With an excursion start time of 7:30 am, what time can you expect to be off ship and in port Athinios in Santorini?

[budmeister]

Hi,

 

I thought I had it worked out- I booked an excursion from Celebrity Infinity at 7:30 am for an Oia tour in Santorini  just to get off the ship at the Athinios port and to Oia asap.I have to be in Oia by 9:15 am. I figured 1 hour 45 min was plenty of time for the ship excursion to get us to Oia. 

 

The  non-ship sailing excursion company is not as certain, and will not refund if I do not make it.

 

So, I thought I would pay for a pre-arranged transportation service to get me there, pick-up at Athinios, instead of getting on the ship bus. I do not know what time to book the pick-up for. The transportation company does not know either, and was quick to say that I need to be on time.

 

Has anyone done a ship excursion starting by getting off the ship at Athinios port? What time would you suggest I schedule my pick up at the port for? 

 

I hope to collect actual experiences- or second, third hand knowledge too- over the next few weeks and schedule a time.

 

Thanks!

[CruiserBruce]

Do you know for sure that the ship excursion is going direct to Oia? No other stops along the way?

[budmeister]

It is an Oia on your own excusion, the description says Oia on your own then a bus to Fira.

[MeHeartCruising]

Your plan may work.  However, you really cannot (I say again, cannot) be certain of any timing in Santorini to the exact time.  There are lots of moving parts with the ships arriving, getting ready to tender, coordinating with tender boats (they usually use ones from the island), etc.  

 

In my experience an excursion that says it starts at 7:30 will have you meet in a public area (the ship theatre, for example) at 7:15.  You will sit there and wait until it is your turn to get on a tender boat that is in place to take you.   Keep in mind, there may be other excursions in addition to your also starting at 7:30.  There may be some starting at 7:15.  There may be so many people on your excursion that they need to do 3, 4, 5 busloads of people.  Each of those will be in a different group, potentially called to different tender boats.  Potentially everyone going to Oia On Your Own will fit in one bus and will all be called together.  You just won't know until it happens.  Again, in my experience, ideally, an excursion starting at 7:30 will be heading toward a tender boat between 7:30 and 7:45.  I would expect that process to get you to shore would be 30-45 minutes.  But it could be longer.  A best guess, would be to tell your driver 8:30-8:45.  But do not blame anyone but yourself if stars do not align and your plans are thwarted negatively impacted.  Your plan is not a normal plan of operation for anyone involved.

 

I should add, that when tendering is involved, I have waited for 30-45 minutes past the "start time" of my excursion without any movement from the theatre.  It can happen.

 

Please, please, please, do take the time to specifically find the tour guide (not an NCL employee) who is assigned to your tour group for the bus ride.  Find them and tell them you will not be actually going on the tour.  Otherwise, they will sit there trying to figure out why the number of passengers doesn't match up to what NCL is telling them.  If you don't do this, Everyone on that bus will suffer with a delay for their excursion while you are in a vehicle on the way to meet your special situation.

 

Edited July 12, 2023 by MeHeartCruising

[John Bull]

Are you aware that Athinios is SOUTH of where your ship anchors under Fira (spelt Thira on Googlemaps), and Oia is NORTH of your ship???

So you have a roughly 2-mile tender ride to Athinios, switch to a bus, and a 14-mile drive to Oia (google has the drive at 40 minutes by car, but by bus it'll be more like 55 minutes).

 https://goo.gl/maps/P6Ed4zkuzL9nwHwK7

 

Even presuming the bus goes direct from Athinios to Oia the driver won't be rushing his passengers and there just might be one or two photo-stops en-route - the other passengers aren't desperate to get to Oia fastest, they'll have plenty of time there.

Add together a minimum of say 15 mins from the meeting point in the ship to the last person boarding the first tender, mebbe 20 minutes for the tender ride, 15 mins for the last person to alight the tender and board the bus, plus 55 mins for the drive and you're looking at a minimum of 1hr 45. 

That's without any snags.

 

I rate your chances of succeeding by paying for two excursions as low.

I suggest you bite the bullet & stick with ship's tour - or find another tour that leaves Oia no earlier than 10.00 or preferably 10.30.

 

You'll still have to get down from Fira to the regular "Fira old port" tender pier for a return to the ship.

We're in our 70s, not athletic or even fit, but found the 20 - 25 minute walk down the zig-zag path pretty easy. No way would we walk up - we went up on the donkeys (actually they're mules).

