Santorini

[linloo]

Hi all

I`ve read many reviews on various sites (trip Adviser etc...) regarding what to do in Santorini. I know about the donkeys, the winding steep path with 600 steps and the queues for the cable car. I was advised to book a trip from the ship but even they seem to require getting the cable car back. Any advice from anyone? It will be my birthday that day and just want to have a great day!! Have heard and seen that it is a beautiful place. Thanks for any help.

[take us away]

Hi all

I`ve read many reviews on various sites (trip Adviser etc...) regarding what to do in Santorini. I know about the donkeys, the winding steep path with 600 steps and the queues for the cable car. I was advised to book a trip from the ship but even they seem to require getting the cable car back. Any advice from anyone? It will be my birthday that day and just want to have a great day!! Have heard and seen that it is a beautiful place. Thanks for any help.

 

When I was there the 1st time I did a ship's tour - the cable car is a beautiful ride and the wait to board was maybe 10 minutes but this is dependent of the time of the year. It may of value to check the Ports of Call board for other possible suggestions.

[jtl513]

On our Panoramic Santorini tour we had a choice to stay on the bus until the end and tender back to the ship without taking the donkeys, cable car, or walking down. DB and I got off the bus early in order to spend more time in town and took the cable car back down while our wives stayed on the bus. We only had about a 5 minute wait at the cable car because we took it just after having some lunch, not at the end of the day. It was a fun ride back down - as long as you aren't terribly afraid of heights.

.

Edited August 8, 2016 by jtl513

[denton1]

Hi all

I`ve read many reviews on various sites (trip Adviser etc...) regarding what to do in Santorini. I know about the donkeys, the winding steep path with 600 steps and the queues for the cable car. I was advised to book a trip from the ship but even they seem to require getting the cable car back. Any advice from anyone? It will be my birthday that day and just want to have a great day!! Have heard and seen that it is a beautiful place. Thanks for any help.

 

We took a ship's tour that included all the major sites and a cable car ticket back down. Instead of taking the cable car, we walked down. It took about 20 minutes and allowed you to stop for photos you won't get on the cable car. The path ends up right next to the lower cable station, adjacent to the tender dock. You could ride the donkeys for a fee, but it looked a little to fast for us. It would have been an E ticket in the old days at Disneyland.

[tooalto]

We've been to Santorini 3 times and it is truly one of the most beautiful spots we've ever visited. We did private tours each time. We took the cable car both up and down and only had short waits. The cable car wait really depends on how many ships are in port. We've been lucky so far and have had no other ships or just one. If your port time includes a late evening sailing, enjoy your birthday dinner in one of the many restaurants overlooking the caldera and the gorgeous sunset.

[jtl513]

Panoramic Santorini

Departs: 8:30 am

Approximately 3¾ Hours

Adult $89.95; Child $29.95

Embark your motor coach and head to the

tour’s first stop at Profitis Ilias (Prophet

Elias) Mountain, offering the best views on

the whole island -- a perfect photo

opportunity.

Descending the mountain, you will stop to

visit a local winery.

The drive to Oia will definitely acquaint you

with the inspiring volcanic nature of the

island; the views from various different angles

are quite spectacular.

Picturesque Oia features blue-domed

churches, old two-story mansions, and

narrow cobblestone streets lined with tiny

shops selling handmade ceramics, paintings

and semi-precious jewelry. This is an ideal

location to capture the beauty of this

remarkable island.

Notes:

This tour begins and ends in Athinios Port

[TonyC1952]

Santorini is beautiful.

We took the cable car up to the top of Fira, walked down the main street to the bus station and caught the bus to Oia, which is where many of the pics of Santorini are taken- it's a beautiful white washed town with blue domed roofs- just fantastic. We toured the town (didn't take long) and sat down to lunch in a restaurant overlooking the caldera. Delightful, tasty, very special. Then tried to get the bus back to Fira, but it was packed, so we opted for a 20E cab ride back to the main town. Down the cable car, tendered back to the ship, and at Happy Hour we were in the Crows Nest, having cocktails, watching the ship leave the island. Magical. Hope you enjoy your visit!

[keikobad]

I have been twice to Santorini and the first time we had one of the best days ever in the med and the second time we had the worst day ever in the med. It really depends on the amount of ships in port.

 

The main problem was the bus back from Oia (which was difficult to board and all of them were packed until the roof with no air at all but heat as in a sauna) and then the cable car. It took us more than 2 hours from Oia back to the ship. We waited 75 minutes in line for the cable car throughout the city. The atmosphere was somewhat agressive as some passengers were wanted to skip the line. I didnt know about the steps at that point otherwise I would have take them for sure. The way back from Oia ruined our day and we wished to never left the ship that time.

 

Donkeys: If you take them be aware of the smell. It is not a nice odor at all. And If you take them take them up to the city and not down. At least for men the way down is not the most convenient way of travelling.

 

Check the amount of passengers in port. The first time we had 2.000 and the second time 10.000.

