Pompeii

[codowngirl]

My boyfriend and I are going on the Epic in June next year. We are talking of doing Pompeii. The trip is rather expensive through NCL. Can anyone recommend any good private companies that does this trip for a good price?

 

The other option is to go by train from Naples, can you get a guided tour when you arrive in Pompeii?

[KirkNC]

My boyfriend and I are going on the Epic in June next year. We are talking of doing Pompeii. The trip is rather expensive through NCL. Can anyone recommend any good private companies that does this trip for a good price?

 

The other option is to go by train from Naples, can you get a guided tour when you arrive in Pompeii?

 

No way would I do the ships tour. Take the train or bus to Pompeii. At the site there are plenty of guides that usually charge 10 euros/pp, they gather a group of roughly 8-10 and take you through the ruins. It is a great place to visit. I think the round trip train ticket is 11 euros/pp. You can either walk to the train station (a bit of a hike) or take a bus or cab. Another option is to take the bus to Pompeii.

 

Kirk

[codowngirl]

No way would I do the ships tour. Take the train or bus to Pompeii. At the site there are plenty of guides that usually charge 10 euros/pp, they gather a group of roughly 8-10 and take you through the ruins. It is a great place to visit. I think the round trip train ticket is 11 euros/pp. You can either walk to the train station (a bit of a hike) or take a bus or cab. Another option is to take the bus to Pompeii.

 

Kirk

 

Probably get a bus or taxi to the train station. Don't fancy the hike ha ha. How long does the journey take on the train and how long on the bus?

 

Is that 11 euros return for the train? How much would the bus be (return)?

 

How regular are the buses and trains?

 

Thank you for your reply above.

[maryann ns]

Do a search here in the ports section using keywords such as Pompei and train and you will get lots of information.

[euro cruiser]

I think the round trip train ticket is 11 euros/pp

A bit overestimated. The best way to do this via the train is to purchase the U3 daily ticket, which covers public transit in Naples (bus or tram to and from the Circumvesuviana train station and the cruise port) as well as the train to and from Pompei.

 

A U3 daily ticket costs € 4.70. You can read more about it here: http://www.unicocampania.it/index.php?lang=en&center=inside&colonna=biglietti&action=1

[KirkNC]

A bit overestimated. The best way to do this via the train is to purchase the U3 daily ticket, which covers public transit in Naples (bus or tram to and from the Circumvesuviana train station and the cruise port) as well as the train to and from Pompei.

 

A U3 daily ticket costs € 4.70. You can read more about it here: http://www.unicocampania.it/index.php?lang=en&center=inside&colonna=biglietti&action=1

 

And that is what happens when you are over 50 :o!

 

As too how long, it is approximately 30 minutes by train or bus.

 

Kirk

[samavarcruiser]

This thread might be helpful http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=63129

[Bet & Peg]

On our 2008 Celebrity Med cruise we stopped at Naples. My DH and I only wanted to see Pompeii - a long-time dream of mine! To "prepare" I read the book Pompeii by Richard Harris - fabulous! a great read!! We also bought a book (non-fiction) about the ruins - can't remember the name but wonderful descriptions.

 

We also prepared by reading Rick Steve directions to Naples from his Italy travel book and everything available on CC! We arrived in Naples and took a taxi to the train station. Easily got round-trip tickets to Pompeii. Traveled there with no problems, bought entrance tickets and spent the whole "day" there! I think we saw every square inch we could of the ruins! At our own speed without being hurried! Have a good pizza, took train back to Naples and taxi back to the ship. The traffic in Naples is deadly! We were SO happy we took the taxi!!

 

If you check out "Pompeii" on the this board you should find a wealth of information!

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

[KirkNC]

Another great book recommended to us by a fellow CCer is "Fires of Vesuvius", it goes into great detail on life in Pompeii before the eruption.

 

I agree also on Rick Steves, we found it to be very good.

