HAL Sunset Excursion to Oia

[jmb4534]

Do any of you who have visited Santorini with HAL know if they ever have an evening excursion to Oia? Our ship will not be departing Santorini until 11:00PM, but when I look at the available excursions I don't see anything that indicates a tour that would stay in Oia that long.

 

I know I could call HAL, but I thought I might get better (quicker) answers here.

 

Thanks!

[gentlemancruiser]

We've been to Santorini twice but never with HAL. Both times we've taken shore ex to Oia, (It's my favourite place on this earth).

The first time we were there the ship was in port from 2pm to 9pm. I believe with was Royal Olympic Cruises and the excursion stayed in Oia until the sun set, and they we returned to Fira for the cable car ride back down to the tenders.

This past year we were sailing with Celebrity and we were there for the entire day and again went back to Oia.

I asked our guide about dining in Oia and making our own way back. She told us that we'd have to take a cab from Oia to Fira, but she warned us the restaurants in Oia are VERY busy and you can wait a long time to get a table, which could mean that you wouldn't make it back to the ship in time.

 

The views of Santorini at night looking up from the ship are INCREDIBLE!!!! If you can make it to watch the sunset in Oia it is wonderful, but Oia can also get VERY crowded during the sunset. The main lane/street to where everyone walks to watch the sunset is crowded. it's like the entire island come there to watch the sunset.

 

 

 

Do any of you who have visited Santorini with HAL know if they ever have an evening excursion to Oia? Our ship will not be departing Santorini until 11:00PM, but when I look at the available excursions I don't see anything that indicates a tour that would stay in Oia that long.

 

I know I could call HAL, but I thought I might get better (quicker) answers here.

 

Thanks!

[Harry1954]

Do any of you who have visited Santorini with HAL know if they ever have an evening excursion to Oia? Our ship will not be departing Santorini until 11:00PM, but when I look at the available excursions I don't see anything that indicates a tour that would stay in Oia that long.

I know I could call HAL, but I thought I might get better (quicker) answers here.Thanks!

We are on Zuiederdam leaving 11:00pn on May 13 and I do not see any tours that would provide an evening excursion. I wonder if one could rent a taxi and effect the same results?

harry

[jmb4534]

Harry,

 

We are on the same cruise. I know you can rent a taxi in Fira to take you to Oia and have them wait for you. I don't know how much that costs, but we did see people doing that last year. In fact, we had trouble getting back to Fira because all of the taxis were waiting on folks they brought up there. This was in the daytime though. We finally got a taxi to take us back for 12 Euros. We had taken the bus up there. The bus is a viable option, and easy to do, but I've seen conflicting times that the bus stops running. I think their website says 8PM which would be too early.

 

Gentlemancruiser,

 

Thanks for input. Even one of the tour companies I contacted said Oia is TOO crowded at sunset to really enjoy it. Do you see a pretty sunset from any of the restaurants in Fira, or from the ship?

 

Thanks, Janelle

[London Lad]

As you are leaving so late in the evening I would suggest you take a taxi to Oia and/or team up with some of your fellow shipmates to keep the $$$ down. It really won't take that long to get there as it's quite a small island (it may take you longer just to get up the hill via donkey he he)

 

Gene

[mountainmare]

I would go to the Europe board for ideas. We rented a car in Santorini, had a great dinner in Oia at sunset (but this was October and sunset was early). Most other people talk about taking the bus--but know that right after sunset there is a mad dash for the bus back. I think the idea of a taxi (if you don't want to rent a car ) is a very good one. See if you can share with someone on your rollcall. Sunset in Oia is a happening--the crowd builds--tripods are set -up there is an excitement in the air that you can feel!!! The sky starts glow --and then what happened to us--a bank of clouds moved in--a great moan of disappointment could be heard over the entire town and dejected people started to disband. But it was an experience I would not have missed.

[gentlemancruiser]

I would go to the Europe board for ideas. We rented a car in Santorini, had a great dinner in Oia at sunset (but this was October and sunset was early). Most other people talk about taking the bus--but know that right after sunset there is a mad dash for the bus back. I think the idea of a taxi (if you don't want to rent a car ) is a very good one. See if you can share with someone on your rollcall. Sunset in Oia is a happening--the crowd builds--tripods are set -up there is an excitement in the air that you can feel!!! The sky starts glow --and then what happened to us--a bank of clouds moved in--a great moan of disappointment could be heard over the entire town and dejected people started to disband. But it was an experience I would not have missed.

 

I do remember the mad dash for the bus, trying to remember to turn left at the church square, the crowd of people going down the steps...

You cannot really see the sunset from Fira, because Oia's on the western most tip of the island. If you look at a map on Santorini you'll understand.

depending upon where you ship is at sunset you might get a a chance to watch it, some ships cannot anchor because of the depth so they float around, you could get a chance to see it. I think some of the attraction comes from the crowd that's there. Mountainmare is exactly right, there is an excitement to it.