 

JB 🙂

 

[budmeister]

1 hour ago, MeHeartCruising said:

Your plan may work.  However, you really cannot (I say again, cannot) be certain of any timing in Santorini to the exact time.  There are lots of moving parts with the ships arriving, getting ready to tender, coordinating with tender boats (they usually use ones from the island), etc.  

 

In my experience an excursion that says it starts at 7:30 will have you meet in a public area (the ship theatre, for example) at 7:15.  You will sit there and wait until it is your turn to get on a tender boat that is in place to take you.   Keep in mind, there may be other excursions in addition to your also starting at 7:30.  There may be some starting at 7:15.  There may be so many people on your excursion that they need to do 3, 4, 5 busloads of people.  Each of those will be in a different group, potentially called to different tender boats.  Potentially everyone going to Oia On Your Own will fit in one bus and will all be called together.  You just won't know until it happens.  Again, in my experience, ideally, an excursion starting at 7:30 will be heading toward a tender boat between 7:30 and 7:45.  I would expect that process to get you to shore would be 30-45 minutes.  But it could be longer.  A best guess, would be to tell your driver 8:30-8:45.  But do not blame anyone but yourself if stars do not align and your plans are thwarted negatively impacted.  Your plan is not a normal plan of operation for anyone involved.

 

I should add, that when tendering is involved, I have waited for 30-45 minutes past the "start time" of my excursion without any movement from the theatre.  It can happen.

 

Please, please, please, do take the time to specifically find the tour guide (not an NCL employee) who is assigned to your tour group for the bus ride.  Find them and tell them you will not be actually going on the tour.  Otherwise, they will sit there trying to figure out why the number of passengers doesn't match up to what NCL is telling them.  If you don't do this, Everyone on that bus will suffer with a delay for their excursion while you are in a vehicle on the way to meet your special situation.

 

I will absolutely tell my  guide that I am leaving the tour!  And thanks for your advice on the rest. I want a guarantee that I can be in Oia a by 9:15,. but I know I am not goin to get one. I am just trying to to the best I can to go on the sailing tour I really want.

Edited July 12, 2023 by budmeister

[budmeister]

1 hour ago, John Bull said:

Are you aware that Athinios is SOUTH of where your ship anchors under Fira (spelt Thira on Googlemaps), and Oia is NORTH of your ship???

So you have a roughly 2-mile tender ride to Athinios, switch to a bus, and a 14-mile drive to Oia (google has the drive at 40 minutes by car, but by bus it'll be more like 55 minutes).

 https://goo.gl/maps/P6Ed4zkuzL9nwHwK7

 

Even presuming the bus goes direct from Athinios to Oia the driver won't be rushing his passengers and there just might be one or two photo-stops en-route - the other passengers aren't desperate to get to Oia fastest, they'll have plenty of time there.

Add together a minimum of say 15 mins from the meeting point in the ship to the last person boarding the first tender, mebbe 20 minutes for the tender ride, 15 mins for the last person to alight the tender and board the bus, plus 55 mins for the drive and you're looking at a minimum of 1hr 45. 

That's without any snags.

 

I rate your chances of succeeding by paying for two excursions as low.

I suggest you bite the bullet & stick with ship's tour - or find another tour that leaves Oia no earlier than 10.00 or preferably 10.30.

 

You'll still have to get down from Fira to the regular "Fira old port" tender pier for a return to the ship.

We're in our 70s, not athletic or even fit, but found the 20 - 25 minute walk down the zig-zag path pretty easy. No way would we walk up - we went up on the donkeys (actually they're mules).

 

JB 🙂

 

Yes, I know! Unfortunately, none of them leave more than 15 min later. It is a catamaran sailing tour I have my heart set on. There is no issue with returning through Fira and the cable cars. I have plenty of time then. Thank you for your thoughts on the route timing.

[marazul]

Why would a catamaran tour start in Oia? They usually start from the Fira cable car port or from Athinios. Find out where the catamaran is and meet them there.

[MeHeartCruising]

1 hour ago, marazul said:

Why would a catamaran tour start in Oia? They usually start from the Fira cable car port or from Athinios. Find out where the catamaran is and meet them there.

You would need to piece together multiple threads to follow the logic.  If I understand it correctly, The OP only wants to use an Oia excursion to get off the boat quickly in Athinios early so they can then get a private ride to Fira where the private excursion meets.  It’s all an effort to meet a 9:15 private excursion.  

Edited July 12, 2023 by MeHeartCruising

[budmeister]

1 minute ago, MeHeartCruising said:

You would need to piece together multiple threads to follow the logic.  If I understand it correctly, The OP only wants to use an Oia excursion to get off the boat quickly in Athinios early so they can then get a private ride to Fira where the private excursion meets.  It’s all an effort to meet a 9:15 private excursion.  

