SKIP CABLE CAR® Santorini for Cruise Ships with Boat Transfers
Recommended by 96% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Santorini, Greece
+19
- 5 hours (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Why travelers loved this
·
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
Santorini has so much to see that it can be tough to know how to fit it all in on a short cruise ship shore excursion. Avoid the stress, crowds, and cable car chaos on this group tour designed for cruise passengers. Get picked up by a boat directly from port and ferried to the island shore, ready to explore postcard-perfect Oia, the famous blue-dome viewpoint, the peaceful village of Megalochori, and the black-sand beach of Perivolos.
- Check off Santorini’s most popular spots in just a few hours
- Boat transfers—no stairs, no waiting, no cable car
- Visit Oia, Megalochori, Perivolos Beach, and the blue-dome viewpoint
- Stress-free tour built for cruise timing and comfort
What's Included
- Transfers by boat to bypass the Cable Car
- Port pickup and drop-off
- Professional local English-speaking tour guide
- Modern, comfortable, air-conditioned minibus
- Small group limited to 18 participants
- Guaranteed return to ship on time
- Full refund if your ship cannot dock
- Bottled water1 complimentary bottle of water per person
- Gratuities (Recommend 10% for guides, and 5% for bus drivers)
- Food and Beverages
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Santo Star Travel - Old Port of FiraAegean Sea, Santorini 847 00, Greece
After disembarking from the tender, please wait at the tender drop-off point and do not enter the cable car. Look for our team holding ‘VEXPERIO’ signs. If you are late, please contact us. 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
Picturesque Blue Dome Santorini (Pass By)
4
Megalochori - Traditional Village
30 minutes • 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 9 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
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- 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 adjusted to your ship’s docking schedule to minimize waiting and accommodate possible disembarkation delays. You’ll receive the final meeting time in the Meeting Instructions about one week before the 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
Supplied by
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 646 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Wayne_L, Sep 2026
Do not use viator for travel excursions. They will not stand behind you if things don’t go right. You are on your own and will have to deal with the service provider they’ve arranged - with no support.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Dear Wayne,
We are sorry to read about your frustration. Vexperio is the local tour operator, while Viator is the booking platform through which the reservation may have been made.
We have checked our recent records but could not identify a Santorini booking under the name shown here, and the review does not include details about what happened during the tour or which support was needed.
We would genuinely like to understand the situation and help where possible. Please contact us through your Viator booking and provide your tour date, booking reference and a brief description of the issue so that we can investigate properly.
Kind regards,
The Vexperio Team
LISA_M, Sep 2026
Yanni was our tour guide and he was AMAZING!!! He kept it very interesting and we learned a lot! I would highly recommend him! Such a gorgeous place!!! I’ve never seen a more beautiful place!
Elisabeth_L, Sep 2026
Amazing experience! Saw so much and learned a lot of our awesome tour guide Yianni! Would absolutely do this again.
Katherine_H, Sep 2026
Victor was an excellent guide, very knowledgeable, the group was small and the sites visited very interesting.
Felicia_B, Sep 2026
The tour was fantastic! The line for the cable cars was SO crowded, and it was a true pleasure to get on a boat that took us to another part of the island where we could climb on a bus and go to the top of the cliff. The views from on top was stunning. Our guide, Yanni, was great at providing history and background information. He was so much fun! I highly recommend this tour.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Dear Felicia,
Thank you so much! We’re thrilled you enjoyed the tour and the beautiful views. Yanni will be so happy to hear your kind words - he’ll definitely appreciate the shoutout! 😊 It was a pleasure having you with us!
Warm regards,
Magdalena
Vexperio
Cyndee_P, Sep 2026
The tour guide, Eliza, was excellent. She provided great historical view of Santorini interspersed with today’s current reality.
Elizabeth_D, Sep 2026
Get ro see a number of sites across Santorini. Victor, our guide, was great, very entertaining. Long day tho.
Robert_M, Sep 2026
Alex showed us his love for Santorini and showed us everything he could in one day. We enjoyed exploring his favorite hidden spaces.
Angela_G, Aug 2026
This is a great excursion for cruisers with limited time in Santorini. Spiros was our driver who did a wonderful job. Eliza was our guide who was very informative and provided good information at all of the stops. Even though we were only there for the cruise day in port, we felt like we got a good over Santorini.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Dear Angela,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share this! ❤️ We’re really happy to hear that Spiros and Eliza made your day in Santorini so enjoyable. We know cruise days can feel rushed, so it means a lot to hear that you felt you got a great taste of the island despite the limited time. We hope to see you back in Santorini someday, with a little more time to explore!
