Tendering to Santorini on Splendor of the Seas

[illiniwahoo]

We'll be visiting Santorini on Splendor of the Seas in May. I've heard that some ships debark all the ship's excursions passengers, then move the ship to a different tender location to debark the rest of the passengers. Other people talk about being on the first tender, even without a ship's tour.

 

Can anyone tell me how it has been done from the Splendor of the Seas? I'm most excited about this island, and will book a ship's tour if it will get me more time on the island. I, however, would prefer to do a private tour that I can customize to my interests.

[CruiserBruce]

There is no difference with the cruise lines. If you don't have a ships excursion, you can't get off the first tendering location. There is no support at the first location- no taxis, no public transport, no nothing. It isn't near anything.

 

If you hear comments about being on the first tender, it is at the second tendering location, where there is access to public transport, and you will be in (after the climb up the hill) the community of Fira.

 

How you see Santorini is up to you. But, if you read here, you will see Santorini is easy to DIY.

[KirkNC]

Also understand the disembarkation is much slower than a "normal" port due to the need of the ship to reposition after dropping off the shore excursion passengers. It was 1 1/2 hours after we arrived in Santorini before we were actually in Fira, the town where you will disembark.

 

Kirk

[CruiserBruce]

They use a ton of local tenders, so there were always a steady flow. The move from one site to the other takes 15-20 minutes, and they seemed to start tendering very quickly. It was very efficient.

[Cornishpastyman1]

We'll be visiting Santorini on Splendor of the Seas in May. I've heard that some ships debark all the ship's excursions passengers, then move the ship to a different tender location to debark the rest of the passengers. Other people talk about being on the first tender, even without a ship's tour.

 

Can anyone tell me how it has been done from the Splendor of the Seas? I'm most excited about this island, and will book a ship's tour if it will get me more time on the island. I, however, would prefer to do a private tour that I can customize to my interests.

 

It's sad to hear that some lines still discriminate in this manner. HAL don't (or didn't in 2009) and from memory it was a reasonably quick tender process right to the bottom of the cable car or steps.

 

Let's hope this nonsense dies out soon. Good luck on the Splendour,

Tony

[CruiserBruce]

It's sad to hear that some lines still discriminate in this manner. HAL don't (or didn't in 2009) and from memory it was a reasonably quick tender process right to the bottom of the cable car or steps.

 

Let's hope this nonsense dies out soon. Good luck on the Splendour,

Tony

 

I am curious what you are proposing. The first tender site has an area for the tour buses to stage, but it is not supported by any public facilities or transport. Are you proposing all passengers go up at the second site?

 

I am also curious why you think cruise lines are disciminating. Santorini has set up this system. Perhaps the island government is causing this, but I don't see how the cruise lines are discriminating. I was just at Santorini this summer on Hal, and the way described (two tender stops) is exactly what both us and the Costa ship that was also in port that day did.

[Cornishpastyman1]

I am curious what you are proposing. The first tender site has an area for the tour buses to stage, but it is not supported by any public facilities or transport. Are you proposing all passengers go up at the second site?

 

I am also curious why you think cruise lines are disciminating. Santorini has set up this system. Perhaps the island government is causing this, but I don't see how the cruise lines are discriminating. I was just at Santorini this summer on Hal, and the way described (two tender stops) is exactly what both us and the Costa ship that was also in port that day did.

 

Hi Bruce

 

I think I may have misunderstood all this, as I didn't realise there was more than one tender site. From memory we certainly got on a tender and went straight to the cable car. I was not on a tour and back then maybe all such used a certain gangway for tenders that only went to the cable car, whilst those on a tour went to a different gangway for tenders that delivered them to the tour buses area.

 

However I will happily concede that my recall may be suspect and I don't know what I'm talking about. It wouldn't be the first time :(

[jocap]

The first tenders go to the ferry port of Ormos Athinios. This is a small patch of land just above sea level, with a switch back type road going up the steep cliff. If you have no transport there, it's a long steep climb up the road side, and nothing much at the top.....

The ship then moves to the tiny patch of land beneath Fira, and tenders drop you near the base of the cable car. The other ways up the cliff are by mule or walking. It's steep; you're going up the side of a volcano, and there are 580 steps.

At the end of the tour, you will all be returned to Fira, from whichever tour. Your choice back to the ship is cable car, mule or walking. :cool:

Jo.

[Cruzin Terri]

It's sad to hear that some lines still discriminate in this manner. HAL don't (or didn't in 2009) and from memory it was a reasonably quick tender process right to the bottom of the cable car or steps.

 

Let's hope this nonsense dies out soon. Good luck on the Splendour,

Tony

In Sept. 2008 I was on the Zuiderdam and HAL did exactly what was described. All the tour passengers were tendered into Athinios port for their tours and the rest had to wait until the ship moved to the second location.