Close! Private ride to Oia, but you do get it!

Edited July 12, 2023 by budmeister

[marazul]

1 minute ago, MeHeartCruising said:

You would need to piece together multiple threads to follow the logic.  If I understand it correctly, The OP only wants to use an Oia excursion to get off the boat quickly in Athinios early so they can then get a ride to Fira where the private excursion meets.  It’s all an effort to meet a 9:15 private excursion.  

 

2 hours ago, budmeister said:

I want a guarantee that I can be in Oia a by 9:15,.

Yes, but the OP also says he wants to get to Oia.  Then you say he wants to get to Fira.

I think the OP needs to find out what happens when they meet the guide and where the boat actually is. Do they take a van (from Oia or Fira) to one of the beaches?  Do they take the cable car down to the Fira port?  If the latter, the OP is better off taking a shuttle to the Fira port rather than to Athinios and wait for the tour there..

[MeHeartCruising]

9 minutes ago, budmeister said:

Close! Private ride to Oia, but you do get it!

ok.  But in this thread you posted a picture of a map showing your desired Vista Yauchting location.  That map location is in Fira.  Not Oia.  Just want to make sure you know that. 
 

 

 

 

[budmeister]

7 minutes ago, MeHeartCruising said:

ok.  But in this thread you posted a picture of a map showing your desired Vista Yauchting location.  That map location is in Fira.  Not Oia.  Just want to make sure you know that. 
 

 

 

 

Ah, that makes sense. I changed sails due to arrival time issues- that one wanted a 8:45 Athenios pick-up . Although now that I have realized that I can schedule a private pick-up from Athenios  ,I may be back to that one. I really need to know what time I can count on to to be off the ship. So, far the two responses have been about 8:30. Thanks for chiming in! I appreciate it! 

Edited July 12, 2023 by budmeister

[marazul]

25 minutes ago, budmeister said:

Ah, that makes sense. I changed sails due to arrival time issues- that one wanted a 8:45 Athenios pick-up . Although now that I have realized that I can schedule a private pick-up from Athenios  ,I may be back to that one. I really need to know what time I can count on to to be off the ship. So, far the two responses have been about 8:30. Thanks for chiming in! I appreciate it! 

Yes, we get that you want to get off the ship with the excursion and then meet your tour. I still think you need to ask the catamaran company where the boat is. It doesn't make any sense to go to Oia only to be brought back to Athinios or to the Fira old port to get on the catamaran.

Edited July 12, 2023 by marazul

[budmeister]

5 minutes ago, marazul said:

Yes, we get that you want to get off the ship with the excursion and then meet your tour. I still think you need to ask the catamaran company where the boat is. It doesn't make any sense to go to Oia only to be brought back to Athinios or to the Fira old port to get on the catamaran.

Hi,

 

One is in Fira, another is in Oia ( Ammoudi Bay). I will go with whichever one I feel most confident of making required pick-up times for. Now that I know that I can schedule a personal Athinios  pick-up, the Fira one is closer, but I still need a pick-up time that I will be off the ship for.

 

I did not understand that at first, and thought I had to go to Oia on the ship excursion. It sure would have been nice if the excursion mentioned first tendering south of Oia and then bussing to Oia, with a time table for bussing and arrival. But no..... It just says  explore Oia and lists 7:30 am as the start time. 

 

Things should not be this confusing.  I think it is incorrect advertising on the ships part. Not everyone knows that  Oia only excursions cannot be counted on to get there until 9:30 or later, with a 7:30 start time, or that you have to tender and bus first. Other excursions do have such a description.

[John Bull]

3 hours ago, budmeister said:

Yes, I know! Unfortunately, none of them leave more than 15 min later. It is a catamaran sailing tour I have my heart set on. There is no issue with returning through Fira and the cable cars. I have plenty of time then. Thank you for your thoughts on the route timing.

 

If it's a boat trip you want, there's no need to get to Oia.

Or Athinios.

Or Fira itself.

There are various boat trips from the quay below Fira - where the regular ships' tenders go / the bottom cablecar station / the bottom of the zig-zag path.