Warm regards,
Magdalena
Vexperio
Darly_J, Aug 2026
We were a large group and had an absolutely wonderful day in Santorini. After taking the tender to Santorini, we were met at the port then got on a boat to the other side where we boarded our AC Van. Gina was absolutely wonderful, witty, knowledgeable and kept it very interesting. We visited the entire island and I can't recommend this tour enough
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Dear Darly,
We’re absolutely delighted to hear that you and your group had such a wonderful day exploring Santorini. It sounds like you made the most of your time on the island, and we’re especially happy to hear that Gina made the experience fun, interesting, and memorable with her knowledge and sense of humor. It was a pleasure having you all with us, and we truly appreciate your recommendation!
Warm regards,
Magdalena
Vexperio
Grace_R, Aug 2026
We had a wonderful day in Santorini. After taking the tender from the Sun Princess to Santorini, Vexperio met all parties at the port to assign our groups then took us all on one boat to the other side where we boarded our van. We had Alex as both our driver and guide, and he was wonderful. He wasted no time getting us loaded and moving quickly to get ahead of the crowds at each stop. He was very knowledgeable and informative about the island and also volunteered to take our group pictures at the best spots. At the last stop at Perivolos Beach, Alex recommended a restaurant that served great seafood dishes. Just be aware, this is a very busy area due to many resorts. Alex made sure he left us enough time to explore the different areas but was also very mindful of time as well as picking us up in spots to minimize our time walking up hills in the heat. Even though we didn't make it to Fira by cable car, Alex really made our day in Santorini special.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Dear Grace,
Thank you so much for your sweet review!
We’re delighted to hear that Alex made your Santorini day so special. It was a pleasure having you with us, and we hope to welcome you back to Greece again soon! 💙
Warm regards,
Magdalena
Vexperio
Frank_C, Aug 2026
Nice tour that takes all around the island. Wonderful food, beaches and sights. Would highly recommend
Joan_D, Aug 2026
Alex was a great guide. We explored most of the iisland and he took us to some great spots for pictures. Thoroughly enjoyed the day.
Laurel_L, Aug 2026
If visiting Santorini from a cruise ship, you definitely need to find a tour that allows you to skip the cable car and guarantees you a return to the ship on time. Fellow passengers that had to use it waited in 2+ hour lines in the summer heat and the cruise ship finally had to rescue passengers at the end by taking them on a bus to get out instead. I've heard so much about Santorini but I was disappointed in this tour mainly because of the heat and crowds. The guide was able to show us a few spots off the beaten path with good views for pictures and warned us about trying to get the prime picture everyone takes because the line was 30 min+ long. The air-conditioned bus took us all over the small island and the views were amazing so I'd recommend the trip for a way to quickly see things.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Dear Laurel,
Thank you for sharing your experience with us! We’re really glad to hear that you enjoyed the beautiful views, the air-conditioned bus, and especially the quieter spots our guide showed you. It’s also great to know that you were able to see so much of the island without having to worry about getting back to your ship on time.
We noticed you rated us 3 stars, and from your review it sounds like the crowds and summer heat were a big part of what affected your experience. Unfortunately, these are things we simply cannot control, especially during the busy cruise season. We do our best to avoid the busiest places when possible and show our guests some of the less crowded spots.
If there was anything about our tour or service that you feel could have been better, we’d genuinely love to hear from you. We’re always looking for ways to improve and really appreciate honest feedback from our guests.
Warm regards,
Magdalena
Vexperio
Cleaner_O, Aug 2026
The tour guide was absolutely fantastic, knowledgeable, kind, accommodating, and genuinely made the experience special. This was our first time visiting Santorini, and we absolutely loved it!
The tour was a perfect way to see the main must-see sights and highlights of Santorini, and we never felt rushed. Our guide made sure we were comfortable, informed, and able to truly enjoy every stop along the way.
If it’s your first time in Santorini, 10/10 highly recommend this tour! An unforgettable experience on a beautiful island.
MissDM_P, Aug 2026
100% get the tenders and skip the queues for the cable cars. Our guide was brilliant and we had plenty of time to explore the different areas around Santorini.
Alex_S, Aug 2026
Good day exploring Santorini by air conditioned bus in party of 21. Bus driver Mr Angel was professional. Ana our tour guide was superb and very engaging and knowledgeable. If you could wave a magic wand, it would have been good for lunch to be included for the price. A pleasant day.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Dear Alex,
Thank you very much for your kind review! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed your day in Santorini and that Mr. Angel and Ana made your experience special. We’ll be happy to share your lovely comments with them.
Regarding lunch, it is not included as we prefer to give our guests the freedom to choose. Some may wish to eat at Black Beach, while others prefer to swim, take a walk, enjoy the beach, stay longer on the island for dinner and sunset, or have a reservation on their ship.
We believe this free time allows everyone to enjoy Santorini in their own way. Thank you again for your feedback, and we hope to welcome you back soon!
Warm regards,
Magdalena
Vexperio
Joanne_C, Aug 2026
This was a fantastic tour! It’s quick lap around the island getting a brief taste of what it has to offer. Our tour guide Victor was in his element informing us of everything Santorini!! There was some free time at the end to choose somewhere to eat which was a lovely way to end the day.
