PLEASE HELP - First Time Cruiser

[dealtom]

My family of 7 is taking our first cruise aboard the Enchanted Princess (new ship).  I would like to book a catamaran excursion in Santorini and the Princess excursion cost is $290/pp.  But I am finding really good ones for about $130 if I book myself.  My question --- Santorini is a tender port.  How does that work?  Do those passengers booking excursions with Princess (vs. on your own) get preferential treatment getting off the boat?  I'm concerned with timing. 

 

If the cruise docks at 7am, how long does it take to be able to get off the ship?  I want to book a 10am tour.

 

And how much time do you typically leave to get back on the ship at a tender port?

 

Thank you so much for your help (and any other tips you could offer).

[AF-1]

To answer your questions here are my answers;

Princess excursions get priority tending over individual or private excursions

Since it is a tender port the only way to get to the tenders is from the town of Fira.  You take the donkeys down the hill to the tenders or you take the gondolas sky buckets down.  The closer you get to departure the busier the sky buckets get.  Once you get to the tender dock you may have to wait another 20 min for the tenders to get back.  I have been to Santorini three times.  I normally head back to the ship 1 1/2 prior to departure. 

[Steelers36]

You should have no problem meeting a 10:00am tour, but ask your tour provider for recommended process to meet them - if they have not already advised.

[hobbyfarmer2]

Santorini also has an alternate dock for tenders a couple of miles away from the bottom of Fira.  We used the alternate when taking a Princess excursion on the Royal in 2017.  Don't get mixed up with the two if booking your own excursion.  Traffic getting out of Oia was also brutal that day as the entire island of Crete seemed to be visiting. 

[Essiesmom]

Here are two maps I got off google.  The first one shows you the ferry routes, and where they converge is where the ship tours will tender to.  the ship will pause there and tender those on Princess tours to waiting buses or other craft.  Further up the coast, the first blue balloon with Th...a  is where the rest will tender to:

 

The second map shows an anchor where the tours will tender in, and a big black dot for Fira (Thira)

 

 

The ship continues from it's pause for the tours to a different 'anchorage' where guests will be tendered to the old port.  EM

 

 

[ingatestonian]

I've been to Santorini on a land holiday four times since 1981 but would not want to go there on a cruise. It's at its best after the cruise ships have gone. Worth checking how many will be in port on the day you are there.

 

Using the donkeys is a personal choice, many people choose not to but the walk up or down is not that difficult. When staying on Santorini a couple of years ago we walked down one evening to a wonderful fish restaurant at the waterside and then back up again afterwards after dark. The path is wide and clear with some lighting and you just have to mind the donkey mess!

 

Catamaran trip sounds good, have a great time.

 

 

[Wishing on a star]

Hello!   You might also want to get information from the Greece Ports of call here on CC.   Or TripAdvisor. 

 

You might want to pay attention to where the Catamaran sails from. I have seen some nice tours that sail from Amoudi Bay.  In this case you might not need to take the cable cars up to Fira.  There is a ferry that runs from the docks where the ships tenders will drop you off over to Amoudi Bay below Oia. You can buy tickets in advance. (Just be aware this ferry might not depart on time if the boat is not full enough.)

 

As mentioned, ships excursions will be tendered over to the other, third, dock, which is the other direction from Oia and Amoudi Bay.  

 

In in almost any case, cruisers will have to take the cable cars back down to the port dock where the ships tender. 

 

Edited February 5, 2020 by Wishing on a star

[Ombud]

My 2c for private excursions & tenders:

1. Private Excursions - the tour company should be able to follow exactly where / when your ship gets in just in case your tenders go to 'B' instead of 'A'. Also I pay on that day bc in rare cases we have to skip a port (happened to me in Mediterranean due to an SOS and in Toyama due to a typhoon)

2. Tenders - not only do ship excursions get priority but Elite / Suites also get priority. So depending on the passenger make-up it could be delayed A LOT. Happened to others (I'm Elite) at Newport RI. In fact many waited HOURS getting off at noon. Again, paying private excursions at pier resolves that issue

 

Just saying 🎶

[Wishing on a star]

Hours?  Can't say I've ever heard of that under any normal circumstances.

There are always factors such as weather, customs, etc.  But these are rare.

 

[Ombud]

I'm usually oblivious to this but it happened. Meet & Greet group was active and vocal on the ship

[JF - retired RRT]

1 hour ago, Wishing on a star said:

Hours?  Can't say I've ever heard of that under any normal circumstances.

There are always factors such as weather, customs, etc.  But these are rare.

 

A couple of threads have talked about the really, really long wait to get off for tenders on the Sky. Apparently, some never even managed to get off the ship after waiting for hours.

 

@dealtom : my 2 cents is...pay the extra $$ and take a ship excursion.

[paradiselivin1]

Certain ports have more problems than others as they can only handle one tender at a time but it sounds like you have plenty of time to get to your excursion. You'll love Santorini!

[Wishing on a star]

I am not seeing these reports of issues with getting off the ships.  (Just looked thu the reviews on Sky????)

I know that there can be some delay.  You don't always just walk onto the tender.

But I would hate for one or two instances, which were caused by some rare and unforeseen or uncontrollable circumstance, to be a worry to any new cruiser.

Our last tender was at Grand Cayman, with many many ships in port,  and we were off the ship in no time!

 

To the OP....

Santorini is on my bucket list!!!  

Just be sure you know exactly where you need to go to meet up with your catamaran tour,  and the best way to get there.

Enjoy!!!

[Renmar]

Go to this website for anything you want to know about Santorini.

 

https://www.tomsportguides.com/uploads/5/8/5/4/58547429/santorini-07-22-2013.pdf

 

Theo