Overnight stops in Monaco and Sorrento... policies?

When we were in Monte Carlo several years ago, we anchored off shore until about 6 pm. Then when the other cruise ship that had been docked sailed, we moved in to the pier. Not a big hassle.

The train station is walking distance (about 1/2 mile) from the pier. Go to the SNCF website to look for schedules. The train goes through a number of tunnels, so the view won't be as spectacular as the bus. Consider taking the bus around. Lignes d'Azur bus #100 goes from Menton to Nice with several stops in Monte Carlo. The Place d'Armes stop is probably closest to the pier. We will be taking it from Nice to Monte Carlo in April when we visit the Spirit for the afternoon.

In Sorrento, make sure the ferry to Positano is running at the time of year that you will be there. There is a bus that leaves from the train station that also goes to Positano along the coast and offers breath taking views.

If you want a fabulous view of Capri without going there, consider having lunch at the Relais Blu in Massa Lubrense. It is either a bus ride or taxi ride from Sorrento, although I did walk it one time. Since it is a remote location, make sure that you have arranged return transportation.

If you do decide to go to Capri, which I highly recommend, get out of Capri town and go up to Anacapri. Take the chair lift up Monte Solaro for a beautiful view of Ischia, Naples and the Sorrentine peninsula. If you are into hiking, walk down from there to Cetrella and then take the Il Passetiello trail back down to Capri town. It is "hand on rock" but an exhilarating hike none the less.

Hope you have a wonderful time in that beautiful part of the world.

I'd be fine with a 12pm tender. I cant see me out that late and wanting to be up early the next day at Sorrento.

 

Yes the DIY train job was my plan too. Is the station far? A bus provided or near enough to walk?

 

My plan for Sorrento, was just to do Pompeii, then back to the ship for lunch and a ferry to Positano. I was going to leave Herculaneum until my second trip in August with the kids. That was the plan anyway - until they piped up wanting Pompeii, so I booked a Naples tout to both sites and Vesuvius (at an incredible 30 Euros each) That said, I have no other takers so my end up cancelling that. So who knows.... I might do both on this trip anyway! lol (Is it always so confusing on what plans to make? lol

 

What did you do for Livorno, Messina and Civitavecchia?

Yes, we certainly didn't stay out that late either... :)

In case you haven't been there and don't know, the city of Sorrento sits up on a cliff overlooking the tender port. You tender ashore, at sea level ;), and have to get to the top of the cliff.

We always walk up but (usually) there is a bus you can take. The line tends to be long, and we walk fast...so for us, it's faster to walk rather than wait in line for the bus. It takes us about 10 minutes to the top. There are stairs that cut the distance significantly - the road up is a series of switchbacks, and the stairs are a nice shortcut. After the first big set of stairs, you can then cut through a restaurant's patio for an extra-short cut through to the town.

The train station is maybe another 5-10 minutes from the main square. We made an ATM stop along the way and were there buying tickets at 8:50 AM (I just looked at my tickets and there's a timestamp). Not bad considering the first tender loads at 8:00 and you're ashore maybe at 8:20, probably closer to 8:30, if you're lucky. Tenders are a bug, because you lose so much time!

Now the Circumvesuviana train tickets were a great bargain. It cost €2.10 per person, each way, to Herculaneum. We stopped off in Pompeii on the way back and had to buy one more ticket for €1.50 each to continue back to Sorrento. So for €11.40, plus €20 each for tickets, we toured both sites in a single day. And I probably could have done it for €1 cheaper had I known exactly how the Circumvesuviana tickets work.

You can also catch the hydrofoil to Capri just a few feet from where the tender docks. It leaves from essentially the same pier, but you have to walk to the ticket booth and back. Capri is gorgeous and we have made the hydrofoil trip three times - just to walk around off the beaten path and enjoy the sights. BTW there is also an awesome view of Capri from Herculaneum.

In Livorno we've always done ship's tours but if we ever revisit we'll grab a train to Florence on our own. The station is about a 2 mile walk from the dock.

