Allure cruise in Europe - Naples excursion advice

[CruisersfromMD]

My husband and I will be in Naples for the day (7 AM - 8 PM) while on a Mediterranean cruise this summer. I have been to Capri before and loved it and would like to go to Pompeii this time. I thought that we would add an extra stop before visiting Pompeii. There are two tours that we are looking at and I was wondering if anyone could provide some input.

 

 

We would prefer to book an excursion with the cruise line rather than a DIY one for this port.

 

 

 

1) Taste of Sorrento & Pompeii - 8 hours

Delight in the sights and flavors of Italy's Coast of Sorrento at a rural farmhouse, then explore the ill-fated history of the ancient citizens of Pompeii. Relax in a Sorrento farmhouse, learn about cheese and olive oil production, then taste fresh mozzarella and salami. Roam freely around picturesque Sorrento, peeking in gift shops or enjoying lunch in a trattoria on your own. Tour archeological ruins of Pompeii in a historical exploration that will amaze you.

Highlights:

• Farmhouse Tasting: Savor a selection of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and Italian meats while relaxing in Sorrento.

• Sorrento: Spend 1-1/2 hours exploring the breathtaking seaside village, shopping for souvenirs, or dining beachside on Italian cuisine.

• Pompeii: Visit the site of tragic destruction in the ancient town buried by ash and lava from Mount Vesuvius.

2) Amalfi Drive & Pompeii - 9 hours 30 minutes

Delight in breathtaking oceanfront scenery as you drive along the Amalfi Coast and enjoy a tasty Italian lunch before scouring ancient archaeological ruins in Pompeii. Travel along winding roads, admiring dazzling turquoise waters en route to Amalfi. Stroll cobblestone streets and see the outside of the Cathedral of St. Andrew before relaxing with lunch. Explore Pompeii's sprawling excavations, seeing artifacts and ruins from the 79 AD Mount Vesuvius eruption.

Highlights:

• Amalfi Coast: Take in spectacular coastal views while winding along cliffs, azure waters, and picturesque vertical towns.

• Amalfi Village: Wander the charming seaside square, seeing the 11th century Cathedral of St. Andrew and enjoying a delightful lunch.

• Pompeii: Walk among Roman mansions, baths, porticoes, mosaic floors, and lavish temples in the forum of the ruined city.

[robint]

We did book independently (through Rome in Limo), but we climbed up Mt. Vesuvius. Really, really pretty view, and there's a guide who'll meet you half way up to show you everything. We did that in the morning, then Pompeii in the afternoon.

 

(It's murder on the calves, though!)

[CruisersfromMD]

We did book independently (through Rome in Limo), but we climbed up Mt. Vesuvius. Really, really pretty view, and there's a guide who'll meet you half way up to show you everything. We did that in the morning, then Pompeii in the afternoon.

 

(It's murder on the calves, though!)

 

 

That sounds like a neat experience! But, with my asthma I think that would be a little too much. Flat surfaces and slight inclines are good for me.

[bearette]

Try the ports board-check Europe then Italy and you may find more information.

 

I DIY so I can't help you with tours. If you change your mind it is very easy. I did it with three year old twins.

 

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[jkspringtexas]

We are interested to know how you did your DIY for Naples and Pompeii. Our plans are to take the train and then hire a guide at the entrance. Does that sound reasonable?

[bearette]

We are interested to know how you did your DIY for Naples and Pompeii. Our plans are to take the train and then hire a guide at the entrance. Does that sound reasonable?

 

Very much so. If your times work their is a bus right inside the port but if not buy a ticket for the metro/train. Take the metro to the train station or a 30 minute or so walk to the train station. Then take a train toward Sorrento. Exit Pompeii Scavi. About three Euro ticket with metro or 2.50 Euro for just the train. Have fun!

 

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[Ashland]

We have done the excursion #1Taste of Sorrento & Pompeii onboard RCI Liberty to the western med. While we usually don't opt for ship offered excursions...this particular cruise the ports were new to us and considering the distance from porting to these areas we weren't comfortable spending our time using public transportation.

 

We enjoyed this ship excursion very much and actually had a great guide..it was a wonderful day..however we actually visited Sorrento first and Pompeii last...this worked out well and so glad it was done this way so after Pompeii we headed back to the ship..

 

We also opted to use a private tour company for Rome & Vatican (RomeInLimo) as well as the ship DIY in some of our other ports..doing a combo of both private & ship offered worked out well for us. Enjoy !!!

