Santorini - Tender - Cable Car - What to expect

[troywest]

We'll be in Santorini on the Star Princess on the same day as the Queen Victoria.

 

That means a "port load" of around 5,000 passengers - plus thousands of crew.

 

Both ships appear in "sold out" status, and both are scheduled to sail at 6:00 P.M.

 

 

It appears that the cable car can move only 1,200 people per hour. (This may mean only 600 people per hour in each direction)

 

I've read that most lines have crew at the top of the cable car line to monitor the lines, and make sure that all passengers are accommodated. Does Princess do this? Will the ship wait for the passengers?

[Essiesmom]

I have never seen this mentioned. I would be very careful to leave plenty of time to get the cable car. And chances are that QV will not be the only ship there with you. EM

[sunsetbeachgal]

Not sure of your physical condition, but you could always walk down. You would use the same paaved path that the donkeys use, but going down is alot easier than going up. there was a thread on this subject on the Greece board, and it takes 20 minutes and you get some great views. The negative is that you are using the same route the donkeys use...so...use your imagination...:rolleyes:

 

WE were the on th Ocean princess, which is a small ship, and there were only two ships in port and the line for the funicular was still very slow. Good luck

[Cruzin-K]

Beware! I was in Santorini with 8 ships. The departure times were staggered but I was still crammed in a line with passengers from Celebrity and Aida, neither of which were scheduled to leave as early as we were. I waited in line about an hour and this was after a ship's tour. The ship waited for us, and there were crew members up on top monitoring the situation (good idea to keep those silly tour stickers on your shirts until you're back on the ship).

 

Our tender to the ship was the last one, and left Santorini at 6pm instead of 5:30 which is when we had been told the last tender would be.

 

If you were just be-bopping around Fira and not on a tour, and then discovered the cable car line was two hours long, you would be waving bye bye to the ship unless you could use the stairs. Anyone with mobility issues really should plan on getting back to that cable car at least 2.5 to 3 hours before the last tender is scheduled to leave, unless you are the only ship in port that day.

[suzski]

We'll be in Santorini on the Star Princess on the same day as the Queen Victoria.

 

 

I've read that most lines have crew at the top of the cable car line to monitor the lines, and make sure that all passengers are accommodated. Does Princess do this? Will the ship wait for the passengers?

 

We just came off the Star Princess and I did not see any crew monitoring lines (there were several ships in the day we were there as well). In fact, it was even commented upon on the "Morning Show" by Frank to make sure you have your camera for great photos of the ship sailing away if you're not back onboard in time.

 

With that said, we did not have any problems getting back down. We waited about 20 minutes for the cable car, but would have opted to walk down had the line been long. Just work your day so that you give yourself plenty of time to get down and you'll be fine.

 

Have a great trip!

[katisdale]

This is one port where I was so happy I chose to take the "easy" tour. We were tendered to a different dock from the cable car point and picked up by a bus. We toured the island and had the option to either take the bus back to the alternate tender dock or use the cable car at Fira. We chose to go back to the alternate dock and had no problems being tendered from there.

[RenoMom5]

I have many more pic's, We walked up and down this path. The cable car line was way too long. One warning the donkeys do not go around you, you have to go around the donkeys

[Roses2]

We have cruised twice to Santorini and did not have a bit of problem with the cable car up or down.

 

On both occasions we did the island on our own, taking the local bus around the island. There was a wait of about 20 minutes for the cable car.

 

We started back down well before those who waited until the last minute. We will be cruising back again in November and do not expect a problem because we will start our return trip early -- very early!

[caryh]

We walked down from the top (rode the Donkeys up, very fun ,kinda scary) and learned a valuable lesson. Never walk down if it has rained earlier in the day or is raining. It was clean near the top, but about 1/4 of the way down we started trudging through the mess. It got worse the further down we went. Very slippery. Our shoes were a mess. Anyway, we made it fine, but when we were eating lunch the next day, we sat with a couple that were going to get off the boat in Athens, so that one of them could get their skull checked as she slipped and hit her head. They also told us that another lady fell and broke her leg pretty bad and had to be medivaced out.

[White Cat]

There were 5 ships in when we visited Santorini and we waited nearly 1.5 hours to get down by cable car. Fortunately, we came down mid afternoon, well ahead of the ship's last tender. So just make allowances if you want to get down that way.

