It is expensive but Im sure youre expecting that already. Taxis also abound (negotiate a rate in advance) and are a more reliable option if time is at a premium. Tansen. Adult From: $ 219 00. Yes, theyll be running in May (usually start in April) and youll be able to swim. The day tour departs at 10:30am, the sunset-tour departs at 3:30pm. By the look I think a smaller cruise boat would be best do you agree, or should we island hop? Boat Tours of the Santorini Caldera & Volcano A boat tour of the caldera is stunningly wonderful and awesome. Much less expensive and with a larger boat and group of people but still very fun. $3000 Bonus Value. All Rights Reserved. Here, enjoy some free time to walk around the volcanic crater and swim in the therapeutic hot springs. What would you recommend? There's a number of different caldera cruises available, which you can see below. The first itinerary departs from Savona, Italy, and explores the Greek and Balearic Islands. Paris - 3 days. If by winter, you mean December, January, and February then there will be few (if any) boat tours running and I dont think Id recommend them. Generally, its usually pretty calm. If you get back to Fira and are running short on time walk down the stairs to the port instead of waiting for the cable car as the line will likely be long. by Santorini Dave Updated: February 13, 2023. Santorini's 5 Best Neighbourhoods to Stay in #1 Oia - Where to Stay in Santorini for Your First Time #2 Perissa - Where to Stay in Santorini on a Budget #3 Fira - Where to Stay in Santorini for Nightlife #4 Megalochori - Coolest Place to Stay in Santorini #5 Kamari - Where to Stay in Santorini for Families Croatia is another destination people have a fondness for ruining with hulking cruise ships. Great trip deal available for you to support Ireland in Six Nations Rugby 2024. Thanks for your amazing resources!! The view of Oia from the Amoudi Bay where many boat tours begin from. Highly recommend!! While aboard, passengers can expect to experience unique island cultures, ancient treasures and beautiful Greek beaches. Ill probably book a dinner reservation at Kastro, but even then, Im concerned of the crowd spilling over near there and affecting the beautiful mood and view, because I actually prefer an outer table with a view of the Oia buildings as well. Seabourn is known to be one of the best luxury small ship lines in the Greek Islands and beyond. Click here to learn more. On the motor yachts it feels a little more like youre on an adventure (though theres still plenty of swimming, snorkeling, eating, and drinking). 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. Cruise Classes: 21 Things You Can Learn on Your Next Cruise, 8 Things You'll Love About Celebrity Edge, Sail Here, Not There: Avoiding Overtourism in Cruise Ports, The World's Best Beaches to Visit on a Cruise, The Pros and Cons of a Port-Intensive Cruise, Best New Itineraries on Small Ships in 2021-2022, Santorini, Greece (Photo: gorillaimages/Shutterstock), Greek Isles Cruise on Celestyal Crystal (Photo: Gina Kramer), A Windstar cruise in Mykonos (Photo: Windstar Cruises), Seabourn Encore (Photo: Seabourn Cruises). 1. I have 3 full days in Santorini in the beginning of July. . Starting at $4,749 per person. The staff were very attentive and the cuisine plentiful and delicious! Code: MC-27852. The nine-night Ancient Wonders of Greece and Ephesus cruise sails round trip from Athens and provides an immersive experience throughout the trip. Cruise ships visiting Santorini do not dock in port. If you can stay a few nights on the Santorini, youll see a completely different side of the towns, restaurants, and attractions. Expect even more on offer from Virgin cruises in the Greek Islands as the line adds Resilient Lady to its fleet in 2023. A tender is a smaller boat that takes passengers ashore. And dont know of any Santorini to Mykonos tours either. Do you have another good boat tour that you could recommend? The sunset tour is best for couples. Cruise Line: Norwegian Cruise Line May 21, 2023 Jun 11, 2023 Jul 2, 2023 Jul 23, 2023 Aug 13, 2023 Sep 3, 2023 Sep 24, 2023 Oct 15, 2023 No prices currently available for this sailing. The bay is also believed by some to conceal the legendary lost city of Atlantis. Ill be honest, I definitely prefer the private. A luxury Greek islands small ship cruise visiting the key highlights of Greece including Athens, Santorini, and Mykonos, along with lesser known destinations including Folegandros and Syros. We will be on Santorini, staying in Fira, September 4-11. Hi Dave, Otherwise, do you have any recommendations for winter excursions? All 3 are great and youll love whatever you choose. Theres usually a long line to get on the cable car up to Fira. How far in advance should we line up? 301 Route 17 N, Suite 1150, Rutherford, NJ 07070 USA | Telephone: (201) 