Santorini- how long to get off boat

[sunnydreams]

I have searched and searched. Just looking for more info. I know, super annoying question but I have limited time choices for a tour. It's either 10 or 2:30 and I'd prefer the 10:00. 

We arrive at 8 am at end of July. I think there are 3 boats in port, but we are one of the first. 

Is 2 hours long enough to make a private tour. Does 8am arrival mean 8am drop off for NCL people at the other port? or 8 am at Fira? 

Many have said 1 hour is enough time to get up the cable car. That seems tight to me. We are not Haven or have any VIP status to get off early. I will be in line for tender tickets at least an hour early. 

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance (and yes, I did multiple searches but most talk about getting back on board, not getting off....)

Edited June 22, 2023 by sunnydreams

[Hlitner]

2 hours ago, sunnydreams said:

I have searched and searched. Just looking for more info. I know, super annoying question but I have limited time choices for a tour. It's either 10 or 2:30 and I'd prefer the 10:00. 

We arrive at 8 am at end of July. I think there are 3 boats in port, but we are one of the first. 

Is 2 hours long enough to make a private tour. Does 8am arrival mean 8am drop off for NCL people at the other port? or 8 am at Fira? 

Many have said 1 hour is enough time to get up the cable car. That seems tight to me. We are not Haven or have any VIP status to get off early. I will be in line for tender tickets at least an hour early. 

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance (and yes, I did multiple searches but most talk about getting back on board, not getting off....)

There is no easy answer.  With Santorini you have two major problems.  1.  How long until you can get off your ship and onto a tender?  This varies by cruise line and weather/sea conditions.  and 2. Once you do get ashore the only way up to Fira (where you will meet your tour) is by cablecar or donkey.  The cable car lines can range from a few minutes to over an hour!  That line depends on how many ships are in port, and how many get ashore around the same time.  The cable car can only move 600 persons per hour (in each direction).  

 

As to how your NCL cruise handles to day...that can also vary, Sometimes the ships will stop close to Athinios so they can tender the folks on the ship excursions, and than move a couple of miles to the anchorage of Skala (the small pier below Fira) so they can tender everyone else.  But we have also been on some cruises where they simply go directly to the anchorage area and simply have a much longer tender ride to Athinios for the cruise ship excursions.  On Santorini, all the ships use shore-based local tenders which are much larger than the typical tenders carried by cruise ships.

 

Hank

 

Hank

[sunnydreams]

Thank you very much for your reply. I did not realize that they sometimes skip the first stop. I do realize it is all a gamble and I'm aware of the 600 person per hour to Fira issue. I actually have done tons of research. One hour in the cable car line won't break me, but over an hour getting off the boat will. Going to have to decide how gutsy I feel as to whether or not I will take the chance! My tour time gives me 2 hours in a perfect situation to make it. We can of course be late to the tour and just message the guide. Will have to weigh my options.  Again, I appreciate your information. 

[mapleleaves]

3 hours ago, sunnydreams said:

 

Many have said 1 hour is enough time to get up the cable car. That seems tight to me. We are not Haven or have any VIP status to get off early. I will be in line for tender tickets at least an hour

Great answer from hlitner.   I'll just add my experience.

 

We were on NCL Gem last Sept, 1:30pm - 10pm.  Costa arrived at 8am. 

Tender tickets were issued the day before; we arrived 1 hr prior but there were still 40 pax ahead of us.  Got tender #3.

We stood in the cable car line for 2 hrs! Got to the top at 4pm.  I have no idea how there were so many people ahead of us. Perhaps the Costa ship arrived late? or their pax didn't disembark until after lunch?  Who knows, but it was a 2 hr wait.   I would have walked up the donkey path but my companion wasn't able to, so we waited.   

I had tried to get the NCL excursion, Charming OIA, but it was sold out except for the Spanish version.  Wish I had taken it anyway, just as a way to see Oia.

 

Hopfully our situation was not the norm.  You'll probably make the 10am tour, but I'd suggest  getting in line for the tender ticket more than 1 hr early.  Good luck.

[budmeister]

Did you go yet? I have the same dilemma. I booked  the ship excursion to Oia on our own just to avoid the cable car issues, but still do not know how long to will take to get from ship to Oia , and then to get excursion site.