Dumb Question - Amalfi/Sorrento Timing

[roothy123]

I just looked at the itinerary for my cruise carefully. The ship is in Amalfi from 12 PM to 6 PM. It then leaves the same day and arrives Sorrento at 8 pm. It overnights there, so on the following day you have a whole day there until it leaves at 6 pm. 12 PM is midnight, right? It seems like a long way to go from Livorno to get to Amalfi in 6 hours, but what do I know?! I was thinking there wasn't much time in this area, but it looks like we have a whole day anchored off Amalfi and a whole day anchored off Sorrento (or is there a dock?) Does that sound right? From where you're docked or tendered in Amalfi and Sorrento, is there much around to explore? Is it easy to get into "town"? Thanks for (hopefully) answering a dumb question about the time....

[LHT28]

12 PM is midnight, right? ...

12 pm is noon

[hybrn8]

Just did this in reverse and here is what we discovered:

1) Oceania gives preference to their package tour folks so make it known as soon as you get aboard that you EXPECT to be allowed off on first tender or you will be made to wait til all their overpriced groups go.
2) Amalfi - if you are interested in seeing pretty little Ravello, get in a cab and go up there first. Then, cab it back down for a look around.
3) Sorrento - four in our group did this: two got on first tender and went to Capri on their own on a hydrofoil which departed adjacent to our tender (had to buy tickets first but that was 100 yards or so to get there); a third went on their tour to Pompeii; and I went up to town in the shuttle provided by the ship. Later that day, we hired a mini-van for the drive to Positano where we spent a couple hours before meeting our driver. He dropped us off in Sorrento where we strolled in old part of city for a couple hours. To return to the ship we were obliged to take a taxi which cost a ridiculous 15 Euro for a10 minute (max) ride. Oceania had not told us which city bus went to the dock nor where to catch it - and we were too tired by then to wander aimlessly.

The costs of above: Cab to Ravello was 25 Euro each way (split by 4) and cab to Positano was 70 Euro each way (split by 4 as well).

In case you can't tell, we were veryyyyyy disappointed with Oceania and the way they treated independent travellers. We were discouraged from doing simple things and, had we not been assertive, would have wasted hours waiting for tenders. They provided zero information which would have been useful for pre-planning so we were forced to react to events as they unfolded. Not the worst thing, but a waste of energy!

Hope this helps! By the way, this was my first and my last Oceania cruise. It is much too big and way too impressed with itself. I felt like I had some corporate hand in my pocket from the get-go. HOWEVER, the cabin and dining room staff were superb.

[xplrcrzn]

Sorrento is the jumping-off point to visit the ruins of Pompeii--not to be missed!!

[roothy123]

Well, I'm the type of person who leaves nothing to chance, am cheap, and actually LOVE researching "on your own" before hand, so I've been hitting the internet to find out about buses, Circumventsia (sp?) train, etc. It has been difficult, especially since I don't speak Italian, but I'm getting there. I can't blame Oceania for having limited information about the ports, local buses, etc. That stuff changes quickly, and besides, with only 684 passengers (or whatever), they are looking to make money on their tours, not get 1500 people off the ship as quickly as possible, so I'm not upset with them giving preference to the tours or not providing detailed independent traveler information. Also, with the Euro what it is, I suppose nothing in cheap in Europe right now.

Anyway, thanks for the information. I can't decide between all the choices - but in Ravello, hybryn8, were you able to see much by taking a cab there? I want to see Villa Rudolfo, but was wondering just how big the town is, and what I can see if I simply take a taxi or bus there. Since I apparently have 12 - 6 in Amalfi and a day in Sorrento, I think I'll go to Pompeii for starters, but can't decide on the other places - did anyone have a favorite among Positano, Capri, Ravello, Sorrento, and Amalfi?

[LHT28]

Just did this in reverse and here is what we discovered:

1) Oceania gives preference to their package tour folks
.

All cruiselines I have been on will give the ship's tours the first tenders....when the tours are off then they open tendering to the rest of the pax.

Wow I can see it now ...200 ugly people at the gangway demanding to be the first off!!! :eek:

[xplrcrzn]

roothy123-You say you are "cheap" so you understand that time is money. Is all this research, worrying and running around (especially since you don't speak Italian) worth it when you can take a well-organized, fairly-priced ship's tour of all these areas you may never see again? Sure, the ship is trying to make a buck--it's a business after all--but you should also be thinking about the best way to make the most of your time in these very interesting ports!!

[roothy123]

Well, you're right - time is money. However, I love doing the researching, so it's basically recreation for me. I also love the feeling of independence I get from "doing it on my own." However, I DO have to admit that there have been a few (rare) times when it may have been more worthwhile overall to just jump on the bus....