902-2000, Last updated: 08:00 AM ET, Wed February 21 2018. Looking to see the sights as were onboard. Best Santorini tours by category EXPLORE CATEGORIES. If you do want to see another island then stay a night or two to see it best.). Your Facebook information, including your name, photo & any other personal data you make public on Facebook will appear with your comment, and may be used on TravelPulse.com. Sailing Cruise in Santorini with Seafood BBQ dinner/lunch on board and Drinks, Private Sailing Cruise in Santorini with Seafood BBQ dinner/lunch and Drinks, Private Sailing Cruise in Santorini with meal and drinks, Luxury Catamaran Sunset Cruise with BBQ Fresh Fish/Seafood Meal & Drinks, Small-Group Catamaran Cruise with BBQ Fresh Fish/Seafood Meal & Drinks, Sunset Sailing Tour to Volcano and Hot Springs with Dinner on board, Caldera Panorama Sunset Cruise in Santorini, Luxury Catamaran Morning Cruise with BBQ Fresh Fish/Seafood Meal & Drinks, Sailing Catamaran Cruise in Santorini with buffet meal and drinks, Private Luxury Catamaran Cruise in Santorini with full BBQ meal & Drinks, Santorini Volcano Sunset Cruise with Dinner on a Pirate Ship, Private Luxury Catamaran Cruise from Oia with full BBQ meal & Drinks, Caldera Gold Catamaran Cruise in Santorini with BBQ Meal and Drinks, Luxury Catamaran Sunset Cruise with Cocktails and full BBQ meal, Caldera Catamaran Cruise in Santorini with BBQ meal and Drinks, All-inclusive Private Luxury Sailing Experience in Santorini, Luxury Catamaran Day Cruise with Cocktails and full BBQ meal, All the Tours, Cruises and Activities you can do in Santorini. Great informative website! Sleeping in a cave and waking up with views of the caldera out your window is a very special experience. Adventure and Culture in Tahitis Islands, Bowmans Travel Brief: Wi-Fi in the Skies, Best Destinations for Travelers Who Hate People, The Top 20 Most Powerful Travel Agencies in 2022, Parents Leave Baby at Airport Check-In Counter To Catch Their Flight, 19 Caribbean All-Inclusive Resorts with the Finest Dining, 21 Amazing Vacation Ideas for Big Families. Paul Gauguin Cruises, Adventure and Culture in Tahitis Islands It was an amazing experience. Your friends likely took a high-speed catamaran with Hellenic Seaways or SeaJets. There's no way you should visit Santorini and not do a boat tour. If its within your budget this is the one you want. Any advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated. Salon Sleep under the stars on our Balinese Dream Beds Experience intimate yachting harbours and ports Stay overnight in port to explore . Depending on where you depart from most of the tour will be inside the protected caldera. The answer to longer stays isn't necessarily staying in an outrageously priced hotel on the island. Santorini Vacation Packages 2023 from $610 Expedia Santorini South Aegean Greece Europe Packages Expedia.com Plan your trip Packages Stays Flights Cars Things to do Choose one or more items to build your trip: Stay added Flight added Add a car 1 room, 2 travelers Leaving from Going to Departing Returning Not a boat tour, obviously, but super fun. (I did this boat tour last summer and it was awesome.). Sydney's famous Opera House and the skyline of New York City. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. Lavrio: 06.00 Location Not sure what you mean by enough but youll certainly get a good stretch of time to swim. The tenders taking passengers ashore in Santorini. What are the key differences between these three tours: Semi-Private Luxury Catamaran Day Cruise My advice is to first decide whether you want the sunset or more sun/swimming. Certainly this is rare, but its always in the back of your mind: what time is it? A fantastic day, very relaxing stopping at a few beautiful spots for a swim and lunch. Whats the best tour to book for our needs? Santorini is home to one of the world's most iconic skylines and offers excellent dining and sightseeing, To see much of anything beyond the main town of Fira, you'll need to book an organized shore excursion or tour, Santorini is scenic spot to soak up Grecian culture and enjoy some sunshine and shopping. At Sailawaze we know a cruise holiday is the ultimate . SeaDream mega-yachts SeaDream I and SeaDream II are also available for exclusive private charter. Were in our late 70s and love to walk and do tours, but not so much beaches. Santorini View is operated by Atlantis Software E-Services, a reliable travel agency licensed by the Greek National Tourism Organization with registry number SANTORINI The Explosion of Senses. Dubrovnik is a wonderful city but not on a cruise. Wonderful scenery, friendly staff, and a glorious Santorini sunset!! If yes, which would it be. All of the best things to do in Santorini are hard to enjoy on the limited time you get on the island if you visit on a cruise. This cruise sets out from