Santorini is Greece’s poster child. The southernmost island in the Cyclades, with its whitewashed houses tumbling down volcanic cliffs, is one of the most photographed places on earth.
In 2018, 439 cruise ships called at Santorini, making it one of the most popular stops on Eastern Mediterranean cruises. That popularity has only grown.
My verdict? Skip it. When I visited Santorini on an Adriatic cruise in early October, the crowds packed into narrow streets stripped the island of any magic it might have. Here’s why cruising to Santorini is the worst way to see this famous Greek island.
The Reality of Cruising to Santorini
Greece has introduced an 8,000-passenger daily cap for Santorini starting in 2026. This sounds like a lot, but on previous peak days that number hit 15,000. When I visited, four ships dropped anchor simultaneously, letting 10,000 passengers loose in Oia and Fira.
That’s not a typo. Ten thousand people, all following the same route, taking the same photos, crowding the same viewpoints.
You won’t see images like these in the island’s marketing material.
The Logistical Nightmare
Getting ashore is half the battle. Cruise ships anchor in the caldera and tender passengers to the old port at Thira. From there, a cable car takes you up to Fira on the rim.
Sounds simple enough? Here’s the problem: the cable car has a capacity of 1,200 people per hour (600 each direction). When 10,000 passengers are trying to get ashore … well, you can do the maths.
Fellow passengers reported waiting an hour and a half just to board the cable car. Some gave up and took the 587 steps up the steep cliffside in the morning heat, narrowly avoiding donkeys careering back down to collect more passengers. Not quite the Greek island experience you imagined.
The island’s appeal hasn’t gone unnoticed by Instagram either. Over 8 million posts are tagged with #santorini, with everyone chasing that perfect blue dome shot for their social media feeds. What you won’t see in those feeds are the masses of tourists you’ll be shoving past to get it.
What Santorini Does Have Going for It
I won’t pretend Santorini isn’t beautiful.
Picture whitewashed houses perched on the caldera’s edge, spilling down vertiginous cliffs. Blue-domed Orthodox churches punctuate the white townscapes, their cobalt merging with the azure sky and turquoise sea. White windmills stand watch over it all.
Oia (pronounced “ee-ah”) is what most people picture when they think of a Greek village. This is the tourist magnet, famous for spectacular sunsets and Aegean viewpoints. Cobblestoned lanes lined with blue and white buildings, the occasional dozing cat completing the postcard scene.
I didn’t experience sunset in Oia, but others reported crowd carnage. Visitors jostle for prime positions to capture that perfect golden-hour shot. Even in daytime, Oia and Fira felt like they were bursting at the seams.
What About the Archaeological Sites and Wine?
Santorini has more to offer than Instagram-worthy views. The island produces excellent wines from its indigenous Assyrtiko grape, and Akrotiri, a Bronze Age settlement buried in volcanic ash, gives fascinating insights into life 3,000 years ago.
But here’s the thing: you won’t have time to experience either properly on a cruise stop. These deserve proper visits, not rushed excursions squeezed between tender transfers and cable car queues.
If you’re genuinely interested in Santorini’s wine culture or archaeological history, they’re other reasons to stay on the island rather than cruise past it.
The Bottom Line: Stay Instead
I’m not saying don’t visit Santorini. Despite everything I’ve written, the island is spectacular. But its beauty is eclipsed by cruise ship crowds.
Staying on the island for a few nights is the only way to appreciate it. You can escape the day-trippers swarming Oia and Fira. You can experience the island as a destination, not a hashtag. You can visit early morning or late in the evening when the cruise passengers have gone.
Santorini deserves more than a frantic few hours sandwiched between cable car rides. Give it the time it deserves, or give it a miss.
I visited Santorini on a Greece & Adriatic cruise with MSC. You can read about other ports of call here:
- A War Walk in Dubrovnik: A Scarred Beauty
- Off the Beaten Path in Split, Croatia
- Exploring Diocletian’s Palace in Split, Croatia
- A Day in Urbino: A Renaissance Gem
About Bridget
Bridget Coleman has been a passionate traveller for more than 30 years. She has visited 70+ countries, most as a solo traveller.
Articles on this site reflect her first-hand experiences.
To get in touch, email her at hello@theflashpacker.net or follow her on social media.
Very interesting and well written!
Thanks Stephanie! It was beautiful but rammed!