Positano worth the extra fees???

[IslandBoundKS]

We have a private tour scheduled of The Amalfi Coast for our May NCL Epic cruise when we port in Naples. The tour includes a stop for a scenic view of Positano but there's an option to go into the village for an additional fee -  90 euros for the "check-point" and 50 euros per hour for parking.  Is it worth the extra money to spend a short time actually walking around Positano? The tour includes stops in Amalfi and Ravello so I'm wondering it makes better sense to just do the overlook of Positano and spend the extra time in the other villages. Would exploring Amalfi and Ravello give us enough of a feel of the area or would we really be missing out by skipping Positano? 

[mapleleaves]

Can't answer your question but which tour company are you using?

We're doing all 3 villages with time in each .... no extra fee.  Perhaps you need to look at other companies.

[IslandBoundKS]

18 minutes ago, mapleleaves said:

Can't answer your question but which tour company are you using?

We're doing all 3 villages with time in each .... no extra fee.  Perhaps you need to look at other companies.

I am not ruling that out.  We are booked with Italy Tours EU. They have fantastic reviews and have been very responsive with any questions I have had. I was a little surprised by the notice of the extra fee for Positano in my confirmation e-mail because it wasn't mentioned in the initial quote. Which company is your tour with?

[rdt10]

23 minutes ago, mapleleaves said:

Can't answer your question but which tour company are you using?

We're doing all 3 villages with time in each .... no extra fee.  Perhaps you need to look at other companies.

Agree. We have done several private tours from Naples and all stopped in Positano. I like Positano so would want to spend some time there. 

[mapleleaves]

I had considered the Classic Amalfi Coast tour with italytours.eu.   The description clearly states that you stop at the overlook and also mentions the walk from the Piazza to the water.  When i spoke with them, they said they stopped for almost 2 hrs at each of the 3 villages.  There was never a mention of extra fees.  Wow.

 

In the end I chose AldoLimos , the Classic Amalfi Coast, but we have decided to go private rather than shared. 

 

I certainly wouldn't give up a visit to Positano.  If anything i would forego time in Amalfi; it seems much larger and perhaps not as much character/charm as Positano.

Edited April 23, 2019 by mapleleaves

[rdt10]

You might check out Joe Banana Limos or thier tour sharing site Italy Tour Sharing. We are using them in June with a group put together by someone on our roll call. We have also used APTours and Naples Port Shore Excursions. APTours' driver was the least interesting, but that is the luck of the draw.

 

I also think Positano is more interesting than Amalfi.

Edited April 23, 2019 by rdt10

[euro cruiser]

You would have a more pleasant day all the way around if you ditch the car and travel along the coast by ferry.

 

You could use the car as a transfer - from Naples to Salerno in the morning and from Salerno back to Naples in the evening, although the train would get you there just as fast (or faster, in traffic).  From Salerno you can get ferries to the towns along the coast.

[h-sar]

Another recommendation for Joe Banana and having done Positano and Amalfi multiple times, would definitely pick Positano every time; although Amalfi is great, it just doesn’t have the same charm.

[IslandBoundKS]

Thanks for all the replies - it confirmed that Positano is definitely a must see on this tour. I followed-up with the tour operator and there had been some confusion. The extra fees do not apply since we booked our tour as a private tour - they only apply to the semi-private option. Very happy that we will get to see Positano!

 

[erby2283]

3 hours ago, IslandBoundKS said:

Thanks for all the replies - it confirmed that Positano is definitely a must see on this tour. I followed-up with the tour operator and there had been some confusion. The extra fees do not apply since we booked our tour as a private tour - they only apply to the semi-private option. Very happy that we will get to see Positano!

 

That's weird bc I am on a confirmed shared tour with Italy tours "Pompeii, Sorrento & The Amalfi Coast" and we were advised that we only stop at the lookout points from above and we do not go into town - and nothing was mentioned about even going into town - not even for a fee.  In fact, in one of the points we had to confirm that due to time constraints, we may not make it to Positano at all - which is really the one and only place I want to make it to.  

