Can taxis get to the tender port in Santorini?

[SevenSeas70]

I am planning to board my cruise ship in Santorini rather than in Athens. Having visited Athens several times before, I'd rather spend a few days on Santorini and meet the ship there. I would catch a flight from Athens airport to Santorini with my luggage and would have to get the luggage to the tender area to take it to the ship. The cable cars from Fira to the tender area were pretty crowded without anyone having luggage, so I think it would be better to take a taxi or van down to that area. Is this possible? Are there any roads anywhere near the tender port?

[Hlitner]

We have never seen any vehicles at the tender port. It is possible to get hotel porters to take luggage down (they ride the cable car) but it will not be cheap. The interisland ferries dock at the port (up the coast from the tender port) where there is road access. But this is not any help for those on cruise ships who do not consider this a emarkation/debarkation port.

 

Hank

[CintiPam]

Without a doubt, your cruise ship will be tendering people into Athinos port for bus tours that morning, so I suggest that you or your travel agent contact your cruiseline to arrange for your pickup on those some tenders that are ferrying people in for the bus tours which start from there.

 

(The cruise ships, at least our line, Oceania, drop people off there before going to the port with the cable car and path below the main town of Fira, where they tender in those who are DIY.)

 

Good luck!

[TucsonRick]

Without a doubt, your cruise ship will be tendering people into Athinos port for bus tours that morning, so I suggest that you or your travel agent contact your cruiseline to arrange for your pickup on those some tenders that are ferrying people in for the bus tours which start from there.

 

(The cruise ships, at least our line, Oceania, drop people off there before going to the port with the cable car and path below the main town of Fira, where they tender in those who are DIY.)

 

Good luck!

CintiPam -

Just to be clear, if I book a ship's excursion to Oia, I would not go up the cable car to get the tour bus. Is that correct?

 

Thanks

[SevenSeas70]

Without a doubt, your cruise ship will be tendering people into Athinos port for bus tours that morning, so I suggest that you or your travel agent contact your cruiseline to arrange for your pickup on those some tenders that are ferrying people in for the bus tours which start from there.

 

 

Thanks for the information. I'll find out if this is possible.

[CintiPam]

CintiPam -

Just to be clear, if I book a ship's excursion to Oia, I would not go up the cable car to get the tour bus. Is that correct?

 

Thanks

 

Yes, there is a road down to the sea (at what is called Athinos port) a few miles south of Fira where ships tender their bus tour passengers first and then proceed by ship up to Fira where the rest of the passengers are tendered to the bottom of the hill below Fira where you have three options: ride the donkeys up the hill, walk on the same path uphill as the donkeys use or ride the cable car up.

 

Oceania then ends it bus tours in the town of Fira, providing tour takers with a ticket for the cable car down at the end of the day, and all passengers tender from there back to the ship.

 

Having visited Santorini twice in the past 14 months Oceania's Nautica, I cannot affirm 100% that that is how other lines do it, but Oceania has 684 passengers max while others have thousands, so I assume all do it that way for all taking ship-arranged tours.

 

Athinos is the only place where buses can drive right down to the dock.

[TucsonRick]

Thanks Cintipam! I visited Santorini on the Stella Solaris in 1992 and everyone going ashore went via tender to Fira and the cable car or donkey. I will be going to Santorini in May on the Westerdam. I hope they do as Oceania does.

 

Rick

[CintiPam]

Thanks Cintipam! I visited Santorini on the Stella Solaris in 1992 and everyone going ashore went via tender to Fira and the cable car or donkey. I will be going to Santorini in May on the Westerdam. I hope they do as Oceania does.

 

Rick

 

Hi, Rick, perhaps you (or our TA if you have one) should just call your cruiseline to check.

 

Or, hopefully, someone else who has visited Santorini on a larger ship can post.

 

Perhaps best idea: post your question on your cruiseline's board. The Oceania boards are full of repeat cruisers and they are wonderfully expert at answering cruisers' questions.

 

May sounds like a wonderful time to visit Santorini. Be sure to take 30 minutes or an hour to visit the Museum of Prehistoric Thira in downtown Fira near the bus station (unless you are there on a Monday, when all government-run sites are closed). This museum tells the story of the Aegean peoples who inhabited Akrotiri (not open anymore at all to tourists since a roof collapse killed some several years ago) who were as ancient and mysterious to the Classical Age Greeks as those Classical Age Greeks are to the Greeks of today. Also, great a/c, label copy and bathrooms!

 

BTW, we are visiting Tucson for three days in January after a family event in Phoenix, our second visit; we loved this area and cannot wait to return! Any restaurant recs appreciated. :)

 

Pam

[TucsonRick]

Hi Pam!

 

Thanks for the info. When in Tucson, you should eat at Zivas Mexican Bistro. It is the best Mexican food I have ever had. The entrees are sophisticated, not the old tacos and burritos.

 

Rick

[CintiPam]

Hi Pam!

 

Thanks for the info. When in Tucson, you should eat at Zivas Mexican Bistro. It is the best Mexican food I have ever had. The entrees are sophisticated, not the old tacos and burritos.

 

Rick

 

Thank you, we'll check it out in January.

 

Pam