[Josy1953]

We were in Santorini on the Star last November at the same time as one of the RCI ships. We started our day early and left the ship at 8:30am and went to Fira on the cable car with no problem at all. We came down at 2pm when there was a 20 min. wait for the cable car however when we got down there was a long line and signs that said approximately 1.5 hours wait to go up ( couldn't really understand why anyone would be going up so late when the ships were both due out at 6pm ). At dinner one couple told us that they had joined the line to come down at 4pm and had actually manged to get on a cable car at 5:30pm. The Star did leave later than planned due to the number of "missing" passengers, I don't know whether they had someone at the cable car station monitoring the situation but we eventually left without 2 passengers. My advice would be to make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to get back to the tender port. Santorini is one of my favourite ports and is very easy to do yourself.

[phonejock]

Hi I was in there in late June on the Star and took the ship's tour. (basically 3 shopping stops). There were about 2 other ships in port that day. The Tour quide stressed to give yourself at LEAST an hour for the cable car. She was right. I was a little surprised that a ship's tour would basically leave you in town and not escort you back to boat. I was standing in line, and two ladies from another cruise asked me if they had to wait in this line since they were on a tour, so I was not the only one who did not know that. ( quess I need to do more research on these boards :D)

[NYCruiser23]

Id be cautious of walking down, my sister and her friends did it and regretted it. We rode the donkeys up but took the cable cars down, I thought it went really quick but we did not have 8 ships in port so I would leave myself plenty of time just in case

[jocap]

The queues can be very long...if you are worried, take an early cable car, and sit at a taverna on the dock for a meal or a drink...

The shipping lines know this problem perfectly well, as it happens daily- but it's quite a shock on your first visit.

The coaches drop you near the cathedral and bus station, after which it's pedestrianised, so it's quite hard work for someone who's not nimble on their feet.

Jo.

[TMLAalum]

This may have been answered on other threads, but can you take the donkeys down to the pier?

[GrandmaHofmann]

When we got to Santorini, we got off the ship as soon as possible and got in the cable line. We waited about an hour to get up there. An hour after that, the line was backed up to such an extent that some people never did make it up the cable. Make sure you are in line very quickly.

[zqvol]

This may have been answered on other threads, but can you take the donkeys down to the pier?

 

 

Most certainly.

[RandB_Toronto]

Some say the donkeys are treated very cruelly. (See http://www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/campaign/santorini ) On TripAdvisor some of the reviews say it is a very frightening experience! I have taken a donkey into the Grand Canyon and thought it was great. But now I'm not so sure about the ones in Santorini.

[suzski]

I can tell you that I witnessed a woman who was obviously terrified of the donkey's be forced to get on one by her husband who rode double on it behind her. She should not have ridden and ended up almost falling because she was freaking out anytime a donkey got near her. This was not the donkeys fault and those of us riding near her were disgusted with her husband.

 

I imagine that she would be someone who would post about what a frightening experience it was. My husband and I, however, had a wonderful time. If you think you might be scared of riding horses, donkeys, mules, etc., this is NOT the place to be finding that out.

[somogirl]

We were just there on Oct. 4th. No problem getting up the mountain at 8:00 in the morning, at 3:00 we were in line for over an hour to get down. When I did my research it said there were to be 3 ships in Port, there were 6 ships in that day.

[beach spring]

I was just in Santorini in Sept. I had no prior info on this port, other than it was that beautiful place with the white buildings and blue roofs. Wow! Spectacular :D But I really had to work to get there.

 

The line below Thira for the cable car was almost an hour's wait. Once up top, I started walking, no map, no plan, just determined to find that church. Be advised that this is doable ONLY IF you are physically fit. Anyone with any mobility problems should plan on a ship excursion. I followed an uphill sort of concrete path overlooking the harbor, keeping the distant view of that blue roof in sight. I do not know how far I walked but my calves told me the next day that it was loooong. And so hot, practically no shade. Any sunscreen/makeup was sweated off quickly. There were many of us doing the same, walking and stopping for photo ops.

 

After finally reaching my goal, I started back down. By this time, I was parched so found a sweet little cafe with a view and had undoubtedly the best meal of the entire cruise: a Greek salad, bread, tzatziki, iced tea.

