Celebrity's chosen port for Almafi, Italy

[donaldsc]

We also had an Independent Tour arranged which we very much enjoyed but for the traffic delays it would have been exceptional.

Your experience at the port is most unusual (or was it a Sunday) as all of the tour companies hate Salerno because of its traffic problems. Celebrity has chosen Salerno only because the port taxes are significantly cheaper.

 

What should port taxes have to do w it? The passengers pay port taxes, not the cruise company.

 

DON

[Pushka]

What should port taxes have to do w it? The passengers pay port taxes, not the cruise company.

 

 

 

DON

 

 

There is I am assuming, a cost to the Cruise line to berth there that isnt a tax.

[LabGuy64]

I would just as soon go to Herculaneum as Pompeii. It is much better preserved. And I was actually a bit disappointed in Capri to be honest...I will admit that due to there being 3 ships in Naples at the time we did not get to see the Blue Grotto....but unless that was totally remarkable and amazing....my feeling about Capri is...Meh

Edited May 24, 2015 by LabGuy64

[LabGuy64]

Naples is probably limiting the numbes of ships in port at any given time and so, they may be using some alternate ports. With the growing number of cruise ships out there they can't all fit in the more attractive ports at the same time....this is my guess.....I bet you will continue to see some listing for Naples and some for Salerno

 

According to the port calendars, the Equinox stops in Salerno but the Reflection stops in Naples.

 

 

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Edited May 24, 2015 by LabGuy64

[realnice46]

Celebrity has changed the port of call for the Amalfi region of Italy from Naples to SALERNO.

 

What a disastrous decision, the port is a major container port for Ferries to Corsica, Sicily and a major storage facility for newly manufactured cars with major industrial traffic chaos.

 

What ever your decision, taking a Celebrity tour, Independent tour or just a shuttle into the town you will have long, lo.........ng delays. The port is bottlenecked with lorry movements and is a total sick joke as a cruise terminal - Welcome to Salerno is painted across disused containers.

 

Celebrity, YOU must change this silly decision as it is definitely alienating your customers. We nearly missed our departure, it took over an hour to exit the port and twice as long to enter on our return to the port on the recent Equinox cruise. Future passengers be aware and please continue the complaints to Guest Relations to get the port changed back to Naples.

 

I agree with you on Celebrity decision to use Salerno as a port. We didn't have any traffic problems and took boats to Amalfi and Positano, but we would have preferred to go to Sorrento and Naples and it was not possible on our own due to time constraints. The connections from Naples were much easier, I think they just wanted to make sure you would have to purchase a ship's tour.

So now when we look for Med cruise we avoid itineraries that include Salerno.

[jonsmum]

We were on Equinox last September and docked in Salerno for the Amalfi coast. Agree it's not an attractive location, but if you're doing a trip, then not sure that matters. We wanted to see the Amalfi Coast, so chose to do the boat trip to and from Amalfi. It was great. I certainly don't remember a walk of over a mile to the ferry, in fact I think it was around a 10 min walk. We didn't notice any unpleasant smells either - maybe we were just lucky that day. Certainly wouldn't fancy doing the Amalfi coast from Naples - looong way!

[DebbieMacG]

We were on Equinox last September and docked in Salerno for the Amalfi coast. Agree it's not an attractive location, but if you're doing a trip, then not sure that matters. We wanted to see the Amalfi Coast, so chose to do the boat trip to and from Amalfi. It was great. I certainly don't remember a walk of over a mile to the ferry, in fact I think it was around a 10 min walk. We didn't notice any unpleasant smells either - maybe we were just lucky that day. Certainly wouldn't fancy doing the Amalfi coast from Naples - looong way!

 

Doing the Amalfi coast from Naples is the best way to do it. You can see Pompeii or Herculanum, Amalfi, Positano and Ravello or Sorrento and be back in plenty of time, it's a perfect day. :)

[Wiltonian]

We sailed into Salerno in October, had no traffic problems whatsoever. We had a private tour booked, was there waiting when we got off the ship, we went to Positano, Sorrento and Pompeii. The traffic back was busy but not as bad as rush hour round here can be.

 

Sorry you had the opposite experience.

 

It was one of the best days of our 13 night trip.

 

On what was probably the same trip, we took the shuttle into town, walked a few hundred yards to the railway station, took a local train to Pompeii, visited and returned with no problem at all. It was the first Sunday in the month, so entry to Pompeii was free; the train cost around 4 euros each, so it was the bargain day of the tour.

 

AFAIK, Celebrity have been using Salerno for a while. It really was no problem for us.

 

Stuart

Edited May 24, 2015 by Wiltonian

[Pushka]

Naples and the Amalfi coast and a two hour stop in Pompeii is perfectly doable.

[rdb106]

We were also on the May 11th sailing and had no problems at all. We were honestly surprised to see the letter when we got back to our stateroom! We took a privately arranged excursion and left at 8AM, which allowed us to spend 2.5 hours in Pompeii before driving the Amalfi Coast to spend 2 hours is Positano and 2 hours in Sorrento. We returned to the ship with plenty of time at about 5 and had no problems getting to the ship at all. It may have all had to do with timing of containers being moved.