It's called Fira Old Port aka Gailos Port

If you find one which suits (start & finish times, itinerary, type of boat, price etc) it will make your day so very very simple and cost-effective - and no worries about starting times

 

For instance I found these gulet-style boat trips from Fira Old Port

https://www.santorini-view.com/boat-volcano-tours/volcano-boat-tour-including-hot-springs-therasia-caldera-boats/

https://www.santorini-view.com/boat-volcano-tours/sunset-sailing-tour-volcano-hot-springs-dinner-caldera-boats/

And these options from Fira Old Port by https://www.santorini-excursions.com/

 

Google something like "boat trips from Fira Old Port" for more

But be aware, more often than not, gulets and catamarans are powered by a diesel engine & not sails. We once spent a week on a Croatian gulet - the sails were never raised once, and it was the same with the majority of gulets we met. We also sailed a catamaran on St Lucia from Soufriere to Castries, again the sails remained furled.

 

Check out Fira Old Port on Google Images, even videos

 

JB 🙂

Edited July 12, 2023 by John Bull

[marazul]

56 minutes ago, budmeister said:

One is in Fira, another is in Oia ( Ammoudi Bay). I will go with whichever one I feel most confident of making required pick-up times for. Now that I know that I can schedule a personal Athinios  pick-up, the Fira one is closer, but I still need a pick-up time that I will be off the ship for.

OK.  I checked both excursions you are looking at.  The catamarans leave from Vlyhada Marina which is South of Athinios - in the opposite direction of both Oia and Fira.  If you get the Oia tour that takes you to Athinios, you should arrange your personal Athinios pickup to take you to Vlyhada and meet your catamaran tour there.  This will save you a LOT of time (trip to Oia and back from Oia to Vlyhada).

 

If by any chance, your catamaran actually leaves from Ammoudi, your best route is to take the ship's shuttle to Fira Old Port and from there take the local "ferry" boats that take you on to Ammoudi.  No need to get up to Oia only for them to drive you down to Ammoudi..

 

Look at this map. 

Ammoudi is at the top tip of the island, just below the cliffs from Oia.

Vlyhada is at the bottom (where it says Santorini Yacht Cruises), down the road from Athinios. 

"Santorini Old Harbor" is the Fira Old Port and it is in the middle and you can take a boat from there to Ammoudi, or just get a different catamaran cruise that starts and ends there.  

https://www.google.com/maps/search/vlychada+port+santorini/@36.4040143,25.376174,12.5z?hl=en&entry=ttu

Edited July 13, 2023 by marazul

[budmeister]

Hi,

I think you have nailed it down pretty well! 

1 hour ago, John Bull said:

 

If it's a boat trip you want, there's no need to get to Oia.

Or Athinios.

Or Fira itself.

There are various boat trips from the quay below Fira - where the regular ships' tenders go / the bottom cablecar station / the bottom of the zig-zag path.

It's called Fira Old Port aka Gailos Port

If you find one which suits (start & finish times, itinerary, type of boat, price etc) it will make your day so very very simple and cost-effective - and no worries about starting times

 

For instance I found these gulet-style boat trips from Fira Old Port

https://www.santorini-view.com/boat-volcano-tours/volcano-boat-tour-including-hot-springs-therasia-caldera-boats/

https://www.santorini-view.com/boat-volcano-tours/sunset-sailing-tour-volcano-hot-springs-dinner-caldera-boats/

And these options from Fira Old Port by https://www.santorini-excursions.com/

 

Google something like "boat trips from Fira Old Port" for more

But be aware, more often than not, gulets and catamarans are powered by a diesel engine & not sails. We once spent a week on a Croatian gulet - the sails were never raised once, and it was the same with the majority of gulets we met. We also sailed a catamaran on St Lucia from Soufriere to Castries, again the sails remained furled.

 

Check out Fira Old Port on Google Images, even videos

 

JB 🙂

Hi,

 

Thank you. This whole plan would have been much simpler if I had the understanding in the beginning about about the tender, bus, and timing situation, and I was not worried about having like 7000 passengers there in the morning. I will looked at the Fira sails that go around the volcano area. Thank you for checking on those for me!  I would choose one as an answer if I had to. I have more of the 18 person lunch-on-board  several beach sail planned. But it is very nice to have a back up.

 

I will still probably not know what time I can expect to be off the ship, even if I plan on just getting off at Fira as I now realize it stops at Athinios port first for all the excursion people. Who could guess what time it will pull into Fira??? .These cruises generally start later, so they probably know.  I like a solid schedule , and there just is not one provided.

 

I am paying attention the the timing you suggested earlier. 

 

Thank you.

Edited July 13, 2023 by budmeister

[budmeister]

30 minutes ago, marazul said:

OK.  I checked both excursions you are looking at.  The catamarans leave from Vlyhada Marina which is South of Athinios - in the opposite direction of both Oia and Fira.  If you get the Oia tour that takes you to Athinios, you should arrange your personal Athinios pickup to take you to Vlyhada and meet your catamaran tour there.  This will save you a LOT of time (trip to Oia and back from Oia to Vlyhada).

