Santorini shore excursions- How to avoid the cable car, donkey and stairs on arrival?

[cynbar]

We were there in May and there were 9000 cruise ship passengers in port that day! The lines for the cable cars were horrendous, but we had booked ahead online with Santorini Planet for a boat transfer to Oia . It was about 20 euros per person, included the boat ride, a bus up the hill to Oia, and then the bus transfer back to Fira. Ticket off ice is right where you get off the tender, you exchange your voucher for the tickets there and head for the boat. It worked great for us, although the island was so crowded all day that we didn't enjoy it as much as we should have. We would have liked to linger and maybe eat in one of the lovely restaurants with great views, but we were too worried about ridiculous lines for the cable car going down to the tenders. As it was, we waited in line about 1/2 an hour.

[Fouremco]

Several posts mention taking the boat to Oia and returning by bus. Is it possible to return by boat instead and avoid the lineups for the cable car? DW has an issue with heights and the walk down might be a challenge for her.

[k9x8]

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or have someone wait in line while the rest of the group shops.

 

 

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Please, no. That counts as cutting in line and will make the people behind you really, really mad.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Several posts mention taking the boat to Oia and returning by bus. Is it possible to return by boat instead and avoid the lineups for the cable car? DW has an issue with heights and the walk down might be a challenge for her.

 

No. The logistical problem with Santorini is that there are many ways to get from your ship onto the island, but everybody ends up in Fira and has to take the cable car or the path down to the tender dock to get back. Even the ship's excursions, which tender to a different part of the island in the morning, leave you on your own in Fira. You'd think some enterprising cruise line would set up buses from Fira to the other tender port -- but the tenders are controlled by the "Union Boatmen of Santorini" so this option must not be allowed.

[Fouremco]

Thanks, Host Jazzbeau. Maybe it's time to buy a shooting stick, the type of walking stick that has a seat when you pull the handle apart. Something to rest on while waiting in line. :)

[PinotBlanc]

Take a Celebrity tour. The tender will take you to a flat beach where buses wait.

 

On the return via cable car, I sit with my back toward the sea to avoid seeing the perception of height. Watching the side of a cliff is not a problem. I have wet palms thinking about heights but no problem with the cable car.

 

I could never walk down. Looking over the edge is frightening. Even the bus tours get too close to the edge of cliffs, I always sit toward the aisle and close eyes when necessary.

 

Santorini is steep. Check the Port of Call Forum and check for photos.

 

Penny

[Michidoeme]

Just off Silhoutte, were in Santorini on 30 July together with 2 other big ships. As we had priority tendering, getting off ship at 8.30 was no problem for us. Then we bought tickets for speedboat to Oia (they are just there when you get off tender) which included bus to Fira. We just went on our own, had no reservations, but there was no problem to get place. The first boat left 9.15 only and it was on first come first on basis, but nobody was left behind. It took about 15 min by boat to a small port below Oia, then there were several buses waiting to take us up to Oia. There you could spend the time at your own discretion. We took the bus back to Fira around 12.00 (could have gone 11, 13 or 14 as well), walked around a bit there and back down to the tenders with the cable car early afternoon. There was a line, but it was not too bad and moved fairly quickly. The boat/bus combination cost 25 Euro and then 5 Euro for the cable car down.

We were happy with our little tour, Oia is beautiful, but it was very hot and there were thousands of tourists.

Edited August 3, 2014 by Michidoeme

[kikki21]

The Oia boat option was definitely the best thing for us as even though we were there with 2 smaller 700 pax cruise ships, there was also a larger cruise ship in port and even though we tendered off the Azamara Quest with no issues, there was already a long queue for the cable car so we decided to take the Oia boat option.

We had to wait a while for the boat to fill up and it was totally full but it took about half an hour to get up to Oia and then we walked round, had a drink/cake break, shopped and got the bus back to Fira just as more cruise ship tours got into Oia so we arrived and left at the right times.

 

After lunch and a bit more shopping, we had enough. It was a very hot day and there was no cable car queue whatsoever! :) this was around 4pm.

Just look at the cruise ship timetables carefully as the larger cruise ship had left at 2pm, some more ships had come in but they were not leaving till 9 ish so that was perfect.

[mickeysgal]

Is Santorini Planet still taking reservations in advance for the boat to Oia? I seem to remember there being some recent issue with reservations lately.

 

 

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[derekjp47]

My family and I are on the Silhouette and arrive at Santorini on Aug 13th. That day there are three ships in port. What is the best tender/tour booking option, via Celebrity or private tour, which avoids the cable car, donkey and stairs on arrival? I called Celebrity today and asked this. The agent said to e-mail RCCL excursions to address to ask my question. :confused:

 

If you want to see Santorini, the only choices you have is to take one of three options to the top of the cliff were the town is, donkey, walk or cable car, no other ways believe me, if you don't go up to the town you are truly missing a wonderful opportunity, it is really a unique experience and should not be missed. If you don't want to experience the opportunities that traveling like this provides you,then my advice is to stay home.

[Ceepot]

Please don't use the donkeys. I support a donkey sanctuary and they are horrified at the treatment of the Santorini donkeys. They have poor saddles and reins, little access to water and shade and are not particularly well looked after. There is more information and a petition here.