Angela_N, Aug 2026
Victor our guide ensured we enjoyed it, instructions were clear, where to link up again with the group, what time etc.
Very knowledgable and personable.
Kept his cool when clients that should have been on a later trip refused to get off the boat delaying everyones departure. We were sure they would cut the tour time to compensate but that was not the case. Well done team Vexeperia
Peter_G, Aug 2026
This was an amazing Tour! Our tour guide Lisa was extremely nice, very informative, very professional . We had an amazing time with them. Highly Highly recommend We enjoyed Santorini with this Tour and definitely will do it again with them and hopefully with Lisa
Darleen_B, Aug 2026
Yanni was great. Informative knowledgable and funny. Great excusion. Ending at the beach and swimming in the mediterranean sea was awesome
Shannon_H, Aug 2026
Great tour guide. Kept us ahead of the crowds. Nice van. Allowed us to stay longer at the beach. Highly recommend
Lynne_L, Aug 2026
Excursion run very professionally. It was easy to meet the leader and they made it exactly clear what we would be doing. They kept us on time and were very friendly.
Diana_M, Aug 2026
We booked the shared transfer with private tour option. We accidentally went to the wrong meeting place and were quickly picked up by our driver/guide without issue. Our guide took us all around the island and was accommodating to our requests and preferences. He also took us to a local restaurant and recommended some local delicacies. We had a wonderful day and could not recommend this tour more.
Jennifer_M, Aug 2026
Five hours was just enough time to see some of the most beautiful sights in Greece.
Our tour guide was so knowledgeable and so friendly and so nice to spend time with and learn from and your driver was amazing navigating those winding narrow streets
Arlene_F, Aug 2026
Let me just tell you that when we arrived to the busses, we were told we had to check in/!The lady that met us there was very rude. Supposedly we had to check in. She was actually yelling at us! There were many people that had the same issue with tickets purchased through Viator. So she proceeded to yell at us. People were looking at there phones to see if it said anything about checking in and a number to a bus. She says "don't look at your phone! It is not there!" Yelling at us and making "your customers very uncomfortable and stupid! You best believe that it will be known through all travel sites about this. I have never experienced this before with Viator. It was humiliating.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Dear Arlene,
We take complaints of disrespectful behaviour seriously and therefore reviewed this incident carefully with the team members present.
That day, we welcomed 258 guests who needed to be checked against the booking lists and directed to the correct buses. Asking for each guest’s name was a routine and necessary part of managing this large port operation, as Viator tickets do not display individual bus assignments.
Our team’s account differs significantly from the description in your review. They reported that the interaction became confrontational when you raised your voice while they were trying to verify your booking and assist you. No other guest or team member reported our staff yelling at or behaving inappropriately toward customers that day.
We accept that you may remember the interaction differently. However, based on our investigation, we found nothing to support the claim that our team shouted at or humiliated you, and we remain confident that they acted professionally throughout the check-in process.
Kind regards,
Vexperio Team
Joseph_M, Aug 2026
Had a great day enjoying everything Santorini had to offer and didn't have to worry about getting to the top of the cliff.
CaniseBean, Aug 2026
Learned so much about the island and the people living there. Also we covered so many sites and variety in neighborhoods. Highly recommend!
Marlene_M, Aug 2026
The tour company was easy to find at the port. Our ferry ride was pleasant and took us directly to a well appointed and comfortable passenger van. The tour guide was informative and had the right balance of talking and allowing us to experience the tour independently it was well paced and gave us a good variety of experiences. I would highly recommend this tour. Joanna was amazing!
Thomas_R, Aug 2026
Yianni is an entertaining & knowledgeable tour guide, who enjoys showing off his wonderful home of Santorini.
We had much fun, and particularly enjoyed his knowledge of viticulture!
Likely to Sell Out
From $58.08
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Likely to Sell Out
SKIP CABLE CAR® Santorini for Cruise Ships with Boat Transfers
643
5 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$58.08
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
Explore Similar Things to Do
Attractions in Santorini, Greece
- Port of Santorini (Athinios Port) Tours & Tickets
- White Beach Tours & Tickets
- Perissa Beach Tours & Tickets
- Thirasia (Therasia) Tours & Tickets
- Red Beach Tours & Tickets
- Pyrgos Tours & Tickets
- Amoudi Bay Tours & Tickets
- Perivolos Beach Tours & Tickets
- Kamari Beach Tours & Tickets
- Akrotiri Tours & Tickets
- Fira Tours & Tickets
- Skaros Rock Tours & Tickets
- Santorini Volcano Tours & Tickets
- Monastery of Profitis Ilias (Moni Profitou Iliou) Tours & Tickets
- Ancient Thera Tours & Tickets
- Fira–Oia Hike Tours & Tickets
- Santorini Hot Springs Tours & Tickets
- Oia Tours & Tickets