Skip Sky Tram !!! Hassle-Free 5 Hour Tour for Cruise Passengers
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Santorini, Greece
- 5 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
What's Included
- Tender Disembarkation Spot Pickup & Drop-off
- Timely Return Guarantee
- Certified English Speaking guide
- Skip Sky Tram Access
- Modern A/C Transportation
- Small Group Tour
- Food and beverages
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup point
- Santorini Old HarborFira 847 00, Greece
Pickup details
We will pick you up at the Old Port, where your cruise ship tenders will drop you off. Please look for a 'JAT' sign near the entrance to the cable car station, by the two palm trees. There is no need to enter the station, as you will be skipping the sky trams entirely.
Itinerary
1
Athinios Port Santorini
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Firostefani
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Oia
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
4
Blue Domed Church Santorini
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
Megalochori - Traditional Village
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
6
Perivolos Beach
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
7
Fira
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 1 day of travel. In this case confirmation will be received as soon as possible, subject to availability
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Infants must sit on laps
- Most travelers can participate
- Please note that the sequence of the tour itinerary and the time spent at each location might be adjusted in response to variables like traffic conditions, crowd sizes, and unforeseen events. However, we will cover all the sites mentioned in the itinerary.
- 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
4.4
based on 289 reviews
matthew_c, Apr 2026
Great way to see the entire island. Driver was safe, Alex our guide was very good..
Lunch during the excursion was great on the black sand beach.
LilyNancy_F, Apr 2026
Charming scenic villages. So many pretty churches. Wish had more time in Oia less at beach since it was not warm enough
Brian_L, Mar 2026
If the weather is bad, you will not be skipping the cable car. The only bad thing about the tour was very poor communication when our travel was canceled for the boat. Then had to get in the back of the cable car line which was extremely long by that time.
Daniel_B, Mar 2026
A great way to see Santorini. The guide Victor was informative and great. His recommended lunch spot was amazing. He knew all the high spots around the island
John_M, Nov 2025
This was a great tour in larg part because we were able to skip the sky tram, which had a very long line waiting to go up. Because of weather we had to take the sky tram back down that day, but the tour was awesome, and took us to most of what we wanted to see that day. I would definitely recommend them!
Boris_B, Nov 2025
Awesome experience, Zeus was very knowledgeable and entertaining, great site seeing, highly recommend
Suzanne_E, Nov 2025
This was a terrible experience. We were given instructions to meet at the old port however the Ship tender drop us at the new port. From there we were advised to take the shuttle bus into the town to get the Cable Car down to the old port, but the cable car was closed, as was the path leading down to the old port. You can't get to the old port by taxi and after speaking on the phone to the excursion driver we were told they couldn't pick us up. Then we got a second phone call to saying they would pick us outside MacDonalds. We waited here for over half an hour in the pouring rain, but no one showed up. We were told we couldn't get a refund as we didn't follow their instructions, but we feel we did everything possible to get to their meeting point.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
We regret to hear that you missed our tour, which departs daily from the Old Port of Fira, in full accordance with the Meeting and Pickup Information section of this tour description. Let me address the concerns raised:
1. We are not responsible for MSC Magnifica’s operations, including tendering to the wrong port.
2. According to our knowledge, the ship also provides tenders to the Old Port; passengers simply need to confirm this with the crew before boarding a tender.
3. Even if you arrived at the wrong location, you should have contacted Viator or the operator’s emergency number immediately, instead of joining the shuttle to the top of the hill.
4. It was not a driver or guide but our Customer Care team who reached out to your number after you did not show up at the pickup location.
5. We did not make repeated calls; one call was sufficient to inform you that we do not offer pickup at McDonald’s, Starbucks, KFC, or any other familiar for you landmarks — only at the port.
6. Your refund request was respectfully declined in full accordance with Viator’s cancellation policy.
When booking your future activities, we strongly recommend following the simple pickup instructions communicated to your email, phone, and available on the website 24/7.
Safe travels.