On another note, the ferries pull into this location and there are public buses there to meet the ferries. I don't understand why they will not allow cruise passengers to use these buses, unless the number of cruise passengers would be too high to support it.

Terri

[cruzwpj]

We just made the decision to cruise the Greek Isles /Med.

Please anyone, chime in on what cruise line you preferred and why.

Thanks so much,

I want my first trip to Europe to be the best! Mykonos here we come!

Thanks again,

Marcia

[CruiserBruce]

We just made the decision to cruise the Greek Isles /Med.

Please anyone, chime in on what cruise line you preferred and why.

Thanks so much,

I want my first trip to Europe to be the best! Mykonos here we come!

Thanks again,

Marcia

 

On the "Tendering to Santorini" thread?

[agabbymama]

We were on the Grand Princess in Oct '08, and we booked a ship's excursion. We were told to meet in the theater, and we would be taken as a group to the tender.

 

We did not make two stops. We anchored off Fira, so tenders were running that route, as well as a tender to take us to the ferry port.

 

The main reason I chose this excursion was see some of Santorini, but I didn't want to ride the cable car or the donkeys up the caldera. We went up the winding road on a bus. We did a winery and interior tour, we stopped at a black sand beach, went to the highest point of the island and returned to the ship. You had your choice of staying in Fira and taking the cable car down, or being returned to the pier for tender back to the ship. And they did keep a close eye on us and would not let us wander, not even to the souvenir/grocery store right at the pier. We had to stay with our group.

[stargazerm31]

Illiniwahoo,

 

Are you on the May 13 sailiing?

 

John

[illiniwahoo]

Yes. Are you too?

[4774Papa]

We'll be visiting Santorini on Splendor of the Seas in May. I've heard that some ships debark all the ship's excursions passengers, then move the ship to a different tender location to debark the rest of the passengers. Other people talk about being on the first tender, even without a ship's tour.

 

Can anyone tell me how it has been done from the Splendor of the Seas? I'm most excited about this island, and will book a ship's tour if it will get me more time on the island. I, however, would prefer to do a private tour that I can customize to my interests.

 

We did Santorini last July on the Nor. Gem. We elected to do their Oia and Winery tour, which was well worth the price. Our tender (one of the first) took us to Athinios (not Fira with the cable car and donkeys), where a bus took us up the escarpment to the south end of the island and a winery. We spend about an hour there enjoying many free sample of wine and fair amount of finger foods. Then the tour took us up the east coast of the island (opposite Fira) to Oia at the northern tip of the island. The scenery is fantastic. Don't miss going to Oia.

The tour ended in Fira with a cable car ride down.

 

You can do Santorini on your own, but the lines at the cable car/donkey ride are long, and most cruise lines give preference on tenders to their excursion passengers. You will spend precious time waiting and when you arrive at the top have to fight crowds to get a bus to Oia, if that is what you wish.

My Son and Daughter, with families did Santorini on their own, and never made it out of Fira. Santorini has some incredible vistas. The middle of the island(volcano) was blown away 3500 years ago. The rock formations, etc. are impressive. NCL offered a caldera hiking and swimming excursions, but we did the other one.

[susie262]

Hi. My husband, myself, daughter and Mum aged 84 will visit Santorini on a Celebrity cruise in July 2011 and would love to see some of the island. However the cruise excursion will drop us at Athinios to catch a coach but then drop us back in Fira where we have free time and then catch the cable car down to rejoin the ship. I understand the cable car is a little way out of Fira, can anyone tell me realistically how far? Do the cars actually stop to enable you to board them? My Mum is reasonably mobile but uses a walking stick to help her walk due to arthritis. Any help and advice will be much appreciated. Sue

[CruiserBruce]

Hi. My husband, myself, daughter and Mum aged 84 will visit Santorini on a Celebrity cruise in July 2011 and would love to see some of the island. However the cruise excursion will drop us at Athinios to catch a coach but then drop us back in Fira where we have free time and then catch the cable car down to rejoin the ship. I understand the cable car is a little way out of Fira, can anyone tell me realistically how far? Do the cars actually stop to enable you to board them? My Mum is reasonably mobile but uses a walking stick to help her walk due to arthritis. Any help and advice will be much appreciated. Sue

 

The cable cars leave from Fira, descending to the area of the tender docks. You will have to walk 1-2 blocks to get to the tenders.

 

The cable cars aren't outside of Fira, really, but due to the nature of the area, there is no transport to the cable car building. Getting to this building, where the loading area of the cable car area will be a 5 or so block walk, some of which will be on cobblestones.

 

The Cable cars load on a steep slope, but they stop.

[cruisinisforme]

We just got off the splendour last week, we were a group of 25 who arranged our own private tour and were given tender ticket 1. As soon as they announced the tenders were leaving we were able to head down and get off the ship, there was no time wasted at all.