Ship Excursion To Pompei

Thomson are advertising a 7.5 hour excursion to Pompei and Mount Vesuvius. Has anyone done this tour ? Is it very active ?

Lunch is not included, and so was wondering is there free time to eat ?

Your experience of the above would be gratefully received,,,,, :)

I never DIY my trips, I'm way to chicken of being left behind by the ship ''cluck cluck'' :o

It is a great excursion and yes ,very active.The coach takes you to within a few hundred metres of the top of Versuvius and the rest of the walk is pretty strenuous.You do need decent footwear,we saw someone doing it in high heels..not a good look! Pompei is superb but it can get very hot,you need a hat and drinking water.Our guide took us to a Pizza restaurant in the Market area just outside Pompei which happened to be owned by her family! Quite expensive,I'd have sooner had another hour in Pompei and had a meal back on the ship.

Mark.

If there is just a excursion to Pompeii you must do it - fabulous experience.

Vesuvius not sure about it - when we did it years ago it was certainly a very strenuous walk and very disappointing when we reached the summit - ok the views are great but the crater looks just what it is - a hole in the ground - not a whiff of smoke and not at all impressive.

But you must do Pompeii.

Many thanks too you both for your info. Thanks also for the pizza 'tip off' ... will take plenty of cash !!!! ;)

We have been to both places on separate cruises. Both on the same day seems hard going. Pompeii is impressive but was jam packed with tourists and extremely hot when we were there. Wilting after a while and a sun hat and water are essential. More experienced cruisers say that Herculaneum is a far superior site.

As regards Vesuvius the coach takes you up a winding road and stops well short of the top. It is quite a hard walk to the summit on very loose lava gravel and good walking shoes / trainers are required otherwise your feet will be covered in dust. Do not fall for the old trick of locals offering you a walking stick as they charge you for the use at the top ! Several were abandoned before the top to save being charged. The views of the Bay of Naples are excellent and there are the usual tourist kiosks and refreshments at the top. Despite the steep road to the top several Fiat Panda 4x4s were seen ferrying goods to the top. The actual caldera is quite deep but as it is mostly covered in grass and small trees it does not look like a volcano. However worth going as a half day excursion.

Thank you Sally,,,, and for walking stick tip .......... theirs always someone after your money isn't their ? :(

Appreciate your advice and info. :)

We loved the double trip. Our guide recommended the food outlet at Pompeii. ( he was onto a freebie) we took a few bits with us from breakfast and ate outside. I used the sticks. A boy was asking for a tip. I gave him a euro as the sticks were brilliant. He then gave me a lovely piece of rock he had collected. So sweet. BTW make sure you have your inhaler even if you are only slightly inclined to need one as the air is thin and I really panicked. Take a jacket , it was really blowy at the top.

Thank you Auntiebones ,,,, having read a little more on Tripadvisor, I think I will need that hiking stick (probably two) :o ......... Thanks for info :)