Santorini tour options 9/29/22

[zitsky]

I have looked at the port forum.

 

Only Celebrity tour left available seems to be Caldera cruise.  We are there 9/29/22.  Probably don’t want to go swimming.

 

Seems like walking or hiking isn’t really an option there?  Too difficult?

 

I will check with Viator.  And our roll call.  Is this a must not miss port?

Edited July 30, 2022 by zitsky

[chemmo]

1 hour ago, zitsky said:

I have looked at the port forum.

 

Only Celebrity tour left available seems to be Caldera cruise.  We are there 9/29/22.  Probably don’t want to go swimming.

 

Seems like walking or hiking isn’t really an option there?  Too difficult?

 

I will check with Viator.  And our roll call.  Is this a must not miss port?

Yes it is a must not miss port but you can enjoy it without a tour…

 

Suggested itinerary…

 

Eat breakfast outside the buffet, whilst the tenders are busy and  enjoy the view.

 

As the mass exodus finishes take the tender to the gondola and buy a return ticket. Head up and bear right keeping to the cliff side. Take your time, browse some of the craft shops, enjoy the stunning views.

 

Continue right looking for signs of the archaeological museum. It contains many of the objects dug up from Akrotiri. Big enough to be fascinating but not so big it is overwhelming. Remember all the stories linking Santorini to Atlantis…

 

Now this is where you need the input of someone else…You could do with being recommended the bar with the best views…I remember us finding one some distance the other side of the gondola which had fantastic views, ice cold beer, great service and we enjoyed pizza and Greek salad…(typical blue and white). Unfortunately I can’t remember the name or directions. To be honest, though as long as you stay near cliff side you should find it or similar…
 

When you are ready to return to the ship if you feel brave you could go the donkey route, personally I would take the gondola…

 

On arriving back at the ship head for the mast bar. The ship gently moves so the view does change. Enjoy looking at Nea Kameni (New Burnt Island) the new volcano and remember you are sitting inside an enormous caldera…

[Texed]

1 hour ago, zitsky said:

 Is this a must not miss port?

 

Santorini is absolutely beautiful.  Do not miss going ashore.  😊

[bama4cruisin]

Well, @chemmo’s recommendations are virtually identical to what I was about to offer. We so enjoyed our DIY day in Santorini!  The small boat ride to the dock below Oia where we walked and walked the narrow streets and lanes, then caught the bus back to Fira (included with the boat ticket).  Amazing views in every direction, the Classic white, blue-domed buildings.  We spent sail away at the aft bar and had THE MOST phenomenal sunset as the sun seemed to set into the caldera.

 

Looking down at the small dock below a Oia where the small boat/ferry will drop you

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Constellation at anchor

 

 

THE MOST amazing sunset as seen from the aft bar

 

the sun seems to drop into the volcano

 

[bebe08]

We did a Celebrity tour in Santorini in 2019.  We wanted to see as much as possible so chose a tour that included many sites including Oia.  We chose an X tour so that we could get an early tender and avoid the gondola lines.

 

In Oia I felt like we were on the Amazing Race literally running to see what we could in the half hour we had there and obviously didn't want to miss the bus.  While we saw many beautiful sites on Santorini,  Oia was my favourite and if I had to do it again would spend the day there.  Hopefully will get back there one day to do that.

 

Moral of the story...It is a beautiful island but don't try to see everything.  

 

Enjoy!

[PelicanLvr]

Agree that Santorini is a DO NOT MISS port.

 

As suggested above, get to Oia.  Getting there by boat sounds good...also by taxi or bus.  Most beautiful town on the island.  

 

Just soak it in and have lunch there.  

 

 

 

 

[Ken the cruiser]

1 hour ago, zitsky said:

I have looked at the port forum.

 

Only Celebrity tour left available seems to be Caldera cruise.  We are there 9/29/22.  Probably don’t want to go swimming.

 

Seems like walking or hiking isn’t really an option there?  Too difficult?

 

I will check with Viator.  And our roll call.  Is this a must not miss port?

I've noticed you've been recently asking about excursion options at a few Med ports for your upcoming Celebrity cruise. I don't if this will help, but we just finished a 21 day Med cruise on the Princess Regal and probably went to a lot of the same ports you'll be visiting. I also posted a lot of pictures from our adventures to the "Live From ..." I was running. Maybe they can help.

 

 

Edited July 30, 2022 by Ken the cruiser

[zitsky]

Ok Ken.  Thank you.  I will look at that.  I was able to use Tours by locals for Santorini.

[Ken the cruiser]

2 hours ago, zitsky said:

Ok Ken.  Thank you.  I will look at that.  I was able to use Tours by locals for Santorini.

This was our second time to Santorini. We took a highlights tour around the area when we were there on an Oceania cruise back in 2018. Not much to see really, but there is quite the shopping area at the top of the hill. This time we decided to just walk up the donkey path. Now, there's a memory just waiting to happen! I promise you, if you do it once (all 690 steps), you'll have that memory like we now do for a lifetime!! 🙂

[WESTEAST]

33 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

This was our second time to Santorini. We took a highlights tour around the area when we were there on an Oceania cruise back in 2018. Not much to see really, but there is quite the shopping area at the top of the hill. This time we decided to just walk up the donkey path. Now, there's a memory just waiting to happen! I promise you, if you do it once (all 690 steps), you'll have that memory like we now do for a lifetime!! 🙂

We've been to Santorini twice as well and only once did we walk the steps but downwards not upwards! Must agree with most posters, Oia is the gem of the island. Fira is nice to walk about the stores and enjoy the views from one of the many tavernas.