Messina - I am pretty sure we did a ship's tour, but it was a long time ago. Details are fuzzy. I can try to dig up pictures later if no one else has suggestions.

Civitavecchia - walk to the train station and go to Rome. It will cost about €12 each way. We do this every time, even if it's the end of the cruise and we're carrying all of our luggage. Cheaper and way faster than a bus trip - you can be there in about an hour. We took a bus into Rome exactly once. Never again.

When we were in Monte Carlo several years ago, we anchored off shore until about 6 pm. Then when the other cruise ship that had been docked sailed, we moved in to the pier. Not a big hassle.

 

The train station is walking distance (about 1/2 mile) from the pier. Go to the SNCF website to look for schedules. The train goes through a number of tunnels, so the view won't be as spectacular as the bus. Consider taking the bus around. Lignes d'Azur bus #100 goes from Menton to Nice with several stops in Monte Carlo. The Place d'Armes stop is probably closest to the pier. We will be taking it from Nice to Monte Carlo in April when we visit the Spirit for the afternoon.

 

In Sorrento, make sure the ferry to Positano is running at the time of year that you will be there. There is a bus that leaves from the train station that also goes to Positano along the coast and offers breath taking views.

 

If you want a fabulous view of Capri without going there, consider having lunch at the Relais Blu in Massa Lubrense. It is either a bus ride or taxi ride from Sorrento, although I did walk it one time. Since it is a remote location, make sure that you have arranged return transportation.

 

If you do decide to go to Capri, which I highly recommend, get out of Capri town and go up to Anacapri. Take the chair lift up Monte Solaro for a beautiful view of Ischia, Naples and the Sorrentine peninsula. If you are into hiking, walk down from there to Cetrella and then take the Il Passetiello trail back down to Capri town. It is "hand on rock" but an exhilarating hike none the less.

 

Hope you have a wonderful time in that beautiful part of the world.

Are you meeting people on the Spirit or just taking a tour? I will take a "revisit" tour of the Wind and Cloud when they are at Tower Bridge again this year. Something kinda cute about being on a cruise ship in the middle of London! (Especially as its right outside my office and can literally see my desk!!)

Yes, we certainly didn't stay out that late either... :)

 

In case you haven't been there and don't know, the city of Sorrento sits up on a cliff overlooking the tender port. You tender ashore, at sea level ;), and have to get to the top of the cliff.

 

We always walk up but (usually) there is a bus you can take. The line tends to be long, and we walk fast...so for us, it's faster to walk rather than wait in line for the bus. It takes us about 10 minutes to the top. There are stairs that cut the distance significantly - the road up is a series of switchbacks, and the stairs are a nice shortcut. After the first big set of stairs, you can then cut through a restaurant's patio for an extra-short cut through to the town.

 

The train station is maybe another 5-10 minutes from the main square. We made an ATM stop along the way and were there buying tickets at 8:50 AM (I just looked at my tickets and there's a timestamp). Not bad considering the first tender loads at 8:00 and you're ashore maybe at 8:20, probably closer to 8:30, if you're lucky. Tenders are a bug, because you lose so much time!

 

Now the Circumvesuviana train tickets were a great bargain. It cost €2.10 per person, each way, to Herculaneum. We stopped off in Pompeii on the way back and had to buy one more ticket for €1.50 each to continue back to Sorrento. So for €11.40, plus €20 each for tickets, we toured both sites in a single day. And I probably could have done it for €1 cheaper had I known exactly how the Circumvesuviana tickets work.

 

You can also catch the hydrofoil to Capri just a few feet from where the tender docks. It leaves from essentially the same pier, but you have to walk to the ticket booth and back. Capri is gorgeous and we have made the hydrofoil trip three times - just to walk around off the beaten path and enjoy the sights. BTW there is also an awesome view of Capri from Herculaneum.

 

In Livorno we've always done ship's tours but if we ever revisit we'll grab a train to Florence on our own. The station is about a 2 mile walk from the dock.

