Traveling to Capri

Hi, Taking the Oct 24th Ruby princess cruise and want to do Capri on my own. Is it possible to just take the Hydrofoil over and back on your own. Anyone with experience on this. Thanks Lynette

No problem at all.

We are doing exactly this on the cruise preceding yours.

Suggest you check out the ports of call board which will have lots more information

Most cruise ships calling on Naples dock right next to the ferry terminal. The hydrofoil to Capri is a short walk from the cruise ship pier. It is very easy to tour Capri on your own.

We're on the cruise with you. Easy to get the hydrofoil to Capri. In Naples boats to Capri leave from two different docks, which are linked by a free shuttle service: hydrofoils leave from Molo Beverello. Ferries and fast ferries leave from Calata Porta di Massa. Times vary considerably acording to the season. There will be fewer in November than in summer. Here's a link: http://http://www.capri.com/en/ferry-schedule.

Ok, we are going to try and clear this up before folks get totally confused and perhaps afraid of going to Capri on their own (on the same boats used by most of the overpriced tours). So lets talk about Naples. If you walk out and turn to your left you will quickly be at the Molo Beveerllo ferry terminal (you can see this from most cruise ships. This is where the high speed jetboats/hydrofoils leave for places like Capri, Ischia, Procida, etc. For cruise passengers you simply walk over to the ticket office (there are many windows), look at the schedules for the next jetboat/hydrofoil to Capri and buy your ticket (about 17 Euros one-way). Once you get to Capri (a 50 min ride) buy your return ticket before you leave the pier area (the ticket window is at the end of the pier). Be aware that there are 2 different companies running these high speed boats and they do not accept each other's tickets. You simply want to most convenient time and should not care about the company.

Now, a poster rasied the issue of Calata Porta di Massa which is really of no interest to 99% of cruisers. It is a few blocks from the Molo Beverello ferry terminal and is used for the large (and slow) ferry boats that mainly haul trucks and cars to the islands. They do take passengers...but because of their longer transit times (and fewer boats) cruisers need just pretend it does not exist.

And to further muddy the waters there is another ferry terminal on the other side of Naples (more then a mile from the cruise port) called Molo Mergellina. Cruisers need not be concerned with this port except to make sure that when they buy a return ticket to Naples (from Capri) that the high speed boat is going to Molo Beverello and NOT Mergellina. If you happen to make a mistake and go to Mergellina you would probably want to use a taxi to get back to the cruise ship terminal.

Hank

P.S. I hope this is clear. In practice its actually quite easy..but if you have any questions or concerns please post it and we (and others) will try to answer your concerns.

Ok, we are going to try and clear this up before folks get totally confused and perhaps afraid of going to Capri on their own (on the same boats used by most of the overpriced tours). So lets talk about Naples. If you walk out and turn to your left you will quickly be at the Molo Beveerllo ferry terminal (you can see this from most cruise ships. This is where the high speed jetboats/hydrofoils leave for places like Capri, Ischia, Procida, etc. For cruise passengers you simply walk over to the ticket office (there are many windows), look at the schedules for the next jetboat/hydrofoil to Capri and buy your ticket (about 17 Euros one-way). Once you get to Capri (a 50 min ride) buy your return ticket before you leave the pier area (the ticket window is at the end of the pier). Be aware that there are 2 different companies running these high speed boats and they do not accept each other's tickets. You simply want to most convenient time and should not care about the company.

 

Now, a poster rasied the issue of Calata Porta di Massa which is really of no interest to 99% of cruisers. It is a few blocks from the Molo Beverello ferry terminal and is used for the large (and slow) ferry boats that mainly haul trucks and cars to the islands. They do take passengers...but because of their longer transit times (and fewer boats) cruisers need just pretend it does not exist.

 

And to further muddy the waters there is another ferry terminal on the other side of Naples (more then a mile from the cruise port) called Molo Mergellina. Cruisers need not be concerned with this port except to make sure that when they buy a return ticket to Naples (from Capri) that the high speed boat is going to Molo Beverello and NOT Mergellina. If you happen to make a mistake and go to Mergellina you would probably want to use a taxi to get back to the cruise ship terminal.

 

Hank

P.S. I hope this is clear. In practice its actually quite easy..but if you have any questions or concerns please post it and we (and others) will try to answer your concerns.

