Santorini - how long to get back to ship?

[emsachs]

We are headed to Santorini on Reflection in September.

We are planning to do it on our own and would like to see the sunset/dinner/drinks in Oia before heading back to the ship.

Sunset is 7:20p and our ship departs at 9pm.

How much time should we leave to get back to port/ship?

Are we cutting it too close? Should we perhaps hang in Fira to watch the sunset and soak in the views?

Also, any great specific restaurant/bar recommendations for best place to watch sunset?

Thanks for help as always.

E

[John Bull]

Depends on your "last tender" time, and whether you're prepared to walk down the zig-zag path.

 

Usually "last tender" time is 60 minutes before the advertised sailing time, but check that before you depart the ship. That's the time you need to be on the jetty ready to board a tender, you don't have to be on the ship at that time. And if there's still a line for the tender at last-tender time, the tenders wil continue 'til they've mopped-up the line.

 

The walk down the zig-zag steps takes 20 to 25 minutes, give yourselves 30 minutes. That means you'll probably need to be ready to start down from Fira 10 mins after that sunset time.

By the top of the path / top cablecar station is a bar, with a panoramic westerly view from its terrace. Don't know if it's ideal, pretty certain it's OK but I'll defer to anyone who's watched/photographed the sunset from there..

Since the ride down the cablecar is no more than five minutes, if the line for the cablecar is short (you can live in hope :D), you can allow yourselves longer for photos & take the cablecar - but do keep an eye on the end of the line. Mebbe even one of you could join the line while the other gets the last photos.

 

If the line is long, don't delay heading down the path. You can continue taking photos on the path.

 

The path is wide, with waist-high walls - you'll not topple off. But some of the stones are super-smooth & slippery, so watch for shiny stones & hold the wall as you go. Don't know how dark the path will be just after sunset. And no personal experience of if it's wet, but I suspect that could be extremely slippery. The donkey doo-doo is dry powder by that time of day - but presumably not if the weather is wet.

 

JB :)

[lovemylab]

We visited Santorini last October while on the Reflection. The line for the cable car was long as there was another ship also docked. I think we waited around 45 minutes or so for the cable car and then once at the bottom we had to wait in another line for the tender.

 

I recommend taking a small, compact flashlight with you in case you do need to take the steps. We heard lots of people complaining about how poorly lit the stairs are.

 

As for watching the sunset, I'd opt for a dinner in Fira instead. We had a wonderful meal at Argo. We made reservations in advance and requested a table with a great view. The staff was very friendly, the food was delicious and the view was incredible. Definitely one of the highlights from our vacation.

[T.O.cruisers]

Enjoy your day on Santorini. Oia is beautiful. Get back on board the ship and marvel at the sunset reflecting off the island. I haven't done that but I heard the sunset is best to see from the ship. I think your timing is cutting it close.

[SeaThruU]

In Santorini, do the tender boats drop you off at the cruise ship dock or the ferry dock? We will be on a Greek Isle cruise on the Celebrity Eclipse next Fall and we tender ashore. I'm trying to plan a tour pickup.

[John Bull]

In Santorini, do the tender boats drop you off at the cruise ship dock or the ferry dock? We will be on a Greek Isle cruise on the Celebrity Eclipse next Fall and we tender ashore. I'm trying to plan a tour pickup.

 

All ships anchor off-shore.

Folk on ship-sponsored tours are tendered some distance to the inter-island ferry port at Athinos, where a road comes down to the sea. (but I think that at the end of their excursions all those folk are dropped at Fira and have to mix it with the rest of us to get back to the ship).

 

Independents are tendered to the pier at the bottom of the cliff below Fira. From there they have the choice of cable-car to the top (might be a line) or ride a "donkey" (actually they're mules) up the zig-zag path to the top (might be a line), or walk up that path (laborious & unpleasant going up) or local boat to Oia.

 

Coming back to the ship there's no ferry from Oia, everyone has to use the cablecar or walk the zigzag path (there are a few donkeys late in the day, but they're not so comfy or sure-footed going down). Hence the long lines for the cablecar.

 

On this aerial view

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Santorini/@36.4000179,25.4126461,5491m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x1499ce86adfd9ff7:0xb2a761f740d68afc!8m2!3d36.3931562!4d25.4615092

- The ferry routes shown are to Athinos (where ship's excursion tenders go)

- The cruise ship at anchor is pointed at the tender pier (where independents are tendered in & everyone is tendered back) at the bottom of the zig-zag path up to Fira. Zoom in and the zigzag path is very clear, and the cablecar is to the left of it.

 

If your ship's routine is the same as ours, there's no tender priority for those on ship's excursions cos they use different tenders. And any priority for certain cabin classes shouldn't be much of a concern.

But there's the usual scramble for early tender tickets.

Then the potential lines for cablecar or donkeys.

 

If you're the only passenger on the ship, the tender ride to the pier plus the cablecar ride will probably take no more than 20 minutes.

But the waits for tender & cablecar are pretty-well impossible to forecast.

Best to pass the buck & get your tour operator to figure a meet-up time. And swap cellphone numbers with him/her.

 

JB :)

[SeaThruU]

All ships anchor off-shore.

Folk on ship-sponsored tours are tendered some distance to the inter-island ferry port at Athinos, where a road comes down to the sea. (but I think that at the end of their excursions all those folk are dropped at Fira and have to mix it with the rest of us to get back to the ship).

 

Independents are tendered to the pier at the bottom of the cliff below Fira. From there they have the choice of cable-car to the top (might be a line) or ride a "donkey" (actually they're mules) up the zig-zag path to the top (might be a line), or walk up that path (laborious & unpleasant going up) or local boat to Oia.

 

Coming back to the ship there's no ferry from Oia, everyone has to use the cablecar or walk the zigzag path (there are a few donkeys late in the day, but they're not so comfy or sure-footed going down). Hence the long lines for the cablecar.

 

On this aerial view

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Santorini/@36.4000179,25.4126461,5491m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x1499ce86adfd9ff7:0xb2a761f740d68afc!8m2!3d36.3931562!4d25.4615092

- The ferry routes shown are to Athinos (where ship's excursion tenders go)

- The cruise ship at anchor is pointed at the tender pier (where independents are tendered in & everyone is tendered back) at the bottom of the zig-zag path up to Fira. Zoom in and the zigzag path is very clear, and the cablecar is to the left of it.

 

If your ship's routine is the same as ours, there's no tender priority for those on ship's excursions cos they use different tenders. And any priority for certain cabin classes shouldn't be much of a concern.

But there's the usual scramble for early tender tickets.

Then the potential lines for cablecar or donkeys.

 

If you're the only passenger on the ship, the tender ride to the pier plus the cablecar ride will probably take no more than 20 minutes.

But the waits for tender & cablecar are pretty-well impossible to forecast.

Best to pass the buck & get your tour operator to figure a meet-up time. And swap cellphone numbers with him/her.

 

JB :)

 

Thank you! This is very helpful.