Jade Tenders in Santorini and Mykonos Questions

[coka]

Does anyone know the types and size of tenders the Norwegian Jade uses to tender into Santorini and into Mykonos Greece? Do they use their own from the ship (the orange covered life boats) or do they use something bigger like the ones on Norwegian's private island in the Bahamas?

 

If a folding wheelchair user makes it on shore to Santorini, and is able to get on the elevator lift up, what do the stairs look like after getting off the elevator? I hear there are stairs there but would like to know if there are a few wide ones far apart or if there are a lot of smaller spaced ones together hugging a cliff? I am trying to figure out how easy two sisters can bring a third sister in a wheelchair up to the top. The third sister already ruled out us tying her to a donkey...:p

 

Also, are there any chances the Jade gets to dock at either of these two ports? I read on our roll call that we might be the only ship in Santorini on that particular day.

 

I did pose some questions on the disabled cruising section but thought I would try here too. CabinCop, hopefully you read this and give me some advice and pointers.

 

Thanks in advance if anyone can help answer,

 

coka

[Ilovesailing]

NCL uses there own frolife boats. There will be no problem getting assistance from staff at all the piers both getting in and out of life boats. Santorini the ship docks pretty close to pier area and as far as I know there are no pier dockings for the larger ships. I suggest you call NCL and see if you can arrange some sort of transportation ie a cab as I know that vehicles do go down and up, I think mostly supply vehicles. I'm sure they have encountered your situation numerous times. The wheelchair won't be a problem getting into tram as long as it's a fold up.As for the stairs they are fairly new, have railings and lots of room from side to side and no congestion as their are staff monitoring the area, I'm guessing about a dozen stairs.I just remember the extremely long wait to get on the tram. And there was no wait for the donkey ride down as my partner did it. Seeing that your going peak season I would ask about transport back down.

 

As for Mykono's again you use their lifeboats and once on land its fairly flat and shouldn't be a problem getting around except for the crowds.

 

Another comment is be careful if your booking off ship excursions for Santorini as on rare occasions the ship can't tender due to high winds, which happened to us in 6/2012

Also hope you book an aft cabin for the sail away through the Venice canal is just spectacular on both sides. If you don't have an aft then get yourself to the garden cafe and score a table.

[mikewrit]

DW uses a rollator and has been well cared for by the NCL lifeboat crews on tender duty from Jade and other Norwegians.

[JohnIreland]

It's been a few years but on the Gem we used local tender in Santorini.

[busmech]

Santorini uses a cable car to go up to the top. If you do a ship tour they drop you off at a different spot and they drive up. They use the local tenders. In Mykonos, not sure about NCL but last year the cruise I was on we docked and then used a ferry to go to main town. There were other ships there that tendered to the main town.

[coka]

Thank you everyone, this is all useful information.

 

Ilovesailing, thank you for the approximate number of steps at the top. We are in a Handicapped mini suite at the stern and will indeed enjoy the views! We have been in them on the Pearl and Gem.

 

Busmec, she can not do the ship tours as they are not accessible for a paraplegic in Greece so we are just hoping (but not expecting) to catch a cab as she can get into a car no problem. The trick is getting a cab in Santorini (or renting a car)...which I read is at the top. She also is totally fine staying on the ship during the tender ports. I just want to present her with some options.

 

Mike writ and Johnireland, the crew has always been so helpful the one or two times she took a tender. Even so, they are not required to and I read on the disability boards that a Captain can deny a wheelchair user from using them based on safety reasons. No worries from my sister, there have been a few times she has changed her mind getting on one due to safety reasons.

 

The worst case scenario is still a wonderful option for her...staying onboard and having it all to herself! :D

 

Coka

[Delbankin]

We took this cruise at the end of May. It depends entirely on availability of a berth.

 

We have now been to Santorini twice now and have never seen a ship berthed at the quay - it is far too small. We tendered from Jade using local tenders which are larger than the ship's lifeboats and I would say more accessible.

 

In Mykonos we berthed at the quay and were taken by complimentary coach to the main town some 5 minutes away.

 

As I said earlier it will depend if any other ships are in port at Mykonos on any given day. You can check this on various port schedules. Santorini can be quite hectic. We have seen 4 or 5 ships there on occasion and you can imagine how congested that will be for the cable car and donkey transport up the hill. May be best to take a ship's excursion if there are a number of ships due in.

 

The one advantage with Jade was that we were the last ship to leave Santorini which made it easier to get back on board and also gave the opportunity to enjoy the sunset which is quite spectacular with the islands in the foreground.

 

I'm sure you will enjoy both ports of call.

[cabincop]

hi coka:D seems everyone answered your question's, the cable cars going up santorni were fine, I could never do steps or donkey. Mykonos I stayed walking around the square and port area while my friends went off to see the sights. As far as where you dock it is true you have to see where they go into in Mykonos we had no tenders but this was awhile ago.