[Ken the cruiser]

5 minutes ago, WESTEAST said:

We've been to Santorini twice as well and only once did we walk the steps but downwards not upwards! Must agree with most posters, Oia is the gem of the island. Fira is nice to walk about the stores and enjoy the views from one of the many tavernas.

On our walk up, my DW got a "friendly" kick by one of the 100 or so donkeys we had to pass along the way, and I got a "friendly" love bite on my rear by another donkey who probably thought I was walking just a little too close. Like I said, a lifetime of memories. 😂

[WESTEAST]

2 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

On our walk up, my DW got a "friendly" kick by one of the 100 or so donkeys we had to pass along the way, and I got a "friendly" love bite on my rear by another donkey who probably thought I was walking just a little too close. Like I said, a lifetime of memories. 😂

Agree great memories. We too had some close calls and having to side-step the donkey poop was interesting as well. 

[pdmlynek]

7 hours ago, zitsky said:

Is this a must not miss port?

Well, Santorini is one of the most popular destination in Europe, let alone in Greece.  The sugar-cube-like white houses on the cliffs above the caldera is a spectacular sight.  It really is beautiful.

 

Although I would consider it do not miss island, as @chemmo, @Texed, @PelicanLvr, and others have posted, Santorini may live up to the expectations to some people.  Firstly, Santorini is overrun with tourists; this may be a turn off for some people.  Secondly, aside from the picturesque white houses on the cliffs, given to the high bar set by other Greek Islands, there is not much there to do and see.  

 

Taking a tender to Santorini, going up to the rim, walking about Fira for an hour before getting back to the ship, may be a very reasonable use of your time.  Making it a sea day with a short trip ashore sound good to man people.

[pdmlynek]

8 hours ago, zitsky said:

...

Seems like walking or hiking isn’t really an option there?  Too difficult?

...

Sure, there are a lot of hikes to do on Santorini.  The climb up the 600 stairs is a good warm up.  There are trail all over the island, particularly along the rim.  The best hike is supposedly between Fira and Oia; you can take the 9 km walk one way and take a bus the other way.

[Maverick!]

2 hours ago, pdmlynek said:

Well, Santorini is one of the most popular destination in Europe, let alone in Greece.  The sugar-cube-like white houses on the cliffs above the caldera is a spectacular sight.  It really is beautiful.

 

Although I would consider it do not miss island, as @chemmo, @Texed, @PelicanLvr, and others have posted, Santorini may live up to the expectations to some people.  Firstly, Santorini is overrun with tourists; this may be a turn off for some people.  Secondly, aside from the picturesque white houses on the cliffs, given to the high bar set by other Greek Islands, there is not much there to do and see.  

 

Taking a tender to Santorini, going up to the rim, walking about Fira for an hour before getting back to the ship, may be a very reasonable use of your time.  Making it a sea day with a short trip ashore sound good to man people.

There is not much to do and see ? Maybe to some.

I would beg to differ. I don't think Santorini is limited to just Fira, Oia and a sunset dinner.

We've been to Santorini a number of times.  This round, we took a short ride to Akrotiri and explored the Red, White and Black beaches. Lovely day.

Edited July 30, 2022 by Maverick!

[pdmlynek]

On 7/30/2022 at 5:17 PM, Maverick! said:

There is not much to do and see ? Maybe to some.

I would beg to differ. I don't think Santorini is limited to just Fira, Oia and a sunset dinner.

We've been to Santorini a number of times.  This round, we took a short ride to Akrotiri and explored the Red, White and Black beaches. Lovely day.

My point is that the draw of Santorini lies almost exclusively in the towns overlooking the caldera.  This is what people think of when they hear the words "Santorini" or "Thera".  

 

Yes, there are additional sights in Santorini, such as, as you mentioned, ancient ruins and beaches, but honestly, you can find similar sights on other Greek Islands as well.  If you were to ignore the towns overlooking the caldera, Santorini would be simply one of dozens beautiful Greek Islands.  

 

The reason why this matters is to answer the type of questions that @zitsky posed: "is Santorini a must do island"?  My view is that if a traveler is tired of sightseeing all the beautiful Greek islands, the traveler should at least visit the town(s) overlooking the caldera for an hour or so, and skip the rest of the island.  Neither you nor I would ever do that, but a person who is burned out should not feel guilty about skipping the rest of the island. 

 

 

[Maverick!]

To the OP - Santorini is considered a destination port in any Med itinerary = one of the main draws. 

It is here that you can see the unforgettable images of the iconic Cycladic landscapes (white sugar-cube structures, blue domes) that have become stereotypical of Greece to many.

In my view,  Santorini is incomparable to any other Greek island and I could not assimilate it with any other Greek island for its unique attributes (in fact, each Greek island is different than the others - there are 6 island groups and infinite subgroups within those areas). 

If an organized tour to see the cliffside towns is not an interesting option for whatever reason (cost, too long, crowds), there are other alternatives, including DIY possibilities, that will entice you to get off the ship and see what has drawn so many other visitors to Santorini time and time again.  

The volcano is still active and in itself one of the interesting sites to visit.

Definitely a 'do-not-miss' and worthy of some research to determine what you'd enjoy doing the most on the island.