[hybrn8]

The little town of Ravello deserves a couple hours.....the Villa Rufalo is right by the taxi stand....wander the gardens, check out the church, get lost in the little streets and then cab it back down.
As far as getting to Pompeii goes, there were others on the cruise who took the train after taking a cab to train station. They said it was easy.
Now, I am perhaps a bit different from most travellers - I was born and raised in an expat family and my husband and I were expats. I am well and truely accustomed to getting from point A to point B without much, if any, assistance. I know my casual approach to travel is a bit daunting for those less experienced.
That said, Oceania - which my sister-in-law and I would give at most a 6.5 on a scale of 1 to 10 - could have and should have provided better info. I have never been on a ship this large (WindStar, Cruise West, Royal Viking, Monet - you get the picture) but every other one I have been on has had an onboard speaker who gave good, practical info as we went along. Things like where to catch a bus and what its route # are should not change much, if at all. Anyway, there are devotees of this type cruise and I now know I am NOT one of them.
Frankly, we liked Positano better than Amalfi but everywhere we went was literally swarming with humankind so it takes a bit of effort to remove oneself from the hordes and try to get a feel for what the area really has to offer. Here is where the small ships are the best: they go where the monsters can't.
Finally, the grumbling over the overpriced trips escalated as the days passed and passengers saw they were paying a multiple of what it would cost to go it alone. Consequently, cancellations of excursions appeared on a regular basis which, I am sure, disappointed those who wanted to take a particular trip. I felt Oceania should have sucked it up and found a private car and driver for those folks and just smiled.

[conan]

You might want to look at SeeSorrento dot com, benvenutolimos dot com, positano limo or sorrento limo if you're looking for alternatives to Oceania's excursions. Do a thread search of this site as well. There are several cool cruisers who have had a variety of good experiences with these tour ops. I've read several reliable sources that you need to spend at least 3 hours in Pompeii to do it justice. Not having been there yet I can't verify that now. I will when I get back from our Istanbul-Venice cruise in October.
Ciao for now
Conan

[hybrn8]

Last word on the subject: We paid 115Euro (or $145) to be driven from port of Rome to our hotel in the city. Oceania wanted $400 for same service. The cruise lines are in business to make money, of course. But, they are also (or should be) in the service business and price-gouging is not a good way to deliver good service. A slight mark-up for their efforts is appropriate - not more than double. And we believed that the service Oceania provided (outside of the rooms and the restaurants) was poor and geared soley for the bottom line.

[Jackfla]

We were on the May 29th Athens to Rome Cruise;
I would take a private drive to Positano, it is the best scenery and dont want to miss. We paid 200E for six hours and the driver took us to a great lunch above Positano then we toured the town and walked and shopped. Ravella is not worth the visit in my opinion. Amalfi is cute and easy to do on your own.

I would do your homework, do most excursions on your own, look at these boards for good drivers. I will try to find the service we used.

Oceania is a great experience but we preferred to do things on our own without the group. We did take the bus to Florence.

[BeBeReader]

We stayed for a week in the Amalfi/Positano area. It is truly paradise - spectacularly beautiful. Amalfi is a charming little town and you can walk through it and see the beautiful church and stores. Positano is very near to Amalfi. I would take a taxi (quite expensive) or a public bus from Amalfi to Positano - maybe 15 or 20 minutes away at most. That way you start the walk in Positano at the top and walk your way down to the water, walking down the winding streets, stopping in the little stores, etc. When you reach the water, you can board a water taxi back to Amalfi.

Ravello is also quite lovely. It is not on the water, however. I recall wine tasting. If you have only 5 or 6 hours, see Amalfi and Positano rather than spend a lot of time going to Ravello. I recall that in that area they drink capuccino only in the morning -- not at night. The area is known for its fabulous lemons and lemon dishes.

Sophia Loren has a villa near there, etc., etc. Paradise, as I say. But hot in the summer.

[BeBeReader]

Sorry I forgot to write about the driving. Drive in the Amalfi area only if you are an expert at narrow mountain rounds and steep drops. The parking situation is not easy -- very tight. I would not rent a car but rather rely on others who know how to drive in that area to take you - bus or taxi.

[Jackfla]

We were on the May 29th Athens-Rome trip.

In Sorrento we used Fabrizio of Amalfi Drive, website is www.amalfi-drive.co

He gave us an extensive tour of Positano and pointed out some great restaurants that we enjoyed. He is a safe driver and does not talk your head off as some limo drivers do.

[chriswat]

Many thanks for this information on Amalfi/Positano - we are joining the Regatta in October and this is just the info we need.We stayed for a week in the Amalfi/Positano area. It is truly paradise - spectacularly beautiful. Amalfi is a charming little town and you can walk through it and see the beautiful church and stores. Positano is very near to Amalfi. I would take a taxi (quite expensive) or a public bus from Amalfi to Positano - maybe 15 or 20 minutes away at most. That way you start the walk in Positano at the top and walk your way down to the water, walking down the winding streets, stopping in the little stores, etc. When you reach the water, you can board a water taxi back to Amalfi.

Ravello is also quite lovely. It is not on the water, however. I recall wine tasting. If you have only 5 or 6 hours, see Amalfi and Positano rather than spend a lot of time going to Ravello. I recall that in that area they drink capuccino only in the morning -- not at night. The area is known for its fabulous lemons and lemon dishes.

Sophia Loren has a villa near there, etc., etc. Paradise, as I say. But hot in the summer.

[suepaul]

We are doing the same cruise in September. Any e-mail addresses for tours would be appreciated

[OBX Cruisers]

If you will be on the October 6 Regatta Barcelona to Venice, come meet everyone on the Roll Call -
http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=245222