Edited May 1, 2015 by Ashland

[neesy11]

We're on the Allure this September but plan to go to Capri at this stop

We were on the Norwegian Epic a couple of years ago with virtually the same stops and we booked a trip with another copy, I forget the name but could probably get it if you wanted, that was the highlight of our week long cruise

 

It was a small minibus of about 16 of us. We started the trip in Pompeii and spent a couple of hours with our guide in the ruins. We went after this along the amalfi Coast stopping at Positano and Sorrento which was simply stunning

 

I'd highly recommend doing this, I'm very nearly tempted to do it again this year but Mrs neesy11 fancies an easy day at Capri, which looks great too if honest

[FirstTeacher]

We did #2 a few years ago and enjoyed it tremendously. Driving along the Amalfi Coast in a large bus was a bit scary, but the vistas were amazing! Either way, Pompeii will make the excursion totally memorable. DH and I still refer to that experience as one of the highlights of that cruise. Enjoy!!!

[jkspringtexas]

Thanks bearette. Appreciate your help.

[Bizzie07]

Difficult decision! Pompeii is a must, fascinating but you need a guide to explain what you are seeing. We have been to Sorrento and were in Amalfi last year (always on ships tours). Both are beautiful. Sorrento had the best pizza and Amalfi had the best lemon cake. If either one had Pompeii in the morning I would choose that as it can be extremely hot in the ruins. Whatever you decide it will be amazing.

[sparklymermaid]

Nessy11, if you could remember the company you used I would be grateful. I am travelling in October on the Allure .

[Moremajor]

Having been to this area a number of times, take the ferry to Capri from the port in Naples. It is easy to do on your own.

[CruisersfromMD]

We have done the excursion #1Taste of Sorrento & Pompeii onboard RCI Liberty to the western med. While we usually don't opt for ship offered excursions...this particular cruise the ports were new to us and considering the distance from porting to these areas we weren't comfortable spending our time using public transportation.

 

 

 

We enjoyed this ship excursion very much and actually had a great guide..it was a wonderful day..however we actually visited Sorrento first and Pompeii last...this worked out well and so glad it was done this way so after Pompeii we headed back to the ship..

 

 

 

We also opted to use a private tour company for Rome & Vatican (RomeInLimo) as well as the ship DIY in some of our other ports..doing a combo of both private & ship offered worked out well for us. Enjoy !!!

 

 

The cruise line offers a smaller group tour which they call "excursion plus". We liked the fact that is it no more than 25 people.

 

We will stop in Sorrento first and do Pompeii on the way back. I like what you said about how you liked it in that order as you went back to the ship after Pompeii.

 

The RCCL shore excursion people have also been helpful in answering some of my questions and giving me a sample itinerary.

 

We are going to do an independent tour with GPS in Florence and Pisa. We thought this was a good way for us to explore on our own but also meet up with an escort at a specific location when we had to go to next stop or return to ship.

[neesy11]

Nessy11, if you could remember the company you used I would be grateful. I am travelling in October on the Allure .

 

Hi

It was this crowd http://www.aptours.it

Would recommend them as very reliable

[nelblu]

My husband and I will be in Naples for the day (7 AM - 8 PM) while on a Mediterranean cruise this summer. I have been to Capri before and loved it and would like to go to Pompeii this time. I thought that we would add an extra stop before visiting Pompeii. There are two tours that we are looking at and I was wondering if anyone could provide some input.

 

 

We would prefer to book an excursion with the cruise line rather than a DIY one for this port.

 

 

 

1) Taste of Sorrento & Pompeii - 8 hours

Delight in the sights and flavors of Italy's Coast of Sorrento at a rural farmhouse, then explore the ill-fated history of the ancient citizens of Pompeii. Relax in a Sorrento farmhouse, learn about cheese and olive oil production, then taste fresh mozzarella and salami. Roam freely around picturesque Sorrento, peeking in gift shops or enjoying lunch in a trattoria on your own. Tour archeological ruins of Pompeii in a historical exploration that will amaze you.

Highlights:

• Farmhouse Tasting: Savor a selection of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and Italian meats while relaxing in Sorrento.

• Sorrento: Spend 1-1/2 hours exploring the breathtaking seaside village, shopping for souvenirs, or dining beachside on Italian cuisine.

• Pompeii: Visit the site of tragic destruction in the ancient town buried by ash and lava from Mount Vesuvius.

2) Amalfi Drive & Pompeii - 9 hours 30 minutes

Delight in breathtaking oceanfront scenery as you drive along the Amalfi Coast and enjoy a tasty Italian lunch before scouring ancient archaeological ruins in Pompeii. Travel along winding roads, admiring dazzling turquoise waters en route to Amalfi. Stroll cobblestone streets and see the outside of the Cathedral of St. Andrew before relaxing with lunch. Explore Pompeii's sprawling excavations, seeing artifacts and ruins from the 79 AD Mount Vesuvius eruption.

Highlights:

• Amalfi Coast: Take in spectacular coastal views while winding along cliffs, azure waters, and picturesque vertical towns.