 

Then I continued to the town, shopped, and headed for the line for the cable car. Oh my, with so many ships in port that day, at least a 90-minute wait, mostly in the sun. So I decided to walk down. A long, agonizing, hot, smelly, treacherous walk. Someone described this passage as paved. Not so. In numerous places, the stones are worn away, so a walker has to be careful not to step in a hole. The donkeys do not give walkers any notice. Once I was grabbed just in time and pulled out of the way (that's how tired I was, not really as careful as necessary).

 

When I would pause briefly to catch my breath, my legs literally quivered from fatigue.

 

But oh the views! Unbelievable. Every minute was precious that day. I would do it exactly the same another time (except wear lighter clothing and not carry extra weight). Go, but be prepared!:cool:

[kuldalai]

We were just there late September, shoulder season and there were 5 cruise boats in the caldera .

 

The cable car is over 30 years old and has 5 cabins x 6 persons each = 30 going up and down, as counterweights like a lift . The capacity is a joke for the number of passengers offering . The whole thing needs conversion to a continuous ropeway with cars carrying 6 pax each at say 10m intervals , so that the capacity can really be stepped up , and the current stop/start arrangements are avoided.

 

The island and businesses are making an absolute fortune from the visiting cruisers, and they should be pushing for and funding a new continuous cable ropeway that can cater for the thousands of people arriving on most days. The current "mickey mouse" cable car carrying 30 people a minute is an absolute joke.

 

As for the pathway also look out for and dodge the brown landmines dropped by the donkeys !!!!

[Capricruiser]

We were at Santorini on Sunday, 9 Oct. on the Costa Atlantica. That day was very windy with rain threatening and consequently the cable car was closed. We were all tendered to the ferry port of Athinios where free buses had been laid on to take us up to Fira. Very nice, fast, and economical! We had previously had a week on the island several years ago so we had no desires to tour, plus it looked like rain would be falling shortly. After an enjoyable morning of shopping and walking around Fira, we had a nice lunch at a little restaurant called Nickolas on a back street (Erithrou) and started back to the bus under a moderate rainfall. No problems with the bus back down to the port but when we arrived the tenders could not dock due to wind and rough sea, and right as we arrived at the quay a real gale struck. The local Coast Guard people opened up an enclosed waiting area for us and together with tourists waiting a ferry boat, about two hundred wet cruise passengers waited out the gale until the tenders could move in to take us off. Conclusion, we all got back safely on board but it was a good example of being cautious with timing because you never know what to expect.

p.s. The cable car and the donkey owners lost a lot of income that day.

[tocruiseguy]

We were just there late September, shoulder season and there were 5 cruise boats in the caldera .

 

The cable car is over 30 years old and has 5 cabins x 6 persons each = 30 going up and down, as counterweights like a lift . The capacity is a joke for the number of passengers offering . The whole thing needs conversion to a continuous ropeway with cars carrying 6 pax each at say 10m intervals , so that the capacity can really be stepped up , and the current stop/start arrangements are avoided.

 

The island and businesses are making an absolute fortune from the visiting cruisers, and they should be pushing for and funding a new continuous cable ropeway that can cater for the thousands of people arriving on most days. The current "mickey mouse" cable car carrying 30 people a minute is an absolute joke.

 

As for the pathway also look out for and dodge the brown landmines dropped by the donkeys !!!!

 

 

Agreed, I did not enjoy Santorini because the logistics of getting up and down to the town. Going down, my son and I attempted the cable car. The line up was very long, then it suddenly started moving. Unfortunately everyone up front just got fed up with all these people butting in, that the line compressed. There was such a crush of people that I felt uncomfortable with my son there, so we walked back to the donkey path and walked down. Lots of donkey doo but it was late in the afternoon so at least we didn't have to dodge donkeys on the way down. The local bus was a mad crush as well. Not impressed, highly inefficient. The walk would be treacherous if it was wet. Not worth the effort for a couple of blue roofs.

[Roses2]

We have been to Santorini on three cruises and enjoyed every one.

 

With a little planning, patience, and good attitude, Santorini is one of the most enjoyable stops on a Med cruise.

 

The gondola ride up the hill is just like any ski lift gondola. There is a waiting line when there are crowds.

 

The last time we were there we took the public bus from Fira to Oia and had no problems at all.

 

We will be back there in November and look forward to another delightful day at one of the most beautiful islands in the Mediterranean.

 

P&J