Athens and visits islands including Rhodes, the best-known of the Dodecanese Islands, where the legacy of the ancient Greeks mingles with that of besieging Turks, crusading knights and occupying Italians. What's Included. It will sell out. Ringed by dramatic sea cliffs and gentle bays, your holiday begins in Malta. What months do cruises visit Santorini and the Greek islands? $4999. Thanks! The information is requested by the port authority but its never used. The ship will homeport in Piraeus (Athens) and be used on itineraries that will include Croatia in addition to Greece. And also yes, its definitely still worth doing a boat tour even if you dont swim. The less-expensive tours hold-off for a bit until the boat gets to the first destination and youve had a swim, which might be an hour to two, but after that, its an open bar. Book Tours & Cruises . We will be in Santorini for 3 days after ferries from Athens-Mykonos then Mykonos-Santorini. Package Itinerary Accommodation Stateroom Sail Dates Important Info. Among the sailings that take in Greece is the six-night Greek Isles & Maltese Magic itinerary. There are banks and exchange bureaus in Fira. Its truly awful. overnight in venice - rail journey from venice to ravenna, make way to cruise port. Yes, private tours are more expensive but Id be shocked if anyone regretted the money they spent once theyre on the boat. From the catamaran, enjoy the view of the white towns on the rim of the caldera and watch as the sun sets. Allow your cares to melt away as you relax into your holiday with a stunning . Were Santorinis leading marketplace to explore and book unforgettable travel experiences. Programming on any Virgin cruise is upbeat and geared toward adults. (That said, I typically dont recommend doing a day trip from Santorini as time is much better spent on Santorini than on a boat. Food on the tours ranges from surprisingly good to great. Oh my god, shoot me. That includes the chance to swim in the same lagoon the goddess Athena was said to have bathed. The view from a tender boat approaching the Cruise Port. Product Code: MC-27532 . Romantic Rhine River and Greek Island Discovery. Imbibe unlimited amounts of white wine, soft drinks, and water and indulge in a delicious barbecue prepared onboard the catamaran as you sail in the gorgeous blue waters of the sea off the shore of Santorini. Theres no boat tour (that I know of) that would get you back in time to get your return ferry to Crete. Holland America Line, (I still dont recommend them, but much better than the monstrous cruise ships.). Destination & Tourism, The Top 20 Most Powerful Travel Agencies in 2022 Variety sails from the largest and southernmost island of Crete to the beautiful Cyclades archipelago, including Kea, Santorini, Mykonos and the neighboring UNESCO-protected archaeological site on Delos. And while it's wonderful to explore the past, the beaches of Mykonos and the architecture of Santorini and Athens are just a few of the many pleasures that await you. A day tour/cruise usually runs from 9 or 10 am to 3 pm, serves lunch, and has lots of swimming. The motor yachts allow for much more freedom in getting around the volcanic islands and seeing the caldera from every different angle. Sail | October 2023. Join the adventure of a lifetime as Cunard's newest ship sails to fascinating destinations spanning five continents. There are no shorter tours on Santorini. We use 256-bit encryption for data transmission from DigiCert, one of the world's largest SSL Certificate providers. Overnight Tours 100 Tours & Activities Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises 2,130 Tours & Activities Why you are seeing these recommendations Santorini Overnight Break from Athens 3 Reviews Greece, Greece Save to Wishlist From $404.91 Price varies by group size Lowest Price Guarantee Select Date and Travelers Check Availability Free cancellation We have 5 hours in Santorini and want to do the the hike between Oia and Fira. Pristine Greek waters provide a stunning backdrop for romantic voyages while aboard one of Sea Cloud Cruises' two sailing ships.. Tenders shuttle passengers right to the base of Fira; you must ride the funicular (or a donkey) up to the town itself. Hundreds of cooking-cutter cabins on a cruise ship docked in Athens. 1/10 Do you think we have enough time? Cruises taking in the Cyclades -- one of the six major Greek island groups that's located southeast of mainland Greece -- include a transit of the Mycale Strait, which separates Samos from Anatolia in Turkey and is less than a mile wide at its narrowest point. Anything you can tell us that would help make our decision easier? Ubiquitous -- and noisy -- Greek motorcycles. Santorini is beautiful but not so great as part of a cruise. And if you arrived on this page after watching the absolutely awful Santorini show by Rick Steves just ignore everything that guy recommends about seeing the Greek islands. Is it worth it to do both? Island hop from Santorini to Mykonos, discover Croatia's stunning coastline, or sip Chianti on the cobble-lined streets of Italy. In Athens, visit the famous ruins of the Parthenon, a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena that dates back to 438 BC. Agree absolutely with your points! They then have to arrange their own transportation to another island to meet-up with the cruise. 