• Amalfi Village: Wander the charming seaside square, seeing the 11th century Cathedral of St. Andrew and enjoying a delightful lunch.

• Pompeii: Walk among Roman mansions, baths, porticoes, mosaic floors, and lavish temples in the forum of the ruined city.

 

On our first Med cruise we did #2 and enjoyed it. It was a bit scary as the bus traversed from Naples to Amalfi via the Amalfi Coast. The bus driver had to have strong reflexes and arms to manage the bus via the narrow road which barely allowed either buses of cars coming the opposite way. On a stretch of road only one vehicle can proceed and it is controlled by a light at either end of this stretch which gives the drivers the approval to proceed. On our journey there was a slight delay which upset the balance and I can't describe the scene where our bus and a car met face to face. You should have seen the arm waving and cursing that Italians are famous for.

 

On our second Med cruise we did Capri and it was an unforgettable sight and experience.

 

One that is not listed which was fun and not sure if it's still available. On our third journey in August 2013, the Serenade docked in Sorrento and we took the 4 hour tour that went to the city itself and one of the stops for lunch was a restaurant where you made your own pizza and that was your lunch. You were given all of the ingredients including aprons, and can't recall if they gave you hair nets or hats. It was a lot of fun and the pizza that we made and they baked for us wasn't bad. However, we used too much sauce and it did not come as crispy as we would have liked it--but it tasted fine with the wine that accompanied the meal. LOL

[silentbob007]

I've booked several tours with Rome in Limo on several different cruises and they have all been wonderful. They've been small, with wonderful drivers, and provided a much more intimate experience (plus ... being taken to a more local restaurant a bit out of the way from tourist points was always a highlight in Italy). RIL also makes it very easy to do shared vans on their website rather than trying to arrange something yourself.

 

From Naples, I did a Pompeii, Sorrento, and Amalfi coast tour with them. We arrived at Pompeii right as they opened and beat all of the other tours there. We were able to use the ATM, buy tickets, and explore without huge crowds. I wondered off by myself (it was self-guided unless you wanted to pay a local guide inside) and had several 10 minute stretches where I did not see another person. By the time we left, a whole bunch of ship busses had arrived and the place was fairly busy inside (but the ticketing line was insane).

Edited May 3, 2015 by silentbob007

[tidygirl]

We just did a cruise in Sept. with a stop in Naples. We had planned on hiking Mt Vesuvius then going to Pompeii on our own, but while travelling on the train back from Rome a man handed us a brochure on tours.

The company was CBM tours (can't be missed tours) and for 65e we did Sorrento, Almalfi coast and Pompeii. We were so glad we went with them as we got to see so much more than we would have on our own.

We were very pleased with them and would highly recommend them! We were back to the ship atleast an hour before we needed to be.

[Ashland]

The cruise line offers a smaller group tour which they call "excursion plus". We liked the fact that is it no more than 25 people.

 

We will stop in Sorrento first and do Pompeii on the way back. I like what you said about how you liked it in that order as you went back to the ship after Pompeii.

 

The RCCL shore excursion people have also been helpful in answering some of my questions and giving me a sample itinerary.

 

We are going to do an independent tour with GPS in Florence and Pisa. We thought this was a good way for us to explore on our own but also meet up with an escort at a specific location when we had to go to next stop or return to ship.

There were only approx 20-25 people on our RCI tour also..they must have changed the wording calling it "excursion plus".

 

We managed to get the first two seats on the bus behind the driver..several people passed them up..have no idea why as they were great seats...and even after our first stop at the farm house in Sorrento, even though we weren't the first back onboard the bus everyone continued to take their same seats. I guess everyone had settled into their seats and even left things on the bus at our stops. Not the situation that can sometimes happen on group tours.

 

We had a great group everyone very friendly...didn't seem like we were with a large group at all...definitely a plus.

 

Hope you have the same great trip.

 

I have no doubt you'll enjoy this as much as we did.

 

We did the same ship offered DIY in Pisa/Florence and had a very similar great experience

Edited May 5, 2015 by Ashland

[Merion_Mom]

Difficult decision! Pompeii is a must, fascinating but you need a guide to explain what you are seeing. We have been to Sorrento and were in Amalfi last year (always on ships tours). Both are beautiful. Sorrento had the best pizza and Amalfi had the best lemon cake. If either one had Pompeii in the morning I would choose that as it can be extremely hot in the ruins. Whatever you decide it will be amazing.

 

CruisersfromMD: Bizzie's point should not be overlooked. It is extremely likely to be MURDEROUSLY hot at the ruins of Pompeii in August. The later in the day, the hotter it will be. It would be far better to take a tour that hits Pompeii first thing in the morning.

