Need port advice please (Mykonos/Santorini)

[Shawnie_Boy]

Hi.

Taking a med cruise this summer. Goes to both Mykonos and Santorini. We are 2 adults and 3 kids. Figured one Island we would go on land to tour (eat, drink, relax), while the other island would do a boat excursion and likely not go on land. Can any one suggest please which island I should do which? If it makes it easier when I’m in Mykonos, it’s all day, whereas in Santorini, ship arrives at 1pm departs at 10pm. Please, i need advice. And if you suggest where to take boat excursion, someone know a company?

Thanks for your help planning our cruise vacation!

Shawn

 

 

 

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[John Bull]

Check out posts about access to Santorini from cruise ships - it can be very very busy with long lines.

But the views from up on the cliff are spectacular, it would be a waste to spend all your time on the ocean.

From the tender jetty, instead of the cable car or donkey path consider the little ferry up the coast to Oia, where the road comes down to the sea and a bus shuttle up to Oia is included in the ferry fare. 

But there's no ferry from Oia back to the tender jetty - everyone has to use either the cable car (usually long lines) or the donkey path down from Fira. The saving grace is likely to be your late departure - with a sailing time of 10pm your last-tender-time (when you have to be at the jetty, not when you have to be on the ship) will probably be 9pm and hopefully no other ships leaving as late. 

If your kids are old enough and fit enough (and you're young enough & fit enough) get to the top cable car station an hour before last-tender-time. If there's a long line for the cable car (especially if there's another ship on a similar schedule), walk down the donkey path to the tender jetty. It takes about 25 minutes.

 

Mykonos is much more laid-back.

Great for a lazy day in the harbourfront bars and cafes (check out the story of the Mykonos pelicans), exploring the immaculate little village alleyways and seeing the iconic line of windmills.

Or take the ferry to Delos - most take it to visit the ancient ruins, but you could treat it as a little cruise.

 

JB 

[Bobal]

How old are your kids? And how interested in seeing Oia? Whilst it is truly stunning it's also very very busy and just navigating through the narrow streets in the summer (when it will be its hottest and busiest) will be taxing enough, without doing it with 3 kids.

 

If you are prepared to miss Oia you can have a boat trip without even going through the hassle of getting to the top at Fira. Where the tender boats drop you you can pick up a boat trip to the Caldera (the opposite direction to Fira). There are a number of companies on the portside offering these excursions - this is one example https://www.santorini-excursions.com/excursions/volcano-and-hot-springs The boat takes you to some hot springs where you can swim and also to the caldera which you can climb for great views of Santorini. No need to pre-book so you can decide on the day, depending on how you feel. If you do wish to go to Oia I would agree with John Bull that the way to do is is via boat from the pier (the boats are operated by the same companies who do the Caldera excursions). You then only have to navigate the cable car/steps down once and, as he said, it should be quieter later in the day.

 

In Mykonos I would explore the town and the windmills and there is a beach just beyond the windmills for some nice beach time - probably better to get there early and head off to explore the town when it starts to get too hot or too busy.

[Airrace]

Get a copy of Tom’s Port Guide. It’s free just google it

[Friend100]

At Santorini doing a trip to Oía can be considered a DIY excursion.  And there are many other options too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 23, 2020 by Friend100

[Friend100]

Whereas in Mykonos, you dock and then a 10-15 minute boat ride to the old town... more relaxing here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[John Bull]

5 hours ago, Friend100 said:

Whereas in Mykonos, you dock and then a 10-15 minute boat ride to the old town... . more relaxing here.

 

 

Great photos, Friend 

 

But can I clarify whether "you dock and then a 10-15 minute boat ride to the old town" is a change  or (not being critical ) just slightly confused phraseology.

 

There have been two ways for cruse ships to visit Mykonos.......................

 

1. Some ships moor off the village, and passengers are tendered directly from ship into the village harbour.  This is indeed a relaxing boat ride which drops you right where you want to be, and one of the few places in the world where a tender trumps a berth.

 

2. And there's a cruise quay where other ships dock a mile or two north of the village. From there it's a hot and shadeless walk, or a short hop by taxi or transfer bus, to the village.

Are you saying there's now the choice of taking a boat from the cruise dock to the harbour?

 

Oh, by the way, no photo of Petros or his friends  ?

Here's one

 

 

JB 

 

 

Edited February 23, 2020 by John Bull

[Friend100]

15 hours ago, John Bull said:

 

2. And there's a cruise quay where other ships dock a mile or two north of the village. From there it's a hot and shadeless walk, or a short hop by taxi or transfer bus, to the village.

Are you saying there's now the choice of taking a boat from the cruise dock to the harbour?

 

 

Yes indeed. There is a water taxi just right next to the cruise port that will take you directly to the old town.

 

 

 

This is from youtube:

 

 

 

[John Bull]

On 2/24/2020 at 1:32 AM, Friend100 said:

 

Yes indeed. There is a water taxi just right next to the cruise port that will take you directly to the old town.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Excellent 

Tendering at Mykonos no longer trumps berthing.

Both are great.

 

Grieves me that if some entrepreneur on Mykonos has the wit and gumption to start a service which is clearly needed, popular, and hopefully a money-maker for the instigator .................. why can't anyone on Santorini come up with something similar to get folk back from Oia to the tender jetty below Fira. The ferry from Fira to Oia is popular but there's no service in the opposite direction, hence the ridiculously long lines for the cable-car down to the jetty from Fira.

Wakey wakey, Santorini - a much-needed service and a potential money-maker.

 

JB 

[caligirl49]

On 2/20/2020 at 4:26 PM, Airrace said:

Get a copy of Tom’s Port Guide. It’s free just google it

Is the site still active.  It looks like some very old info on the Tom's Port guide.,

[ski ww]

Some good info here thanks. We will be here in July 2021 with our great grand daughter so this gives us something to look forward to.

[DoulaAnn]

When in Mykonos a few years ago, my husband took the ferry to Delos (ship's excursion, as I recall) and truly enjoyed learning the history of the island and seeing the ruins (and that's not usually his thing).  I, on the other hand, was concerned about getting motion sick, so walked around Mykonos.  While I found it cute, I don't think I did more that about 2 hours before heading back to the ship.  Wish I had gone with him.  I can't tell you what to do, but wanted to share our experience.

[bennybear]

It’s also easy to hop a local bus in Mykonos and visit a beach, with time left over to wander in town if you wish.  
 

We took our kids to Santorini, ages ago, but they enjoyed the sunset views at Oia.  They also enjoyed the ancient site of Akrotiri and the nearby Red sand beach.  Also great black sand beaches.