Greek Isles Question

[saintsfan777]

I am interested in a 7 day Greek Isles cruise on NCL in 2021 and in most of the ports that we are in, we are only there for 6 - 8 hours. The NCL website also reads the following:

 

• Disembarkation usually begins 2 hours after docking.
• Due to security reasons, all guests must be on board 2 hours before sailing.

 

Does this mean that if we arrive in Santorini at 7am and leave at 1pm that we would only be off the ship from 9am - 11am since disembarkation begins 2 hours after arriving and guests must be on board 2 hours before leaving?

[puppycanducruise]

The 2 hours before sailing is on the first day of the cruise.  At ports of call, you should be aboard  at least 1/2 hour before sailing.  

The 2 hours after docking for disembarkation is for the last day of your cruise.

I'm not sure what NCL's tendering process is, but if you are in Santorini from 7 to 1, they will start tendering guest to shore before 8.  And you will have to get back to the ship by 12:30.  You will get more info about tender times when you are aboard.

To me, that is not enough time in Santorini.

Edited February 21, 2020 by puppycanducruise

[saintsfan777]

Appreciate the response!

[John Bull]

27 minutes ago, puppycanducruise said:

The 2 hours before sailing is on the first day of the cruise.  At ports of call, you should be aboard  at least 1/2 hour before sailing.  

The 2 hours after docking for disembarkation is for the last day of your cruise.

I'm not sure what NCL's tendering process is, but if you are in Santorini from 7 to 1, they will start tendering guest to shore before 8.  And you will have to get back to the ship by 12:30.  You will get more info about tender times when you are aboard.

To me, that is not enough time in Santorini.

 

Yes, the 2-hours refers only to boarding and disembarking at the turnaround port.

 

In our experience, for almost all ports-of-call where the ship is berthed latest "back-on-board" time has been 30 minutes before scheduled sailing. 

But for tender ports (including Santorini) it's been "last tender" time 60 minutes before scheduled sailing. That's when you have to be at the tender jetty, ready to board the tender - not when you have to be back on the ship.

So you're likely to have to be back at the jetty by noon.

 

And, sadly, I have to agree - it's not enough time on Santorini.

Much tho' I dislike ship-sponsored tours (or their prices), because of the timescale perhaps consider a ship's tour at Santorini.  You get priority on tenders, and tenders for ships' tours drop you at Athinos, a little ferry harbour where the road comes down to the pier, so coaches collect from the pier. This avoids the scramble to get from the jetty below the cliffs up to Fira by over-subscribed cable-car or donkeys.

 

JB