The ship leaves Naples at 6 - the ferry leaves Capri at 4:30

[travelingmcmahans]

After much thought and angst over how to spend our ten year anniversary on the day the ship docks in Naples, my husband and I have decided to charter a speedboat for half a day (three hours) with the other couple traveling with us. The company comes highly recommended in Frommers and I've been pleased with their email correspondence. Has anyone boated with them? It's CapriTime Boats. Our deal includes:

 

We circumnavigate the entire island during our private island boat tour and visit the most spectacular grottoes characteristic of the island, such as the Blue Grotto*, Green Grotto, White Grotto, and around the famous Faraglioni Rock formations. Provided the seas are calm, we will be able to go into the Blue Grotto and to climb up into the White Grotto. There is time for swimming during our boat tour, as well.

 

Our private island boat tours are in the traditional wooden boats of Capri called gozzo or lancia. They are both equipped with comfortable cushions, pillows and a canopy to provide shade. Our boat tours feature light snacks, refreshments, and an external shower to rinse off after swimming.

 

However, this being Italy ;) even though it's a private tour, it begins when the captain of our boat says it begins, which is 1:30. That means we'll have to cut our time a little short to get to the 4:30 ferry. The ferry takes 45 minutes, then we disembark and walk back to the ship.

 

The ship leaves at 6. If all goes well we should be back by 5:30 - 5:45 (depending on how long it takes to get off the ferry and walk).

How concerned should I be about this?

 

The next earliest ferry leaves at 3:40 which means we couldn't do the afternoon boat tour (which is my entire planned activity for the day and purpose for going to Capri).

 

We're on the Celebrity Galaxy by the way.

[tom_uk]

Are you heading north or south? If the former, next stop is back at Civ, so you could catch up with the ship the following day. Time-consuming & expensive, but do-able. But if you're heading south, I think the next day is a sea-day, isn't it? and the port of call after that is in Greece? So in that case you'd have to get to Greece, and arrange two nights accommodation. Hmm...

 

Actually, don't they want you back on the ship an hour before departure?

[travelingmcmahans]

Are you heading north or south? If the former, next stop is back at Civ, so you could catch up with the ship the following day. Time-consuming & expensive, but do-able. But if you're heading south, I think the next day is a sea-day, isn't it? and the port of call after that is in Greece? So in that case you'd have to get to Greece, and arrange two nights accommodation. Hmm...

 

Actually, don't they want you back on the ship an hour before departure?

 

This is actually the last day of the cruise and we have a noon flight the next day out of Rome, so not much room for error. :(

 

The hour-before-departure rule is what I'm wondering about ... it seems on the one other cruise I took, people streamed on up until minutes before departure. I don't remember making any special effort to be on a full hour beforehand.

[dbh62ark]

I guess it depends on how bad you want to take that boat tour. :) I can't speak for the Galaxy but when sailing Celebrity on another ship in Europe, I can say that we were shocked (22 cruises total and leaving for #15 in Europe next week) that the captain was so very prompt in leaving port as compared to our other cruises. That captain did not leave port at 6'ish. If we were due to sail at 6:00, he was pushing back from the dock at 5:55 in every single port. We almost missed sail away several times and found it quite entertaining that we had to RUN to the upper decks when our cabin's balcony was not on the scenic side for sail away.

 

If I'm recalling correctly, all aboard on all ships on our European cruises has been 1/2 hour before sailing. So that would be 5:30 in the scenario you referenced, and you are cutting it really tight. I don't understand your timing though because the Molo Beverello hydrofoil dock is just a city block or two from the cruise ships, so if you arrived there from Capri at 5:15, you could make all aboard at 5:30. Mergellina hydrofoil dock in Naples is not as close to the cruise ships, so are you saying that the 4:30 hydrofoil arrives at Mergellina in naples? But with the wonderful train system in Italy, worse case scenario is that you miss the ship and have to take a train from Naples to Civitavecchia to catch up with your luggage. Is that back-up plan acceptable to you? My thoughts are that you are the only one that can make that determination.

 

Also, note that the hydrofoils can be cancelled if the seas are rough, and that can happen even on a pretty day. The alternative is the ferries, and they take longer to travel to Naples. Would the speedboat operator be an option for transferring to Naples?

