Santorini ship excursion.

Just a quick question for those who have gone with the ship to Santorini.

How long did you get in Oia, and was it a fair enough time to look around ,,maybe take .30 mins to sit at a restaurant and have some wine and snacks before getting the ships bus . Thanks for your help......Joan.

i would love to know this also!

If you do this on your own you will have all the time you want (well, within the ship's departure time parameters :D )

You can take the cable car to Fira and then the city bus direct to Oia.

Or you can rent a car from Tony's and drive on your own. We've done both a couple of times.

I´d also recommend to do it on your own. You have much more time and pay a lot less.

Cable Car from pier to Fira is 4 € (8 € return)

Bus from Fira to Oia runs frequently, takes about 30 minutes and is 1,60 € (3,20 € return). The bus schedule can be found at the top station of the cable car.

Of course, you can also walk up the stairs to Fira at no costs or ride a donkey at 5 € (10 € return).

So, for less than 15 € you have a shore excursion at your own schedule while most cruise ships charge at least 40-45 € for the same itinerary but with less time. (Prices are from my visit there spring 2013, may have slightly increased).

I would only advice to have a look at the "last tender" times which are posted at the pier. Not only for your own ship but for all the ships which happen to be at Santorini that day.

Why? If your last tender goes at 7 PM and another ship´s last tender goes at 5 PM I would calculate a long line of people wanting to take the cable car down between 4 PM and 4.30 PM. Enjoy more time in Oia instead. And I would calculate being back at the cable car top Station at least one hour prior to your own last tender.

Enjoy your day at Santorini, it´s a great place with very friendly people. Only a Little bit crowded if more than 2 ships. Oia is less crowded than Fira.

Thanks for your input. We have read a lot of pros and cons. Looking at it all and reading lots of feedback, we are strongly leading towards ship ex . Time is always at the essence and although we don't like paying sooo much for ships ex.

But I still didn't get the answer from someone who has gone with the ship, how long did tou get in Oia???? Was it long enough. PS. Oct 10 could be on the bus schedules winter , which can take 1- 1-30 hrs for the next bus, and always hopping there will not be a long line up so you can get on. :eek:

Thanks for your input. We have read a lot of pros and cons. Looking at it all and reading lots of feedback, we are strongly leading towards ship ex . Time is always at the essence and although we don't like paying sooo much for ships ex.

 

But I still didn't get the answer from someone who has gone with the ship, how long did tou get in Oia???? Was it long enough. PS. Oct 10 could be on the bus schedules winter , which can take 1- 1-30 hrs for the next bus, and always hopping there will not be a long line up so you can get on. :eek:

I took a ship tour as well. This was 2 years ago. We went to a Winery

AND to Oia.....I honestly can't remember how long we had.....but I think

if you hopped off the bus and went directly to one of the restaurants

you would have enough time to get something to eat. I know I walked

around and took photos of the area and walked along the street and

went in and out the shops.....but I didn't get anything to eat.

I honestly can't remember the timeframe there.

If I ever get the chance to go back? I will go on my own. I met alot

of folks from the ship who took a bus, cab, etc....they didn't do a tour.

We took the ship's general tour of Santorini in June 2014. I think we had about 45 minutes in Oia, but it might have been more. We were on the first bus to arrive, and then we went to the winery. Our guide encouraged us to listen to her as she pointed out the sights of note, then we had some time to walk around. We had time to do a little shopping, use the restroom (0.5€ each I think), then back to the bus. We had to stand in line a bit at the restroom and there were 5 of us.

She told us to please be prompt so that we would be among the first at the winery. Being first at the winery meant the refreshments were untouched, no lines, and we had places to sit.

We went early in the morning, and weren't hungry as we had eaten breakfast on board the ship. I think we had to be in the theater about 7 am.

I took a ship tour as well. This was 2 years ago. We went to a Winery

AND to Oia.....I honestly can't remember how long we had.....but I think

if you hopped off the bus and went directly to one of the restaurants

you would have enough time to get something to eat. I know I walked

around and took photos of the area and walked along the street and

went in and out the shops.....but I didn't get anything to eat.

I honestly can't remember the timeframe there.

 

If I ever get the chance to go back? I will go on my own. I met alot

of folks from the ship who took a bus, cab, etc....they didn't do a tour.

We took the ship's tour and had no problems and we knew that we could have done it on our own. Basically it sounds like the same tour that the quoted poster took. We went to tha Santo Winery, took some pictures and went to Oia. When we got there Oia was fairly empty (one factor in taking the tour was beating the DIY'ers there). We had about 90 minutes in Oia and headed back to Fira and got a ticket for the cable car down. By the time we left Oia it was wall to wall people. Not sure what we would do if we got back there. We might opt for the speedboat directly to Oia.

We took the ship's tour and had no problems and we knew that we could have done it on our own. Basically it sounds like the same tour that the quoted poster took. We went to tha Santo Winery, took some pictures and went to Oia. When we got there Oia was fairly empty (one factor in taking the tour was beating the DIY'ers there). We had about 90 minutes in Oia and headed back to Fira and got a ticket for the cable car down. By the time we left Oia it was wall to wall people. Not sure what we would do if we got back there. We might opt for the speedboat directly to Oia.