[coka]

Thank you Delbankin for additional information! I am taking it all in!

Hi cabin cop! I just saw on the ncl.eu website that the Jade only tenders in Santorini. I am going to guess Mykonos will be an either/or situation. We knew when booking that Santorini was going to be a tender but were surprised when our documents listed Mykonos as a tender too. We will keep our fingers crossed!

 

coka

[Ilovesailing]

Have never had a deviance from edocs with regards to ports tendering/docking.

[megaelch]

We did just take this cruise 3 weeks ago .. please be advised there are lots of uneven walkways in Santorin and the location on a hill means the streets go up and down. I do not know how well you would do with a wheelchair . Using the cable car requires to climb around 40-50 steps at each station and the entrance to the cabins is actually on stairs.

We did actually dock at Mykonos and using the free shuttle busses you will be absolutely fine in the Mykonos old town ... May i recommend booking a private tour in Santorin...we had a driver with a nice airconditiond bus for our party of 6 and it was great .. they might bw able to assist you with your trip better than doing this on your own and you get to see the nicer parts of the island, too .. PM me for information if you like ...

[HokiePoq]

Thank you Delbankin for additional information! I am taking it all in!

Hi cabin cop! I just saw on the ncl.eu website that the Jade only tenders in Santorini. I am going to guess Mykonos will be an either/or situation. We knew when booking that Santorini was going to be a tender but were surprised when our documents listed Mykonos as a tender too. We will keep our fingers crossed!

 

coka

 

That is surprising about Mykonos being a tender port as well. We docked there a few years ago off the Gem. Might not remember but have a picture of a tug which had to push the Gem all day to keep it at dock due to heavy seas. The winds were very strong that day and even walking in Mykonos was tough. I wish you a happy cruise on the wonderful Jade.

[4774Papa]

Does anyone know the types and size of tenders the Norwegian Jade uses to tender into Santorini and into Mykonos Greece? Do they use their own from the ship (the orange covered life boats) or do they use something bigger like the ones on Norwegian's private island in the Bahamas?

 

If a folding wheelchair user makes it on shore to Santorini, and is able to get on the elevator lift up, what do the stairs look like after getting off the elevator? I hear there are stairs there but would like to know if there are a few wide ones far apart or if there are a lot of smaller spaced ones together hugging a cliff? I am trying to figure out how easy two sisters can bring a third sister in a wheelchair up to the top. The third sister already ruled out us tying her to a donkey...:p

 

Also, are there any chances the Jade gets to dock at either of these two ports? I read on our roll call that we might be the only ship in Santorini on that particular day.

 

I did pose some questions on the disabled cruising section but thought I would try here too. CabinCop, hopefully you read this and give me some advice and pointers.

 

Thanks in advance if anyone can help answer,

 

coka

We tendered into both ports on the Gem in 2010. I seem to remember that in Greece the law requires cruise ships tender with the local boats, not their own. It does seem to slow down the tender process a bit

Tendering into Mykonos is a lot faster than at Santorini. At Mykonos, you arrive at the dock for the town, so you are right in the town as soon as you arrive. Santorini, you must take the cable car or go up on the Donkeys, or take an excursion and tender to Athinos port, to the south.

[coka]

Thank you everyone again! I showed my sisters all the responses...they concluded Santorini is every woman for herself! We did book a private taxi for Corfu and are working on one for Olympia. Mykonos will hang around port town...but Santorini will probably be on the ship for one or two of us. They said I could go to the top of the cliff and they would wave (or was it laugh at me?) as they sip martinis on the balcony...:o

 

coka

[calmac]

Coka, if you do decide to go to Santorini alone, I would suggest you make use of your Platinum status and take the earliest possible tender. We were on the first tender from the Gem and managed to be on the cable car before any queue formed! If we were to go again, I would also take the cable car back down the hill - we walked down but it was very hot, steep, and hard work. Enjoy your cruise.

[coka]

Coka, if you do decide to go to Santorini alone, I would suggest you make use of your Platinum status and take the earliest possible tender. We were on the first tender from the Gem and managed to be on the cable car before any queue formed! If we were to go again, I would also take the cable car back down the hill - we walked down but it was very hot, steep, and hard work. Enjoy your cruise.

 

Good reminder on that! I can not remember the last time I ever used a priority tender ticket...will be sure to read what it says! Wish me luck and thank you! I might do it just to report back on the disability boards. Another poster said there are service roads down there so I might check what that is all about.

 

Coka

[fauxpaz]

Just got back from the Jade's June 29th sailing and I can tell you that everyone tenders in Santorini. We used local tenders which were pretty large and spacious. I also second using the priority tendering if possible. We were able to use it and was in the first tender off of the ship. I heard others had to wait 2 to 3 hours to get off with the later tender tickets.

