Skip Cable Car Santorini for First-Time Cruise Ship Visitors
Recommended by 95% of travelers
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Santorini, Greece
- 5 hours (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
There's so much to see in Santorini, but getting into the heart of the island can prove tricky. Save precious vacation time with this shore excursion, skipping long cable car lines with pickup directly from the port. Relax onboard a private, air-conditioned minibus as you head out to explore island highlights such as the villages of Oia and Fira, Perivolos Beach, and more. Timed to suit your ship's schedule, you're back onboard in plenty of time for depature, having thoroughly immersed yourself in Santorini's most charming spots.
- Designed for cruise passengers, this shore excursion takes the worry out of timings
- If you're ship doesn't or can't dock, you're guaranteed a full refund
- Head straight to the island's top spots instead of waiting around in lines
- Check off multiple highlights in one hassle-free trip
What's Included
- Full refund if your ship cannot dock
- Guaranteed return to ship on time
- Modern, comfortable, air-conditioned minibus
- Port pick-up and drop off
- Professional local English-speaking tour guide (if option selected)
- Transfers by boat to bypass the Cable Car
- Bottled waterOne complimentary bottle of water per person
- Food and Beverages
- Gratuities (Recommend 10% for guides, and 5% for bus drivers)
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Santo Star Travel - Old Port of FiraAegean Sea, Santorini 847 00, Greece
Pick-up is at the the port where cruise ship's tenders will drop you off. Find our staff holding a sign 'Vexperio', and don't go into the cable car. The boat transfer leaves exactly at the scheduled time. If you are late, the boat can't wait. After the tour, we'll bring you back to the port by boat.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
1
Athinios Port Santorini
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Finikia
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Oia
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
4
Megalochori - Traditional Village
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
5
Perivolos Beach
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
6
Santorini Old Harbor
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 3 days of travel. In this case confirmation will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability
- Infants must sit on laps
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- In the event of exceptionally rough sea conditions preventing boat transfers, we reserve the right to operate the regular tour route instead. In such cases, a refund of €10 per person will be provided for each cable car ride required in place of the boat transfer.
- The tour start time will be coordinated with your ship’s docking schedule to minimize waiting and accommodate any possible disembarkation delays. You will receive the final meeting time in your Meeting Instructions email approximately one week before your tour.
- Please note that wheelchairs, walkers, rollators, electric scooters, and other mobility devices cannot be accommodated on shared tours. Tours on Santorini involve uneven surfaces, cobblestone pathways, and some sections with stairs. We kindly request that all participants carefully assess their physical ability to complete the tour prior to making a reservation. Refunds cannot be issued to guests who are unable to complete the tour due to accessibility limitations.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 19 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.8
based on 102 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Best way to avoid the lines and over crowded bus. get off the tender little restaurant right there.
Tour guide with sign and ferry 150 feet away.
highly recommend.
Our guide Ane was the best. Took all the right photos and we were able to see many breathtaking views of the main spots in Santorini. We would like to have more time at Oia, but overall the tour is great. Skipping the cable car was great and you will have plenty of time afterward to take it when the tour ends. We took it uptown and got back walking so had a wonderful experience at the town.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Dear Gerardo,
Thank you so much for your lovely review! We’re delighted you had such a wonderful time exploring Santorini with Ane. It was a pleasure having you with us, and we hope to welcome you back again soon! ❤️
Warm regards,
Magdalena
Vexperio
It was great everything went as planned.. I appreciated the information given by the tour guide.. We were back to the ship in plénitude of Time.
Our tour guide, George and our driver were amazing! George was full of so much information he shared about Santorini, and its history. I learned so much, and was so appreciative of his knowledge, humor, and patience! I would recommend this tour to all!
This tour gave us a good perspective of the island as a whole. Our guide, Victor, was very knowledgeable and we learned so many extra things about life on Santorini. The tour taught us more than just a few areas. The beach was great, could have used a bit more time there.
Lots of history. Guide was very knowledgeable and had lots of good information. We had a great lunch.
This was an excellent tour. Getting off the Princess cruise ship was not a good time. Get in line before they start handing out tender tickets or you might miss the start of the tour like we did.
We let the tour company know we would not be able to get to the meeting point on time and they said we could join the tour later. Which is exactly what happened - we didn’t miss any of the tour and were thrilled that we were able to make the tour. They didn’t have to go to the lengths they did to insure we made the tour but they did. Amazing!
