euro cruiser

Okay. First, it's not necessary to buy tickets in advance for Herculaneum. You can, if you want to, but there's no need to. If it's pouring down rain on the one day you're in Naples, would you still go to Herculaneum? If yes, then there's no loss if you bought the tickets in advance, but if like (I suspect) most of us, that's not where you're going to be in a thunderstorm. You could also buy the museum ticket in advance but, again, there's no need to. Now, for the alternate route back to Naples. It makes sense to take the Circumvesuviana to get to Ercolano Scavi and it's a slightly downhill walk from the station to the ticket office of the ruins of 850 meters/one-half mile in an almost straight line. To make a google map, use the following coordinates to locate the ticket office: 40.804665924114644, 14.347354718491795 and use 40.80889357432879, 14.354984190915653 for the Circumvesuviana Ercolano Scavi station. You could easily reverse your trip and take the Circumvesuviana to Piazza Garibadi, and change there to the metro. The alternative is a longer, though gently downhill, walk to the Trenitalia Portici-Ercolano station. Starting from the ticket office (see coordinates above) to this station (40.80994084667233, 14.336104036437755) is 1.7 km/one mile on foot by the shortest route. Twice as long, but still not very far and it avoids the change of trains. Personally, I'd make the walk a little bit longer by taking main roads rather than the shortest route ("walk" the short route on google maps, the streets immediately after the ruins are kinda sketchy - they look on google as bad as they do in person). I would walk as though I was heading back to the Circumvesuviana but turn left on Corso Resina and stay on this until SS18 and turn left here. You can force a google map to do this by simply adding Corso Resina as in interim stop. This route is 1.2 miles on foot. Honestly, it's a lot easier than my explanation makes it appear. If you're at Herculaneum when it opens you'll be ready to leave by noon, or earlier. You could easily make the 12:42 train that puts you at Cavour, steps from the museum, at 13:09 (1:09 PM). EN - Trenitalia

The route would be Metro #1 from Municipio/Porto to Garibaldi (Napoli Centrale). Change here to the Circumvesuviana train (follow signs downstairs to the Circumvesuviana Garibaldi station). You DO NOT want the train to Sorrento, it no longer stops at Ercolano except morning and evening rush hours. Take a train going to Torre Annunziata/Poggiomario, schedule here: ORARI NAPOLI -TORRE ANNUNZIATA - POGGIOMARINO_13 settembre 2023_5.pdf (eavsrl.it) The NA2 Integrato ticket (3,10 euro) would cover both segments of this trip, if you can get it at the metro station. I'm not sure if you can, but it's the one to aim for. If you find it, buy two so you'll have one for the return. If you can't get it you'll need the local Naples ticket (UnicoNapoli Aziendale, 1,30 euro) for the metro and then the NA2 Aziendale (2,60 euro) for the Circumvesuviana to Ercolano. For the return again board the line #1 metro and stay on until Museo. The same tickets apply regardless of whether you get off at the port (Municipio/Porto) or the museum (Museo). Another option for the return that avoids the change at Napoli Centrale requires a slightly longer walk in Ercolano (but it's downhill, rather than uphill to the Circumvesuviana station) from the ruins to the Portici-Ercolano Trenitalia station, where you'd get the regional train (two per hour in the middle of the day) and stay on it to Napoli Piazza Cavour. This station is linked to the Museo station by an underground passageway, or you can walk outside. The same ticket would apply to either return option. (I have a class to get to, I'll come back and answer the rest of your question later.)

Generally you will get faster responses by posting on the cruise line board rather than here, even though this is the location. Not as many folks who use cruise excursions hang out here.

It's not hard to get a driver to give you additional time. I would go into the negotiation with a number firmly in mind, then you can decide if what he asks seems reasonable to you.

I don't know that I've ever read about anyone here using the Sit bus. As you say, it's kind of late and takes a while, plus it costs three times as much as the train, but it's always good to have a backup plan in your back pocket. There's also the public Cotral bus to the Rome Cornelia metro station, but it takes a really long time. It's really only a "there's no other choice" option.

Rome2Rio is only a good start, it's riddled with misinformation and it is incomplete, so you're only ever getting part of the story. Always double check anything you learn from that site. Also, adding to my first post about the bus, you could take the bus to get to Pompei and a train (either the Circumvesuviana or Trenitalia) to get back to Naples if you like. The same ticket that works on the bus will also be good on either train.

Here are a couple to try: About - LivornoNcc NOLEGGIO CON CONDUCENTE PISA (autonoleggipisa.it)

I would ask two or three different companies for quotes. If all you want is transportation, there's no need to pay extra for a "tour" service, with an English speaker driver providing entertainment en route.

It's almost always less expensive to use a pre-arranged car service for an out of town trip rather than a taxi. The inverse is also true, it's always more expensive to use a car service for a local trip vs. a taxi.

No, I haven't personally used them but they are transfer companies more so than the tour companies that market to cruisers.

