When the tender boats drop us off at the Santorini port what would you suggest we do? Let people know what activities you like so they can provide appropriate responses. Fuel supplement may apply. Fanari has a special offer for cruisers that claims to discount unique delicacies, mezedes, traditional dishes and Santorini wines up to 50 percent or more. If its the latter, the cruise will start there. Its more fun, more authentic, and more memorable. Is it better to book a cruise excursion, or venture out. We offer top-quality, personalized tours and activities tailored to our guests' preferences and interests, with invaluable advice from our team of local experts. For example, if the tour starts at 11:00 AM and finishes at 14:00, your cruise ship must arrive at 10:00 AM and depart from Santorini at 15:00. A Wall Street Journal article from June, 2023. What cruises are going to Santorini this year? I will be in Santorini in July 2020, On a Royal Caribbean Cruise. A skipper/captain/tour-guide is on the boat the entire trip. Choose Mykonos if you love energetic tavernas and cafes; you are a beach bum who has made a point of going to the world's best; or you're a history lover who can't imagine going to Greece without seeing Delos, where Apollo and Artemis were born. by Santorini Dave Updated: June 29, 2023. In early March there will not be any direct flights flying from the UK to Mykonos or Santorini. Certainly this is rare, but its always in the back of your mind: what time is it? The best Santorini boat tours are day trips you do while staying on the island but you wont have time to do a volcano boat tour if visiting from a cruise ship. Otherwise, youll have to meet the tour guide at the top of the cable car wholl pick you up and drop you at the start port of the private cruise. If you're tolerably fit you can skip the cablecar line & walk down the zig-zag path. Norwegian Cruise Line: I absolutely loved reading this. Can someone please help with the planning of this. Wall Street Journal article on overbooked cruises. Our partners who list cruise pricing on Cruise Critic are required to provide prices for cruise only or cruise packages, per person, double occupancy, and are based on specific cabin types and sailing dates, and may not be available for all cabin types/sailings. They are wanting to spend around 7 days in total in Greece before heading back to the UK. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. .css-18jw8gc{-webkit-appearance:none;-moz-appearance:none;-ms-appearance:none;appearance:none;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;-webkit-user-select:none;-moz-user-select:none;-ms-user-select:none;user-select:none;position:relative;white-space:nowrap;vertical-align:middle;outline:2px solid transparent;outline-offset:2px;line-height:1.2;border-radius:var(--chakra-radii-md);transition-property:var(--chakra-transition-property-common);transition-duration:var(--chakra-transition-duration-normal);height:auto;min-width:var(--chakra-sizes-10);font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);background:none;border:0;color:black;display:inline;margin:0px;padding:0!important;font-family:var(--chakra-fonts-Roboto);font-weight:500;padding-top:0.625rem;padding-bottom:0.625rem;-webkit-padding-start:1rem;padding-inline-start:1rem;-webkit-padding-end:1rem;padding-inline-end:1rem;}.css-18jw8gc:focus-visible,.css-18jw8gc[data-focus-visible]{box-shadow:var(--chakra-shadows-outline);}.css-18jw8gc:disabled,.css-18jw8gc[disabled],.css-18jw8gc[aria-disabled=true],.css-18jw8gc[data-disabled]{opacity:0.4;cursor:not-allowed;box-shadow:var(--chakra-shadows-none);}.css-18jw8gc:active,.css-18jw8gc[data-active]{border:var(--chakra-borders-none);background:none;}.css-18jw8gc:hover,.css-18jw8gc[data-hover]{border:var(--chakra-borders-none);background:none;}.css-18jw8gc:focus,.css-18jw8gc[data-focus]{border:var(--chakra-borders-none);outline:2px solid transparent;outline-offset:2px;box-shadow:var(--chakra-shadows-none);}Cookie Consent. Princess.css-1v47g6b{font-style:normal;font-weight:400;height:var(--chakra-sizes-3);}.css-1v47g6b::before{content:"\e082";display:inline-block;font-style:normal;line-height:1;speak:none;-ms-transform:rotate(-0.001deg);-webkit-font-smoothing:antialiased;-moz-osx-font-smoothing:grayscale;}, Santorini is home to one of the world's most iconic skylines and offers excellent dining and sightseeing, To see much of anything beyond the main town of Fira, you'll need to book an organized shore excursion or tour, Santorini is scenic spot to soak up Grecian culture and enjoy some sunshine and shopping. That's a lot! Seeing the sunset from Amoudi (the only place on the island where from sea level you can see the sun disappear beneath the horizon) is such a "Santorini thing to do" that it borders on clich? And if you arrived on this page after watching the absolutely awful Santorini show by Rick Steves just ignore everything that guy recommends about seeing the Greek islands. 