Santorini buses/taxis

[Nebr.cruiser]

We are in Santorini from 2-10PM. We had planned on DIY by using the cable car, perhaps walking to Oia (depending on weather), staying for the sunset, which is supposed to be about 8:15, and then back to Fira and the cable car back down to the dock.

 

I'm getting worried that getting the bus back to Fira will be difficult that late--they show a bus at 8:30, but it seems iffy to chance in case it is late or full. Others have reported taxis as sometimes hard to find.

 

Any advice? We do have a chance to join a bus non-tour for 13 euros pp which mostly provides transportation to Oia and back, or for 15pp a few hours tour; I just didn't really want to do a tour on Santorini.

 

Has anyone had luck getting a late bus back? Or a taxi (and costs)?

[magiccruiser]

Are you by chance on the Jade? My times in port are like yours and I'm planning on riding the bus over to Oia as well. I think I'm just going to wait to see how crowded it is in port that day to decide if we have dinner in Oia or Fira. I'm afraid if the sunset is that late, it would be a little risky to wait that long to head back to the ship after sunset. The bus being crowded is one problem, but I would be more worried about the cable car line going down to the ship. Also, I think we will have to catch a tender back to the ship as well. Ususally they want you back on ship an hour before sailing, so that really means 9 pm.

[Nebr.cruiser]

No, we're on the Celebrity Equinox. Maybe the sunset is just as spectacular from Fira?

 

I have the same worries about getting back from Oia so late.

[tom_uk]

Personally, I think that's going to be very tight. There could well be taxis and the bus could turn up at 8:30, or there might not be either. And there could be a lot of other people doing the same thing....

 

I personally think the sunset is as good from Fira town as from Oia, and there are lots of caldera-edge bars and restaurants in Fira from which to enjoy it. If it was me, I'd go straight over to Oia as early as I could, explore it as thoroughly as I wanted, and then head back to Fira in the early evening.

[Nebr.cruiser]

Personally, I think that's going to be very tight. There could well be taxis and the bus could turn up at 8:30, or there might not be either. And there could be a lot of other people doing the same thing....

 

I personally think the sunset is as good from Fira town as from Oia, and there are lots of caldera-edge bars and restaurants in Fira from which to enjoy it. If it was me, I'd go straight over to Oia as early as I could, explore it as thoroughly as I wanted, and then head back to Fira in the early evening.

 

Thank you so much--this is probably what we will do. And, we should beat all the people who stayed in Oia for the sunset, for the cable car, hopefully.

 

I don't have the geography of Santorinin clear in my head, so I didn't know if Fira faced the same way as Oia.

[tom_uk]

Thank you so much--this is probably what we will do. And, we should beat all the people who stayed in Oia for the sunset, for the cable car, hopefully.

 

I don't have the geography of Santorinin clear in my head, so I didn't know if Fira faced the same way as Oia.

 

 

That's in image of Santorini, grabbed from Google Maps. Oia is at the extreme north of the largest island, Fira is on the same island but a bit further south. (The red 'A' is on Fira, in fact.)

 

I suppose, to be truthful, that the sunset from Oia might be better because it won't be setting behind Thirasia (the island on the left), whereas for much of the year it does set behind Thirasia when seen from Fira. However, let me assure you, the sunset from Fira is nonetheless extremely beautiful and is probably more enjoyable because you won't be worrying about getting back to the ship!

 

Here's a shot of the caldera edge at Fira, looking at it from the path to Imerovigli.

 

Here are a couple of links to pictures of Santorini, in 2009 and 2007. Here's a link to a blog entry I did about the 2007 visit and here's one about the 2009 call.

[paddingtonbear]

We pre booked a taxi from Oia to Fira port (not where the cruise ships go but where the ferries depart quite a bit further away from Fira). It cost 20 euro but the driver grabbed an extra 10 out of my wallet as he said it was past midnight (the 20 euro had all been agreed on the phone and before we got in the taxi but what can you do?)

 

We were in Oia for three nights in June and I hate to disappoint you but the atmospheric conditions just didn't provide a great sunset! Don't miss the boat on account of it. I have seen great photos of sunsets from Fira.

[Nebr.cruiser]

We pre booked a taxi from Oia to Fira port (not where the cruise ships go but where the ferries depart quite a bit further away from Fira). It cost 20 euro but the driver grabbed an extra 10 out of my wallet as he said it was past midnight (the 20 euro had all been agreed on the phone and before we got in the taxi but what can you do?)

 

We were in Oia for three nights in June and I hate to disappoint you but the atmospheric conditions just didn't provide a great sunset! Don't miss the boat on account of it. I have seen great photos of sunsets from Fira.

