First cruise with my 9 year old

[Tina80]

Hi all,

My none year old and I are going to go on our first ever cruise this October, it will be Royal Caribbean 9 nights Greek cruise: https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruises/itinerary/9-night-greek-isles-from-rome-civitavecchia-on-odyssey/OY09ROM-3670741210?sail-date=2024-10-01&currency=USD&country=USA&search=startDate:2024-10-01~2024-10-31#step=0

 

We will arrive in Naples and we would like to visit Positano and possibly some of the nice towns and maybe Pomeii (although we have been there before), was looking at the tours offered by the cruise and wasn't sure if we should just purchase that or will have an option to visit the city on our own. Have been reading so many threads and posts to get myself familiar but was hoping if someone please reply to this thread and provide some recommendations. What can we see/do on our own? Thank you in advance

[euro cruiser]

You can get to and from the Amalfi Coast on your own, but I wouldn't expect to do anything else in the ten hours or so that you have available.

 

The easiest option is the NLG ferry from Molo Beverello, adjacent to the cruise port in Naples.  It's less than a five-minute walk across the parking lot.  The ferry departs at 8:35 and gets you to Amalfi at 10:35, or Positano at 10:50.

 

The slightly more difficult option, but still not hard, is to take the train to Salerno and the ferry from there out along the Amalfi Coast.  The first step is the metro from the port to Napoli Centrale train station (brand new entrance to the metro from the port), then the 8:45 seat-assigned IC train to Salerno, arriving at 9:23.  This allows plenty of time to make the 9:40 Travelmar ferry, arriving to Amalfi at 10:15, or Positano at 10:50.  So, you'd leave the ship earlier and only gain about twenty more minutes at Amalfi.

 

(Note that there are earlier trains but you unless you were VERY lucky and able to make the 7:35 train, you cannot get to Salerno in time for an earlier ferry.)

 

NLG ferry:  NLG » Official website

 

Trenitalia:  EN - Trenitalia

 

TravelMar ferry:  Travelmar ferry timetables - Fast ferries on the Amalfi Coast

 

However you arrive to the coast, the return must be by train because the afternoon ferry arrives too late for you to safely reboard the ship (scheduled to arrive at 5:55 PM).

Edited July 23 by euro cruiser

[Tina80]

21 minutes ago, euro cruiser said:

You can get to and from the Amalfi Coast on your own, but I wouldn't expect to do anything else in the ten hours or so that you have available.

 

The easiest option is the NLG ferry from Molo Beverello, adjacent to the cruise port in Naples.  It's less than a five-minute walk across the parking lot.  The ferry departs at 8:35 and gets you to Amalfi at 10:35, or Positano at 10:50.

 

The slightly more difficult option, but still not hard, is to take the train to Salerno and the ferry from there out along the Amalfi Coast.  The first step is the metro from the port to Napoli Centrale train station (brand new entrance to the metro from the port), then the 8:45 seat-assigned IC train to Salerno, arriving at 9:23.  This allows plenty of time to make the 9:40 Travelmar ferry, arriving to Amalfi at 10:15, or Positano at 10:50.  So, you'd leave the ship earlier and only gain about twenty more minutes at Amalfi.

 

(Note that there are earlier trains but you unless you were VERY lucky and able to make the 7:35 train, you cannot get to Salerno in time for an earlier ferry.)

 

NLG ferry:  NLG » Official website

 

Trenitalia:  EN - Trenitalia

 

TravelMar ferry:  Travelmar ferry timetables - Fast ferries on the Amalfi Coast

 

However you arrive to the coast, the return must be by train because the afternoon ferry arrives too late for you to safely reboard the ship (scheduled to arrive at 5:55 PM).

Thank you so much for your helpful reply and providing me with valuable info.

[Tina80]

As for the tours, which one do you all recommend?
 

• Tour of Italy 2 -  Naples , Sorrento, and Positano - 750 Euros for a private tour - Max 8 people - 198 Euros for both of us, but at least 6 people have to sign up or it would be canceled I am guessing

• Tour of Italy 3 - Positano, Amalfi and Ravello - Max 8 people - 198 Euros for both of us

• Romeinlimo - Pompeii, Sorrento and Positano (email sent) - 550 Euros

[euro cruiser]

Every one of these will require hours (I'm not exaggerating) in a van, with very short stops in each location.  October is no longer off or even shoulder season, things will still be in full force.  Look for the word "panoramic" in the description detail, that indicates that you drive through but don't get out of the car/van.