 

The cruise line offers a smaller group tour which they call "excursion plus". We liked the fact that is it no more than 25 people.

 

We will stop in Sorrento first and do Pompeii on the way back. I like what you said about how you liked it in that order as you went back to the ship after Pompeii.

 

The RCCL shore excursion people have also been helpful in answering some of my questions and giving me a sample itinerary.

 

We are going to do an independent tour with GPS in Florence and Pisa. We thought this was a good way for us to explore on our own but also meet up with an escort at a specific location when we had to go to next stop or return to ship.

[Luv2cruze me and u]

My husband and I will be in Naples for the day (7 AM - 8 PM) while on a Mediterranean cruise this summer. I have been to Capri before and loved it and would like to go to Pompeii this time. I thought that we would add an extra stop before visiting Pompeii. There are two tours that we are looking at and I was wondering if anyone could provide some input.

 

 

We would prefer to book an excursion with the cruise line rather than a DIY one for this port.

 

 

 

1) Taste of Sorrento & Pompeii - 8 hours

Delight in the sights and flavors of Italy's Coast of Sorrento at a rural farmhouse, then explore the ill-fated history of the ancient citizens of Pompeii. Relax in a Sorrento farmhouse, learn about cheese and olive oil production, then taste fresh mozzarella and salami. Roam freely around picturesque Sorrento, peeking in gift shops or enjoying lunch in a trattoria on your own. Tour archeological ruins of Pompeii in a historical exploration that will amaze you.

Highlights:

• Farmhouse Tasting: Savor a selection of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and Italian meats while relaxing in Sorrento.

• Sorrento: Spend 1-1/2 hours exploring the breathtaking seaside village, shopping for souvenirs, or dining beachside on Italian cuisine.

• Pompeii: Visit the site of tragic destruction in the ancient town buried by ash and lava from Mount Vesuvius.

2) Amalfi Drive & Pompeii - 9 hours 30 minutes

Delight in breathtaking oceanfront scenery as you drive along the Amalfi Coast and enjoy a tasty Italian lunch before scouring ancient archaeological ruins in Pompeii. Travel along winding roads, admiring dazzling turquoise waters en route to Amalfi. Stroll cobblestone streets and see the outside of the Cathedral of St. Andrew before relaxing with lunch. Explore Pompeii's sprawling excavations, seeing artifacts and ruins from the 79 AD Mount Vesuvius eruption.

Highlights:

• Amalfi Coast: Take in spectacular coastal views while winding along cliffs, azure waters, and picturesque vertical towns.

• Amalfi Village: Wander the charming seaside square, seeing the 11th century Cathedral of St. Andrew and enjoying a delightful lunch.

• Pompeii: Walk among Roman mansions, baths, porticoes, mosaic floors, and lavish temples in the forum of the ruined city.

Does this include your ticket to get into Pompeii? Do you know if that part is a tour or are you on your own. Thanks!

[John&LaLa]

We did Naples in 2005. The tour we took was Sorrento and Amalfi By boat. Best excursion ever. Watch out for limoncello in Sorrento. Somehow we ended up with an 8,000 Euro inlaid table.

Amalfi By boat was a great way to see coast without the white knuckles of the tour bus

 

Enjoy the limoncello

Edited May 8, 2015 by John&LaLa

[kernow]

We did 1) Taste of Sorrento & Pompeii - 8 hours last September on Oasis.

 

We don't very often do ship tours but because of the length and distance we thought it best and it turned out to be one of the best tours we've done. We were lucky as out guide was exceptionally good, he clearly loved all the history and that came across in his excitement as he talked to us.

 

The tour actually lasted longer than 8 hours, we met in the theatre at 8am and didn't get back to the ship until after 6. We did not feel rushed at all.

 

The drive to Sorrento and the farmhouse were enjoyable, we had time to wander the streets of Sorrento and get a pizza but the highlight was Pompeii. Admission was included and we had in ear headphones so we could easily follow the guide. It was hot but not unbearable and so interesting we didn't think too much about it!

 

I'd definitely recommend this one, maybe even do it again on a future trip.

 

Julie

[CRUISEFAN0001]

We've booked the RCI Capri, Sorrento, & Pompeii tour - based on very positive feedback from some close friends who took it last year and raved about it since.

[emerald444]

We did Naples in 2005. The tour we took was Sorrento and Amalfi By boat. Best excursion ever. Watch out for limoncello in Sorrento. Somehow we ended up with an 8,000 Euro inlaid table.

Amalfi By boat was a great way to see coast without the white knuckles of the tour bus

 

Enjoy the limoncello

 

dear john could you give me more details on how to go to Amalie by boat

We were in sorrento last year would love to take a boat from Naples to amalfi

Thanks Laura