Amalfi Coast - Private v. Ship Tour

[Ashlea13vb]

We are a party of two cruising the Grand Princess this summer. While in Naples, we'd like to do a drive along the Amalfi Coast with a stop in Pompeii. We've looked into both private guides and the Grand's organized tours. Princess offers a tour of the Amalfi Coast and Pompeii, with a stop in one of five or so towns (not Positano).

 

I would do a private tour in a heartbeat, but there is a small catch - cost! The rollcall for our cruise is not active, and while I haven't yet posted to see if we could recruit another party to share a private tour with us, I'm contemplating other options in the likelihood the two of us are on our own for a private tour.

 

Thus, my questions are - for the cost, does a private tour of the Amalfi Coast completely trump a ship excursion, or is the ship Amalfi tour a great experience, too? For those who have done the Princess tours of Amalfi/Naples, have you found them to be pretty good?

 

Thanks in advance!

[sunsetme]

we will be in Naples 24 august and are having the same problem trying to form a group. when are you in Naples?

[Ashlea13vb]

I'm there on August 12 - if you hear of anyone, point them in my direction - and I'll do the same for you!

[Queenk2]

I would tell you that there is absolutely NOTHING like a private tour of the area. While I have been there a few times, last summer was the first time I went private...previously I had done an RCCL tour, a Celebrity tour and a Princes tour. We hired Nello of drive sorrento with another couple we met last minute on our roll call. He was NOT as expensive as some of the others I had contacted, but he was terrific. I know some of the people on our ship had hired private drivers and then managed to find another couple to share once on the ship. Please contact Nello and ask about his prices. . Tell him Karen sent you! I promise you will not be disappointed! His E mail is info@drivesorrento.com

[Past it]

Sometimes the drivers will match you up if you ask them. I have driverinrome.com for Rome and seesorrento.com for the Amalfi coast

[Joanne G.]

We usually choose ship-sponsored excursions for the convenience and security factors, but the Amalfi coast is one place where I would seriously consider a private driver and guide. Last summer we did Celebrity's Amalfi and Pompeii tour, and while our guide and driver were top-notch, a big bus just isn't the best way to see the scenery of the Amalfi drive. There are not a lot of places for a big bus to pull off, so much of what you see is through the window of the moving bus - and the photo opportunities are thus limited. If you are sitting on the "wrong" side of the bus, your views of the coastline and the water are further limited.

 

Also, it can be a white-knuckle drive at some spots, and I might have found it not-so-white-knuckle in a private car compared to being in a big bus lumbering along those winding roads hanging on the sides of cliffs. :eek:

 

The scenery is breath-taking, so if this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for you, the extra cost may be worth it.

 

Have a great cruise, whatever you decide.

[NAS-KARR]

You can TOTALLY CUSTOMIZE your trip.....where u want to stop and how long u want to be there.

 

Re $..........You gotta do your shopping and DO IT SOON because our driver(Marcello) is already booked for 07 and 08 dates.

 

Have a good one and Ciao,

[dpro]

We were on the Grand last May and used driveamalfi. and boy was that great. We had two other couples with us. We arrived at Pompeii long before the crowds from the tour buses and our guide, Adriano, was excellent. I would highly recommend doing a private excursion for Naples. We had many stops along the route, including Positano, and an excellent lunch in a little out of the way restaurant that no tour bus could get to. Outstanding views along the route, and at the end Adriano gave us a brief ride around Naples since we had a few minutes to spare. :D

 

RonC

[marblemel]

I too would encourage you to go with a private driver. I have done the Amalfi coast twice and can't imagine doing it ina big bus. I was just there in May and used Francesco Maparesse who was fantastic. The nice thing about going privately is that the guides know how to avoid the crowds - which were pretty horrendous last month.

[bappo]

HI! I just returned on Monday from my cruise/land tour of Europe. In Naples we used ALDO. He was terrific. We saw and did things that the ships tour was unable to provide, and he took us to places where only the locals eat and shop. His cost was 350 Euros for the day. He met us at the port in Naples and took us to Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello. He stopped at Pompeii on the way back as it is closer to the port and he didn't want us to miss the ship. We had a wonderful time in Europe and would recommend him highly. If you want his e-mail address, let me know. Have a super vacation.

 

Barb

[goldenprincess53]

We did a private tour last October with Francesco Marrapese. He is very professional and most proficient in English (he travels a lot in America which not working). We had a great time with him. http://www.francescomarrapese.com/

 

He was excellent. Picked us up at the ship by 8 am and we were at Pompeii by 8:45 am; hooked up with a tour guide immediately and were back to meet Francesco at 10:45 am. Continued on to Sorrento (stopped at the woodworking factory) and slowly made our way around the coast, stopping at the various scenic outlooks, driving right through the village of Positano and other villages along the way. He made advance reservations for us to have lunch (around 2:30 pm) in a fabulous spot in Ravello, high on the mountain, surrounded by beautiful vineyards overlooking the ocean - wow what a view. You will see some pictures on his website of the view. Our table was right on the edge and the food was excellent. It was the perfect ending to a day. We were able to shop briefly in town square (lots of beautiful ceramic shops) before heading back to the ship. He dropped us off by 5 pm. The last I heard, he charged 450 euros for a van that holds 6 (brand new van too).

[bee-ess]

If you visit Amalfi try to vist Ravello also which is near to Amalfi but much higher up - the views from Villa Rufolo in Ravello are spectacular and it is overall a very peaceful place.