 

For perspective, driving time along to Positano, Sorrento and Naples would be at least three and a half or four hours.  That's half of the tour and you haven't left the vehicle.

 

Positano, Amalfi and Ravello would be about the same amount of time in the vehicle as would Pompei, Sorrento and Positano.  Maybe your child is more adaptable than ours were, but I wouldn't put myself or them through so much time in a car or van.

 

What are your priorities for this port day?  Is it imperative that you get to the Amalfi Coast?  If Sorrento would do, and if Pompei is important to you, it's easy to put together a day that includes these two using public transit.

Edited July 23 by euro cruiser

[Tina80]

7 hours ago, euro cruiser said:

Every one of these will require hours (I'm not exaggerating) in a van, with very short stops in each location.  October is no longer off or even shoulder season, things will still be in full force.  Look for the word "panoramic" in the description detail, that indicates that you drive through but don't get out of the car/van.

 

For perspective, driving time along to Positano, Sorrento and Naples would be at least three and a half or four hours.  That's half of the tour and you haven't left the vehicle.

 

Positano, Amalfi and Ravello would be about the same amount of time in the vehicle as would Pompei, Sorrento and Positano.  Maybe your child is more adaptable than ours were, but I wouldn't put myself or them through so much time in a car or van.

 

What are your priorities for this port day?  Is it imperative that you get to the Amalfi Coast?  If Sorrento would do, and if Pompei is important to you, it's easy to put together a day that includes these two using public transit.

Thank you for your comment. I would love to visit Positano, my daughter would like togo to Pompeii again,

[euro cruiser]

Okay, well here's a way to do both without wasting hours sitting in a car or van.

 

First, pay for a car service to transfer you from the ship to the Concordia ferry dock in Salerno.  This ride is almost entirely on the autostrada, going mostly against traffic in the morning, so if you get off the ship as soon as allowed, you could be in Salerno in time for the first ferry to Positano, departing at 8:40.  This would put you at Positano just before 10:00.

 

At the other end, you need to be back at the cruise port no later than 5:30 PM.  You could take a local train from Pompei Scavi at 4:09 PM, or a bus from Pompei at 4:15.  I personally find the bus easier and more comfortable (easier because the depot is inside the port area, the train requires another transit mode to get back to the port).

 

So, backing into this, assuming you want a minimum of two and a half hours at Pompei, you'd need to arrive there by 1:30 PM.  To do that you'd need to be on a 12:26 train from Sorrento, which would require either a taxi or car service departing Positano no later than 11:26, which means you get only an hour and a half at Positano.

 

Bottom line, you can get to both, but not do either one very well.

 

Local train schedule between Sorrento and Naples:  ORARI NAPOLI SORRENTO_dal 1 luglio al 10 settembre 2024.pdf (eavsrl.it)

 

Bus between Pompei and Naples:  5001_15_01_2024.pdf (sitasudtrasporti.it)

 

[euro cruiser]

You could also pay for a full day car service to take you directly to Positano from the ship, arriving between 9:00 - 9:30 (assumes you depart Naples at 7:30), then transfer you to Pompei and back to the ship.

 

The timing on this would allow you longer at each stop.

 

If you left Positano after three hours (so 12:00 - 12:30), you could be at Pompei between 1:30 - 2:00.  That gives you the same two to two and a half hours at Pompei before departing around 4:00 for the port.  You could, of course, shorten your time in Positano to add on some at Pompei, the beauty of a private car service is that you make all the decisions.

 

You'll get back a bit early, but the reliable car services will insist on leaving early in order to be sure they get you back on time.

 

 

[Tina80]

23 hours ago, euro cruiser said:

You could also pay for a full day car service to take you directly to Positano from the ship, arriving between 9:00 - 9:30 (assumes you depart Naples at 7:30), then transfer you to Pompei and back to the ship.

 

The timing on this would allow you longer at each stop.

 

If you left Positano after three hours (so 12:00 - 12:30), you could be at Pompei between 1:30 - 2:00.  That gives you the same two to two and a half hours at Pompei before departing around 4:00 for the port.  You could, of course, shorten your time in Positano to add on some at Pompei, the beauty of a private car service is that you make all the decisions.

 

You'll get back a bit early, but the reliable car services will insist on leaving early in order to be sure they get you back on time.