[TonyC1952]

I must admit, I didn't mention the late day traffic jam that can occur at the cable car station. There were 3 cruise ships anchored in the caldera that day.

The bus from OIA was packed at about 130, so we chose to take a cab, rather than wait another hour. When we got to the cable car station, there wasn't any line at all at 200- but I wouldn't have wanted to go back to the ship much later than that, with a 400 "all aboard" time- I was worried that the line would get to long, and we'd be delayed. That said, we loved our time on Santorini, especially seeing Oia.

In addition, HAL had the bow open the morning we arrived, so everybody could enjoy the sights of entering the crater- it was too cold on the bow for us (even though the crew was handing out blankets) so we immediately beat feet up to the Crow's Nest to watch the arrival from there. The cafe' opened up at 7, so we had fresh espresso drinks for eye openers!

[mmr923]

When we went to Santorini on the Noordam in 2009, we did a ship's tour which has remained one of our favorites of all time. A great looking galleon type ship picked us up alongside the Noordam, then we were off to learn about history of Santorini from our very cool guide who looked like a long-haired gypsy sort of. We stopped first on a volcanic island in the middle of the caldera and walked around for a while (very easy hiking) amidst the sulfuric steam coming out of the ground, and learned more about how the caldera was created. Then we got back on the ship, and navigated to a thermal spring around the side of the volcanic island. We dove in, swam in the thermal (warm) water coming out of the bottom of the ocean (due to volcano), and we all smeared ourselves with mud (said to have beauty and skin-enhancing properties - but fun!), then swam back to the ship, which deposited us back on the Noordam in time to change, get lunch on the ship, then take a tender back to town. In the afternoon, we took the cable car up the mountain, and then found the public bus stop and rode a public bus to Oia, where we just wandered around, and peeked at all the artesans' shops. We stopped for snacks and beers after a few hours, then took a public bus back to Fira, did some souvenir shopping (back in 2009, you could also buy alcohol ashore and drink it in your cabin! DH got some ouzo and I got some red wine), and then took the cable car back to the landing to catch the tender back. It was an amazing day and has left me wanting to return and spend much longer than a day in Santorini! Have fun!

[106f]

If it's your first time in Santorini be aware that most postcard pictures are taken several miles away from the cable car. We found a private guide for less than a ships tour. We covered all the main photo ops. It was a sunny day in late September and gave us our best cruise photos to date. Also be aware that it can be very hot in the summer months. There are port load websites that will tell approx. how many passengers will be there on your day. Can't imagine 10,000 as it is a small place.

[bphman]

We rented a small car in Fira and drove the entire island. We had a blast. We saw so much more than the ship's tours. We went to Oia and walked around this most picturesque town. We almost got run over by a donkey train. It was so funny watching them travel the suites. Always look down if you know what I mean. We then headed to the other end and stopped at a few wineries along the way. Wine was fair but it was a lot of fun and cheap. We then had lunch on the beach and had the simplest and most delicious fish with lemon and olive oil. We meandered back to Fira and stopped along the way at a few of the villages. We had plenty of time for this. The wait for the funicular was very brief and picturesque. Those who walked down the donkey path regretted it because of the road apples and odor. One of the most beautiful islands I have ever seen.

[cruiseaholic78]

On advice from cc'ers we did the following, at the tender port there are boats waiting and a ticket office for a boat trip return to Oia. They take you to the port and there are small buses waiting to take you up to the town. A time is agreed for your return journey which gives you enough time to wander round or have drinks or a meal. I think you can even agree to a different return time or a bus back but not 100% sure about this. We had a very nice time no queues for the cable car and a short relaxing boat trip.

Rosalyn

[106f]

Another word for first timers. We all call it a cable car but it's closer to an inclined rail. No swaying, no bumps, just a straight line up and down. If you're not comfortable with a typical cable car you're probably still ok with this.

[catl331]

Another word for first timers. We all call it a cable car but it's closer to an inclined rail. No swaying, no bumps, just a straight line up and down. If you're not comfortable with a typical cable car you're probably still ok with this.

Maybe not as much swaying and bumping as a typical ski lift, but enough to make one other occupant of our car nervous.

 

Newbies: see multiple pictures at https://www.google.com/search?q=santorini+cable+car+ride&espv=2&biw=1726&bih=833&tbm=isch&imgil=Wy1zIJpAcfvCtM%253A%253BUS0urNncLOWLuM%253Bhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.santorini.com%25252Fholidays%25252Fcablecar.html&source=iu&pf=m&fir=Wy1zIJpAcfvCtM%253A%252CUS0urNncLOWLuM%252C_&usg=__FBUGHPIDmctHJeyt0IBBInRfG5k%3D&dpr=0.75&ved=0ahUKEwjlo8-q8LfOAhVQwGMKHdcTDBsQyjcITg&ei=EqirV-XSHNCAjwPXp7DYAQ#imgrc=Wy1zIJpAcfvCtM%3A