

1 hour ago, Toledosfinest said:

Only thing I worry about is the time of the train and is there only 1 train per day? We would have to arrive in Ravenna by 12:00 pm on Thurs. October 10th. We will have 8 Seniors and 8+ pieces of Luggage. We have no problem with mobility. 

The only transfer companies I've seen on this forum are NCC VIM Transfer and VQ Travel. (The poster who used VQ last yr said it was 450E for 6 pax)

As previously suggested, the NCL transfer might be the easiest option. Maybe $75pp?? 

As for the train, there are several departures in the morning, esp if you include the Mestre station as your departure point.  Mestre is on the mainland, directly across the bridge from Venice. You could board the train at Venice S Lucia for 1.5 E and be in Mestre within 10 minutes.  Why do you need to be in Ravenna by noon?   Most cruises depart between 5pm and 9pm.  Actually I'm curious about your cruise in general .....the NCL web site shows that Viva only departs from Athens or Rome during Oct. 

if you want a definitive answer, call or email the Port Valet program. Their contact info is listed on the Port website.  

Port Valet (Bags Inc.)

Maritime

 Email: commandcenter@maketraveleasier.com

 Phone: 321-251-5435

1 hour ago, Lobbylin said:

7am would work - that allows a good 3.5hrs for the transfer, and 3hrs for checkin and fly👍

It was only a 2hr drive from Trieste to VCE.

The 7am transfer was for flights between noon and 1pm. 

There was an 8am transfer for flights between 1 and 3pm

A 9am transfer for flights after 3pm.  

If you're a anxious traveler and would prefer the earlier shuttle, just find a flight that departs between noon and 1 and write that on your transfer request. ( NCL doesn't have the time/staff to check.) 

I don't recall the transfer cost, but I'm thinking $65.  That was a year and a half ago.

9 hours ago, Lobbylin said:

I am looking at a 13.15hr flight from Venice Marco Polo on disembarkation day in Trieste.  But I can’t establish how early NCL offer transfers on disembarkation day… 

 

Can anyone advise? 

Are you saying a 13:15 hr flight ? or the flight departs at 13:15 ?

I took the train TO Trieste, a comfortable 2 hr ride.  But I used FlixBus for the return trip since it went directly to VCE. Also 2 hrs.  Both trips cost about 20E.

Be aware that the Trieste train and bus stations are about a 15 minute walk from the cruise pier.  It's a flat easy walk on a nice day. (we arrived to a downpour and had to wait an hour for a taxi to the ship!)

What time is your flight out of VCE?  NCL offered a transfer to VCE at 7am for pax with flights that left at 1pm.  That was the earliest.

My flight from VCE was to Madrid at 6:20am and I had been to Venice several times so I chose a hotel by the airport, Hotel Antony.  The hotel shuttle picked me up at the airport, but my flight was too early the next day so I had to get a cab.  The Desk asked if I wanted to share the ride and cost with another guest, and arranged that. Nice touch. Less than a 10 minute drive. The hotel restaurant was very good. The room was booked way in advance and was so reasonable that I chose a room on the top floor with a view across the water to Venice.  

Have a great cruise.

In past yrs, the water taxi fare included a shuttle ride up the hill to Oia.

BUT before you board the shuttle, look across the bay to where there are steps leading up the hill.  Last yr someone posted that at the bottom of the steps there were 2 small boats offering rides BACK to the Old Port, the tender dock.  They even took reservations.   If those boats are available you could avoid the entire cable car nightmare.

p.s. the bus from Oia to Fira is often full, even beyond standing room.  When there's no more standing room, the bus leaves and you wait for the next one.  So allow wiggle room for your return.

(KTEL is the bus company. They have a web site with prices/schedule)

36 minutes ago, FlashF15 said:

Will taxis be willing to take you all the way to Florence?  And, any idea on the cost for 4 people?  I don't think I want to deal with the trains and I know if we do it through NCL they won't be able to get us all the way into the city.  So, I was wondering about a taxi straight.  Any suggestions?  Thanks!

In post #12 I included the link to Tuscany Tours and Transfers for their Florence/Pisa bus excursion. 

But if you just want to visit Florence, they pick up at the Livorno Piazza where the free shuttles drop off cruise pax.  If I remember correctly, the dropoff/pickup point in Florence was near the train station. I considered this company but their time was too limited for the Fl/Pisa option so we went DIY by train instead. I don't know the timing of the Florenc only option.

   Transfer service to Florence from Livorno (shore-experience.com)

On 3/17/2024 at 12:38 PM, Anyislandwilldo said:

Does anyone have a very easy to follow map to the local bus station?  TIA

in which town ?

Look down the page for " Getting around Santorini by Bus"  

Santorini Public Bus - Routes, Schedules, Tickets, Map (santorinidave.com)

3 hours ago, seekatz said:

We are on the NCL Escape visiting Florence in just a few weeks taking the train from Livorno to Florence.  Since I am unable to see the transfers until I board, could you please let us know when you booked your NCL transfer that took you to the Livorno train station directly and how much it was?  Do you book it through the shore excursion desk? 

NCL discontinued their shuttle between the pier and train station after 2022  Doubtful that it will be resurrected for 2024 but you can hope. Perhaps watch for current trip reports to see what current travelers experience  (It was $25)

You'll need to take the free shuttle to the Piazza then walk or take a local bus to the station,

18 hours ago, dougygreen said:

Yeah, I felt that after posting 😂. Bad habit. Will be my first time overseas so a bit anxious. 

yes, you're definitely overthinking! And keep in mind that MANY other pax from your ship will also take the train to Florence, so you won't be alone in your journey. Have you asked on your RollCall ? (here or on FB)

I was fortunate that when we stopped in Livorno, NCL was still providing a $25 shuttle from the pier to the station. 

We weren't so lucky in Civi though.  We had to take the Civi port shuttle to the port entrance, then wait for a city bus to take us to the train station.  Similar to what you will experience in Livorno. But it was fine!  We just followed the crowd of fellow cruisers. Once you're there, and in the middle of it, you'll realize that you worried too much.