euro cruiser

I think the public SITA bus is the easiest and most comfortable budget option. Of course a car service is the easiest, but also the most expensive. The bus depot, Varco Immacolatella, is about four-tenths of a mile on foot from the cruise port, within the port area. There is a ticket office right there, so getting tickets is easy. The bus drop off in Pompei is on Vio Plinio, you'll know it because it's the first stop after the bus leaves the autostrada and returns to surface roads. The stop is right in front of a place called Camping Spartacus, it's easy to find on a google map. From the stop to the main (Porta Marina) entrance to the ruins is a short walk of about two-tenths of a mile. The stop for the bus returning to Naples is directly across the street. Buses run every day except Sunday. There is a departure Monday-Saturday at 8:00 that arrives at 8:35, well before opening time of 9:00. The fare is 3,30 euro each way and you can purchase both outbound and return tickets in the morning at the depot. To see the depot on a google map look at these coordinates: 40°50'30.0"N 14°15'28.3"E Bus schedule here: 0 (sitasudtrasporti.it)

I have been where you are, leading a group of older folks, so I can sympathize with your situation. Pack lots of patience! It's pretty rare to find an apartment in Venice at ground level due to flooding, do you know how many stairs they'll have to climb to access it and if everyone is able to do so? I'm asking not to suggest you change the accommodations, but rather that I've found that managing expectations is an important part of a trip like this.

Honestly, with that many elderly people and luggage the train isn't your best option. You'd do better with the bus, where the luggage is stowed underneath and you don't have to deal with it. Also with the bus you are guaranteed a seat, which is not the case with a regional train (which is most of the trains between Venice and Trieste). The bus takes the same amount of time as the train and costs the same or less, but to get everyone on the same bus you'll need to buy all of the tickets together ahead of time as they do sell out. https://www.flixbus.com/ As for your stay in Venice, insist that everyone pack a small bag for the short stay and check everything else at Piazzale Roma (the end of the road, literally) rather than carry it with you. That's the only way that I can see this working. The golden luggage - Storage number 1 in Venice

For what it's worth, the most comfortable option is the Frecce. There is one at 11:57 that arrives to Civitavecchia at 12:40. If you purchased now the fare would be just under 10 euro, about double the cost of a regional. There is an earlier IC at the same fare if you're in a rush to sit around the terminal in Civitavecchia (9:57 arrives 10:43).

If they haven't loaded the buses into the system when you purchase your ticket don't worry about it. As long as a cruise ship is departing there will be buses at the train station and you can pay the driver (not the normal practice in Italy). They don't have Uber in Italy as you understand it (amateur driver with a personal car). Some cities have contracted with Uber to use the app locally but it just connects you with a professional driver. What type of driver depends on the city and the contract they created. For example, in Rome you are connected to a car service, in Naples you're connected to a taxi consortium.

For future reference, be aware that April 4 2024 in Italy is styled as 4/2/2024. Day/month/year I don't know why they are not showing the bus right now but I wouldn't worry about it. Regional trains make more stops than IC or Frecce trains so they generally take a little longer to make the trip. Also, and more importantly, IC and Frecce trains are seat assigned while regionals are not. The seat assigned trains can only carry as many people as there are seats, while the regionals will just keep pushing people in. There is no need, nor any good reason, to purchase regional tickets in advance since they can't sell out and the price never changes. On the other hand, prices on IC and Frecce trains changed based on availability so you can save by purchasing in advance. Also note that the Lazio regional tracks, the ones you'd use to take a regional train to Civitavecchia, are three full city blocks from the main part of the station. The IC and Frecce trains depart from the main track head in the station.

The 3:30 (15:30) train from Lucca connects at Viareggio to the 3:58 (15:58), which arrives to La Spezia Centrale at 16:49 (4:49 pm). The train before that which makes sense (there are a couple of really long rides, which only gain you 25 minutes earlier arrival to La Spezia) is the 2:30 (14:30) that arrives at 3:50 (15:50) after a change at Viareggio. This is a little more expensive because the Viareggio to La Spezia segment is a Frecce. Driving doesn't save you much time (about 70-80 minutes by car, vs. 80 by train) but it has the benefit of leaving you at the cruise terminal, avoiding that one and a quarter mile walk from La Spezia Centrale.

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Bologna would be simpler, if only because you'll have just one transportation segment. Italo offers a non-stop early morning train that gets there in just over two hours (6:30 - 8:38).