 

 

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[waterbug123]

Doing the Amalfi coast from Naples is the best way to do it. You can see Pompeii or Herculanum, Amalfi, Positano and Ravello or Sorrento and be back in plenty of time, it's a perfect day. :)

 

Amalfi Coast: The southern coast of the Sorrentine peninsula, including the towns of Amalfi, Positano and Ravello. Sorrento, on the northern coast of the Sorrentine peninsula, is not part of the "Amalfi Coast."

 

The Amalfi Coast is actually closer and more convenient to Salerno than it is to Naples. You can certainly visit from Naples, but it will take longer and will require multiple forms of transportation (or a private driver.) The Amalfi Coast is also convenient to Herculaneum, or you can take the train to Pompeii and/or Naples.

If you are docked in Naples rather than Salerno, Pompeii is easy to get to, as is Sorrento via ferry. You can get to the Amalfi Coast, but if you try to combine it with a visit to the Pompeii you will be in for a very long day with minimal time in each of the towns. Personally, from Naples I'd do Pompeii and Sorrento and leave the AC for another time when you have more time to really explore the individual towns.

[mickey89]

 

The Amalfi Coast is actually closer and more convenient to Salerno than it is to Naples.............................

 

 

How wrong you are, although Amalfi and Positano are closer to Salerno than Naples it will take you twice as long to visit via Salerno along the coast road. It is much more convenient to visit the Amalfi Coastal area via Naples

If you disagree just check out the travel guide via google earth or better still ask a local tour operator.

[Cruise Junky]

How wrong you are, although Amalfi and Positano are closer to Salerno than Naples it will take you twice as long to visit via Salerno along the coast road. It is much more convenient to visit the Amalfi Coastal area via Naples

If you disagree just check out the travel guide via google earth or better still ask a local tour operator.

 

I was actually told the same thing on Trip Advisor last week from someone that lives there.

 

"61 kilometers from Naples (airport but close enough to train station) to Positano; 70 between Salerno and Positano - marginal but Positano is the first Amalfi Coast village you hit coming from Naples

Coming from Salerno, Positano is the last AC village you would hit and you will have driven on the road past all of them which can be a bit more trafficy even at that time of year."

Edited May 25, 2015 by Cruise Junky

[groryjm]

Have you sent feedback to Celebrity? I reckon a picture of the dumpy port on Facebook might sort something out?

 

 

What a pretty port:D

[Christine Frances]

We have done the AC from Naples before and the majority of the drive is on a busy nondiscript highway. Just "street viewed" the drive from Salerno to Positano and it looks like a beautiful (and narrow lol) drive as it follows the coastline. We will go to Amalfi then Positano where we will stop for lunch (la Tagliata) and then on the return we will visit Ravello before heading back to the ship. I think the port change works for us as we have been to Pompeii etc before.

[waterbug123]

How wrong you are, although Amalfi and Positano are closer to Salerno than Naples it will take you twice as long to visit via Salerno along the coast road. It is much more convenient to visit the Amalfi Coastal area via Naples

If you disagree just check out the travel guide via google earth or better still ask a local tour operator.

 

I have been there and I do disagree, but you are welcome to your own opinion. I have gone by car from Naples to Positano and it takes quite a while to get out of Naples and go up and over the peninsula to get to Positano and begin driving along the coast. In other words, you spend a lot of time getting there and less time actually there. On the other hand, if you start from Salerno, you will be on the scenic Amalfi Coast road almost immediately.

[waterbug123]

Positano; 70 between Salerno and Positano -

 

Where are you getting info that says 70 km from Salerno to Positano? It is actually only 40-45 km.

[jonsmum]

Doing the Amalfi coast from Naples is the best way to do it. You can see Pompeii or Herculanum, Amalfi, Positano and Ravello or Sorrento and be back in plenty of time, it's a perfect day. :)

 

Sorry - I obviously wasn't clear. We wanted to see the COAST, and if this is your aim, then Salerno is a no-brainer. It is truly stunning and you don't get to see the coast on a drive from Naples!

[mickey89]

We have done the AC from Naples before and the majority of the drive is on a busy nondiscript highway. Just "street viewed" the drive from Salerno to Positano and it looks like a beautiful (and narrow lol) drive as it follows the coastline. We will go to Amalfi then Positano where we will stop for lunch (la Tagliata) and then on the return we will visit Ravello before heading back to the ship. I think the port change works for us as we have been to Pompeii etc before.

 

We were at La Tagliata last week, very interesting drive from Positano up the narrow road to the restaurant, very much narrower than the narrow coastal road. Don't forget to make a reservation as it will be very busy, their lunch time menu is fixed - antipasta, pasta and desert followed by a shot of lemoncello - cost 25EUR/pp expensive but great location. The travelling time Salerno - Amalfi - Positano - La Tagliata - Ravello - Salerno will be at least 4 hours maybe longer due to the coastal road conjestion. I would reccommend you arrive at La Tagliata by latest 12.30

Have a great time and hope the weather is kind to you.