Question re: Discover Herculaneum and Enchanting Sorrento (RC)

[Sara Schroeder]

We have already booked this excursion and are excited to explore! I’ve been trying to figure out how long (roughly) we’ll have in Sorrento, so I can plan my toddlers meals accordingly! I’ve joined so many Facebook groups and done Google searches and come up short. I’m hoping someone here has done this excursion and can tell me their experience! 
 

Thanks,

 

Sara 

[euro cruiser]

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.

[John Bull]

Hi, and welcome to Cruise Critic,

 

Cruise Critic is a big website, only a small proportion will have done that tour.

 

As euro cruiser has suggested, post again on your cruise line page. 

Go back to the home page https://boards.cruisecritic.com/ and scroll to the appropriate cruise line.

Probably also worth also asking on your cruise RollCall, which is devoted to folk who are on your cruise. It's worth posting on there anyway, to say "hi" to your ship-mates. On the RollCalls section click on your cruise line, then the ship, then look for the one with your sailing date.. The entries won't be in chronological order - when someone posts on one of the ship's RollCalls it goes to the top.

 

BTW,  Herculaneum isn't as huge or as iconic as Pompeii, but it's very much more manageable and has plenty of shade - by far the better choice with toddlers.

Sorrento will almost-certainly be free-time, the time allowed will be whatever time is left - which will depend on what delays are encountered earlier in the day. 

Sorrento is very pleasant but there are no must-see features, so it will fit in well with juniors' meals.

 

JB 🙂

[euro cruiser]

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.

[edinburgher]

8 hours ago, Sara Schroeder said:

my toddler

Does your toddler require a pushchair?

The walkways at Pompeii are worse than those of Herculaneum, but the Herculaneum ones are still quite rough with steps into and out of buildings and probably not ideally suited to a pushchair. Might a backpack work better?

 

You could consider cross posting on the Family Cruising forum about using a pushchair at Herculaneum as someone who has done this might see it and reply.  You could also very carefully read  the description of the tour, especially with any references to wheelchair usage as the same advice would apply..

[Sara Schroeder]

3 hours ago, euro cruiser said:

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.

Thanks for the heads up! Royal Caribbean. I posted in multiple groups on Facebook and I’ll I’m getting back is people telling me to book private tours. I just need this simple question answered. Thank you!! 

[Sara Schroeder]

3 hours ago, euro cruiser said:

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.

Sorry I figured the (RC) would have been the indicator it was for Royal Caribbean. I’ll post there. 

[Sara Schroeder]

2 hours ago, edinburgher said:

Does your toddler require a pushchair?

The walkways at Pompeii are worse than those of Herculaneum, but the Herculaneum ones are still quite rough with steps into and out of buildings and probably not ideally suited to a pushchair. Might a backpack work better?

 

You could consider cross posting on the Family Cruising forum about using a pushchair at Herculaneum as someone who has done this might see it and reply.  You could also very carefully read  the description of the tour, especially with any references to wheelchair usage as the same advice would apply..

No pushchair needed! The point of this post was hoping to find out how long we have in Sorrento. I’ve done all the other research needed, just can’t find this answer! 

[edinburgher]

14 minutes ago, Sara Schroeder said:

The point of this post was hoping to find out how long we have in Sorrento.

Unlikely you will find the answer until the day, because as JB already mentioned in post #3, "free time" on a tour depends on how much time has been lost along the way as the tours must return to the ship on time and the driver and guide will consider timing  more important.

 

Delays can be caused by anything such as heavy traffic in the area, a road traffic accident, passengers returning late to the bus, a passenger taking ill or having a fall, all sorts of reasons really.

 

Once there do enjoy Herculaneum.  We have found it to be a less tiring visit than Pompeii which is huge, and if it is hot you will be pleased to find some shade.

 

And in Sorrento, enjoy a glass or two of limoncello and at least one gelato.😁

[euro cruiser]

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.