Naples/Sorrento/Salerno port question

[daisy-mae]

I apologize if this issue has already been discussed, but as it will be our first Med cruise, we are a little puzzled.

 

According to the Celebrity brochure that we used at the time of booking, we were supposed to be calling in Naples. Apparently the port of call has been changed to Salerno (confirmed in our travel documents). We have also seen Sorrento mentioned jointly with Naples on various travel sites.

 

On the map, the three ports look to be a fair distance apart, yet are somehow interchangeable and are often lumped together when it comes to cruise related information. I understand that cruise lines can and do change ports of call after schedules are set, and I have no problem with that, but I am wondering why three different locations can be considered a single port of call.

[euro cruiser]

Many times cruise lines advertise the "brand" name location, while indicating parenthetically where the actual stop is. For example, the brochure will say Florence (Livorno).

 

Similarly, you will often see Naples (Salerno), because most people have never heard of Salerno so it wouldn't be much of an attraction.

[cruisemom42]

Also, people tend to do more or less the same attractions from any of these three ports, although some attractions are easier than others, depending on which port.

 

Capri is easy from Naples or Sorrento, less so from Salerno.

 

Amalfi Coast drive can be done from any but Salerno may be easiest

 

Pompeii and Herculaneum are very easy from Naples or Sorrento, less so from Salerno.

 

etc.

[Hlitner]

The OP is absolutely correct that there are tremendous differences in the ports and location (especially between Naples and Salerno). We agree that the cruise lines are often very misleading in their cruise info. My favorite is when they list Florence as a port...when that city is more then an hour from the nearest port (Livorno). Cruisers just have to be inquisitive and carefully look at the details of their itineraries and docking/tender locations.

 

Hank

[margowg]

I am trying to avoid a big bus and doing an excision thru the cruise line. I had the idea of hiring a driver to take us to the Amalfi coast. What would be really awesome is a boat trip. Does anyone have any ideas?

[Cruise_me_Crazy]

I am trying to avoid a big bus and doing an excision thru the cruise line. I had the idea of hiring a driver to take us to the Amalfi coast. What would be really awesome is a boat trip. Does anyone have any ideas?

 

I have been reading on other threads here that there is a high speed boat as well as a ferry from Naples to Sorrento and return. Apparently the high speed boat is 45 mins and quicker than the road trip.

 

We are there in October, so busy busy busy looking at options too :)

[chromered7]

Out of 4 cruises with a Naples stop we only had 1that actually stopped at Naples. Both Salerno and Naples are working ports and are quite ugly. You can get a fast boat from Salerno to Sorento without using an X excursion. If you want to go to Amalfi a coach will drop you off in the town and by walking to the train station there are cheap buses to take you to Amalfi.

 

 

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[euro cruiser]

I have been reading on other threads here that there is a high speed boat as well as a ferry from Naples to Sorrento and return. Apparently the high speed boat is 45 mins and quicker than the road trip.

 

We are there in October, so busy busy busy looking at options too :)

Yes, but there are only a few runs each day:

 

http://www.alilauro.it/orari-e-tariffe?route_group_id=3

[vacationlady]

Ferries do not run if bad weather or rough seas. Have a backup plan if you choose to take a ferry. We learned this on our recent trip to Italy.