Alex did a great job as our guide. His passion for what he does is obvious. He was easy to understand and made us laugh. We highly recommend this tour!!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Dear Mark,
Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re so glad we could help you make the tour, even with the tender delays. Alex will be thrilled to hear your feedback. It was a pleasure having you with us, and we hope to see you again someday! ❤️
Warm regards,
Magdalena
Vexperio
Great tour - saw everything we wanted to in Santorini. I would highly recommend you take this. You will not be disappointed
The tour guide, Ana was perfect! From initial meeting at the port, we were looked after extremely well. The small mini-bus group was a great size and Tasos was a very competent driver on those windy roads, plus he kept the mini bus super cool for us. Ana gave advice, information and opportunities for photos, nothing was too much trouble. Thank you for an excellent trip to Santorini.
Great way to explore Santorini and the guide Victor was excellent. Spiros the driver also navigated some interesting ‘2 way’ roads. 5 stars
Santorini did not disappoint! This was a wonderful tour that highlighted all the beauty of Santorini. Victor our tour guide was delightful and a pleasure to be around while he shared the beautiful history of his island. We had a new air conditioned van that was masterfully driven by Spiros! These roads are no joke! Would absolutely recommend!
Skipping cable car a big bonus.
Guide was outstanding.
Itinerary was more expansive than cruise ship excursions.
Great guide Ana and driver Tasos or was it Pasos. Very knowledgeable and helped you take great pictures.
From the very beginning, communication leading up to the tour was excellent, and it was easy to find our guide once we arrived at the port. After a quick boat ride over, we met our guide, George, and our driver, Taos, who would be taking us around the island for the day. From the moment we met them, we knew we were in good hands.
George did an excellent job throughout the entire tour. He was knowledgeable, friendly, and made sure everyone in our group was comfortable and enjoying themselves. We loved the variety of stops and the opportunity to see different sides of Santorini beyond the typical tourist spots.
We started with several beautiful photo stops before heading to Oia. We were given about an hour to explore, which was the perfect amount of time to visit the famous blue domes, browse a few shops, and take in the incredible views. We also had time to stop at a local gelato shop that George recommended—and you absolutely need to try the gelato here! It was some of the best gelato we’ve had outside of Italy. They also offer sorbet, which was a great option if you are dairy-free.
From Oia, we headed to the small village of Megalochori. This was one of our favorite stops of the day. It is such a picturesque little village and, unlike Oia, it wasn’t nearly as crowded. There were plenty of beautiful spots to explore and take photos. George was also an excellent photographer and was more than happy to take pictures for anyone in our group, which was such a thoughtful touch.
Our final sightseeing stop was a black sand beach, where we had time to enjoy lunch. Once again, we took George’s recommendation and had a wonderful meal featuring a Greek salad and fresh seafood. It was the perfect way to relax and enjoy some local cuisine before heading back to the port.
We cannot recommend this tour enough! We loved the variety of stops, the history and information George shared about Santorini, and, most importantly, the ease of having reliable transportation arranged for the entire day. George and Taos made the experience enjoyable, stress-free, and memorable for our family.
If you’re visiting Santorini and want to see more of the island without having to worry about transportation or planning every detail yourself, this is absolutely the tour to book!
Excellent way to skip the long wait for the cable car. Guides know the secret spots to make the most of this tour.
Our tour guides name I believe was Alex was amazing. Took us everywhere, but also adapted to what we needed as well. He was so knowledgeable and we learned so much. He was amazing and kind.
Extremely punctual and organized!!! Tour guide amazing willing to take pictures of everyone and he waited for us and gave us an amazing experience!!!
We were so glad we did this skip the line tour, as the cable car queue was extremely long. George, our guide was were knowledgeable, telling us all sorts of interesting facts about Santorini. We went to places we would not have seen if not for the tour. We explored many areas in our 5 hour time frame. Our driver was great on the busy narrow roads. Thanks to him and George for a fabulous day. Highly recommend.
The tour guide was great, knowledgeable, and very efficient. He had cold waters for us all and kept the group on schedule. The boat transfer was great and worth skipping the cable car line.
This was such a fun day! We got to experience all of the local culture, and learn a lot of the history. I definitely recommend the tender instead of the cable car or donkey. Our guide was great, and he gave us lots of neat info about the area. We loved Santorini!
Joanna and our driver were absolutely amazing! Our best tour in Greece!! Our whole family including our teenagers had a wonderful time. Would definitely recommend!
