Naples - Pompeii & Mt Vesuvius Excursion

We (DH and I) have narrowed down our options for our day in Naples and are leaning toward going to Pompeii and walking up Mt. Vesuvius. We would like some suggestions on private tour companies that others have used and can recommend. At this time we are opting to not book with the cruise line (NCL) as their tour will likely include a stop at a cameo factory, and we would prefer to spend our time sight seeing.

Thank you for your suggestions.

Just a little reading down the board finds many recommendations, including a very large thread for Rome in Limo, the wonderful company which also, despite it's name, operates in Naples.

We used Share A Shore Excursion dot com while in Italy and was very pleased. They also cost less than the ship excursions and we were not herded like cattle....groups are normally less than 16 people. Check your roll call as others may have already organized a group that you can join. Enjoy!

I have looked at Rome in Limo and a few other companies, but am really hoping to find someones suggestions for this particular combo of Pompeii including Mt. Vesuvius. I am on here a few times a week and have done a lot of research, but am just hoping for something I have missed, or that just suites what we are looking for.

We are many, many months away from our cruise, so our roll call is.... very slow.....I am waiting for it to pick up;)

I am sure I will be given some great info over the next few months.

Thanks again.

There are several companies to consider.

Look down the boards and you will find writeup on many of them such as Rome in Limo and Joe Banana Limousine.

Go to their web sites. Read about their tours and pricing and then correspond with them.

Also read trip advisor.

This is what we did and continue to do when looking for new tours and evaluating any tour companies we have not previously used and find it works out well for us.

Keith

There are several companies to consider.

 

Look down the boards and you will find writeup on many of them such as Rome in Limo and Joe Banana Limousine.

 

Go to their web sites. Read about their tours and pricing and then correspond with them.

 

Also read trip advisor.

 

This is what we did and continue to do when looking for new tours and evaluating any tour companies we have not previously used and find it works out well for us.

 

Keith

Thank you for your suggestions. I think at this point I have done so much reading and research that I am looking for a few reviews of more recently taken excursions to the same places. I have 11 months to go so I still have lots of time to plan it all out. ;) I will take a look at Trip Advisor and read up on a few of the companies I am considering.

Posted wrong spot, Sorry.

We used Rome-in-limo for a tour to Mt. Vesuvius, Sorrento and Pompeii. They were great. I will say that if I had it to do over again, I would opt out of Mt. Vesuvius. I found it to be disappointing. I would rather have had the extra time in Pompeii.

Have you considered a diy tour.

Tram from port to the Circumvesuviano station. Train to Pompeii Scavi station - visit Pompeii. Then local bus for the shortish ride to the car park which is the start of the crater hike to the rim (small fee) about a 90 min hike - less if you are in good shape.

It's not clear to me if you are looking for transportation, or for a "tour". The distinction I'm making here is basically whether you want a guide to take you through the ruins and another to walk up to the edge of the crater with you along with transportation, vs. simply an efficient way to get from Naples to Pompei to Vesuvio and back.

The car service companies that cater to the cruise business are, I think, overkill for the day you are outlining. If you arrange basic transport rather than a RIL-type "tour" you can save a lot of money but you give up the entertainment aspects (jovial, talkative, English speaking drivers) of this type of tour.

By the way, just a quick couple of comments on the response above (#9). By bus it's an hour from Pompei to the parking lot at the base of the crater (the Grand Cone) walk, by car maybe 40 - 45 minutes. The fee to walk up to the Grand Cone is 10 Euro and most people can do it in less than 90 minutes. The total distance is one mile; granted it is steep and the walking surface is loose pebbles making it slow going, but unless you spend an inordinate amount of time at the top photographing I don't think you need more than an hour.

Just returned last week from a Viking Grand Mediterranean Cruise. It was terrific! However, the free shore excursions were not great. So I was thrilled that one of my traveling companions had arranged private tours in Florence, Pisa and Rome with RomeinLimo.

Vinny drove us and toured with us in Florence and Pisa. He could not have been more knowledgeable or helpful--and funny too. He gave us ample time for pictures and helped us find a lovely little place for lunch--then joined us. Since none of us were big on shopping, we did very little of that, although he was willing. A lovely man.

