Santorini tender port

[rubens]

Hopefully someone can answer this:

As known big ships when in Santorini first tender their passengers on ship's excursions to the port of Athinios where they can board their buses. After the ship moves to Fira's port where independent passengers can go to Fira town by cable cars or monkeys.

 

Now we would like to meet friends in Athinios and I wonder if Azamara being a smaller ship might allow independents also to tender to Athinios and maybe the ship will stay anchored for the day at Athinios;

 

I hope for an answer if anyone has made this trip on Azamara before or Bill would be able to find out :confused:

[Glenndale]

I don't know for sure as far as Athinios is concerned, but I do know that Fira supplies the tenders and the ships tenders are not used.

Presumably this is some sort of protection of trade practice that is employed and also extra revenue for the port.

[CintiPam]

Oceania will not allow this; we pursued this same inquiry with them a few years back. However, I do not know Azamara's policy.

[uktog]

Santorini is a nightmare port for the cruiselines. There is a very very strong local union, and it's current power goes back to agreements put in place when the cable car was put in. At that time it was to look after the donkey owners who had the monopoly.

 

Even now, although they could run the cable car more each hour they do not and have you watched how active the donkey owners are at promoting their trade when there are lines at the cable car.

 

There is nothing to stop you having two plans for meeting your friends and once on board, speak with the Azamara concierge. They can take people other than shore ex guests to the other port, we have seen entertainers going home etc taken there. It may be that they do not want to start opening up this option, but worth an ask. You can then let your friends know whether it is Athinos or the top of the hill to meet you. Coming back you will have to use the regular tender

[rubens]

Thanks to all for those replies.

 

It would be good for Azamara to give this option to everyone. This is the kind of extra that can make the difference with other cruise lines !

It's not an extra cost and a way to avoid the crowds.

[uktog]

Thanks to all for those replies.

 

It would be good for Azamara to give this option to everyone. This is the kind of extra that can make the difference with other cruise lines !

It's not an extra cost and a way to avoid the crowds.

 

Its not an extra Azamara can buy its way out of - as I said, there is very strict rules and conditions applied by the local union for tendering in Santorini. Whilst they can flex to a point, to ask for a wholesale dispensation to a long established rule that suits the locals could mean the authorities would refuse to take future bookings from Azamara. Azamara as a small ship has very little bargaining power in that port