 

http://www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/petition/santorini

[Pushka]

There were 3 cruise ships when we went to Santorini and it was a nightmare. The queue for the cable car stretched back almost to the lane leading to the donkey trail even though it was three hours before departure.

 

We ended up walking down the donkey path as I refuse to use the donkeys. The smell was doable but the steps are very slippery especially on the bends. Hated it. Saw two women fall. It was very busy on the path also.

[PinotBlanc]

If you want to see Santorini, the only choices you have is to take one of three options to the top of the cliff were the town is, donkey, walk or cable car, no other ways believe me, if you don't go up to the town you are truly missing a wonderful opportunity, it is really a unique experience and should not be missed. If you don't want to experience the opportunities that traveling like this provides you,then my advice is to stay home.

 

 

After 3 visits and not much time to explore Fira Town because we booked tours, we will stay on the ship or take a tour to Akrotiri. That gets off the ship to the sandy beach for a bus but we still will take the cable car down the steep hill.

 

The short visit on the Celebrity tour to Oia didn't do much for us. It was too crowded with tourist and too hot. The ship tours spend too much time on turns, overlooks, and at the winery. We think the only way to spend the time exclusively in Fira is taking the cable car up. I won't stand in line for that. Just my preference for a good time.

 

Penny

Edited August 9, 2014 by PinotBlanc

[cruzemaven]

The Oia boat option was definitely the best thing for us as even though we were there with 2 smaller 700 pax cruise ships, there was also a larger cruise ship in port and even though we tendered off the Azamara Quest with no issues, there was already a long queue for the cable car so we decided to take the Oia boat option.

 

We had to wait a while for the boat to fill up and it was totally full but it took about half an hour to get up to Oia and then we walked round, had a drink/cake break, shopped and got the bus back to Fira just as more cruise ship tours got into Oia so we arrived and left at the right times.

 

 

 

After lunch and a bit more shopping, we had enough. It was a very hot day and there was no cable car queue whatsoever! :) this was around 4pm.

 

Just look at the cruise ship timetables carefully as the larger cruise ship had left at 2pm, some more ships had come in but they were not leaving till 9 ish so that was perfect.

 

 

We did exactly the same thing but hit huge lines at cable car returning from Fira to tenders.

 

 

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[mickey89]

Athinios is the main port where all the ferries from the mainland Greece and its islands berth. The ships tours also disembark its tour groups here, it is about 4 miles south of Fira (Look at goggle Earth, you will get a clear picture). From this port a switchback road ascends the cliff, at the top is the Santos Winery, public buses operate from Athinios every 20 mins to Fira and onto Oia, there is also a Car Hire company at this dockside. The problem is the Santorini authorities will not allowed the cruise-lines to disembark its passengers at Athinios other than its own Tour groups. They require them to tender off Fira to save-guard the livelihood of its seamen and to support its cable car company.

 

Too avoid this hassle I arranged via a Santorini tour company for a private boat from the Fira Tender port to Athinios, we also returned the same way late in the evening. Our ship (Celebrity Reflection) was at the island 2pm until 10pm so we wanted to maximise the time ashore without the hassle of queueing as there were 3 other big cruise ships moored off the island.

Cost was 100euros for a party of 14, almost the price of the cablecar. I would expect that if this became the norm for tourists it would be stopped by the seamen union. If I was returning to Santorini at a busy time I would definitely pick the cheapest ship's tour to avoid the hassle and there is no shade as you queue.............. Enjoy Santorini !

Edited August 10, 2014 by mickey89

[Host Jazzbeau]

Athinios is the main port where all the ferries from the mainland Greece and its islands berth. The ships tours also disembark its tour groups here, it is about 4 miles south of Fira (Look at goggle Earth, you will get a clear picture). From this port a switchback road ascends the cliff, at the top is the Santos Winery, public buses operate from Athinios every 20 mins to Fira and onto Oia, there is also a Car Hire company at this dockside. The problem is the Santorini authorities will not allowed the cruise-lines to disembark its passengers at Athinios other than its own Tour groups. They require them to tender off Fira to save-guard the livelihood of its seamen and to support its cable car company.

 

Too avoid this hassle I arranged via a Santorini tour company for a private boat from the Fira Tender port to Athinios, we also returned the same way late in the evening. Our ship (Celebrity Reflection) was at the island 2pm until 10pm so we wanted to maximise the time ashore without the hassle of queueing as there were 3 other big cruise ships moored off the island.

Cost was 100euros for a party of 14, almost the price of the cablecar. I would expect that if this became the norm for tourists it would be stopped by the seamen union. If I was returning to Santorini at a busy time I would definitely pick the cheapest ship's tour to avoid the hassle and there is no shade as you queue.............. Enjoy Santorini !

 

Getting up to Fira in the morning doesn't seem to have as big a backlog as getting back down in the afternoon, so I wonder if it would be possible to charter a boat from the port below Oia back to the main tender dock? Oia is supposed to be the best place for sunset, if your ship stays that late.

[Pushka]

We had very easy access on arrival. It was getting back down to the tender area that was chaotic.