Santorini in May with >15,000 cruise passengers - need opinions

[Alakeam]

This is the information via cruisetimetable for May 21 when we will be arriving on NCL Viva at 2pm (last in port and one hour behind the 4200 passenger Epic).

 

MSC Divina

a 0800 d 1800

3502 pax

Seven Seas Voyager

a 0800 d 1800

708 pax

Sun Princess

a 0900 d 2200

4300 pax

NCL Epic

a 1300 d 2200

4200 pax

NCL Viva

a 1400 d 2200

3100 pax

 

We are traveling with another couple and doing private excursions for all of our other ports through our travel agent.  Our private options here state meeting the guide at the top of the cable car station at 2pm.  I expressed my concern over how long it would take us to get up to the top of Fira to our agent and she sent me the reply from the tour company:

 

"Santorini can be tough but we have never had a problem where guests have an issue meeting the guide. Of course the private guides do understand that when dealing with tendering along it is impossible to predict exactly what time you’re going to get to shore. Adding the cable car on top of that creates for what appears to be a bit of a messy morning. But the guides are patient and will wait if needed.

 

Alternatively, we have a couple of options which might help.

 

• We can adjust the start time on the private tours to whatever time you would like if you would like some extra time when you arrive
• We can provide a private tender boat that takes you from where the ship tender drops you off to the New Port in Fira. This is just a short distance down the coast line and alleviates you having to take the cable car as vehicles can come right to that port. We usually only offer this for groups since you have to pay for the whole boat to go over there but we can offer it at an additional cost of $385.00 total.

NCL only offers 2 ship excursions - one to a winery in either German or Spanish so that's out and the second one is a volcano hike (we are not interested in that). So we are thinking that we will pay for the private tender to Athinios to meet the guide and then figure out how much time to plan for the return trip down from Fira.  Part of me is thinking we don't even get off the boat at all, but I wonder if I'm just letting too much anxiety build up over this particular port.

 

Thoughts?

 

,

[mapleleaves]

ugh, that's a nasty port schedule! 

Odd that NCL isn't offering the Oia tour.  What is the tour you're looking at ?

 

Here's an option to consider.  Sunset will be around 8:30pm.  If there's a long line at the cable car to go down to the tender dock would you be willing to walk down the donkey trail during daylight, say 8pm?  

If so, ask if your tour would meet and wait for you in Oia.   Take the water taxi to Oia, $30 IIRC.

It doesn't have a fixed time so you might have to wait an hr at the dock but it would eliminate the cable car wait going up to Fira and also that expensive ride to Athinios.

[edinburgher]

1 hour ago, Alakeam said:

Part of me is thinking we don't even get off the boat at all, but I wonder if I'm just letting too much anxiety build up over this particular port.

WHAT a busy day in Santorini!  the local authorities really should reduce ther number of ships, or have a passenger limit for each day.

I  would say that the tendering is issue #1, the cable car lines issue #2 and for me, issue #3 would be the most impactful because that number of cruise ship pax exploring both Fira and Oia is going to make both locations extremely crowded, perhaps even uncomfortably so as both are small, have narrow streets and at peak times when the majority of pax from all ships are likely to be ashore, will  probably create  a less than happy experience.

 

I think you are correct in thinking you should pay extra for the private transfer, but remember that issue #3 will likely still impact your time in both towns.  Have you found any online images of Fira and/or Oia when busy?

 

Should you decide to stay onboard, with such a late sailing, you should in be able to watch the sunset from your ship, weather permitting of course, so not all would be lost.😀

Edited February 23 by edinburgher

[Alakeam]

13 minutes ago, mapleleaves said:

ugh, that's a nasty port schedule! 

Odd that NCL isn't offering the Oia tour.  What is the tour you're looking at ?

 

Here's an option to consider.  Sunset will be around 8:30pm.  If there's a long line at the cable car to go down to the tender dock would you be willing to walk down the donkey trail during daylight, say 8pm?  

If so, ask if your tour would meet and wait for you in Oia.   Take the water taxi to Oia, $30 IIRC.

It doesn't have a fixed time so you might have to wait an hr at the dock but it would eliminate the cable car wait going up to Fira and also that expensive ride to Athinios.

NCL is offering an Oia trip (Charming Oia and Winery) but only in Spanish and German.  We are looking into a private tour.  This is the condensed description of it: 

Visit Mount Prophet Elias monastery. Tasting local wines at one of the island's best wineries. Walking tour and free time in Oia Village.

 

Edited February 23 by Alakeam

[Sageblue47]

We are taking the Charming Oia and Winery tour on May 1 in Spanish. Granted, my BF is fluent and I am Duoingo'ing my way through the language, but my sense is that the tour is a fair amount of free time in Oia and then basically having a wine tasting. We chose to do it to avoid the tender lines and lines getting up to Fira. I will report back on our experience and let you know how challenging it is if one doesn't speak the language.

[mapleleaves]

If the monastery and wine tasting are important you don't have much choice.

 

 

 

[marazul]

1 hour ago, Alakeam said:

We can provide a private tender boat that takes you from where the ship tender drops you off to the New Port in Fira. This is just a short distance down the coast line and alleviates you having to take the cable car as vehicles can come right to that port. We usually only offer this for groups since you have to pay for the whole boat to go over there but we can offer it at an additional cost of $385.00 total.

Write to them and ask them if the private tender includes taking you back to the tender port.  For 385€ is worth a try.

[MeHeartCruising]

Given the cruise is in a few months, I would assume that NCL has sold out for all the other tours that cruise lines typically offer.  It's not that what you are seeing is all they offer.  

 

I'd spend the money and get the private tender boat.  Splitting it with another couple makes it a little more acceptable.  Given the likely overall cost of your trip, it will hardly be noticed in the big picture.  😀

 

I will add that staying on the ship is not something I would do.  However, it is a beautiful location no matter whether you are on the ship looking around and up at the caldera or up top looking down at the ship and water.

Edited February 23 by MeHeartCruising

[zdcatc12]

On 2/23/2024 at 2:42 PM, MeHeartCruising said:

Given the cruise is in a few months, I would assume that NCL has sold out for all the other tours that cruise lines typically offer.  It's not that what you are seeing is all they offer.

 

If this is in fact the reason, most, if not all, cruise lines hold back some of the excursion slots to sell on the ship. You may be able to find something once on board, if that is what is happening here.

[Hlitner]

Oh My.  And we thought it bad that there will be 5 ships on our next visit (but fewer then 10,000).  That port schedule is certainly a recipe for late departures.  Consider 3 ships departing at 10:00. They will likely have their last tenders about 9:30.  But those 3 ships have about 10,000.  If only 1/3 of those passengers were ashore in the evening, it would take more than 5 hours to get them all down via the cable car.  Boggles the mind.

 

Hank