 

 

Thank you so much, I really appreciate your helpful replies. Last time we visited Italy, we took the train to Naples, bus to Pompeii and somehow managed to visit Pisa too. But you're right, the car service would be much more efficient. 
p.s. I don't see any mention of visiting Pisa in the Naples itinerary related posts, maybe that was too far and I just don't remember right...

[euro cruiser]

Pisa is near Livorno, not Naples.  Much too far away.

 

Edited July 25 by euro cruiser

[Tina80]

11 hours ago, euro cruiser said:

Pisa is near Livorno, not Naples.  Much too far away.

 

Thank you! I went back and looked at my detailed itinerary from 2019 and realized we visited Pisa when we traveled to Florence 🙂 We did so much that I couldn't even remember!

[Tina80]

Since both my child and I like to visit Milan too, we were thinking to fly from the US to Milan, spend a couple of days there then take the train to get to the cruise ship port.

Royal Caribbean offers a post cruise tour which will then take us to the airport afterward. The problem with that is my kid would like to visit inside the Colosseum, so that might not work out.

[edinburgher]

On 7/24/2024 at 2:17 AM, Tina80 said:

I would love to visit Positano, my daughter would like togo to Pompeii again,

As an alternative to Pompeii, consider nearby Herculaneum.  It is smaller and more manageable than Pompeii especially if the weather is hot,  and although there are similarities to Pompeii, there are also differences.  Images and info online..  Take the same train line (Circumvesuviano) you would take for Pompeii, but get off at Ercolano Scavi for Herculaneum, actually closer to Naples than Pompeii.  Walk around 15 minutes downhill to the entrance.

 

With a 9 year old, would a visit up Mt Vesuvius be of interest?  it isn't every day a youngster gets to go up a volcano, but she could from this same train station.  Info can be found online and in past threads.You could visit both Herculaneum and Vesuvius on the same day. 

 

Be aware that "to visit Positano" you would really need to arrive and leave by ferry as independents,  as most driving tours do not go into Positano itself, but stop on the main road above for a photo opportunity looking down onto Positano before driving on. This is mostly due to the tough restrictions on  vehicles of non residents entering Positano.

 

Deciding what to do on a port stop in Naples is always a difficult decision to make given the number of top rated options from there. We usually recommend that people consider a stay of at least a week, ideally longer to explore everything the mainland area and islands offer.

Edited July 25 by edinburgher

[Tina80]

6 minutes ago, edinburgher said:

As an alternative to Pompeii, consider nearby Herculaneum.  It is smaller and more manageable than Pompeii especially if the weather is hot,  and although there are similarities to Pompeii, there are also differences.  Images and info online..  Take the same train line (Circumvesuviano) you would take for Pompeii, but get off at Ercolano Scavi for Herculaneum, actually closer to Naples than Pompeii.  Walk around 15 minutes downhill to the entrance.

 

With a 9 year old, would a visit up Mt Vesuvius be of interest?  it isn't every day a youngster gets to go up a volcano, but she could from this same train station.  Info can be found online and in past threads.You could visit both Herculaneum and Vesuvius on the same day. 

 

Be aware that "to visit Positano" you would really need to arrive and leave by ferry as independents,  as most driving tours do not go into Positano itself, but stop on the main road above for a photo opportunity looking down onto Positano before driving on. This is mostly due to the tough restrictions on  vehicles of non residents entering Positano.

 

Deciding what to do on a port stop in Naples is always a difficult decision to make given the number of top rated options from there. We usually recommend that people consider a stay of at least a week, ideally longer to explore everything the mainland area and islands offer.

Thank you for your reply, very helpful. As for Positano, all I really like to do is too see those cascading vertical colorful houses by the water. If there is a way to just drive around and see those, then I guess I would be fine! Will my daughter be able to see the volcano from inside the bus tour or it is something we should get a ticket and go inside the sight to see it? 

[edinburgher]

31 minutes ago, Tina80 said:

If there is a way to just drive around and see those

not that I am aware of given the non resident traffic restrictions already mentioned.

 

31 minutes ago, Tina80 said:

Will my daughter be able to see the volcano from inside the bus tour or it is something we should get a ticket and go inside the sight to see it? 

it is something we should get a ticket and go inside the sight to see it? 

 

i hope you meant that as a joke!!😁

 

You can see Vesuvius from a distance from all around the Bay of Naples.For an actual visit, all vehicles only go up to the top parking area and you walk up  the rest of the way to the crater. As a bonus, on a clear day the views are outstanding.

