SKIP CABLE CAR! The Best Santorini Tour for Cruise Passengers
Overview
Available languages
5 hours
Mobile ticket
Avoid long lines, donkeys, and the cable car chaos. Start your Santorini day with a boat transfer from your cruise port — no waiting, no stairs — and enjoy a seamless small-group tour to iconic spots like Oia, the black sand beach, and the village of Megalochori. This tour is built for cruise passengers, with on-time return guaranteed and space to breathe — even during peak season.
Travel in comfort by air-conditioned minibus with a top-rated local guide who brings Santorini’s history and beauty to life. You’ll stop in postcard-worthy villages, taste local flavors if you wish, and take in panoramic views without rushing. The route is crafted specifically around cruise schedules — with enough free time to enjoy each stop and a smooth return to port by boat. This is the smarter, safer way to experience Santorini in just one day — no lines, no chaos, no stress.
Additional Info
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Modern, comfortable, air-conditioned minibus
Full refund if your ship cannot dock
Port pick-up and drop off
Guaranteed return to ship on time
Professional local English-speaking tour guide
Small group limited to 18 participants
Transfers by boat to bypass the Cable Car
1 complimentary bottle of water per person
Gratuities (Recommend 10% for guides, and 5% for bus drivers)
Food and Beverages
What To Expect
Athinios Port Santorini
Our Skip Cable Car Santorini Tour is designed specifically for cruise ship passengers like you. This top-rated, time-saving tour lets you skip the long, hot wait for the cable car and dive straight into exploring Santorini. As soon as you step off your cruise ship’s tender, a boat picks you up and takes you directly ashore—bypassing the crowds completely. Enjoy breathtaking views of the Aegean Sea and Caldera during your transfer, making even the journey part of the experience.
Finikia
After the boat reaches your designated pick-up spot, an air-conditioned bus takes over. Start your sightseeing at Santorini’s famous blue dome in the peaceful Finikia area. This spot is ideal for iconic photographs without the Oia crowds, offering a relaxed first impression of the island’s unique Cycladic architecture.
Options
Private with Shared Boat Rides
Skip the cable car!: Private guided tour and shared boat transfers from the Old Port to the Athinios Port and back - bypass the cable car!
Private tour&shared boat rides: The boat transfers are shared with other guests. The private tour starts at Athinios Port where you meet your guide & driver.
Shared Tour
Shared Tour: This is a ticket for a tour shared with other passengers.
Pick-up by Boat: Upon arrival by your ship’s tender to the Santorini harbor, we will pick you up by our boat, skipping the cable car.
Return by Boat: At the end of the tour, we will return you to your tender pick-up point by boat, once again avoiding cable car lines.
Included in tour price: This option already includes the private boat transfer in the price. There are no additional costs with this option.
Book an early tender!: Please book an early tender directly with your cruise ship's staff to ensure timely arrival.
Ticket for Shared Tour
Shared Tour: This is a ticket for a shared tour.
Pick-up by Boat: Upon arrival by your ship’s tender to the Santorini harbor, we will pick you up by our boat, skipping the cable car.
Return by Boat: At the end of the tour, we will return you to your tender pick-up point by boat, once again avoiding cable car lines.
Included in tour price: This option already includes the private boat transfer in the price. There are no additional costs with this option.
Book an early tender!: Please book an early tender directly with your cruise ship's staff to ensure timely arrival.
Shared Boat/Transfer Only
No guided tour included: This option does not include a tour or a guide, only boat transfers.
Only transfer to Athinios Port: Please note this option does not include a guided tour and only a shared transfer from the Old to the Athinios Port by boat.
Drop off location: Please note your drop-off location is at the Athinios port where you will need to take a taxi to transfer to Fira Town.
Shared Tour Ticket
Shared Tour: This is a ticket for a tour shared with other passengers.
Pick-up by Boat: Upon arrival by your ship’s tender to the Santorini harbor, we will pick you up by our boat, skipping the cable car.
Return by Boat: At the end of the tour, we will return you to your tender pick-up point by boat, once again avoiding cable car lines.
Included in tour price: This option already includes the private boat transfer in the price. There are no additional costs with this option.
Book an early tender!: Please book an early tender directly with your cruise ship's staff to ensure timely arrival.
Reviews
114 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Amazing tour of Santorini...
Emily G,
Jul 17, 2025
- Viator
5.00Amazing tour of Santorini and if you only have a day book this tour! Gina was amazing giving us lots of information about the island and making sure we had plenty of time to see everything. Also it was great to skip the cable car and we were tendered right back to our ship from the tour. What a great surprise! Highly recommend.
Take this tour!!!
Stella K,
Jul 16, 2025
- Viator
5.00Yianni was the best tour guide ever. He made the tour so enjoyable and easy to follow along. He made sure we got dropped off at points that allowed us to do the least amount of uphill walking in the crazy hill. He was funny!! And the driver was amazing keeping us safe navigating the steep curves and high cliffs of this beautiful island. Even my two teens loved it. We had plenty of time to do it all. Not rushed once. This tour was the nightlight of our trip.
Not a good option.
Miriam H,
Jul 16, 2025
- Viator
2.00It was a lot of riding on a hot mini bus. Only had a very few minutes to see where we did stop. Lunch was very rushed because of the time constraints by the time we got to the restaurant and the beach. Had to choose between eating or putting our feet in the water. Guide was good but repeated himself a lot! Bus driver was very impressive!!!
Perfect Way to See Santorini
Lori H,
Jul 16, 2025
- Viator
5.00Made our disembarkation from the cruise ship so much better! Our guide was very good and showed us all the high points of Santorini. We ended with a delicious meal on the black sand beach. My only complaint was that it wasn’t long enough.
Great day in Santorini
Sheri M,
Jul 16, 2025
- Viator
5.00I was most nervous about Santorini after reading horror stories about the lines at the cable car. However this excursion through Vexperio (booked on Viator) was the absolute best way to see Santorini on a day excursion from our cruise .We found our guide Anna easily in the crowded port and she was clear and helpful. We immediately got on another boat to the new port, onto an air conditioned mini bus and avoided the cable car/ donkey mess! They stopped us at some beautiful look outs for photos, narrating interesting facts about Santorini along the way. We stopped in Oia for an hour, (crowded but very cool), then in a little town called Megalochori to see an authentic abandoned cave house, then on to a lava beach for a swim and lunch. We would have loved more time at this beach as we were very rushed to eat lunch and it was gorgeous spot. Get the Santorini salad. It was heavenly. Only improvement for this trip would be to cut something else shorter to make this part an hour instead of 45 min. We had an 11am excursion and were back on our ship by 5:15 including the wait for the tender back. Highly recommend.
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Operated by Vexperio