 

If by any chance, your catamaran actually leaves from Ammoudi, your best route is to take the ship's shuttle to Fira Old Port and from there take the local "ferry" boats that take you on to Ammoudi.  No need to get up to Oia only for them to drive you down to Ammoudi..

 

Look at this map. 

Ammoudi is at the top tip of the island, just below the cliffs from Oia.

Vlyhada is at the bottom (where it says Santorini Yacht Cruises), down the road from Athinios. 

"Santorini Old Harbor" is the Fira Old Port and it is in the middle and you can take a boat from there to Ammoudi, or just get a different catamaran cruise that starts and ends there.  

https://www.google.com/maps/search/vlychada+port+santorini/@36.4040143,25.376174,12.5z?hl=en&entry=ttu

Hi,

 

I think you nailed it- I think I will take the Vlyhada one, get off at Athinois, and book private  transportation to Vlyhada port. Even if I do not end up getting off the ship until 8:45, I will still have time to make it. 

 

Thanks for your efforts! I would have missed my sailing if did not have the advice from people who know stuff. I would have expected to get off the ship at Oia at 7:30 am! I sure would have received an unpleasant surprise!

[marazul]

You are welcome.  And you should ask where the sail ends and how you can get back to the cruise. 

[budmeister]

19 minutes ago, marazul said:

You are welcome.  And you should ask where the sail ends and how you can get back to the cruise. 

Luckily, it ends in Fira, at that Vista address it put on the map I  pasted earlier,  and I will have 5 hours to get to and through the cable care line! My ship does not leave until 10 at night. 

[John Bull]

35 minutes ago, budmeister said:

 

 

I will still probably not know what time I can expect to be off the ship, even if I plan on just getting off at Fira as I now realize it stops at Athinios port first for all the excursion people. Who could guess what time it will pull into Fira??? .These cruises generally start later, so they probably know.  I like a solid schedule , and there just is not one provided.

 

 Most ships anchor under Fira, then use two sets of tenders at the same time - one set to Athinios with ship's excursioners, the other set to Fira Old Port for the rest of us. So no great delay getting off the ship, especially if you go to the tender ticket venue half-an-hour or more before the advertised time -  the delay is for those going up from the tenders to Fira.

 

Santorini has a lot of vacationers as well as cruisers - those folk have to get from their accommodation to Fira, then down on the cablecar or zig-zag path to the old port. So the later boat departures are for their benefit - you won't have that problem 🙂

 

Sailing from Fira Old Port solves all your logistical problems, both outbound and back. 

There are more boat operators than I mentioned, but you'll have to trawl thro them to ensure that they leave from Fira Old Port

 

JB 🙂

[budmeister]

1 hour ago, John Bull said:

 Most ships anchor under Fira, then use two sets of tenders at the same time - one set to Athinios with ship's excursioners, the other set to Fira Old Port for the rest of us. So no great delay getting off the ship, especially if you go to the tender ticket venue half-an-hour or more before the advertised time -  the delay is for those going up from the tenders to Fira.

 

Santorini has a lot of vacationers as well as cruisers - those folk have to get from their accommodation to Fira, then down on the cablecar or zig-zag path to the old port. So the later boat departures are for their benefit - you won't have that problem 🙂

 

Sailing from Fira Old Port solves all your logistical problems, both outbound and back. 

There are more boat operators than I mentioned, but you'll have to trawl thro them to ensure that they leave from Fira Old Port

 

JB 🙂

Now I have learned even more about the workings of it all!

[vjmatty]

On 7/12/2023 at 2:38 PM, John Bull said:

Fira (spelt Thira on Googlemaps)

 

 

 

Actually, Fira and Thira are not synonymous or simply different spellings.  "Thira" is the Greek (and as Greeks would say, correct) name for the island most of us know as Santorini.  Fira is the town where the cable car is. Sorry if that was pedantic :)

[John Bull]

1 hour ago, vjmatty said:

 

Actually, Fira and Thira are not synonymous or simply different spellings.  "Thira" is the Greek (and as Greeks would say, correct) name for the island most of us know as Santorini.  Fira is the town where the cable car is. Sorry if that was pedantic 🙂

 

Thanks for that, Ginny 🙂

 

The variety of Latin alphabet spellings of words - and especially places - in Greek, Arabic & other alphabets confuses me. Until I went there I thought Heraklion and Iraklion were two different places 🙄

Not my fault, Ginny - it's all Greek to me 😏

 

JB 🙂