Leaving the ship - time?

[kabookie7]

I am taking my first cruise in over 10 years in a couple of months. My daughter and I are headed to the Mediterranean on NCL. I am too late to book an excursion through the ship, so will need to do Santorini on our own. I actually prefer booking my own excursions anyway. However, I’ve read a lot about the tender ports and am a bit concerned about having to tender to the old port. I am wondering… what is an optimal time to leave the ship? Should I wait a couple of hours to miss the crowd? Or is that just a waste of time since we are in port 2:00 - 10:00. I appreciate any thoughts and tips. Thank you!

[CruiserBruce]

The optimal time will be after the rush when you first arrive. Keep in mind that that rush and congestion will just move to the dock, and then to the line for the tram to get you to the top.

[kabookie7]

Thank you so much for the suggestion. 

[mapleleaves]

Key info you're missing is .... how many ships are in port with you, the # pax, and what time they arrive and depart. Google to find that info.

We were on NCL GEM to Santorini last Sept;  port time 1:30 - 10pm.  We lined up an hr early the day prior for a tender ticket. Even with tender #4 it took 2 hrs to get to Fira due to the cable car lines.  Such a waste of time.  

TAKE AN NCL excursion !  The cheapest one was Charming Oia Village. We would have been tendered to the port below Oia, bussed to Oia for an hr, then bussed to Fira and given a token for the cable car to use when we were ready to return to the ship. By the time I realized how bad the cable car situation could be, the tour was sold out.  Only the Spanish speaking version was available. In hindsight I should have taken it, then told the tour leader I was leaving as soon as we arrived to Oia.

The other option is to walk up the donkey path.  Or wait up to an hour at the dock for one of the private boats to take you to the port below Oia.

Good luck !  

 

p.s. there was only 1 large ship in port with us that day. It left an hr prior to us, so there was NO line for the cable cars on the way back.