Joan_D, Nov 2025
This tour is a great way to see Santorini’s highlights without the long wait for the tram from the port. When we visited, the mule/walking path was closed due to repairs, so we were happy with our choice of excursion. Our guide, Zeus, was excellent. His knowledge of Santorini was exceptional and his enthusiasm was contagious. We had so much fun exploring the towns, although we could have spent an entire week without seeing it all.
Kathryn_W, Nov 2025
Great day on the beautiful island of Santorini! We booked the 12:00 PM tour and are glad we did. Our ship docked at 9:00 AM but the tendering process off the ship took forever. We were the only ship in Santorini that day and when we arrived on shore, the line for the cable car was really long. We were very glad we booked the skip the cable car tour! Our guide, Victor, was on time and we quickly boarded another boat, which took us to a port, where we could get on a bus and be driven to the top of the cliffs. Freddy, our driver, did a great job maneuvering the hairpin turns to the top as Victor told us all about Santorini, the island on which he lives. He was very knowledgeable and had a nice sense of humor. We visited the beautiful blue dome churches and had free time in the town to walk around and enjoy a gelato! We also enjoyed lunch in a relaxing setting at the black sand beach. Unfortunately, due to rough currents, we were unable to take the boat back to the port and had to return to Fira and take the cable car down. The tour company paid for our cable car tickets and although it was not what we signed up for, I was happy that they were thinking safety first! The line for the cable car was long and we waited about 1 hour and 20 minutes to get on. Everyone in line was pleasant and made the best of it. We had a great day and Victor did a great job. I would highly recommend this tour!
Tracy_H, Nov 2025
This is the one stop on our cruise that I splurged for this tour. I didn't want to deal with the cable car to go up or to go down. So this was the priciest tour we took on our whole 14 day cruise. We are so glad we did! This was a super way to see lots of the island and do it stress free. We enjoyed all the stops. Our tour guide was Victor and he was a super delightful tour guide! He was so good to share with us all the knowledge he has about Santorini and Greece and it was so enlightening! If you have the opportunity to have him or request him, you should!
Nancy_N, Nov 2025
I enjoyed everything about this tour. As advertised we saved time by tendering to our bus and avoided a long lift line. There were plenty picture worthy moments and our guide was so knowledgeable and friendly.
Arthur_R, Nov 2025
It could be longer than the advertised 5 hours which most would not complain about but the 6 hours meant I missed out on another activity I was planning to do in Fira. However, Victor and Freddy the driver were excellent tour guides.
Chris_K, Nov 2025
So happy we chose this skip the cable car tour - other Cruisers waited over 2 hours to get down from cable car after their tour!! This alone made it worth every penny!! Zeus was a fantastic tour guide - very knowledgeable and his love of his home shined through! Visiting the little village Megalachori was a nice touch. Only negative is would have liked to spend more time exploring this beautiful city!! Guess we’ll have to come back!
Derek_H, Oct 2025
This was a very good way to see Santorini if you DO NOT want to take the cable car.
(Our only issue, which is nothing to do with the tour company, was our arrival time and getting off the cruise ship to meet the tour at 10am on the quayside at Thira. However we did make it - just!)
It was fantastic to get off from the cruise ship tender and simply hop on the tour boat, to be taken away from the area and potential crowds/queues for the cable car to the old port where an air conditioned, modern mini van was waiting for our group.
Our tour guide was Victor, with driver Christos. Victor was welcoming, friendly and knowledgeable/informative, obviously passionate about the island on which he lives.
The tour was at the perfect pace for us, never felt rushed, but we moved quickly. Saw everything we wanted and more including stunning views of the caldera, Oia, the blue domes, a black sand beach; much better than the tours offered by the cruise line.
A brilliant day in Santorini hosted by a well run company who seem to know what the customer wants!
gina_s, Oct 2025
Wonderful tour, felt like our guide was taking us on a personal tour of his hometown favorites. Beautiful ride around the island with history mixed with family stories. Perfect stops for views, blue domes and walking small villages. Highly recommend- away from the mass bus crowds for the same but better experience. High winds so we had to take the cable car-5min ride up, afraid of heights not an issue but several stairs to get on. Black sand beach is a unique sight, be sure to go.