 

Messina - I am pretty sure we did a ship's tour, but it was a long time ago. Details are fuzzy. I can try to dig up pictures later if no one else has suggestions.

 

Civitavecchia - walk to the train station and go to Rome. It will cost about €12 each way. We do this every time, even if it's the end of the cruise and we're carrying all of our luggage. Cheaper and way faster than a bus trip - you can be there in about an hour. We took a bus into Rome exactly once. Never again.

OK Thanks for the tips. We shall walk to the top - need the exercise to burn off the calories! lol I shall make use of google maps - and my unlimited roaming (well 20GB) data allowance on my mobile whilst on land.

What was the deal with the tickets you could have done it cheaper? I'm undecided yet what to do (whether to do both sites or not or spend some time back at Sorrento) Did you prebook tickets for the sites to avoid queues? My first trip is April and outside of school holidays, which I suspect will help. Did you not go up Vesuvius?

I also need to decide for Rome. We are there on a Sunday, so baring an audience (lol) we know parts will not be accessible and probably very busy at the Vatican. I was also told the queues now for the Colosseum is now bad even with tickets because of security checks. (This was from tour operators at a recent cruise show.)

By the time we make it to Messina, hopefully we may have met people on board interested in sharing a tour. I'd love to do Mt Etna. She wants the Godfather. Something has to give! lol

You don't have to walk up to Sorrento if you don't need the exercise. There is a public lift that will take you up to the Villa Comunale Park for one Euro. With your back to the sea after you tender into Marina Piccola walk towards the right along the cliff. You will find signs to the "Ascensor".

OK Thanks for the tips. We shall walk to the top - need the exercise to burn off the calories! lol I shall make use of google maps - and my unlimited roaming (well 20GB) data allowance on my mobile whilst on land.

 

What was the deal with the tickets you could have done it cheaper? I'm undecided yet what to do (whether to do both sites or not or spend some time back at Sorrento) Did you prebook tickets for the sites to avoid queues? My first trip is April and outside of school holidays, which I suspect will help. Did you not go up Vesuvius?

 

I also need to decide for Rome. We are there on a Sunday, so baring an audience (lol) we know parts will not be accessible and probably very busy at the Vatican. I was also told the queues now for the Colosseum is now bad even with tickets because of security checks. (This was from tour operators at a recent cruise show.)

 

By the time we make it to Messina, hopefully we may have met people on board interested in sharing a tour. I'd love to do Mt Etna. She wants the Godfather. Something has to give! lol

Les - a few answers and random thoughts:

We think that it's not a bad walk up the hill to Sorrento, but dbbsteve has another option for you if the cliffs look too daunting. For us it was nothing; we have climbed the Phoenician steps to Anacapri before, and we like taking the stairs to Capri town for a warmup...last time we went up and down in less than a half-hour, to kill time before our boat tour left from the marina.

If you don't want to spend your whole data allowance getting map data live over the cell network, you can download sections of Google maps for online use before you leave home. That's what I do.

The train could have been cheaper - that was partly tongue in cheek. I initially bought two RT tickets to Herculaneum (Pompeii is on the way, between Sorrento and Herculaneum). I had thought we could interrupt the journey on the way home, stop at Pompeii, and come home on the same return ticket.

But at least in 2012, the Circumvesuviana tickets were time-based, not distance-based. So I received 4 100-minute tickets for €2.10 each, and once you validated them you had to complete your journey and be off the train before your time was up. So one ticket each worked for the long journey from Sorrento to Herculaneum. I wasted part of the second one coming only halfway home, from Herculaneum to Pompeii. Then we had to buy a third ticket for €1.50 to get the rest of the way home. So yes, I probably could have bought 1x €2.10 and 2x €1.50 each, instead of 2x €2.10 and 1x €1.50 each. It didn't break the bank... :rolleyes:

We did not go to Mt. Vesuvius. And we had no lines at Herculaneum, minimal lines at Pompeii. Hints:

You do NOT need a taxi from the train station to Herculaneum, though the drivers will accost you as soon as you exit the train station. It's a straight shot down the hill, one street with no turns, straight to the entrance; you can't get lost. It's not much of a walk back, especially if you stop for lunch halfway up like we did! A glass of wine helps immensely, to break up the climb. :D

We bought a combined 5-site ticket for €20 at Herculaneum, which is good at Pompeii, Herculaneum, and 3 other sites that I can't remember. Since Pompeii and Herculaneum cost €11 each, it was worth it even though we didn't visit any of the other sites. The ticket is good for 3 days so if any of the other sites interest you, it can be a real bargain. Check prices again though because this was 4 years ago.