 

Thanks for the advice. I realize that the spectacular sunsets depend on the weather that day, so no guarantees.

 

We've hooked up with 12 other people on our roll call and have a bus for a mini-island tour that picks us up in Fira, goes to Akotiri and a winery and then to Oia for about 3 hours. They wait for us there and take us back to Fira right after sunset.

 

It's pretty cheap, we get lots of time in Oia, and no worries about getting back to Fira. We'll be with the crowd!

[mcleonella]

Nebr-cruiser...can you tell me which tour company you are using? We were going to take a bus to Oia and taxi back to Fira, but might be better to pre-book a tour so long as they give us enough time in Oia. Want to swim and have a seafood late lunch in Amoudi Bay :)

[Nebr.cruiser]

Someone else on our roll call arranged the tour, but it is NST Travel, owner Tassos. I assume they have a website but I don't know for sure. There is a phone #, but I doubt you are wanting to call Greece!

 

This is really just transportation, not a tour with a guide, as I understand it. Since we don't dock until 2, we are meeting the bus at the top of the cliff in Fira at 3, driving to Akotiri for about an hour visit, then an hour at a winery, then back to Oia, probably around 5-6.

 

We are dropped off to wander as we want in Oia, stay for the sunset (8:15 when we are there) and then they take us back to the cable car. They are supposed to wait for us in Oia.

 

Price is 50 EU an hour, or 300 Eu for up to 20 people. As of now, we have 14 signed up. So it's about 21.50Eu pp, plus entry to the site and cable car (tips too).

[GrandmaHofmann]

When we were in Santorini, we were amongst the first off the ship and waited about a half hour for the cable car. But soon after we got up there, the line for the cable car became so long, that some people said they never made it up top because it was so late that they scrapped it.

[zqvol]

We are in Santorini from 2-10PM. We had planned on DIY by using the cable car, perhaps walking to Oia (depending on weather), staying for the sunset, which is supposed to be about 8:15, and then back to Fira and the cable car back down to the dock.

 

I'm getting worried that getting the bus back to Fira will be difficult that late--they show a bus at 8:30, but it seems iffy to chance in case it is late or full. Others have reported taxis as sometimes hard to find.

 

Any advice? We do have a chance to join a bus non-tour for 13 euros pp which mostly provides transportation to Oia and back, or for 15pp a few hours tour; I just didn't really want to do a tour on Santorini.

 

Has anyone had luck getting a late bus back? Or a taxi (and costs)?

 

 

Just be aware that you arr going to probably have a last tender time of between 9:15 and 9:30 which means you have to be at the dock by then. The chance of being in Oia, getting the bus or even a cab after sunset and making it back on time are pretty slim.

[Nebr.cruiser]

Just be aware that you arr going to probably have a last tender time of between 9:15 and 9:30 which means you have to be at the dock by then. The chance of being in Oia, getting the bus or even a cab after sunset and making it back on time are pretty slim.

 

Thanks--that's one reason we decided to go with the mini-tour; the bus will wait for us in Oia, so we should be back to the cable car shortly after sunset.

 

I *think* with our unusual (2-10) time in port there won't be other ships tendering in or out then. But, I still expect lines at the cable car.

 

I have heard that ships realize the cable car wait problems and won't leave if people are still in line. Hopefully.

[texancruzer]

ALERT **** ALERT ****

 

Be aware that tender tickets are handed out prior to arriving in Santorini.

 

Be sure and get in line EARLY for them.... we didn't and got 3:45 tender ticket time..... we didn't hit dirt until 4 pm ! We then had to get up the hill (we took the donkeys since the line was very very long for the cable car) And.......the crew was checking tickets too so no sneaking on an earlier tender.

 

I'm not sure but I don't think that one person can get a large lump of tickets either.....so be sure and coordinate with your group to make sure everyone gets early tender tickets.

 

And yes there will be a line for the cable car !!!! We were the only ship left in port since we also had the 2-10 port time frame. We waited in line about 45 minutes (+ or -)

 

Hope it works out for you !

[Nebr.cruiser]

ALERT **** ALERT ****

 

Be aware that tender tickets are handed out prior to arriving in Santorini.

 

Be sure and get in line EARLY for them.... we didn't and got 3:45 tender ticket time..... we didn't hit dirt until 4 pm ! We then had to get up the hill (we took the donkeys since the line was very very long for the cable car) And.......the crew was checking tickets too so no sneaking on an earlier tender.

