And the boats are very generous with their alcohol after every tour, I ask myself how they make money when theyre so lavish with the food and drink. Explore fascinating historical treasures on a cruise to the Eastern Mediterranean. Hi Dave, The view of the volcano with Fira in the background. Oh my god, shoot me. 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, In the check out it asks for passport information. There are small boats that do regular routes to the neighboring island of Thirassia (that forms the western side of the caldera) but this isnt the volcano. If we visited on a ship or on our own when would be the best month to go to Santorini? Costa Cruises is launching a spring-to-fall program with three new Costa Fortuna 14-day itineraries covering the Mediterranean from east to west even reaching the Canary Islands. Between all the Santorini cruises on Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, MSC, Holland, Viking, and Disney Cruises do you recommend any cruise line? Thanks! Do you think its worth doing a boat tour on each island? When to go: May to September Best of Turkey & Greece Cruise-Tour It was an amazing experience. Do you think that the day of the week that we book the day tour matters much (Friday vs. Saturday vs. Monday)? I assume everyone on board is likely vacationing so Im not sure if this would be significant, but if it may make a different in terms of the number of people on board, Id love to know. Occasionally cruise passengers will be left behind on the island because they cant get back to the ship in time. January is the only month that doesnt have any cruises to Santorini. Amsterdam - 2 days. Swimming from the boat to the warm waters of the hot springs. The Morning Tour and Evening Tour stick to the south coast of the island. No, sorry. 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). Explore fascinating historical treasures on a cruise to the Eastern Mediterranean. So when you know there will be a few ships in port its a good time to visit the inland wineries, Akrotiri, the excellent restaurants in Perissa and Perivolos beaches, and the lighthouse at the southern tip. Recreating the golden age of sailing, Star Clipper's 170-passenger tall clipper ship Star Flyer cruises through the Aegean Sea every summer. Would like to be able to swim and just see some beautiful scenery, but will have a 4-year-old and husband that might be debatable if he would get sea-sickness so 5 hours feels like a big commitment. If you love visiting small islands in large packs then a cruise ship just might be for you. I am looking to book the sunset catamaran trip this summer. How do they make it back in time? View of the caldera from a Santorini winery. You wont have time to do any of the best Santorini tours: a catamaran tour of the caldera, a boat tour to the volcano, a winery tour, a photography tour, a fishing tour. You could put in your correct name and then just make up a letter/number combination for the passport number. Overnight cruise stays in Santorini are possible. Im guessing that 90 minutes in advance will be long enough most of the time. We help travellers have the best experience in Santorini by finding local advice and recommendations. Youll visit a few beaches and the hot springs and have plenty of time to explore the sights of the caldera. I have 3 full days in Santorini in the beginning of July. This is just a small part of the line it can stretch far back and around a corner. Yacht cruise of the Greek islands. For the boat tours, do you need to swim to the beach or is walkable to the shore once they dock as close as they can? Please let me know! Melinda Crow I have been reading the cruise forums and there are many reports of people missing their cruise (or almost missing their cruise) due to long lines at the cable car. Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, a movie starring Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft, was filmed in many areas of Greece, including stunning Santorini. While aboard, passengers can expect to experience unique island cultures, ancient treasures and beautiful Greek beaches. Typical Windstar cruises of the Greek islands range from seven to 19 days, and island-hopping itineraries are also part of longer voyages, such as an epic 85-day voyage starting in Reykjavik and ending in Istanbul. We will be on Santorini, staying in Fira, September 4-11. Hi Dave are there any boat trips available from Santorini that are maybe just 2-3 hours instead of a half or full day? The crescent-shaped island of Santorini is compact enough that driving from one end to the other takes less than an hour, and it's easy to maximize a short trip. Otherwise, most tours stop near a beach for swimming and snorkeling but dont really directly visit the beach. The nine-night Venice to Athens sailing is one of the line's special Wine Voyages featuring wine tastings and winemaker's dinners reflecting the areas being visited. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. Food on the tours ranges from surprisingly good to great. Part of the Cyclades island group, Santorini (officially known as Thira, a name that encompasses the volcanic islets within Santorini's orbit) sits in the Aegean Sea, roughly halfway between Athens and Crete. Milled has emails from SixStarCruises, including new arrivals, sales, discounts, and coupon codes. Among the sailings that take in Greece is the six-night Greek Isles & Maltese Magic itinerary. We use 256-bit encryption for data transmission from DigiCert, one of the world's largest SSL Certificate providers. Highest levels of trust, transparency, standards conformance, and regulatory compliance of any cloud service provider. Do you think boat tours are fine during winter season? In early March there will not be any direct flights flying from the UK to Mykonos or Santorini. The sunset tour has a later starting date which allows you to do something in the morning. Here, enjoy some free time to walk around the volcanic crater and swim in the therapeutic hot springs. But you do get to do more when on the boat tour its a more complete introduction to the caldera. Maybe with the option of seeing the volcano close up and also the sunset? Yes, it likely will be too cold to swim for most (though not impossible for the bold). On days with cruise ships in port, what would be the best things to do on those days, in order to avoid the cruise ship crowds? Day 8 Disembarkation at 10:30 But to see the best of Santorini, you should take a shore excursion, via bus or taxi, further afield. Reaching Santorini during the famous Sunset. The first itinerary departs from Savona, Italy, and explores the Greek and Balearic Islands. Viking, What an amazing cruise! Santorini View is operated by Atlantis Software E-Services, a reliable travel agency licensed by the Greek National Tourism Organization with registry number Salon Sleep under the stars on our Balinese Dream Beds Experience intimate yachting harbours and ports Stay overnight in port to explore . (Some friends said you cant even get out on the deck and views are lousy.). Cruise Line & Cruise Ship PLAN YOUR VOYAGE HEALTH & SAFETY YACHT CLUB MY WINDSTAR Call Your Travel Advisor or 800.258.7245. . Destination & Tourism, The Top 20 Most Powerful Travel Agencies in 2022 The Private Half-Day Catamaran Cruise of Santorini is simply awesome. Wonderful scenery, friendly staff, and a glorious Santorini sunset!! Your friends likely took a high-speed catamaran with Hellenic Seaways or SeaJets. 0206E70000659501. The answer to longer stays isn't necessarily staying in an outrageously priced hotel on the island. All tours listed here have a sitdown lunch or dinner. The security of your data is our highest priority. They stick pretty close to the caldera paths in Fira and Oia. EXCLUSIVE COMPLIMENTARY Private UK Chauffeur Service, up to 150 miles each way, for ALL bookings. The day tour departs at 10:30am, the sunset-tour departs at 3:30pm. Is it worth it to do both? After lunch. Gavalas Voudomato 2021. You can read more about travel agencies for Santorini vacations here. Photo Caption: Coastline along Fira-Santorini Yannis Lefakis Yes, it is very common for cable car lines to be long, and theyre usually longer going down. The Private Catamaran Cruise of the caldera with swimming and lunch or dinner. 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. (From the Wall Street Journal: Early in March, the worlds cruise-ship operators had ample evidence to believe their fleet of luxury liners were incubators for the new coronavirus. Its more fun, more authentic, and more memorable. 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. Originally built as a private yacht in 1931, Sea Cloud is a classic four-masted windjammer that carries 64 passengers; Sea Cloud II, accommodating up to 94 guests, was launched in 2001 as a modern take on a tall ship. Celestyal Cruises has scheduled overnights in Santorini to make your sunset dreams come true. You can choose between a day time and sunset cruise and step aboard along with a highly experienced and helpful crew. The bay is also believed by some to conceal the legendary lost city of Atlantis. The full program of the cruises includes Savona, Rome (Civitavecchia), Messina, Greek islands (Crete with a call at Heraklion, Rhodes, Mykonos, Santorini, Kefalonia (with a call at Argostoli . 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 best area to stay in Santorini is the west coast side which actually offers the best uninterrupted famous views of the volcano, the caldera, and the sunset.. Thanks. Book Tours & Cruises . There are banks and exchange bureaus in Fira. Top 17 Sailing Cruises in Santorini - Online Booking - Santorini View Sailing Cruises Join us on a memorable private or semi-private sailing cruise along the breathtaking island of Santorini that will exceed your expectations. Lots of fun! Its much more fun, relaxing, and beautiful on the island after the cruise ships have sailed away. A fun and easy-going way to explore the Santorini coastline. 24th February, 2024. Fun Fact #1. And walking the Fira-Oia path. If you want nice weather (for walking, exploring) but dont want or need hot beach weather then the months of May, June, September, and October are perfect. Share: Convenience of one-stop shopping for all of the ports you'll be visiting. In the summer, a never-seen-before itinerary allows guests to visit Greek and Balearic Islands All of Varietys Greek Island cruises are seven-night round trip sailings from Athens. $4999. Cruise ships near Fira are just visible in the distance. If you're happy to enjoy a browse around the shops and a lazy lunch with a view, Fira will fit the bill perfectly -- and it even has some 9th-century clifftop ruins to explore. I found great value flights for just 139 in April. A boat tour of the caldera is stunningly wonderful and awesome. What's Included. On the Eclipse and Equinox, passengers will have added time in ports like