This was not quite what we expected. Instead of four hours as stated, our trip lasted 7 hours and we returned to our ship exhausted, hot and tired. Some in our group had only minutes to spare in making the last tender from their cruise ship. We had made plans for the afternoon that ended up being cancelled. We had the lunch as planned on a restaurant by the black sand beaches but did not sit down to dine until 2:30…way too late for almost everyone on our tour. It felt as though we’re herded like cattle from the beginning. Very large group put on 12 smaller buses after going to the 2nd port. Would have been nice to have a schedule. Tour guide had problems with her microphone. Driver was nice and accommodating to some who could not manage all the walking. Not my fave experience. Went way too long.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Dear Katherine,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are sorry to hear that the tour did not meet your expectations.
We would like to clarify that the duration of the tour itself is approximately 5 hours. We believe the overall 7-hour duration you mentioned likely includes not only the guided tour itself, but also the boat transfers between the cruise ship, the Old Port, and the tour starting point, as well as the cruise line's own tender operations. These transportation segments are not included in the advertised tour duration, as they are separate from the guided sightseeing experience. This ensures that our guests enjoy the full 5-hour guided tour.
Please also note that, as stated in the tour description, this experience involves walking and is not recommended for travelers with back problems, is not wheelchair accessible, and requires a moderate level of physical fitness. We always aim to provide clear information in advance so guests can choose the experience that best matches their needs and expectations.
Regarding the group size, while guests initially gather at the meeting point, they are then divided into smaller groups. Our maximum group size is 18 guests per guide and vehicle, allowing for a more comfortable experience throughout the tour.
We have also reviewed the timing for your tour. The excursion concluded at approximately 4:00 PM (Greek local time), while the cruise ships remained in port until around 7:00 PM that day. Based on our records, the tour finished well before the final tender departures.
That said, we are sorry to hear that the late lunch and the overall pace of the day left you feeling rushed and exhausted. We also appreciate your comments regarding the communication of the schedule.
Thank you as well for bringing the microphone issue to our attention. We will investigate this with our local team to better understand what happened and ensure the equipment is working properly for future tours. We appreciate you letting us know.
Thank you again for sharing your thoughts. Your feedback is valuable to us, and we will use it to continue improving the experience we provide to our guests.
Kind regards,
Natalia
Vexperio
Wow! What a beautiful trip to Santorini with this group! Yanni our tour guide was amazing! Knowledgeable, respectful, engaging and funny too! He kept us on track and we loved our driver! He was attentive and such a safe driver! Would do this tour again! We loved all the stops but our favorite was the collage with the black sand! Amazing!! Thank you Yanni and team! 🇬🇷❤️🇬🇷
Beautiful excursion. Well organized. Got to see all the major sites. Tour guide was very knowledgeable and helpful
A great tour with a wonderful guide. Yanni took us all the best places and gave us many local recommendations. His knowledge of Santorini was top notch!
You see many sites in Santorini on this tour. Victoria was our guide and did a great job explaining the history of the island and confirming the times when we would be picked up to go to the next destination of the tour. My group all said they enjoyed this tour very much!
Well organized tour with a knowledgeable and calm guide. Ana took us on village walks, a nice restaurant by the water and showed us many beautiful things. We loved the boat transfer which maximized our time in Santorini.
Great tour for cruise ship passengers! Our tour guide was friendly and very knowledgeable! Due to a closure at one of the ports for a few hours, we didn’t get enough time in Fyra. Just a note, The cable car people are a little rude, but don’t let that ruin your trip.
Our tour guide Johanna was fantastic. I will say getting off the ship and waiting to get in the boat to take us to the port was a little hectic. Lots of people waiting around. Once we got to our tour bus though it was great. We saw all the sites and even stopped at a beach club toward the end of the tour for lunch. Overall it was a good trip just a little hectic getting on the boat in the morning. We heard the cable car line in the afternoon was a 1.5 hour wait so it was definitely worth paying extra to skip the line.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Dear Tommy,
Thank you very much for taking the time to share your experience with us.
We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed the tour and that Johanna made your day special. We will be sure to pass along your kind words to her.
We completely understand your comments about the arrival process in the morning. The port can be quite busy when multiple cruise ships arrive, and the transfer from the ship to the port area can feel a little hectic. We appreciate your patience during this part of the experience.
Thank you again for joining us, and we hope to welcome you on another tour in the future.
Kind regards,
Natalia
The Vexperio Team
Spent the day with our guide Marquella & driver Dimitri.
Great day visiting Santorini - fun, informative visiting all the key spots around the Island whilst Marquella (a local) explained the Island ways.
Crazy amount of tourists but not the fault of anyone but Instagram!!
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