 

Good luck, and I wish you an early Happy Anniversary.

 

Donna

[travelingmcmahans]

According to the lady I'm talking to at Capri Boats:

 

Once you

arrive in Naples, your cruise ship is just a short walk (5 mins.) from

your disembarkation point from the public boats.

 

Here is the schedule for the public boats Capri/Napoli:

14.10 Aliscafi/Jet Neapolis Molo Beverello € 14.00

14.40 Aliscafi/Jet Snav Molo Beverello € 15.00

14.50 Traghetti Caremar Molo Beverello € 8.60 - 1 hour 15 minutes*

15.25 Aliscafi/Jet N.L.G. - Linea Jet Molo Beverello € 15.00

15.40 Nave veloce Caremar Molo Beverello € 13.50

16.30 Aliscafi/Jet N.L.G. - Linea Jet Molo Beverello € 15.00

17.05 Aliscafi/Jet N.L.G. - Linea Jet Molo Beverello € 15.00

17.10 Aliscafi/Jet Snav Molo Beverello € 15.00

 

*All of the above-referenced boats take 45 minutes to get to Naples EXCEPT

this one - traghetti - which takes 1 hour 15 minutes.

 

The 5:30 all aboard worries me. If the boat is late (or cancelled :eek: ) we'd not make it. I'm not willign to take the chance of four of us being left to make our way to Rome - on my anniversary no less.

 

Ideally the boat company would let us do noon to 3 and we could catch the 15.25 or 15.40. Their schedules seem pretty set but it *is* a private tour so it doesn't hurt to ask.

[travelingmcmahans]

Would the speedboat operator be an option for transferring to Naples?

 

 

Donna

 

They charge 600 euros for one way boat transfers between Naples and Capri. :(

The boat tour itself is only 175 euros for three hours.

[dbh62ark]

They charge 600 euros for one way boat transfers between Naples and Capri. :(

Oh, ouch! 600 Euros is a lot. It sounds like a nice boat tour, so I hope you can work out the timing. If you decide to go for it, one tip that I have read is that the afternoon hydrofoils sell out, so buy your ticket for your return trip when you arrive in Capri to save yourself some time and angst.

 

Have a great trip,

Donna

[Broch]

I really do think you have answered your own question " How concerned should I be"? The very fact you have asked the question means you are already quite concerned. You are really sailing very close to the wind, pardon the pun. I think it really depends on how much of a gambler you are, I know my wife would never even consider it with the tight schedule that is involved but then the next person would. I know it is very tempting, if it is something you really want to do then you need to consider if everyone involved is willing to take the consequences, if you are late back. Good luck and I hope everything goes to plan.

[mrmac]

You may be too nervous worrying about getting back to the ship to enjoy your boar tour. It's not worth it. Take the earlier hydroboat back and enjoy a longer stay on the island. The best views are high up on the island. You'll see the water views in transit. Be sure to stop at Hotel Caesere Augustus to see the fantastic views below.

[susietb]

We have been to Capri many, many times. You can book that same tour dockside with any number of boatman. They gather in droves to meet every hydrofoil.

 

Why not take an early hydrofoil (buy a return for the 3:40 when you get to Capri) and you call the shots!!

 

You can do this easily, you're the captain, you're paying and they will take you wherever you want.

[Keith1010]

If the ship leaves at 6:00 PM, you likely have to be back on the ship at 5:00 PM.

 

I have just come back from a 109 World Cruise and I have seen Murphy's Law at work several times.

 

If it was me, this would be a no brainer. I would not do this. There are too many unknowns which easily can cause you to miss the ship.

 

I also want to add that we were in Naples last month. It is a very crazy city, so I would not count on anything being on time.

 

Keith

[KnoxvilleSam]

I think that SusieTB has it right. We spent a couple of days in Capri in 2005 and it was great. There are LOTS of boats offering round the island tours right at dockside where the hydrofoil drops you off. Plus I wouldn't take a chance on a schedule as tight as you indicate.

 

Sam

[Jade13]

What about the hydrofoil?

 

You are loking at boats that take 45 minutes. Isn't there one that is faster?

[travelingmcmahans]

Thanks everyone. They were very accommodating and have booked us for a noon to 3 tour. They are even arranging for a panini lunch on board and reserving our tickets back to Naples.