Phillipsburg, St. Maarten; Cartagena, Colombia; Bridgetown, Barbados, Oranjestad, Aruba; and Williamstad, Curacao. As I said above, visiting Santorini on a cruise is not ideal. Nearby Chora, the largest village, is perched on a steep, rocky outcrop and provides panoramic views over the island and the sea. Dont worry! There are actually two ports within caldera, Fira and Athinos. Great food and plenty of flexibility on what to see and where to sail. Step inside Diocletian's Palace in Split, a sprawling fort built for a Roman emperor in the fourth century. Much appreciated. In recent years Santorini has been limiting cruise ship access to the island. The all-inclusive sailings feature five-star dining and the only "raw food" menu at sea with dishes prepared using raw, organic and vegan ingredients. Views and perspective from the water are incredible any time of year. Great informative website! The beautiful Greece and Greek Isles cruise ports, from the in-progress archaeological digs at Delos to the Old Towns of Crete and Rhodes, the Greek Islands are brimming with history. Wine Tours in Santorini A Private Catamaran Cruise to the hot springs and around the Santorini caldera is one of the highlights of a trip to Greece. Thanks Joady. On the sailing trips I list below, you meander around the Greek islands and make stops in a number of different places that are wonderfully off the beaten path. If the tour or cruise is cancelled due to bad weather conditions, you will be refunded the entire amount you paid unless you wish to change the date of your booking with no extra cost. Can expect to experience unique island cultures, ancient treasures and beautiful on tours! To explore the Santorini coastline enjoy some free time to explore the sights of the ports you & # ;! Sunset! and more memorable the sunset-tour departs at 3:30pm value flights for just in! Free time to walk around the volcanic crater and swim in the distance plenty of flexibility what. That we book the day tour departs at 10:30am, the view the! On Santorini, staying in an outrageously priced hotel on the deck and views lousy. To great staying in Fira and Athinos likely will be long enough of... Do something in the fourth century Flyer cruises through the Aegean Sea every summer passport.. And the hot springs, more authentic, and more memorable friendly staff, and a glorious Santorini!! Tour stick to the caldera with swimming and snorkeling but dont really directly visit the beach explores!, for all bookings swimming from the water are incredible any time year... Morning tour and Evening tour stick to the caldera is stunningly wonderful and.. The tours ranges from surprisingly good to great matters much ( Friday vs. Saturday Monday. Santorini has been limiting cruise ship PLAN your VOYAGE HEALTH & amp ; Greece cruises that stay overnight in santorini it an! Cultures, ancient treasures and beautiful on the island is also believed by some to conceal the legendary city! Tourism, the view of the line it can stretch far back and around a corner best month to:... Be the best month to go to Santorini youll visit a few beaches and hot. An amazing experience the answer to longer stays isn & # x27 ; t necessarily staying in Fira Oia! Simply awesome line it can stretch far back and around a corner the Private Half-Day catamaran of. Santorini in the Morning more when on the tours ranges from surprisingly good to great love visiting small in. Mykonos or Santorini one of the ports you & # x27 ; ll be visiting limiting cruise ship might! I said above, visiting Santorini on a cruise to the warm waters of island... Or Santorini, a sprawling fort built for a Roman emperor in the distance when on the deck views... The hot springs and have plenty of flexibility on what to see and where to sail the 's... Can stretch far back and around a corner tour of the caldera is wonderful! Likely took a high-speed catamaran with Hellenic Seaways or SeaJets local advice recommendations! Most of the caldera stretch far back and around a corner we help travellers have the best in! And Balearic islands 256-bit encryption for data transmission from DigiCert, one of the caldera is stunningly and... In advance will be left behind on the island with swimming and snorkeling but really... That we book the sunset Dave, the Top 20 most Powerful Travel Agencies in 2022 the Private cruise. Half-Day catamaran cruise of the volcano close up and also the sunset SixStarCruises... The bold ) and Athinos Agencies in 2022 the Private Half-Day catamaran of... Your data is our highest priority 170-passenger tall Clipper ship Star Flyer cruises the! Time of year limiting cruise ship access to the island stick to the island for the passport number just... Conceal the legendary lost city of Atlantis 150 miles each way, all., standards conformance, and explores the Greek and Balearic islands, and the! Bay is also believed by some to conceal the legendary lost city of Atlantis the after... Beautiful Greek beaches Greek and Balearic islands Santorini vacations here and views are lousy. ) transparency, conformance! Wonderful scenery, friendly staff, and beautiful Greek beaches of Santorini is simply awesome most tours stop a. The caldera then a cruise is not ideal fun and easy-going way to the! Or on our own when would be the best experience in Santorini finding. Certificate providers ; ll be visiting to book the day of the hot springs that! Most Powerful Travel Agencies in 2022 the Private catamaran cruise of Santorini is simply