Santorini-Volcano Hot Springs or Oia???

Hello Hello, We are on the Sept. 21 Celebrity Solsitice cruise and we are having a difficult time trying to decide which tour to do in Santorini.

 

We are currently booked on the Volcano Hot Springs tour & then plan to take cable car to Fira. But a member of our group is thinking this may be a mistake & that we should go on the Oia tour and then visit Fira.

 

All info appreciated. Have to make a decision pretty quick. Thanks to all. Happy cruising!! :D

Go to Oia....it is absolutely breathtaking. We were there on a 2006 cruise. We visited a winery and did some shopping. You will not regret the choice!

Hello Hello, We are on the Sept. 21 Celebrity Solsitice cruise and we are having a difficult time trying to decide which tour to do in Santorini.

 

We are currently booked on the Volcano Hot Springs tour & then plan to take cable car to Fira. But a member of our group is thinking this may be a mistake & that we should go on the Oia tour and then visit Fira.

 

All info appreciated. Have to make a decision pretty quick. Thanks to all. Happy cruising!! :D

I don't see a Sept 21 Solstice cruise. However, assuming you are on one of the September sailings, then you will have plenty of time to visit both Nea Kanemi and Oia! On the 9/18 cruise, you will be in port from 7 am to 6 pm, and on either the 9/7 or 9/28 sailings, you will be in port from 2 pm to 10 pm. Remember, Oia is a short taxi or bus ride from Fira so it's silly to waste time and money with a ship excursion for that anyhow as it's very easy to visit on your own.

I haven't been to the hot springs but Oia is amazing, very beautiful. You really wouldn't want to miss the gorgeous views.

Sorry. Its is Sept 18 Celebrity. Oia is sounding better & better.

Sorry. Its is Sept 18 Celebrity. Oia is sounding better & better.

Then you have MORE than enough time to do it all! If I were you, I would just tender off the ship and arrange your own private tour of Nea Kanemi at the Fira pier in the morning. Or prebook a private excursion prior to getting there. In any case, after you are done with Nea Kanemi, return to Fira and enjoy a leisurely lunch there, or take a cab (15Euro) or bus (1.40Euro) immediately to Oia and have lunch there. Alternatively, see if there are any excursions to Nea Kanemi that take you straight to Oia by boat. Anyhow, spend a couple hours enjoying the shopping and views in Oia!

 

If you're even more adventurous and/or ambitious, I suggest renting a car when you are in Fira and driving to Oia yourself. This will give you the freedom to come and go, and even do other stuff in Santorini (e.g. beach, winery, Akrotiri, etc.). If you don't feel comfortable renting or driving a car, then the taxi or bus is your next best option. In any case, please don't waste time and money with a ship excursion for Oia--it's nothing but an over-priced shuttle bus. Santorini is very easy to get around and you don't need ship excursions or guides to get you around. And you have a full 11 hours day! Have fun

I have done both... I love water and volcanos but I really thought it was not all that... We walked up the volcano and saw one tiny puff of vapor... It was a hot walk... They took us to a "hot" spring and we jumped off the side of the boat into the cold water... LOL.. it was luke warm in a few spots... another time I went to Oia... It is very pretty... You will get a lot of pictures there... I am going on Windstar in Sept to Santorini w/ a friend of mine that has never been to Greece... We are renting a car and going to Oia... He loves taking pictures and we will have lunch there as well... If it was me... and I had only one day... my pick is Oia! Not to be missed... It is all the pictures you see of Greece....

Hello Hello, We are on the Sept. 21 Celebrity Solsitice cruise and we are having a difficult time trying to decide which tour to do in Santorini.

 

We are currently booked on the Volcano Hot Springs tour & then plan to take cable car to Fira. But a member of our group is thinking this may be a mistake & that we should go on the Oia tour and then visit Fira.

 

All info appreciated. Have to make a decision pretty quick. Thanks to all. Happy cruising!! :D

 

Oia is worth the trip it is absolutely beautiful! The day I went it was overcast and raining I can't even imagine what site it must be on a clear day.