I can explain how to take the local train (the Circumvesuviana) but first I have a suggestion - use the public bus. The bus is easier to get to from the port (about a third of a mile, on foot, inside the port area), this depot is the start of the line, so no standing on the street looking for the bus, and there is a ticket office at the depot. You can purchase both your outbound and return tickets (andata e ritorno) there in the morning. Also, with the bus you are pretty much guaranteed a seat (because most cruisers don't know about this option) and the AC works. Neither is true with the Circumvesuviana train. Once at Pompei it's a short walk (two-tenths of a mile) from the bus stop to the main entrance of the ruins. There is a bus from the depot, called Varco Immacolatella, at 8:00 that arrives to Pompei at 8:35. What time are you meeting your guide?

Here are some to try. Naples NCC - Rental with driver, Transfer, Tourist Services, VIP Transfer (napolincc.com) Noleggio con conducente Napoli: NCC Napoli Ncc Napoli - Noleggio con Conducente For those without English language pages you can use google translate to understand. You may find better rates if you don't require an English speaking driver.

As far as I know, the e-mail or fax (if that's even still active) is the only way to contact them. They respond on their timetable and they don't make reservations very far in advance. If you're asking for a slot many months from now, that would explain why you haven't had a response. If you're looking for an earlier date, check your spam folder.

A good picture of the chair lift here: Seggiovia Monte Solaro ad Anacapri (capriseggiovia.it)

My don't miss sites are Santa Maria in Trastevere and San Francesco a Ripa, for the amazing Bernini (The Ecstasy of Ludovica Albertoni). I often eat at Sette Oche in Altalena (home - Ristorante (setteoche.it)). They offer basic, well made food at reasonable prices but you're not going to be raving about the best meal you ever had. When I was staying in the neighborhood last November I tried Da Enzo al 29, one of the current darlings of Tik-Tok/social media. All week long I watched people line up (they don't take reservations) and wait 30 minutes or more (sometimes in the rain) to eat there. I happened to catch them for lunch one day when there wasn't a line and, while the food was perfectly fine, it was also nothing to write home about but it was much higher priced than Sette Oche. I would not wait even five minutes, but then I don't feel the need to be where "everyone" else is going, either. If you're around on a Sunday the Porta Portese market is an interesting stroll: Porta Portese Market | Turismo Roma I rented an apartment in Piazza in Piscinula for a month the first time I visited Rome and Trastevere still holds a place in my heart, but it has changed a bit over the last couple of decades. Back then I was the only short term renter in the building, now it's harder and harder to find actual residents.

The cruise line doesn't have magical ferries to get you back, if one is cancelled they all are. Weather that extreme will be obvious and you can come back earlier than you planned.

Yes, that's true of port questions but you're asking about a specific Celebrity excursion.

You'll likely get a quicker response if you post this on the Celebrity board.

Right now, and for the next year, U.S. citizens travelling to Europe (defined as the Schengen zone) only need a passport for entry, there is no visa requirement. However, starting next year, in May 2025, U.S. citizens will need an ETIAS to enter the Schengen zone. Each traveler will be responsible for applying for the ETIAS themselves. ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) is an electronic system that allows entry into the zone and tracks movement within the zone of travelers who do not require a visa. As I said, not an immediate concern but something we should all be aware of as we plan future travel. You can read more about it here: ETIAS - Entry Requirements for Visa-Exempt Travellers to Europe (schengenvisainfo.com)

Wow, that sounds high for a trip of just 150 km/100 miles (approximately). I would get quotes from a few. Here are a couple to try: TRIESTE Rental Car & Van With Private Driver | Trieste Airport shuttle from to Hotel (amauryncc.it) Transfer with driver (NCC) Trieste | Moov Trieste | FVG

Do you really want to see Herculaneum, or is Sorrento your primary goal? You could easily do this on your own and not be tied to the schedule of a cruise excursion. For example, you could walk across the parking lot in front of the cruise port and get on a ferry that would deliver you to Sorrento in about 45 minutes. When you're ready to move on to Herculaneum you just take the local train from Sorrento to Ercolano and walk about a half mile to the ruins, then return to the train to get back to Naples. All on your own schedule rather than theirs.

I wonder about a toddler at the ruins, either Pompei or Herculaneum. What would be of interest to them? They can't run around, can't touch anything, and fading 2000 year old frescos probably don't hold much interest for one accustomed to technicolor. Assuming that the tour spends 90 minutes to two hours at the site, that's a long time for a young child to just hang out.

What cruise line are you talking about? You'd probably get a faster answer by posting on that line's Cruise Critic board rather than here.

It's so hard to guess, but I would think an hour should be enough. The main variable is how long it takes to get on a shuttle at the ship/terminal. If you're early you can enjoy a coffee, or just walk along the waterfront promenade near the train station. The only time I've used #25 we arrived by private transfer so I can't give you any personal experience with the shuttle.

I think that the biggest ships, like Oasis, all use berth #25 at Civitavecchia, which means you either take the free port shuttle to Largo della Pace or the 6 euro Port Mobility shuttle directly to the train station. Largo della Pace is an easy walk of about 1.4 km/nine-tenths of a mile to/from the train station. You could also pay for a local bus but by the time you find a place to buy the bus ticket and wait for the bus, you might as well just walk. If you want to make a google map the train station is located at Piazzale Scipione Matteuzzi, 00053 Civitavecchia RM, Italy. The Largo della Pace shuttle bus depot is just of Via Prato del Turco, 42°05'50.3"N 11°47'19.7"E on a google map.