0206E70000659501. Santorini's cruise port was created when the island's volcano erupted in 1650 BC. Please, no. Now I am wondering if we should split the family, and leave the little one somewhere We booked a 4-6hour private tour with Vicky of Santorini Skyline travel and she customized the tour to what we wanted to see. On Santorini I think priority for tenders is rather different for most cruise lines - incl RCI with whom we sailed there. The bay is also believed by some to conceal the legendary lost city of Atlantis. Generally, the cruise ship itineraries in Santorini drop some passengers off at Athinios and the others at the Old Port of Fira. The winter months are generally comfortable in Santorini, though not as sunny and with more rain. Too hot to pig out? The only disappointment on my cruise was Santorini. Book tours, excursions and dining cruises, Explore Santorini with 360 aerial photos. Santorini By NCteacherlovescruising, 5 hours ago in Greece Ports Followers NCteacherlovescruising 3.7k June 15, 2011 Charlotte, NC #1 Posted 5 hours ago Looks like our ship, NCL Pearl, will be. Looks like our ship, NCL Pearl, will be first in and last out. We walked down stairs and was like the trail of tears. There is only one access point from the cruise ships to the island the old port of Santorini. Santorini is a wonderful isle to experience however you decide to do it! Avoid restaurants and cafes advertising pizza, toasted sandwiches and other fast-food staples, and seek out a clifftop restaurant with fresh fish on the menu; grilled red mullet is particularly good. So, I guess my only advice might be to go as early in the morning as you can to stay ahead of the crowds and fingers crossed. Other islands, yes; Santorni, no. or by donkey up the zig-zag path (only the super-fit would walk up). Together, we create unique holiday programs based on your spending plan and travel preferences! If you take a private tour then it will be necessary to ascend to the upper level where the tours meet. We have a similar look to our day in Sept. Don't know whether it's worth visiting. For a quick bite, the light menu of Classico Cafe-Restaurant is in the heart of Fira with wonderful views of the caldera and the chapel of Agios Minas. Keep in mind that there can be some very long queues for the cable car (to get down) when it gets near the time when folks must be back on the ship. This needs to be done by cable car, donkey ride or walking the poop covered walkway up from sea level to the town. but still worth it. Pickup from Old port on a yacht > private cruise experience > Fira via shuttle service > Old Port via cable car > cruise ship on a ship tender I hope that helps. One hour line in the off-season? NCL is known for its relaxed atmosphere and freestyle approach, which offers flexible dining and no dress codes. It took about an hour in line to get back down. This is the island for lovers of natural beauty, though sun seekers may not fancy its beaches. Book a quayside table at Dmitri's Taverna (00 30 22860 71 606), in advance. Going down sounds easier than up and it is but its not effortless. The vessel underwent an extensive refurbishment in May 2019. My husband I spent 7 days on Santorini before kids and so just want to do something simple (like lunch and walking around Fira) but memorable that we can do on our own in our limited time. The view from a tender boat approaching the Cruise Port. This is the Santorini you get to experience when you stay on the island and enjoy it at your own pace. If we visited on a ship or on our own when would be the best month to go to Santorini? What can I say! Cruise ships are just as ugly and awful when they visit Mykonos. How long would it take to walk? Santorini View is operated by Atlantis Software E-Services, a reliable travel agency licensed by the Greek National Tourism Organization with registry number Or do only those on cruise excursions able to afford to risk watching the Oia sunset? A view of Santorini from a cruise ship. This tiny port gets absolutely overwhelmed with cruise ship passengers and makes for a terrible introduction to the island. Go to Oia first, mainly because boat taxis between the cruise port and Oia are inconsistent so you wouldnt want to rely on them to get you back to your cruise ship. One of the best activities on Santorini is a caldera boat tour and a trip to the active volcano but neither are possible when you visit Santorini on a cruise ship. Then a visit to Oia for some beautiful freetime. Taxis also abound (negotiate a rate in advance) and are a more reliable option if time is at a premium. As many as five or six cruise ships can call at each island per day in the summer season; expect crowds. Another scorching day but somehow, not as affected. You only get to spend a few hours on Santorini and those hours are when your entire ship is also touring the island you dont get to see the magic of what makes Santorini so special. Those booked on later sailings will be reaccommodated on the . Most cruise line tours end at Fira & passengers have to make their own way down to the tender pier at the foot of the cliff, same as everyone else (no priorities). Some (not all) taxis can hold 5 but you cannot count on finding one in Oia. Ask for dishes that include Santorini fava or sweet tomatoes or the very sweet Santorini egg plant that can be eaten raw. We came on the ferry and IIRC there was one cruise ship in port. Add Cruise Critic's Community Forums to your iPhone's Home Screen! Depending on your tour organizer, you may find a guide waiting for you on the top with a sign that has your name or the company name on it. Amazingly, many of these remain intact -- including some huge clay storage jars that survived the eruption. Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. This was not a pleasant experience and I cannot recommend the port. Beach chairs/umbrella included and a very nice restaurant adjacent with restrooms. Theyre bad for the citizens, the environment, and the local economy, and theyre a lousy way to see the magnificent Greek islands. Perhaps ask this in the roll call threads for your particular sailing date? Sit back, savour the view -- and enjoy. Travelers who prefer to have more control over their schedule and explore destinations at their own pace may find the structure of a cruise limiting. Crowds and congestion: Cruise ships bring a large influx of tourists to Santorini, particularly during peak season. Spectacular Santorini -- scene of one of the world's most violent volcanic eruptions around 1450 B.C. If youre into wine, great food, and sightseeing the best time to visit Santorini is from April to early June and late September to early November. They stick pretty close to the caldera paths in Fira and Oia. Yuck. But these are notoriously unreliable and I wouldnt count on there being one. Back in Fira we went to Pelican Kipos Restaurant/winery which was lovely. These tours sell out quickly so book as early as possible. Mykonos may be at sea level, but it's also picturesque. How did it go? Summary: After the shore excursions have returned to the ship and the cruises have departed, Santorini returns to a calmer and more tranquil pace. Cruise Critic is not responsible for content on external web sites. Yes, there's no shortage of donkey-poo but by that time of day there a very few donkeys (going down by donkey is a little hazardous) and in dry weather it's"only"() dry poo-dust. Its best to book a cruise and request the organizer to arrange either the meeting point or the drop off location at the Old Port. Pack your patience! Rates are in USD and valid for US and Canadian residents only. What are the best cruises to Santorini? If you have a large group or family the price becomes cost-effective. Theres usually a long line to get on the cable car up to Fira. They wait in the caldera and passengers are slowly tendered ashore by small boats. On the sailing trips I list below, you meander around the Greek islands and make stops in a number of different places that are wonderfully off the beaten path. In Fira you'll find cobbled streets, whitewashed houses and churches, lots of jewelry and craft shops, a small archaeological museum open 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day except Monday (Fira Santorini 847 00, near the cable car station; +30 22860 22217), clifftop restaurants and cafes with terrific views of the sparkling seas below. Croatia is another destination people have a fondness for ruining with hulking cruise ships. With its pitch-black beaches, rugged landscape and stunning caldera (volcanic crater), it's more akin to one of the Canary Islands than the Cyclades, though its whitewashed churches and clifftop houses score highly in the charm stakes. Thira dates from the 9th century and lies atop 1,000-foot cliffs at the edge of the caldera. -- is inarguably the most scenically dramatic of all the Greek. But to see the best of Santorini, you should take a shore excursion, via bus or taxi, further afield. The view from one of the luxury hotels in Fira of the volcano and cruise ship in the caldera. Greek, but virtually everybody speaks English. Ultimately, while we love Santorini, we think that it's a better choice for a land vacation, when you can explore Oia and Fira without the crowds and catch the sunset. But your best bet if you're in search of the offbeat is simply to follow your nose down cobbled alleyways, some of which contain quite upmarket shops. Get in touch with us today to ensure a pleasant private cruise tour in Santorini. Sometimes theres a boat that runs from the cruise port to Oia. If you really want to see what makes Santorini the most magical island in Greece, youll need to stay overnight. As a result, it took us 3-hours to get off of the ship. I went back by ferry a few years later and spent two nights - and found it best to just hunker down during cruise passenger hours. I could see if the cruise ship in port was huge. 190 November 27, 2004 #1 Posted March 12, 2016 We are headed to Santorini on Reflection in September. Traveling on a huge cruise ship can be great but it also means that you probably have a limited time for exploring the island and if you dont have any idea of what to do and what to avoid, you can get confused. One of the highlights of a Santorini vacation is visiting one of the fantastic Santorini wineries which is very hard to do if you come to Santorini on a cruise. Theres a kitchen and 3 bathrooms, safety vests, and snorkeling equipment. I suspect that the morning tour as well as it being early spring had something to do with the lack of crowds. Tenders are either a mix of ship's and local operators' or all local operators', and they go totwo different points on Santorini - ship's tours are tendered down the coast to the little ferry harbour at Athinios where they transfer to tour buses, independents are tendered to a little pier at the foot of the cliffs under Fira as per VMax's post. Were Santorinis leading marketplace to explore and book unforgettable travel experiences. Probably a good idea, yes. I sincerely hope this will be helpful and glad to have you aboard Cruise Critic! Old Port > cable car > port of the private cruise by a shuttle > private cruise experience > drop off at Old Port on yacht Akrotiri lies at the southwestern tip of Santorini and is Greece's answer to Pompeii. Santorini Excursions Add Cruise Critic's Community Forums to your iPhone's Home Screen! If you dont book a bus tour via the cruise ship company, youll be dropped off at the Old Port of Fira. You can also walk the footpath to Oia if that is of interest.

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