[itsanita]

My vote is for a privite tour as well. We were just there in May and used Francesco Maparesse, and I agree that he was fantastic. Traffic was awful and he just moved us right thru the mess. He has a very comfortable, new Mercedes van.

 

http://www.francescomarrapese.com/

[NAS-KARR]

DW and I spent 5/31 with him and he is still very much alive and well and the same ole egotistical Marcello. Did the Amalfi routine and again had lunch at the 10,000 ft level outside of Ravelo.

Nothing has changed.

 

Ciao,

[ludela]

Bapo: I would really like to have the e-mail of Aldo. My husband and I are planning a private tour in Naples on 9-16-06, we will be on the Millennium Med. leaving Barcelona on 9-11-06. Thanks in advance....

Ludela

[Ashlea13vb]

Thanks for all the informative responses! It looks like folks much prefer the private tour. Well, I've gotten the process started by posting on my rollcall to see if I get any bites.

 

I hope a private tour works out - otherwise, it's off on a ship excursion!

[Aviendha]

DW and I spent 5/31 with him and he is still very much alive and well and the same ole egotistical Marcello. Did the Amalfi routine and again had lunch at the 10,000 ft level outside of Ravelo.

Nothing has changed.

 

Ciao,

 

Yay! Glad to hear that because we're meeting up with him again in a few days. I agree he is quite a character and his personality definitely adds to the day. :)

[Methow Cruiser]

We were on the Grand last May and used driveamalfi. and boy was that great. We had two other couples with us. We arrived at Pompeii long before the crowds from the tour buses and our guide, Adriano, was excellent. I would highly recommend doing a private excursion for Naples. We had many stops along the route, including Positano, and an excellent lunch in a little out of the way restaurant that no tour bus could get to. Outstanding views along the route, and at the end Adriano gave us a brief ride around Naples since we had a few minutes to spare. :D

 

RonC

 

Do you have a website for this tour operator?

Thanks

[DocfromATL]

Hello Gang,

 

Let me add my two cents worth after cruising the Medit. last year. Here is what I previously posted regarding our tremendous experience with Salvatore Lucibello of Drive Amalfi.

 

Naples: We had the splendid services of Salvatore Lucibello of Drive Amalfi. Salvatore is a true professional and an excellent guide. He operates a full day tour of Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast which typically includes a two hour stop at the famous ruins of Pompeii where you can choose to hire an Authorised Archaeological Pompeii Guide or take the Audio Tour. Note: The licenced Pompeii Archaeological Guide for the 8 of us was only €12.50 euros each (as opposed to an audio guide for €10 euros) as it brought the site alive for 2 hours. The entrance fee is an additional €10 euros per person. Pompeii and our guide blew us away. Such history and preservation. This is not to be missed. Following our tour of Pompeii (Salvatore waits in his Mercedez van for you), he took us on a beautiful and informative tour of the Amalfi Coast with visits to the famous towns such as Amalfi, Positano,Sorrento and Ravello and of course the famous Amalfi Drive. We stopped off at a hilside village near Ravello to enjoy lunch in a small traditional restaurant way off the beaten track with extensive views of Ravello and the Coast.

 

Salvatore's contact info. is: *****

 

Good luck,

 

Gary and Susan

Atlanta, GA

[JohnL1935]

On our Oct. 22 Liberty cruise I hired a van for 6. Consider your past bus experiences on your cruises. It takes forever to load and unload the buses(there is alway one couple missing) at all the stops and the lunch that will take forever with such a big group. With so much to see and so little time it is a no brainer for this once in a lifetime (at least for me) experience.

 

John L.

[bappo]

Hi Ludela,

 

Sorry it took so long to get beck to you. ALdo's e-mail address is:chrismiller@libero.it Chris is his wife, and she'll be the one who responds to you. He was terrific, knew his stuff, as he is from Sorrento and has access to the places only the locals can go. YOu can tell him the people from Pa. who used him on 6/5/2006 recommend him to you. If you are looking for another super guide in Florence/Livorno port, my recommendation would be Carla Giomi. She was FABULOUS! She took us not only to Florence and Pisa but we had a PRIVATE winery tour of the Le Corti Winery in the Chianti Classico region. AFter a tour of the winery, we had a private wine tasting and olive oil tasting outside overlooking the grape vines and olive trees, with Tuscan bread, cheese, salami, proscuitto etc. We sat and admired for 2 hours, before returing to the ship. It was one of the highlights of our trip, and one we won't soon forget. Her e-mail address is info@abcwine.it and her name is Carla. All of the guides will pick you up outside of the terminal in air conditioned vans. They will have your name on a clip board, very easy in and out. I also used in Stefano in Rome, and Guy from Dream Tours in Nice. They were both great as well. Definitely beats the ship bus tours! Have a wonderful time!

 

Barb

[cruzzer]

When we were in Italy, we stayed a few nights in Sorrento atop the hills. We always, we do our own itineraries. We asked the owner of the hotel to tell us how to get to Amalfi Coast, he stood up and said, "Take the Local Bus to Amalfi as they are the best drivers, and the bus goes right by our hotel!."

So we took his advice and had a wonderful time. We even got to be in a wedding. How that happened, I have no clue, but the big Church, wine, and food was great!

 

I digress:

 

Be sure to get on the right side of the bus/tour while going to Amalfi. If you want narration, go for the tour bus/guide.

 

We had a great time.

And don't forget the Lemonecello!