1 or 2 Night Hotel stay. I have no idea what to recommend for lining up. Cruises are floating Petri dishes of disease and illness. Would definitely recommend to anyone visiting Santorini. A lot of people hire quad bikes now, just for the day. The Star Clipper ships are smaller and more unique. 6th Day: Santorini. A $200 DISCOUNT IS AVAILABLE TO SINGLE PASSENGERS WHO ARE WILLING TO SHARE A CRUISE CABIN. You have to do a tour or a chartered/private tour. Book tours, excursions and dining cruises SEE ALL TOURS. Celestyal is based in Cyprus and is noted for its authentic onboard cuisine that showcases Greek specialties prepared with fresh Mediterranean ingredients. Wonderful day tour with great food and friendly staff (10:00am departure). 26.00 checkout is done in euro. The best vacation to Greece you will ever experience. Yacht cruise of the Greek islands. The Private Half-Day Catamaran Cruise of Santorini is simply awesome. Theyll need to inch their way out from Oia castle along the narrow streets, wait for the local bus (for those who didnt pay for the cruise excursion and didnt have chartered buses), sit on the bus ride back to Fira, queue and wait for the cable car (or walk 600 steps) down to Old Port to take their tenders. Its a little slower (takes 8 hours instead of 5 from Athens to Santorini) but has large open-air decks that you can walk about on. January is the only month that doesnt have any cruises to Santorini. Reaching Santorini during the famous Sunset. A fun and easy-going way to explore the Santorini coastline. There is not a huge difference between the two types of tours beyond the time of day. Next, we enjoy three nights on the island of Mykonos, considered one of the most beautiful and popular islands in Greece, with its trademark windmills, glittering white houses, cobblestoned streets and lively atmosphere. Ask About Special Rates for Pastors . 15 Night Fly, Stay & Cruise Holiday with $3000 Bonus Value Including City Stay, Exclusive Package Savings & More. You start or finish your trip in Santorini so you get to spend 1 or more nights on the island to see how it really is. The tour carries on even when some are swimming so its not as if you just sit there on your own, bored theres still plenty of fun on board the boat. Search Search Sign up Request Callback. The following ships and cruise lines are scheduled to visit Santorini in 2023 and 2024: Celestyal Olimpia, Viking Sky, MSC Sinfonia, Silver Moon, Mein Schiff 5, Norwegian Jade, Crystal Serenity, Regal Princess, Artania, Seven Seas Explorer, Seabourn Encore, MSC Lirica, Azura, Oceania Insignia, Mein Schiff Herz, Silver Spirit, Star Clipper, Sail Down Under on an over-the-top vacation that immerses you in cosmopolitan cities from Sydney to Auckland, natural wonders from the Great Barrier Reef to Milford Sound, and world-class beaches from Fiji to Vanuatu. Greek, but virtually everybody speaks English. Otherwise, most tours stop near a beach for swimming and snorkeling but dont really directly visit the beach. In general, I do not recommend day trips to other islands. This tour is almost the opposite of the Sunset Catamaran Cruise. Theyre bad for the citizens, the environment, and the local economy, and theyre a lousy way to see the magnificent Greek islands. Itinerary: fly from london to verona. It's best to book a cruise and request the organizer to arrange either the meeting point or the drop off location at the Old Port. The dreadfully ugly Norwegian Gem cruise ship ruins the caldera view. Required fields are marked *. The sunset tour has a later starting date which allows you to do something in the morning. You can read more about travel agencies for Santorini vacations here. -- is inarguably the most scenically dramatic of all the Greek Islands. If they want to visit Santorini and Mykonos on the same trip its much better that they wait until late March (when there should be ferries running between the two islands) or April/May (when there will be direct flights between London and Mykonos, and between London and Santorini). Arrive Friday morning to either Katikies or Kirini hotel, and then leave late Saturday afternoon to Athens. Not worth it. More like 2 to 3 hours. You only get to spend a few hours on Santorini and those hours are when your entire ship is also touring the island you dont get to see the magic of what makes Santorini so special.