The highlight, though, was Rome. Enrico and Giovanni drove us there from our ship in a deluxe Mercedes van--wonderfully comfortable and easy to look out windows. The gave us an excellent, knowledgeable introduction to Rome and what we were going to see. Both very intelligent and kind. At the Vatican they introduced us to Massimo, who was the best guide we could have hoped for! He gave us a tutorial on the Vatican and St. Peter's Basilica and used an iPad to show us how to view Michelangelo's ceiling at the Sistine Chapel. Honestly, I have studied art history, but his lectures gave me a whole new way to look and study. I got so much out of this tour, and I will never forget it.

Then it was on to the Roman Coliseum and the Forum with Sarah. She was a brilliant young women, a historian, who in an interesting, easy to follow fashion, gave us dates, times and events to look for. She also helped us get through the horrible lines quickly. (We had advance tickets, of course) I was so impressed with her specific knowledge of what we saw. There were no questions, however irrelevant, she would not answer.

Looking back on our Florence/Rome adventure, I am so grateful we had the wonderful guides from RomeinLimo! And, best of all, they did not "break the bank!"

Anyone who is lucky enough to have a tour with RomeinLimo will not be disappointed!

It's not clear to me if you are looking for transportation, or for a "tour". The distinction I'm making here is basically whether you want a guide to take you through the ruins and another to walk up to the edge of the crater with you along with transportation, vs. simply an efficient way to get from Naples to Pompei to Vesuvio and back.

 

The car service companies that cater to the cruise business are, I think, overkill for the day you are outlining. If you arrange basic transport rather than a RIL-type "tour" you can save a lot of money but you give up the entertainment aspects (jovial, talkative, English speaking drivers) of this type of tour.

 

By the way, just a quick couple of comments on the response above (#9). By bus it's an hour from Pompei to the parking lot at the base of the crater (the Grand Cone) walk, by car maybe 40 - 45 minutes. The fee to walk up to the Grand Cone is 10 Euro and most people can do it in less than 90 minutes. The total distance is one mile; granted it is steep and the walking surface is loose pebbles making it slow going, but unless you spend an inordinate amount of time at the top photographing I don't think you need more than an hour.

We are looking for a guided tour of Pompeii and then transport to Mt. Vesuvius. My DH is determined to go up Mt. Vesuvius......he loves to hike and loves his camera.

Just returned last week from a Viking Grand Mediterranean Cruise. It was terrific! However, the free shore excursions were not great. So I was thrilled that one of my traveling companions had arranged private tours in Florence, Pisa and Rome with RomeinLimo.

 

Vinny drove us and toured with us in Florence and Pisa. He could not have been more knowledgeable or helpful--and funny too. He gave us ample time for pictures and helped us find a lovely little place for lunch--then joined us. Since none of us were big on shopping, we did very little of that, although he was willing. A lovely man.

 

The highlight, though, was Rome. Enrico and Giovanni drove us there from our ship in a deluxe Mercedes van--wonderfully comfortable and easy to look out windows. The gave us an excellent, knowledgeable introduction to Rome and what we were going to see. Both very intelligent and kind. At the Vatican they introduced us to Massimo, who was the best guide we could have hoped for! He gave us a tutorial on the Vatican and St. Peter's Basilica and used an iPad to show us how to view Michelangelo's ceiling at the Sistine Chapel. Honestly, I have studied art history, but his lectures gave me a whole new way to look and study. I got so much out of this tour, and I will never forget it.

 

Then it was on to the Roman Coliseum and the Forum with Sarah. She was a brilliant young women, a historian, who in an interesting, easy to follow fashion, gave us dates, times and events to look for. She also helped us get through the horrible lines quickly. (We had advance tickets, of course) I was so impressed with her specific knowledge of what we saw. There were no questions, however irrelevant, she would not answer.

 

Looking back on our Florence/Rome adventure, I am so grateful we had the wonderful guides from RomeinLimo! And, best of all, they did not "break the bank!"

 

Anyone who is lucky enough to have a tour with RomeinLimo will not be disappointed!

Thank you for the feed back....RomeinLimo does have great reviews. Glad to hear you enjoyed your days in Florence and Rome.

We used Rome-in-limo for a tour to Mt. Vesuvius, Sorrento and Pompeii. They were great. I will say that if I had it to do over again, I would opt out of Mt. Vesuvius. I found it to be disappointing. I would rather have had the extra time in Pompeii.

hawkshoe - why did you feel Mt. Vesuvius was disappointing? Not a great day weather wise? Just not all that exciting? Not enough time there? Any feedback would be appreciated. This is one of the tours that we are considering, so your information may help us in making our final decision. Also, did you have a shared tour, or private tour? Thanks.