 

Kirk

[Podie]

I've been to Pompeii four times, but my last trip I used a private local guide recommended by Rick Steves and he absolutely made Pompeii come alive for me. His name is Gaetano Manfredi and if you get a small group together he is not much more expensive than taking your chances with the guides at the gate.

[Jules1]

I've been to Pompeii four times, but my last trip I used a private local guide recommended by Rick Steves and he absolutely made Pompeii come alive for me. His name is Gaetano Manfredi and if you get a small group together he is not much more expensive than taking your chances with the guides at the gate.

 

We've been to Pompeii before, but are planning to go back. Gaetano's tour sounds wonderful. Did you make your own way to Pompeii and meet him there? Did you take the 2 hour or 3 hour tour? Thanks for the info!

[ShipsandDipper]

This is what we did week before last:

 

Got off the ship as soon as it was cleared. Across the street from the cruise terminal was a newsstand. Bought train tickets from the newsstand (also good for the bus). Total 9.6 euros (for 2 people) for 2 sets of tickets (go and return). Validated the ticket on the 601 bus and took it from right by the newsstand to the train station (Circumvesuviana line). Exited at Pompei Scavi, turned right from the station, walked less than a block, and there was the main entrance for Pompeii.

 

There were guides at the entrance, but we used the Rick Steves walking tour and branched off when we wanted to. Spent 5 hours walking around. Went back to the train station, validated our return tickets at the orange machine in the station, took the next train back to Naples, and found a restaurant a few blocks from Garibaldi Square for some pizza. Found the 601 again, and took it back to the port.

 

There was at least one other bus (152, maybe?) that would have gotten us to the train station area, but the 601 was the one we identified first.

 

We didn't get an all-day ticket because a friend was in Naples a few weeks ago and found out they didn't work until 10 a.m. And we just wanted to go to Pompeii, not stop at Herculaneum or go on to Sorrento. So the 2 sets of tickets, one to go and one to return, worked fine for us.

 

By the way, did anyone else see the news that the House of the Gladiators in Pompeii simply collapsed this weekend?

[caribbeansun]

+1

 

I had Gaetano give me a 3 hour tour of Pompeii about 2 weeks ago. My DW wasn't feeling well so I was just Gaetano and myself.

 

Fabulous! I saw houses and buildings others on the canned tours didn't see (houses not on the official map). I'm not a fan of crowds and there were parts we went to that had almost nobody around which really surprised me - I asked tons of questions and he had answers to all of them and was able to describe things in such a way as to really make me appreciate what I was seeing. I could have spent days there.

 

It was one of the highlights of my trip.

 

We tendered into Sorrento, I took the train - no worries at all. Very easy to get there on your own and back. The train system is quite easy to use.

 

 

 

I've been to Pompeii four times, but my last trip I used a private local guide recommended by Rick Steves and he absolutely made Pompeii come alive for me. His name is Gaetano Manfredi and if you get a small group together he is not much more expensive than taking your chances with the guides at the gate.

[TLCOhio]

YES, you can take the train, get a guide there, etc. BUT, getting a good guide does make a big, positive difference. Much depends on how "into" history you are and what level of "depth" you seek during your visit. Below are a few of my visual samples for what is there to see and enjoy in Pompeii.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is now over 23,600 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

Here are some samples of what we saw in Pompeii with our guide. There are a wide variety of buildings, interiors, art and architectural objects, etc. Very interesting and super historic!!!:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Pompeii, the examples of historic art work are significant and very interesting. Here is one example for what was saved in this town.

 

[hubofhockey]

Did you get any good pictures of the brothel? ;)

[cruisemom42]

Does anyone know if Gaetano can access areas of Pompeii that are normally off-limits to tours or tourists doing the site on their own?

[caribbeansun]

Yes he can.

 

Does anyone know if Gaetano can access areas of Pompeii that are normally off-limits to tours or tourists doing the site on their own?