There were fewer tourists at the Pompeii entrance because (1) we took the train, where fewer tourists go, and (2) we got there around 2 PM, after the large groups had already done their thing, and were making their way out. As the afternoon went on, it got really empty. It was almost spooky to be so alone in Pompeii, but it was a lot of fun! I posted pictures in my trip report for the June 2012 cruise.

We were there in June and it wasn't too crowded. Hopefully April should be even better for you. I think you can decide what to do when you get there, and probably not worry about it, because it's so easy to visit from the train.

We have taken a Mt. Etna tour, many years ago on an Oceania cruise. I think we also visited Taormina that day, all from Messina. It was chilly up there - but what a neat landscape! Love volcanoes...when they are dormant!

Have fun and looking forward to hearing all about your trip. Happy to answer any more questions you might have.

JP, thanks again for your answers amd random thoughts... Particularly the latter as it gives me ideas or food for thought.

Good to hear that you had no queues and glad you quantified your times. I guess 11am is about its busiest time when the early arrivers are mid tour and the slow coaches have arrived too. Now as we don't need to rush back on the first cruise, your experience has led me to think it may be better to arrive early afternoon when it starts to empty and have the morning to explore the coast near Sorrento. (ie reverse order of what was originally intended.) will check on the closing times and also lookup what ships are in port on the day on Naples and Sorrento. Fingers crossed no one else around! lol

I expect we will have to bite the bullet and take a tour from Messina. I know there is a train from Taormina but not sure once there how we'd get around or if Etna was possible other than tour. I'm hoping Etna is active when we arrive (and Stromboli when we pass. Never seen one go but would love to. Etna is relatively safe.... But I wouldn't hang about if vesuvius stirred!!

Just had a look at nearby ports to see what other Ships are in and maybe just as well I did as the change of plan above might be changed again!

On the 18th April when we arrive in Sorrento, the only other ships around are:

Naples:

MSC POESIA with possibly 3000 pax - but arrives in Naples 1300 departing 1900 - meaning if they go to Herculaneum, they'd be arriving early afternoon. (Or do you think the window to too narrow for people to get off their ship, get transport, get tickets, sightsee, get transport back and embark. Not sure I'd risk it - seems too tight to me! What do you think? Would you think AM would be better to only compete with one other ship or PM for potentially two?

Viking Sea - Which arrives in Naples at 08.00 and departs at 18.00

Sorrento Silver Wind :D

Les,

Another island not to be missed is Ischia.

Not as popular with tourists and magnificent views.

Some practical advice, if you or your wife need to use the WC in Pompeii, you will need euros to get in. When we were there a large woman was guarding the door. Not sure if that was an official, but she wouldn't let anyone in without paying her. You will also need your own paper, but that's often true in many facilities.

You will also need your own paper, but that's often true in many facilities.

That has to be a wind up!!!

:-)

Hi Les,

I appreciate all the information you've uncovered about our sailing. I had one quick question - do you which ports require tenders?

Regards,

Ben

Hi Les,

 

I appreciate all the information you've uncovered about our sailing. I had one quick question - do you which ports require tenders?

 

Regards,

 

Ben

Sorrento and Amalfi will be tenders in Italy

And Itea in Greece.

All the others should be docked (or scheduled to be)

Itea? they have a huge pier with room for at least two large ships - maybe three. What a pain to have to tender there! That means that Delphi will be crawling with cruise ship passengers - presumably you're not the only ship in town like we were...