Edited April 24, 2019 by erby2283

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, erby2283 said:

That's weird bc I am on a confirmed shared tour with Italy tours "Pompeii, Sorrento & The Amalfi Coast" and we were advised that we only stop at the lookout points from above and we do not go into town - and nothing was mentioned about even going into town - not even for a fee.  In fact, in one of the points we had to confirm that due to time constraints, we may not make it to Positano at all - which is really the one and only place I want to make it to.  

 

Possibly it is because your tour is also including Pompeii.  Timing would be pretty tight.

 

IMO, too much to do in one day.

[mapleleaves]

37 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Possibly it is because your tour is also including Pompeii.  Timing would be pretty tight.

 

IMO, too much to do in one day.

 

yep,  that's what I discovered too.

I had to make a choice .... do I want to see Pompeii for 2 hrs or spend more time on the Amalfi Coast.  

I decided on the Coast.  And then I looked carefully at the tour details to ensure we spent time in each of the 3 villages.  And then decided to go with a private tour so we could add a little excursion, or, add an hour if we need more time. 

[IslandBoundKS]

3 hours ago, erby2283 said:

That's weird bc I am on a confirmed shared tour with Italy tours "Pompeii, Sorrento & The Amalfi Coast" and we were advised that we only stop at the lookout points from above and we do not go into town - and nothing was mentioned about even going into town - not even for a fee.  In fact, in one of the points we had to confirm that due to time constraints, we may not make it to Positano at all - which is really the one and only place I want to make it to.  

We are on a different tour called the Classic Amalfi Coast Tour and does not include Pompeii or Sorrento. With those two stops I'm sure that's why the one you're on doesn't have time for Positano. 

[erby2283]

3 hours ago, mapleleaves said:

 

yep,  that's what I discovered too.

I had to make a choice .... do I want to see Pompeii for 2 hrs or spend more time on the Amalfi Coast.  

I decided on the Coast.  And then I looked carefully at the tour details to ensure we spent time in each of the 3 villages.  And then decided to go with a private tour so we could add a little excursion, or, add an hour if we need more time. 

When I emailed them originally about a shared tour from sorrento I didn’t really get a choice, they kind of gave me one option. I don’t mind seeing Pompeii but if I had a choice, would prefer to see Positano and be able to go into town for sure.  I wonder if I should email them and ask if that’s the only option for a shared tour. A private tour would be twice as much since it’s just the two of us. 

[mapleleaves]

or try other tour companies.

If your roll is active, try to drum up interest in the Amalifi Coast tour. 

[Hlitner]

Whether or not its worth the extra money is a personal thing.  We really like Positano and visit the city on a daily basis when we stay in the area (normally about 5 miles distant).  I am a little puzzled about that big extra fee.  Tour buses are not permitted into Positano, but cars/vans can drive down through the town.  Parking is a huge problem so I do understand the extra parking fee (although 50€ sounds excessive).  I have no clue what the 90€ "check point" fee is all about.  When I have driven into town there was no "check point" although there were always some police who we assumed were there to make sure a bus did not try to go into the town.  Our last visit was about 4 years ago so perhaps this is something new?

 

Spending some time in Ravello is certainly a desirable thing and a perfect consolation prize if you cannot go down into Positano.  Amalfi has its charm although we do not put it into the same category as Positano or Ravello.

 

Hank

[erby2283]

11 hours ago, mapleleaves said:

or try other tour companies.

If your roll is active, try to drum up interest in the Amalifi Coast tour. 

Roll is barely active. Only had 4 pages and I booked last June. 😳

 

 

9 hours ago, Hlitner said:

 

Spending some time in Ravello is certainly a desirable thing and a perfect consolation prize if you cannot go down into Positano.  Amalfi has its charm although we do not put it into the same category as Positano or Ravello.

 

Hank

 I emailed and they do have a semi-private (shared) Classic Amalfi tour which includes Positano, Amalfi and Ravello. As long as I am on with not seeing Pompeii I suppose I will make the switch bc I really want to see Positano...and not just from an ovrtlook. 

Edited April 25, 2019 by erby2283

[caripoo]

Pretty much our favorite place in all of Italy.......