Mark_H, Oct 2025
Taking the ferry around instead of the cable car was a good idea for us. Saw the whole island and even explored a cave. Alex was a terrific guide. He lives on the island and loves this place. It was a fun day we will always remember.
Jan_C, Oct 2025
The tour guide Victor was great and this review is no reflection on him.
We booked this tour based on skipping the tram line as advertised. Which on the way we did however for the trip home we were told that we would need to join the queue and waited over two hours due to the “weather” the tour operator gave us $10euro to catch the cable car but that’s it’s. When you pay for a service you expect that service. We understand that weather can be a safety issue but there should be a clause to advise you of this when booking as it is definitely not a cheap tour.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you for your feedback and your kind words about our guide and the tour. Please note that on October 24, PM, due to strong winds, Athinios Port was closed for all tenders— including those serving your cruise ship. As a result, the only way down to the Old Port for all passengers was via sky trams, which we fully covered on your behalf. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience, but we even called Poseidon and politely asked him to calm the winds and waves, but he must have been busy that day — so the sky tram became the only option available. It wasn’t our choice but a mandatory safety measure announced by the port authorities. The only alternative would have been a donkey taxi downhill, but since most travel insurance doesn’t cover that option, we figured the sky tram was the better (and safer!) bet. 😊 Safe travels and fair winds next time!
Paul_C, Oct 2025
We were able to skip the line for the tram to top of mountain which was very good since the tram was not working well for the return. Our tour guide was GREAT!
Steve_B, Oct 2025
This tour was a fantastic tour seeing such of the island! Great experience in Oia - and Mykonus and saw the Blue Domes and had a wonderful Greek lunch at a restaurant at the black sands beach
The only thing this tour does not include was going to Fira so keep that in mind - our tour guide was fantastic!!! Definitely would recommend this tour
Harold_T, Oct 2025
I purchased this tour solely to avoid the cable car at the port. The tour of Santorini was very good and the guide was great, but our transportation back to the port by boat was cancelled and we had to deal with a two hour wait to take the cable car to get back to our ship. The tour operator paid the cable car fee of 10 euros per person, but our experience was totally ruined by having to wait in line for hours for the cable car to get back to the port. The whole premise of this tour was to skip the cable car wait. We use Viator on many of our trips, but this time was a failure to deliver what was promised.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you for your feedback and your kind words about our guide and the tour. Please note that on October 24, PM, due to strong winds, Athinios Port was closed for all tenders— including those serving your cruise ship. As a result, the only way down to the Old Port for all passengers was via sky trams, which we fully covered on your behalf. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience, but we even called Poseidon and politely asked him to calm the winds and waves, but he must have been busy that day — so the sky tram became the only option available. It wasn’t our choice but a mandatory safety measure announced by the port authorities. The only alternative would have been a donkey taxi downhill, but since most travel insurance doesn’t cover that option, we figured the sky tram was the better (and safer!) bet. 😊 Safe travels and fair winds next time!
Ronnie_S, Oct 2025
Our tour guide, Zeus and our driver Taos, were amazing. We went all over Santorini. We didn’t need to take the cable car to start our tour, but high winds prevented us coming back with a boat to our starting point. The company was so gracious and gave us money for the cable car, to get back to the starting point. We got to see everything and even had time to get a bite of authentic Greek food at the beach very pleased with the company and most importantly our tour guide. We were the only ship at port, and the lines were long for the cable car, but at least we have time to go shopping before we had to embark on our next journey.
Sunny_P, Oct 2025
Our guide Victor was absolutely wonderful! He was warm, friendly, and genuinely welcoming, making everyone feel comfortable right from the start. He shared great background information about Santorini’s history and Greek culture, and it was clear that he truly loves his island — he seemed to know everyone we passed in the village!