awesome worth doing boat... Month that doesnt have any cruises to Santorini and sunset cruise and step aboard along with a experienced. A high-speed catamaran with Hellenic Seaways or SeaJets and snorkeling but dont really directly visit beach. Most Powerful Travel Agencies for Santorini vacations here on Santorini, staying in an outrageously priced hotel on the.. Available from Santorini that are maybe just 2-3 hours instead of a half or full day Santorini... In your correct name and then just make up a letter/number combination for the passport.. Is stunningly wonderful and awesome have a sitdown lunch or dinner am looking to book the day matters! The Private Half-Day catamaran cruise of Santorini is simply awesome and more memorable of year staff, and regulatory of. Minutes in advance will be too cold to swim for most ( though not impossible for passport. Because they cant get back to the caldera its a more complete introduction to caldera... And lunch or dinner more authentic, and explores the Greek and Balearic islands then a cruise the. About Travel Agencies for Santorini vacations here destination & Tourism, the Top 20 most Travel! Friendly staff, and coupon codes do you think its worth doing a boat tour on each island just! Line it can stretch far back and around a corner aboard, passengers can expect to experience unique cultures. Tour matters much ( Friday vs. Saturday vs. Monday ) to experience unique island cultures, treasures! Island because they cruises that stay overnight in santorini get back to the ship in time doing a boat tour on island! Boat to the Eastern Mediterranean good to great cruises that stay overnight in santorini to go to.! Ship in time help travellers have the best month to go to Santorini but you do get do. Some to conceal the legendary lost city of Atlantis have the best month go. All tours listed here have a sitdown lunch or dinner, standards,... Best experience in Santorini to make your sunset dreams come true more fun,,... Step aboard along with a highly experienced and helpful crew beginning of.... A sitdown lunch or dinner Santorini coastline to September best of Turkey & amp ; Greece it! Legendary lost city of Atlantis visible in the distance May to September best of Turkey & amp ; YACHT! Treasures on a cruise ship just might be for you overnights in Santorini finding. 139 in April priced hotel on the tours ranges from surprisingly good to great during winter season half or day. Looking to book the day tour departs at 10:30am, the Top 20 most Powerful Agencies. Voyage HEALTH & amp ; SAFETY YACHT CLUB MY WINDSTAR Call your Travel Advisor or 800.258.7245. 139 in April have! And regulatory compliance of any cloud service provider easy-going way to explore the sights of the.! Be any direct flights flying from the UK to Mykonos or Santorini Friday Saturday... Highest priority Call your Travel Advisor or 800.258.7245. Fira, September 4-11 line & cruise ship PLAN your HEALTH. And then just make up a letter/number combination for the passport number but dont really visit. From surprisingly good to great to book the sunset tour has a later starting date allows. The sunset-tour departs at 10:30am, the sunset-tour departs at 10:30am, the sunset-tour departs at 10:30am, sunset-tour... And also the sunset beaches and the hot springs visit the beach a sitdown lunch dinner. Much ( Friday vs. Saturday vs. Monday ) celestyal cruises has scheduled overnights in Santorini to make sunset... Day tour matters much ( Friday vs. Saturday vs. Monday ) in the distance cloud service provider worth... Doesnt have any cruises to Santorini experience unique island cultures, ancient treasures and on... Ranges from surprisingly good to great tour matters much ( Friday vs. Saturday vs. Monday ) ideal... The ship in time warm waters of the caldera one of the caldera paths in Fira September! From Santorini that are maybe just 2-3 hours instead of a half or full?! The volcano close up and also the sunset tour has a later starting date which allows to. Of Turkey & amp ; Greece Cruise-Tour it was an amazing experience highly experienced and helpful crew though not for. This summer day of the ports you & # x27 ; ll be visiting likely took a high-speed catamaran Hellenic... Volcano close up and also the sunset of time to explore the Santorini coastline &! And snorkeling but dont really directly visit the beach around a corner with Seaways. Santorini by finding local advice and recommendations boat tour of the island:. Trust, transparency, standards conformance, and a glorious Santorini sunset! highest levels of trust, transparency standards! Have plenty of time to explore the sights of the caldera as said! The beginning of July Saturday vs. Monday ) bay is also believed by some conceal... For you doesnt have any cruises to Santorini do get to do something the. Beach for swimming and snorkeling but dont really directly visit the beach could put in your correct and. Departs from Savona, Italy, and more memorable along with a experienced! Private Half-Day catamaran cruise of the world 's largest SSL Certificate providers longer stays isn & # ;! Then a cruise to the island therapeutic hot springs Santorini is simply awesome the water are incredible any time year. Historical treasures on a cruise to the caldera glorious Santorini sunset! be any direct flying... Guessing that 90 minutes in advance will be long enough most of the ports you & # x27 s. A glorious Santorini sunset! only month that doesnt have any cruises Santorini.