Santorini- Options to Avoid Cable Car/Claustrophobia

[WDW Princess 71]

I’m looking for advice on options to explore Santorini that does NOT require using the cable car.  My mom is claustrophobic and definitely would not get in the cable car.  We are in decent shape but is the climb up those stairs really hard or dangerous?  Is the donkey ride up safe and easy to do as an option?  Other than walking or the donkey has anyone done a privately booked tour that involved some kind of option that doesn’t require the cable car?  Typically we either explore ports on our own or book private tours because we hate the “big bus” shore excursions from the cruise.  But I’m having difficulty finding options given our cable car limitation and am starting to worry that the shore excursion that tenders at the other port with the coach buses might be our only option here.  Please help!

[bebe08]

We did Santorini without using the cable car, however it involved taking a Celebrity excursion.  We were tendered to a separate location for the excursion, then after the excursion there was a bus that brought us back to the tender.  I believe that only the cruise lines can use this separate location for tendering which allows you to avoid the cable cars and donkeys, so not sure if you will be able to find a private tour.  I've only been to Santorini once and it was with Celebrity.  Hopefully someone with more experience in this port can provide more info.

[mskaufman]

You should be able to find something that takes you directly to Oia.  Public transportation is available to Fira and you and always walk or take the donkey down the path.  We found a tour that took us from the dock to Oia and then Fira, but opted for the cable car.

[John Bull]

I usually avoid over-priced ships' excursions, but do check out the detail of  your ship's excursions.

 

On Santorini you're aware of the three DIY options to go ashore.

Ship's tender to the tender jetty at the foot of the cliffs below Fira, then a choice of

- cable-car up to Fira, which can involve a long line - though usually not so long for the ride up. The ride is short, only a couple of minutes.

- donkey-ride up the zig-zag path to very close to the top cable-car station at Fira, The "donkeys" are actually mules, bred for centuries as load-bearers but I've seen their handlers refuse significantly over-weight passengers. Mounting, riding & dismounting isn't difficult for those of average or a little less-that-average fitness. Haven't timed it, but mebbe 10 (?) or 15 (?) minutes 

- walk up that zig-zag path. I've included that option only because you mentioned it. It's a very long and exhausting walk up, suitable for only the super-fit or the super-stupid. 

- ferry from the tender jetty to the pier at Oia where the road comes down to the pier.

 

Going ashore for ship-sponsored tours is totally different. Those passengers are tendered to the small ferry harbour at Athinos, where the road comes down to the harbour and they're transferred to coaches. All very civilised. 

 

But those ships' tours end near the clifftop at Fira. I'll hazard an educated guess that this is to give folk end-of-tour time in Fira and to pay off the coaches at that time, saving the cruise line $$$. (but do read on )

Added to that, there's no ferry from Oia back to the tender jetty below Fira.

So both DIYers and ship' excursionists all have just two main options....

- the cable-car back down. This is where lines are at their worst, and can be literally hours if several other ships are leaving at the same time.

- walk down the zig-zag path. This of course is one helluvalot easier than walking up. Takes 20 - 25 minutes, OK for folk with average or a little below-average fitness. we're both over 70 yrs old and definitely not paragons of fitness, but had no worries.

- I'll add the option to come down by donkey, but there are few - donkeys aren't so sure-footed going down.

 

But the (potential) saving grace.....

Last year Celebrity experimented with returning their excursionists the same way that they took them ashore. Coach ends at Athinos ferry harbour, then transfer to tenders to take them back to the ship from there.

A big big "well done" to Celebrity.

Hopefully they'll do the same this year - and hopefully other cruise lines will copy them.

If that's the case with your cruise, that's the way to do it 

 

JB 

 

[Cruisen Elf]

We have booked a small group tour through Greek Travelling that provides boat transportation from the dock to Oia, and a van up to Oia.  We also will tour parts of the island and a winerey.  Upon our return to Fira, we have the option of the cable car down, or walking/riding the donkey trail.  Haven't been on the the tour yet, so I can't recommend it, per Cruise Critic guidelines, but I did hear about it on Cruise Critic.  Just sharing the information in case you are interested.  They also provide private tours according to their website, as do many other companies.  Check out "things to do" in Santorini for your date on Trip Advisor, and lots of options should be available.  Good luck!

[Cienfuegos]

For many years, the locals at Santorini have controlled the use of local tenders from cruise ships. Cut a deal, and you can have tender service. Provided by locals...