 

I'm not sure but I don't think that one person can get a large lump of tickets either.....so be sure and coordinate with your group to make sure everyone gets early tender tickets.

 

And yes there will be a line for the cable car !!!! We were the only ship left in port since we also had the 2-10 port time frame. We waited in line about 45 minutes (+ or -)

 

Hope it works out for you !

 

Hi, thanks for all the good advice. Were you on Celebrity? Our group will try to get together to get the earliest possible tickets and tender out as a herd!

[texancruzer]

You're welcome and Yes, we were on Celebrity Solstice.

 

Its little tidbits of info like this that makes CC such an invaluable planning tool.

 

Just be sure and get in line early.....then you'll be ok.

[Mexfolkart]

That is the same company that I use..NST travel. Their website is

www.santorini-tour.net Tassos and Tomas work together! Great

guides!! email is info at nst-santorinitravel dot com.

 

have a great trip! We LOVE Santorini!!! Spent 10 days there once!

Best,

Sherry

[Nebr.cruiser]

That is the same company that I use..NST travel. Their website is

www.santorini-tour.net Tassos and Tomas work together! Great

guides!! email is info at nst-santorinitravel dot com.

 

have a great trip! We LOVE Santorini!!! Spent 10 days there once!

Best,

Sherry

 

That's great to hear about NST tours. I'm still worried about being able to get on an early tender to maximize our time on shore; I'm thinking everyone on the ship will have the same plan!

[Langley Cruisers]

ALERT **** ALERT **** Be aware that tender tickets are handed out prior to arriving in Santorini. Be sure and get in line EARLY for them....

 

 

Just a note that this is not true for all cruise lines. On RCI there were no tickets. Just wanted to give a heads up as this is a general Greece board for all cruise lines.

[miasail]

Just a note that this is not true for all cruise lines. On RCI there were no tickets. Just wanted to give a heads up as this is a general Greece board for all cruise lines.

 

How is it on RCI? Are people who booked RCI excursions given priority to tender first? How do the rest tender out? ( tickets, line???)

[Mexfolkart]

Have not gone on RCI but a general rule of thumb is that all the shore excursion people are taken off first and taken to a different port. Then the ship moves slightly and the rest go off where the cable cars and donkeys are. Santorini provides its own tenders.

so you do NOT use the ships ones. Each tender holds abput 100 people..

Some lines have tickets you get someplace and some you just go get in line..ask on board your ship.

It is MUCH better to plan on taking the cable car up and down..donkeys can be ifffy and walking is not pleasant since the donkeys have already gone there and might have made deposits along the way. $4EU one way

for cable car..worth it!!

Sherry

[Langley Cruisers]

Have not gone on RCI but a general rule of thumb is that all the shore excursion people are taken off first and taken to a different port. Then the ship moves slightly and the rest go off where the cable cars and donkeys are.

 

On our RCI Med cruise last year, this was not the case. The tenders took people to shore in Fira unless you had booked a ship's excursion which tendered to the alternate port of Athinios. You couldn't choose which port you wanted to go to - everyone went to Fira unless it was pre-arranged through the ship. As it turned out, we were the first ones off the entire ship, what a rush! It was 7 am and a perfect day. We tendered to Athinios and carried on with our excursion from there, ending up in Fira later in the day.

[texancruzer]

On our RCI Med cruise last year, this was not the case. The tenders took people to shore in Fira unless you had booked a ship's excursion which tendered to the alternate port of Athinios. You couldn't choose which port you wanted to go to - everyone went to Fira unless it was pre-arranged through the ship. As it turned out, we were the first ones off the entire ship, what a rush! It was 7 am and a perfect day. We tendered to Athinios and carried on with our excursion from there, ending up in Fira later in the day.

 

I think if you read the post again, that is exactly what Mexfolkart said......

 

To clarify..... there is an alternate landing area that all ship tours tender to. It has a road that can allow buses to get down to shore level. You MUST be on a ship tour to tender to this area....... and they tender first.

 

The ship then moves to a different location where everyone else will tender to the landing area where the cable car and donkeys/steps are.

 

And yes, not all ships hand out tender tickets. But I will say that I have been on cruises that did not and it was a zoo. I have stood in line down long corridors to get on a tender for long long periods of time. So in my opinion it is better to get tickets. Until your ticket number is called, you are not even allowed down the stairs to the tender boarding area thus eliminating those crazy and unsafe lines (since they cause big crowds of people in very small spaces)...... so my vote is for the ticket system. Just be sure if they do tickets to get in line for them early !!!!!!!!! (Again, another line but they usually hand them out in or near the theater so plenty of room :D