I don't remember if we did the Winery first or not...this was in May

2012. I just don't recall the timing....heck, I don't always remember

what I did last week:eek:....

But for some reason I remember Oia very well and it was very busy.

All I can say is ." Oh dear", more confused than ever :confused:

Doesn't seem like very long in Oia. Maybe go with ship then take a reg public bus back to Fiera. Thanks.

All I can say is ." Oh dear", more confused than ever :confused:

 

Doesn't seem like very long in Oia. Maybe go with ship then take a reg public bus back to Fiera. Thanks.

I'm with you fellow Canuk. I'll be on the Norwegian Jade in October. We are in port from 1:30pm until 10:00pm and supposedly we are the lone ship. I can't decide if we should take the ship's tour to Oia for the purpose of getting off the ship quickest way or if we should take the "speedboat" to Oia or stand in line for the cable car and then take a bus to Oia or to rent a car. So many decisions. I think the ship's tour leaves at 2:30 or 3 depending on which tour. How long can it possibly take to get off the tender and up the cable car?

I need help with this one.

I'm with you fellow Canuk. I'll be on the Norwegian Jade in October. We are in port from 1:30pm until 10:00pm and supposedly we are the lone ship. I can't decide if we should take the ship's tour to Oia for the purpose of getting off the ship quickest way or if we should take the "speedboat" to Oia or stand in line for the cable car and then take a bus to Oia or to rent a car. So many decisions. I think the ship's tour leaves at 2:30 or 3 depending on which tour. How long can it possibly take to get off the tender and up the cable car?

 

I need help with this one.

just off the Jade with similar time frame in port.

we'd booked a private tour and arranged to meet 3 o clock outside top entrance to cable car.

we had priority tender tickets being gold latitudes but by the time they called the first 3 tender tickets at 2pm the line to get to tender boats outside deck 4 was snaking down 2 sets stairs and back to the bar area on deck 6-in October may be quieter?

the cable car lines were long and disorganised but we were still at the top of the cliff 2.30.With a later tender ticket number would have been a different story.

ships tours leave from a different exit and tender to a place where coaches can get you up the cliff or Caldera.

Having a private tour meant we could avoid crowds and got to explore a lot more of the island

earlier in the thread someone asked about how much time to spend in Oia-personally we felt 1/2 hour was sufficient to take photos and experience winding streets, it was too crowded and weren't interested in shopping or eating

I'm with you fellow Canuk. I'll be on the Norwegian Jade in October. We are in port from 1:30pm until 10:00pm and supposedly we are the lone ship. I can't decide if we should take the ship's tour to Oia for the purpose of getting off the ship quickest way or if we should take the "speedboat" to Oia or stand in line for the cable car and then take a bus to Oia or to rent a car. So many decisions. I think the ship's tour leaves at 2:30 or 3 depending on which tour. How long can it possibly take to get off the tender and up the cable car?

 

I need help with this one.

You tender to a different area when you take a ship tour. You don't

take the Cable Car up....the tender drops you at a dock where buses

are waiting.

I only took the cable car back down after the tour was over.

Fabnfortysomething, thank you for your suggestion. Can you give me some more information about the private tour; where you went and who you booked with, the cost, etc. etc.

We have finally decided on the ship tour also, and although I don't like the idea of a large bus (if it is that) I like the fact that the tour leaves at 2:00 so we would be off the ship quickly.

We are on the Jade Oct. 4 departure and this is the port I have gone back & forth on. Driving is not an option and we don't want to take the chance of the "speedboat" not being full and cancelling.

Santos Winery and Oia are our "must sees" and we would DIY but not sure if the bus goes to the winery? So thinking we would just take a bus back to Fira on our own if we want to stay longer. Now I'm wondering if the winery that NCL visits is the Santos?

Now I'm wondering if the winery that NCL visits is the Santos?

I believe that Santos Winery is the only one that the various cruise lines use.

Ugh! I just checked with NCL and they go to Enosis Winery:(

We wanted to visit Santos for the view not the wine! Lol!

So anyone know about transportation to Santos?

Fabnfortysomething, thank you for your suggestion. Can you give me some more information about the private tour; where you went and who you booked with, the cost, etc. etc.

I've done a long day by day review on the main NCL boards entitled cruising from Venice with walking difficulties where have reviewed private tours for all ports.

Santorini is day 4 with details of cost and itinery-well recommended Santorini taxi tours with Kostas S -also well reviewed on trip advisor

I've done a long day by day review on the main NCL boards entitled cruising from Venice with walking difficulties where have reviewed private tours for all ports.

Santorini is day 4 with details of cost and itinery-well recommended Santorini taxi tours with Kostas S -also well reviewed on trip advisor

Just started reading your blog - so entertaining and informative! Thank you!

Thanks to all who gave their input.

Well you can all sleep soundly now, as we have booked the ships tour.:p

The eclipse docks at 9am and we will be on the9-15 am tender. This is our first time here, so I know all are well meaning when they say DIY is better and cheaper. The tour takes in the winery and Oia with bus back to Fiera . Tour is 3-30 hrs. So were quite seetled now that our mind ismade up.

Want to thank you all again, as your input plays a big part in making informed decisions. ....Joan.