One other note, when using the metro in Rome you tell direction by the last stop on the line. For example, when you get on Linea A and are headed to the Vatican, follow signs for Battistini, the last stop in that direction. You can download and print the map of the metro, regional rail and tram lines in Rome here: mappa ferro e tram (feb 2024) (atac.roma.it)

One of the issues with relying on google maps is not knowing the terrain nor the territory. It may only be three quarters of a mile (to the Lazio regional tracks, which is what you've shown on your map) but it's uphill and in parts there are no sidewalks, so it's not something to do with luggage. Google maps says the route is "mostly flat", but that's the opinion of a robot simply measuring altitude change. A human walking would know it's uphill, just not the kind of uphill that requires you to stop and catch your breath every couple of blocks.

As RC sells the destination as Venice, that's the airport they're going to provide transport to/from. Note that Ravello is hours from Venice, so if you want to see Venice you'll need to fly in a day or more prior to the cruise.

You buy the tickets at the booth, but I don't know that they would take credit cards for such a small purchase.

If you make a google map of these coordinates, then go to street view, you'll see the Etna Bus/Interbus ticket office: 37°49'38.6"N 15°16'03.1"E It's about 1 km/six-tenths of a mile on foot from the port. The bus ride is about 15 minutes and costs 1,90 euro. Etnatrasporti - Viaggi in autobus in Sicilia Taormina - Interbus

No, that would be way out of the way. Your hotel is quite a bit outside of the historic center so you're going to spend a fair amount of your time getting into town and back. When you're ready to take a train to Civitavecchia I would ask the hotel to call a cab for you to the Roma Aurelia station (a little under two miles) and get the train from there to Civitavecchia.

You might also consider a ferry from Civitavecchia to Barcelona rather than a flight. Grimaldi lines has an overnight ferry, you can reserve a private room and get a good night's sleep during the crossing. Ferries to Sardinia, Spain, Greece, Sicily and Tunisa. (grimaldi-lines.com)

Yes, "best" is a value judgement that depends on what is important to you for this decision. A private car service would be the most convenient but also the most expensive. At the other end of the cost and convenience spectrum would be the train, which requires a change at Rome (or a longer route with a change at Pisa).

That will be more than enough time. Depending on where your ship is berthed, you may not be allowed to walk. If you are at the new terminal it's about a mile and a half on foot to the train station. Or, for 6 euro, you can use the Port Mobility shuttle bus from the terminal directly to the train station.

If you book entirely through Trenitalia and go for the 9:25 Frecce from Civitavecchia you'd be in Florence (S.M. Novella) at 12:11. Trenitalia allows just 17 minutes between trains, as both use the main track head so it would be a short, fast walk from one to the other. You could force a longer gap if you want one by booking a later train to Florence, the next Frecce would be at 10:50, arriving at 12:27. You could also look to book the Rome to Florence segment with Italotreno, they have departures at 10:40 (arrives 12:17) or at 10:55 (arrives 12:31).

Why wait for the 11:25 Frecce from Civitavecchia? There's one every day at 9:25 (arrives 10:18).

You're not on an official web site, that's a third party. For your own convenience, use only the train operator sites to purchase tickets. EN - Trenitalia Italo, italian high-speed train | Book no service fee | italotreno.it

UPS (as well as other companies, this is just the one I'm familiar with) offers shipping from Italy to France. You can contact them directly for a quote, but be prepared to pay more than 100 euro to ship two large bags. You're right, however, it will make your trip much easier if you can do this. I'd consider adding a third bag, a large, lightweight folding tote/duffle that can fit inside your large bag until you need it for the train ride. That would offer you more flexibility than just backpacks, as well as better security. Remember to never pack anything you can't afford to lose in a backpack, it's the most insecure travel option.

Well, I can help with the first three segments but I have no experience with the Bernina Express or the train from Chur to Paris. I would suggest paying extra for the Civitavecchia to Rome segment and taking the Frecce train (there is one at 9:25 each morning), this train makes no stops between Civitavecchia and Rome, you will have an assigned seat, and there is room for luggage storage. Only Trenitalia services this route. EN - Trenitalia You'd have the same kind of train between Rome and Milan. For this segment you'd have two train companies to consider (Trenitalia and Italotreno), to find the best combination of timing and price for your trip. Italo, italian high-speed train | Book no service fee | italotreno.it From Milan to Tirano you have only Trenitalia/Trennord. These are regional trains, with no seat assignments and limited luggage room. They make nine stops along the way, you might want to bring a bike lock to secure your bags so you don't have to worry every time the train stops. In all cases you'll need to get yourselves and your luggage on the train without help. The easiest way to do this, in my experience, is to have one of you get on and reach down for the bags as the other person pushes them up the steps.

As this is very specific to NCL you might have better luck finding responses on the NCL board.

They're a professional car service, just tell them your flight number and arrival time and they'll figure out what time to meet you.