Santorini Port

[mborchgardt]

We will be on the 9/15 sailing on Mariner and will be stopping in Santorini. We have been to Santorini before and are planning to rent a car this time. I am trying to determine the best place to meet the rental car operator for pick up of our car.

 

Are Regent cruise passengers doing the island "on their own" tendered to the old port where the cable car/donkey path is or dropped off at the new port?

 

Thanks very much.

[RachelG]

The tenders go to the old port. We did a ship's tour last year though that went to the caldera of the volcano (hiked there), then went to the new port where we boarded a bus and went to a winery. So I guess if you wanted to get to the new port, you could take that tour and drop out (telling your guides what you were doing) at the new port.

[mborchgardt]

Thanks for the info. That's very helpful. I think tendering to the old port will work well for us. I may be crazy, but I regretted not riding the donkeys back down to the port last time we were there -- so I may try to do that this time.

[UUNetBill]

Thanks for the info. That's very helpful. I think tendering to the old port will work well for us. I may be crazy, but I regretted not riding the donkeys back down to the port last time we were there -- so I may try to do that this time.

Hahahahahaha!

 

I was going to let my wife reply to this one - she says, and I quote, "Those donkeys are evil and there's not enough money in the world to get me to ride those @/!@#¥&$! again."

 

I agree in principle, but I also think it's something you should do once. :D

[jhp]

I've done it.....ONCE. Stinky, but the worst part was the donkey walked so close to the wall that my leg kept scrapping against it.

[basedow]

I feel sorry for the donkeys. What a life! Still, I have heard that it is kind of rough riding them up or down.

[UUNetBill]

Jhp - yep!

 

Basedow - yep!

 

Although I have to say it was an experience not soon forgotten.

[newlondon]

If it's hot you'll need a gas mask! Take the cable car.

[mp8shnt]

We were just in Santorini this month and we took the "Tea Cups" as I call them up but coming back there was a long line so we thought we would take the Donkeys down - this was around 9 pm. The Donkeys were off for the night. So we proceeded down the switchbacks with 2 flashlights. There was significant evidence that th Donkeys had been working on the trail!

[turtlemichael]

We were just in Santorini this month and we took the "Tea Cups" as I call them up but coming back there was a long line ...

 

This is not uncommon in summer if a lot of ships are in port. On one morning it took an hour of standing in line in the baking sun just to get to the front of the cable car line. This needs to be borne in mind for those making their own arrangements. It can also be a problem getting down at the end of the day. I imagine a few people have missed the last tender.

[Travelcat2]

We were fortunate to get the first tender -- the donkeys were just being set up. It isn't as hot in September/October. . . . the ride to the top was nice -- the donkeys were fine -- smell not bad. Due to crowds, we went back to the ship quite early -- we returned to the ship around 1:00 p.m. The Captain of the Voyager (Dag) changed our itinerary so we would only be in port with 5 other ships. We had been scheduled to be in port with 9 or 10 ships which would have made the crowds impossible to negotiate. Still, we loved Santorini.

[neviboy]

We are on one of the Mariner's excursions on Sept. 7th. This includes the cable car/donkey ride. Presumably we will not wait too long or miss the last tender !!

Last donkey ride I had was on Blackpool beach. I was 4.

[kgr]

I've done it.....ONCE. Stinky, but the worst part was the donkey walked so close to the wall that my leg kept scrapping against it.

 

Ride the donkeys up and the cable car down! Less chance of injury!