One of the pilots for Itea is a friend of the family of one of my former residents. We got to meet him when we were there, and had lunch with him. Great random connection!

Itea? they have a huge pier with room for at least two large ships - maybe three. What a pain to have to tender there! That means that Delphi will be crawling with cruise ship passengers - presumably you're not the only ship in town like we were...

 

One of the pilots for Itea is a friend of the family of one of my former residents. We got to meet him when we were there, and had lunch with him. Great random connection!

You may well be right JP. Never been there - and the internet is not always right! :p

I just searched to see. This is the site that says its tender only.

PS - we are the only ship in town on this day!

But dont shoot me if thats wrong too! hehe

Les37b

We will be visiting the Spirit in Monte Carlo and seeing friends who are on board. We will probably have lunch if our timing works out.

Les37b

We will be visiting the Spirit in Monte Carlo and seeing friends who are on board. We will probably have lunch if our timing works out.

Fingers crossed. I expect it would be a wonderful day for you and your friends.

Les, I do hope you can dock in Itea. The Cloud did so in 2012 for our trip so no reason that the Wind can't. The info on that site must apply only to large ships, unless our pal Christos is on strike that day and doesn't feel like piloting you in to the pier! ;)

Have you figured out how you're getting to Delphi? There was no car rental agency so luckily we had our local connections...they took us there. It is a very impressive sight, especially when you climb up near the top, and well worth your time.

Fingers crossed. I expect it would be a wonderful day for you and your friends.

Yes be great to meet friends.

Just thought I'd update this with something that Monaco trippers would fine useful.

The casino... You do need your passport still as Jeff mentioned, but the official jacket, collared shirt and trousers... They've removed the requirement.

We were there during the afternoon and did see people walking into the building wearing shorts and scruffy t-shirts..... But thought they were not going actually into the casino itself.

We returned in the evening.... Suited and booted... Paid the €10 each to get in... Had passport checked... Walked in.... It was empty. Ok it was early evening (about 8pm) but no ne at all. What a con! Anyway, we had a drink at the bar (bought the t-shirt) only to find that people were walking in wearing scruffy t-shirts, jeans, trainers, no jackets...

Apparently there is no dress code anymore. I didn't see shorts (from memory) inside the casino, but I expect if you pay your $10 you'll get in.

Les, good to here you got in OK.

Just to warn about the dress code, as no one wants to go and risk being disappointed.

The rules aren't consistently applied. and are obviously much more relaxed during the day for all. To be honest I think the door people see it as a "bit of a game" ;)

It is a bit different in the evenings. Most of the hotels including the De Paris across the road is owned by the principality ie SBM - The Société des Bains de Mer. When you stay, they give you a pass that gets you in for most things. The door people at the casino are not going to refuse entry to SBM card holders almost irrespective of what they wear. They don't want to upset the paying punters. So what you may have seen may or may not be people holding SBM cards, it's difficult to know.

As you know, I dislike Monaco and I'm not surprised you found the casino a disappointment.

Jeff

ps. dress code at bottom of the page .......

http://www.montecarlosbm.com/luxury-casinos-monaco-3/monte-carlo-casino/

.

Fair point Jeff.

I did speak to the doorman when we departed to challenge the dress code rules and he said we don't apply them anymore. Could have been to placate why there were so many scruffies going in on that night lol

Oh... This was the night Eddie Jordan followed me on board Silver Wind and the Silversea owner and Prince Albert of Monaco had their dinner in the Le Champagne restaurant.

I wonder if they relaxed the dress code for them! I can remember Eddie was wearing a white shirt.... Can't remember now if he wore a jacket too.

Les,

you can always tell the people in BA First that have bought their tickets. They are dressed very casual.

The smartly dressed ones are the ones that have been upgraded from Club.

;)

Jeff

Les,

 

you can always tell the people in BA First that have bought their tickets. They are dressed very casual.

 

The smartly dressed ones are the ones that have been upgraded from Club.

 

;)

 

Jeff

Haha, highly probable I'm sure. :p