 

Does anyone  anywhere ever visit INSIDE a volcano anywhere in the world?  I think not,!!!!!  but you can walk around the perimeter and look down into the crater.  Read reviews and descriptions to help you decide..

Edited July 25 by edinburgher

[Tina80]

20 minutes ago, edinburgher said:

not that I am aware of given the non resident traffic restrictions already mentioned.

 

it is something we should get a ticket and go inside the sight to see it? 

 

i hope you meant that as a joke!!😁

 

You can see Vesuvius from a distance from all around the Bay of Naples.For an actual visit, all vehicles only go up to the top parking area and you walk up  the rest of the way to the crater. As a bonus, on a clear day the views are outstanding.

 

Does anyone  anywhere ever visit INSIDE a volcano anywhere in the world?  I think not,!!!!!  but you can walk around the perimeter and look down into the crater.  Read reviews and descriptions to help you decide..

LOL! No I didn't mean to go inside the volcano, I thought it's a sight where you buy tickets and go see it, since I am not familiar with that area, I thought I would ask. What about seeing Positano from inside the bus ride? Is that doable?

[Tina80]

Regarding visiting Rome and Milan:

I was thinking since our cruise departure is on Oct 1 from Civitavecchia and this port is closer to Rome then Milan, what if we fly non-stop from IAD to Rome on Sep 27th, then get to Rome on the 28th, explore the city and leave on a train to get to our cruise port. Then upon returning on Oct 10, we take the train from civitavecchia to Milan, visit this beautiful city and fly out to IAD from there. I just don't want to risk missing the cruise departure. What do you all think?

[edinburgher]

What about seeing Positano from inside the bus ride? Is that doable?

 

That question was already answered in my post #13 above..  A brief photo stop from the road above, looking down on Positano, otherwise arrive by ferry and walk the village  from there.

Edited July 25 by edinburgher

[Tina80]

11 minutes ago, edinburgher said:

What about seeing Positano from inside the bus ride? Is that doable?

 

That question was already answered in my post #13 above..  A brief photo stop from the road above, looking down on Positano, otherwise arrive by ferry and walk the village  from there.

Sorry I had missed that. Thank you. This will be the case assuming we book an excursion with Royal Caribbean?

[marazul]

25 minutes ago, Tina80 said:

Regarding visiting Rome and Milan:

I was thinking since our cruise departure is on Oct 1 from Civitavecchia and this port is closer to Rome then Milan, what if we fly non-stop from IAD to Rome on Sep 27th, then get to Rome on the 28th, explore the city and leave on a train to get to our cruise port. Then upon returning on Oct 10, we take the train from civitavecchia to Milan, visit this beautiful city and fly out to IAD from there. I just don't want to risk missing the cruise departure. What do you all think?

That works 

[Tina80]

Thanks much!

[edinburgher]

3 hours ago, Tina80 said:

This will be the case assuming we book an excursion with Royal Caribbean?

Most likely ...yes. My understanding is that tour coaches/buses are not allowed into Positano, but the rules may be different for small minibuses.  Llocal laws for entering and parking in Positano would need to be studied.

 

Is there a particular reason why you cannot use a ferry?

 

 

Some past threads for Positano

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?q=positano&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=464

 

Edited July 25 by edinburgher

[euro cruiser]

The OP simply does not have the time to both ferry to/from Positano and have a reasonable stop at Pompei on the same day.  We can twist this every which way, but the answer is always going to be the same.  You can sometimes shove ten pounds of stuff in a five-pound bag, but you can't cram three hours into one.

[Tina80]

7 minutes ago, euro cruiser said:

The OP simply does not have the time to both ferry to/from Positano and have a reasonable stop at Pompei on the same day.  We can twist this every which way, but the answer is always going to be the same.  You can sometimes shove ten pounds of stuff in a five-pound bag, but you can't cram three hours into one.

Then I guess I should just be happy that both my daughter and I have already visited Pompeii back in 2019 and stick to visiting somewhere closer. If you have a tour in mind please advise so I can book it and be happy that I visit a nice place 🙂

[euro cruiser]

As I said, you can do both with a car service.  You'll spend a lot of time in the car, but you'll also have a reasonable (for a port day, anyway) amount of time at each stop.

 

I don't know of any packaged tours that offer this, but you could try and put together a small group through the roll call for your sailing.