Victor’s storytelling and local insights made the tour feel authentic and personal. The only small areas for improvement would be the lunch stop near the Black Beach, which felt like a bit of a tourist trap — overpriced and not very authentic — and we would have appreciated a bit more free time at each attraction rather than feeling slightly rushed. It would also be helpful if the tour offered an optional drop-off in the village, so guests wouldn’t have to pay an extra €10 per person to return to where we started.
Overall, Victor made our Santorini visit truly special, and we’d highly recommend him to anyone who wants a friendly, insightful, and memorable experience on the island!
Suzzanne_L, Oct 2025
I was unable to do the experience due to our ship having to go off course to rescue 62 passengers and Viator was incredible by still offering a refund. They were fantastic to deal with
Kathy_W, Oct 2025
Our guide was very entertaining and knowledgeable.. We covered the entire island. Xxxxx xxxxxx xxxxx
Mary_K, Oct 2025
Due to a power outage, the tour started late. Our guide Victor was very good and nice. Wish we had more time at the Beach.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you for your feedback and your kind words about our guide. We sincerely apologize, but please note that the ship’s tendering schedule is entirely under the cruise line’s control, not ours. In fact, we could have departed right on time as planned, but we chose to wait for you as a gesture of goodwill, we even ended up providing a longer total tour duration, while beach time was delivered exactly as promised in this tour itinerary. That’s why we were a bit surprised to see just three stars — but of course, ratings are your right, and we still appreciate your time and feedback. Safe travels and fair winds
Robert_S, Oct 2025
Santorini skip the cable car was nice and complete tour. Being on a cruise time is short but Victor our guide and Freddie our driver made it a memorable event. Victor the guide explained the history and the culture of the island with such passion. We had a great time.
Dennis_C, Oct 2025
Guide and driver were amazing. Those are some amazing sites and the roads are a story in themselves. Cave homes, black sand beach - who knew?
Kimberly_E, Oct 2025
We purposely booked this more expensive tour for the skip the tram aspect. I’m extremely afraid of heights so was worried about a steep tram or walking the stairs. Also have heard concerning stories of people missing their ship due to the long tram lines. We arrived to the tour meeting spot and told they would not be able to ferry us to the van due to rough seas and would have to take the tram up and down. No advanced warning (would have cancelled if we could) just told us to go on up. Scary experience for me. And end of tour they said they still couldn’t ferry us back even though seas were calm. Tram had multi hour wait, guide didn’t seem to care and said walk down the 600 steps (to a group who’s ages were 55-80 yrs old) We asked a young guard once we got there and he said he said the stairs were dangerous and would never attempt to walk down… Horrible experience, tour should have communicated this might be possible and had a contingency plan like tours I’ve booked in the past.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused by the strong winds in Santorini on October 7, 2025. It was only the second day of the entire 2025 cruise season when neither we nor the cruise ships were able to use Athinios Port, which remained completely closed throughout the day due to severe weather conditions.
Please allow us to address the concerns raised:
Celebrity Ascent experienced significant tendering delays due to the weather. Although we could have departed at 10:00 a.m. with guests who arrived on time, as a gesture of goodwill, we waited for everyone — including your party.
Our standard procedure is to pick up guests from the Old Port and transfer them by boat to Athinios, avoiding the use of the sky trams. On October 7, due to the port closure, we offered all guests either a full refund or the option to use the sky trams to access the island instead. You chose to proceed with the second option, and we also refunded the cost of your sky tram tickets.
For future bookings, please note that in cases of force majeure (such as adverse weather conditions), guests are always offered either an alternative option or a full refund — however, it is not possible to claim both.
We truly appreciate your understanding and wish you safe and pleasant travels ahead.
Karen_B, Oct 2025
Wonderful ride- driver was prompt and met us at baggage claim. Helped us with our bags and drove us to our hotel. Helped was very knowledgeable about the area and gave great suggestions for sights to see and place to have a bite of local foods. 11 out of 10!
Lisa_U, Oct 2025
Our guide, Zeus, was great: from welcoming us till the good byes we enjoyed, learned and were in awe of the views of this famous island. The commentary was sprinkled with fun facts, trivia, pictures of then and now. It was a GREAT day with thanks to Zeus and our driver
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