 

For Mykonos we docked at the port. The dock only has room for one ship, so the other boat that day (Splendor of the Seas?) had to tender. I am not sure if it is first come first serve for Mykonos or how they determine who docks and who tenders.

[nato]

fauxpaz, Can you tell me more about your cruise? I will be on the same cruise in September. Did you do any of the ship tour excursions? How about the restaurants? Any info. would be appreciated. Thanks!

[coka]

Just got back from the Jade's June 29th sailing and I can tell you that everyone tenders in Santorini. We used local tenders which were pretty large and spacious. I also second using the priority tendering if possible. We were able to use it and was in the first tender off of the ship. I heard others had to wait 2 to 3 hours to get off with the later tender tickets.

 

For Mykonos we docked at the port. The dock only has room for one ship, so the other boat that day (Splendor of the Seas?) had to tender. I am not sure if it is first come first serve for Mykonos or how they determine who docks and who tenders.

 

fauxpaz, Can you tell me more about your cruise? I will be on the same cruise in September. Did you do any of the ship tour excursions? How about the restaurants? Any info. would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

Yes yes tell us more! I did find out Mykonos is first come first served...the other ship arrives one hour before the Jade...will see what happens. Fauxpaz, can your recommend ship board entertainment...any must see or dos for evening? I appreciate you reporting the tender situation very much!

 

Oh...edited as I see your other thread....thanks for posting dailys!

coka

[fauxpaz]

fauxpaz, Can you tell me more about your cruise? I will be on the same cruise in September. Did you do any of the ship tour excursions? How about the restaurants? Any info. would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

Hello Nato,

 

We did DIY in each port. We have two small kids so we tried to keep it simple.

 

In Corfu we planned on renting a car to tour part of the island but ditched the idea as we were not in the mood. We took the bus into town and walked around a bit and shopped. There were some really good looking restaurants on the streets behind the main streets. Our travel plan is to never hit a restaurant on the main street or tourist area. The food is never really that good and always overpriced. We did go to Dr. Fish in Corfu which was a fish spa and had a unique and ticklish experience.

 

In Mykonos we went to St. John's Resort (we booked before they raised the price). It was more beautiful than the pictures show. Their new offer includes a meal and looking at the price of the menu items at the restaurant, I think the 70 euros is a bit much. But they pick you up at the port and will drop you off in town, which is what we had them do about 2 hours before sail away which gave us enough time to see the windmills and meander back to the boat's bus service. Mykonos was one of our most relaxed days.

 

In Santorini we rented a car and drove to Oia. The island was quite easy to navigate. We were in the first tender so we got off the ship quick. If possible get as early of a tender ticket as possible. We took the donkeys up (it was a fun experience but never again). We beat the crowd to Oia and took some wonderful pictures of the beautiful area. We then drove around the island stopping to admire the view and eventually drove to Red beach. There was a bit of a hike to get in and out but the water was perfect and we had an umbrella and two loungers for 6 euro. We then meandered back to Fira after stopping at the bakery at the turn off from red beach to Fira. I don't know what was in the pistachio pastry we had but it was awesome and delicious. After dropping off the car, we poked around Fira and headed back to the boat via cable car for sunset which was spectacular.

 

Last port was Olympia. We again rented a car from Avis and beat the crowd to the site. It was practically empty when we arrived and practically full when we were getting ready to leave. We wandered Olympia for a bit and then drove back to the boat. The port is extremely close to town so we dropped the kids off at the kids club and headed out to enjoy the town. There is a great gyro place on the back street near the end of the shopping road. I think it was 1.5 gyro for takeaway. Olympia was pretty much shopping and eating but still enjoyable.

[fauxpaz]

Yes yes tell us more! I did find out Mykonos is first come first served...the other ship arrives one hour before the Jade...will see what happens. Fauxpaz, can your recommend ship board entertainment...any must see or dos for evening? I appreciate you reporting the tender situation very much!

 

Oh...edited as I see your other thread....thanks for posting dailys!

coka

 

Your welcome. There are not in perfect order but my scanner was acting up that day.

 

As for the entertainment, we are from Las Vegas and have access to exceptional shows so I think our expectations are a bit high but here are my entertainment thoughts for the shows: skip the show the first night as it was just awful and the magician was very cheesy. The rest of the shows were decent and Elements was by far the best. My husband and I are not into the dancing/club scene so we did not see very much in the way of after hours entertainment. There was a wonderful singer in the forward lounge on two nights that was quite good and enjoyable. Being an international boat it was neat to hear her sing popular songs in various languages.

[coka]

Thank you fauxpaz, I looked through your daily postings and it looks similar and different from previous cruises. I saw Elements on the Star and if it is the same show, then that is good...it is my most favorite! The international bands, duos, and solos (with exception to Vladimir) are all new to me so it should be fun checking it all out!

Thanks again, very much!

 

Coka