Celebrity's Santorini excursions

[esmex]

Can anyone tell me about Celebrity's excursion offerings for Santorini?

We'd like to take aGreece and Turkey tour but Santorini descriptions give me pause because you have to either take a Celebrity ex ursion, or get off the ship later resulting in long cable car lines. I don't walk eadily and it's hard for me to stand in long lines, especially in the sun. But I can't see Celebrity's ex ursions without psying the $900 to reserve. I normally wxplore on my iwn but that doesn't sound like a good plan for me on Santorini.

[acrane]

https://www.celebritycruises.com/account/cruise-planner/category/shorex?bookingId=0000000&shipCode=IN&sailDate=20241007

 

If that's not the right sailing, you can edit the ship code and sail date to the one you're considering.

[zitsky]

I went to Santorini in May on the Beyond.  I was very careful to find, I thought, an excursion that went no where near the cable car.  Island tour and beer tasting.  Oia Village I think.

 

However at the end of the day they handed us cable car tickets and said BYE!  I was not happy.  We had to wait in line 45 minutes.

 

I would not go back if it was the same setup.

[Izzywiz]

We were in Santorini in the summer. I have mobility issues and either walk with crutches or use a manual wheelchair.

 

We took the wheelchair on the tender and at the dock I sat in it and we joined the cable car line.
A cable car operative saw us and ushered us to the front of the queue where there was a special facility to access the cable car itself.

 

He took our money and paid for our tickets and then helped us to board the car.

 

At the top, another operative helped me disembark the car and escorted us to the exit. There was a lady using crutches who was also assisted in the same way. 
 

On our return to the cable car, after our time in Fira and Oia, we once again joined the queue and, again, I was spotted and assisted to the disabled access where the operative helped us on to the downward car. 
 

I was very impressed with the service and adored Santorini. 

[zitsky]

@Izzywiz I am glad they helped.  We knew some people who wanted to go back up in the afternoon but they were told the wait for the cable car was HOURS.  I find that hard to believe but it’s what we were told.

[Treasure Hunter]

We were there in June on the Connie. My son arranged for a private guide with a car but even so, she met us at the top of the cable cat. We are Elite plus and were in concierge cabins. The combo somehow got us first off the ship as soon as it docked. We had no line for the cable car. Our ship was the only one in port that day. We had a marvelous day touring the island. No lines getting back down either. The only way around the cable car is to take a boat tour from the pier.

[hcat]

we took the early excursion.. tendered to a level bus load area.. bus goes up the hill...( do not know if still offered)  We then did the bus  tour to the Village...1st bus there  so easy to do it.( not much there but pretty).and then to  a winery for snack..level ground.

 

We were returnred to the port area. It  was really hot..no shade..and crowded, lots of beggars.  We walked directly to the  Cable car area..no line.  They assisted with loading.  Kept my eyes closed going down.. I dislike heights.

 

Level ground at bottom..grabbed a snack and took the first available tender  back to the ship.

 

shorter day but we saw alot and beat the lines and the  heat!

Edited November 18, 2023 by hcat

[zitsky]

1 hour ago, Treasure Hunter said:

We were there in June on the Connie. My son arranged for a private guide with a car but even so, she met us at the top of the cable cat. We are Elite plus and were in concierge cabins. The combo somehow got us first off the ship as soon as it docked. We had no line for the cable car. Our ship was the only one in port that day. We had a marvelous day touring the island. No lines getting back down either. The only way around the cable car is to take a boat tour from the pier.

What time of day did you go down?  Do you mean no lines or no lines for you?  Since you are Elite plus?

[Treasure Hunter]

We left the ship at 7:30 am and returned to the cable car around 3:00 as our tour ran from 9-3.

[Treasure Hunter]

It was through Tours by Locals ( Anna Karadimou) she had a comfortable SUV (6 of us) perfect English and her husband drove.

[Joanne G.]

From recent reports, it seems the enjoyment of a visit to Santorini is hugely affected by how many ships are in port that day.  Years ago, we had a delightful Celebrity excursion in Santorini, for which we were tendered to a dock where a bus was waiting to take us to Oia and a winery and then to Fira where we had free time.    We took the cable car down to return to the ship.  The villages weren't mobbed, and there was no significant wait for the cable car.  But we were the only ship in port that day.   Much as I would love to see Santorini again, I would check the port schedule first to see how many ships will be there on any itinerary I was considering.   

 

The dock we tendered to for our excursion was not the dock where the cable cars are.  That first stop was only for people to meet buses for Celebrity excursions.   After dropping us off, the ship relocated to the area from which the tenders shuttled passengers to and from the cable cars and the donkey path.  This was in 2005, and I don't know if the process is the same now.  

 

With some mobility issues, it seems like a private customized excursion, such as an early return to the ship before the lines form for the cable cars, might be the best option, but I do see the challenges if the port is very crowded the day you are there.  I hope you find something that works for you.   Santorini is as beautiful as all the pictures!

[Lena11033]

23 minutes ago, Joanne G. said:

The dock we tendered to for our excursion was not the dock where the cable cars are.  That first stop was only for people to meet buses for Celebrity excursions.   After dropping us off, the ship relocated to the area from which the tenders shuttled passengers to and from the cable cars and the donkey path.  This was in 2005, and I don't know if the process is the same now.

 

That was my experience last year. But when I was there in August the line for the cable car wasn't long even though the island was busy so may have lucked out with timing