Sorry, I certainly did not mean to confuse anyone, but the tone with which you addressed my post was quite rude and unneccessary. I did specifically indicate that the hydrofoils go from Molo Beverollo, and everything in my post was actually a direct "cut and paste" from the Capri.com website's section on ferries. Not quite sure why the link isn't working... At any rate, I just wanted the OP to be aware that after October, the ferry schedule is less frequent.

Thanks for the clarification, and complete explanation of how to get to their from the cruise ship and the cost. It will be my first time there, so the detailed information is very helpful

Here is the correct link: http://www.capri.com/en/ferry-schedule

As was said above, it almost can't be easier. Exit the cruise port, turn left, and look for the electronic board overhead that shows the upcoming departures.

Toughest thing about Capri on your own are lines.

• line to by tickets to hydrofoil
  
• line to get on funicular to leave island
  

FWIW, Hank's post seemed pretty benign to me. Sheesh, he's just trying to help out as he does so many people on these boards. It's a shame that someone who does so much and goes out of his way to help people he doesn't know, gets insulted like that.

Sorry, I certainly did not mean to confuse anyone, but the tone with which you addressed my post was quite rude and unneccessary. I did specifically indicate that the hydrofoils go from Molo Beverollo, and everything in my post was actually a direct "cut and paste" from the Capri.com website's section on ferries. Not quite sure why the link isn't working... At any rate, I just wanted the OP to be aware that after October, the ferry schedule is less frequent.

Hmm. Well my post was a cut and paste from my little ole head where the info is based on first hand knowledge (we have been to these places many times). One should be careful cutting and pasting from many European web sites which are often terribly out of date and not always easy to follow. If you happen to be on Capri and end up taking a hydrofoil to Megellina, and then have no clue as to what you did, just reference that web site you copied...which does not even mention this other hydrofoil terminal. While nearly all the jetboats/hydrofoils do go the Molo Beverello, there always seems to be one or two afternoon jetboats that go to Megellina (not a good place for cruisers). We nearly found out the hard way....and darn if that stupid boat did not even appear in online schedules. As we like to say, "Ahhhhhhh....but it's Italy!" And that explains everything and it explains nothing which explains the charm of Italy.

So please accept my humble apology for trying to correct (and enhance) your post in the interests of accuracy :)

Hank

Yes very easy. Remember to buy round trip tix for the hydrofoil

Yes very easy. Remember to buy round trip tix for the hydrofoil

I would not buy round trip tickets in the morning, rather, I'd purchase my return ticket immediately upon arrival at Capri. The reason for this is to have a choice among all of the return options, vs. just the company you go out to the island with.

Hi folks

Thanks for all this wonderful info

Hank, you told me how to get to Pompeii last time and it worked a treat so this time it's just 2 ladies but I'm happy to go to Capri

Just a couple of wee questions

When booking the ferry back, how long should we give ourselves on Capri and are the buses to take you up to the town at the quay and is it easy to get back to the ferry terminal again.

I know you probably answered these a hundred time but when it's straight in my mind, I'm happy

Many thanks

Have a great cruising summer folks

Hi folks

 

Just a couple of wee questions

When booking the ferry back, how long should we give ourselves on Capri and are the buses to take you up to the town at the quay and is it easy to get back to the ferry terminal again.

 

Many thanks

Have a great cruising summer folks

Minimum 4 hours there but ideally you should give yourself as long as you can as there's a lot to see and explore. I made a real pig's ear of things and didn't get going until the 10 am hydrofoil. Having to get the 3.25 one back left me with a bare 4 hours - woefully short.

So if it's lovely day I'd aim to be on the 9 am hydrofoil and book the penultimate trip back before the one that allows enough time to comfortably make the all-aboard deadline. As the hydrofoil takes 40 minutes and then it's 5 minutes back to the ship maybe factor in an hour for this ?

Anyway this was my day last October

[YOUTUBE]uujBnlG7ahs[/YOUTUBE] [YOUTUBE]q-TA79Z4-ZE[/YOUTUBE]

The hydrofoil is about €40 return, the Monte Solaro chairlift €10 return, entry to Villa San Michele €7 and the trip down in the funicular €3, with bus rides about €2 each.

From the Marina Grande (ferry terminal) you can take a bus to Anacapri or the funicular (or bus) to Capri town. All the best, Tony

Hi Tony

Many thanks. This is just what I needed