Going next week Capri or Pompei ?

[spritzy]

What would you recommend we do for the day take the hydrofoil into Capri or go by train to Pompei ? Leaving on Wed. for Barcelona and need your help . I will be posting a review upon my return. Thanks so much for all your help on this board !

[wwinfl91]

It really depends on whether you enjoy history or sightseeing. I would suggest going to Pompeii myself. We saw it last year and were also able to go by Herculaneum and see the Museum of Archeology in Naples but we were on a private tour with 6 other couples. I have seen other posting of people who took the train to Pompeii and made the trip successfully. The key is making sure you get back to the ship on time.

 

Have a great next cruise.

[srpilo]

I've done both also...

 

While Capri (Alta Capri) is a nice sightseeing day, I think that #A its a long day trip from Naples (I stayed close by in Sorento, and it was still a long day) and #B the time constrainst with the ship schedule might make it "un do-able" ...

 

As a history buff, For me Pompei was a life-memory that I'll remember for the rest of my life.. A chance to step back in time and see a incredibly preserved "moment in history".. Wow!

 

Till this day, I remember almost my entire day at Pompei, yet Capri is a blurr, mixed in with a multitude of our similar sightseeing memory's

 

Srpilo

[Cruise Junky]

You don't think Capri is doable in a day?? isn't it like 40 minutes by Hydrofoil? and our ship is there for 12 hours?? That was our plan for Naples, hope I'm not wrong.

[Tony C]

I was in Pompei in May, 2004 and hated it. I would vote for Capri, which I haven't been to, but hear is wonderful but crowded. I also heard that it is a short boat/ferry trip from the ship.

[bec2629]

We opted for Pompei and the Amalfi coast. Considering that we would see many similar sites to Capri along the way, we felt it would the best of both worlds. And after to speaking to other passengers that did the Capri excursion I know we made the right choice for our first visit to Naples. Pompei has so much history that I couldn't imagine going all that way and not seeing it. Even my kids enjoyed it, mind you we spent only 2 hrs there and any longer they would've have been done!

Tony C, I have been on this site for a few years and have never seen or spoken to anyone that hated Pompei. Why did you????

 

Becky

[Tony C]

Well, first, I'm Mrs. Tony C (Shirley) and maybe that makes a difference!!! It was the one place where I didn't feel very safe -- outside of the ruins it was very crowded, people were pushing. Inside, we got drenched when it began pouring rain, and we had to try to run back to the bus on all that slippery marble and stone. People were falling. I ran into rude people in the bathroom who kept letting their friends cut in a very long line. When we got outside the ruins, we had to walk about 1/4 mile, again in the pouring rain, to get to our bus even though other people's buses were pulling up right outside the ruins. Come to think of it~~~maybe it wasn't Pompei but all the extraneous surroundings!! Maybe I should give Pompei another chance on our next trip in May, 2005??

[slgjhg]

Hi All,

 

Last fall we were on the Millineum from Venice to Ft Lauderdale and in Naples we and another couple hired a taxi for the day. We got to Amalfi first and left when the tour buses from the ship arrived. We drove back along the breathtaking coast and stopped in Positano for lunch. We had a wonderful extended lunch right on the beach. Then it was off to Pompeii. We did the recorders because we did't have much time.

 

This fall we will be on the Royal out of Rome on our way to Bangkok when we stop in Naples. We are going to do indepth Pompeii this time and then hydro foil over to Capri.

 

I will mention that we were not there during high season, which I think probably makes a huge difference in the crowds. If it is your first time, I think Pompeii is not to be missed, nor the drive along the coast.

 

There are many, many postings about this area on these boards. Try doing a search. You will find more information than you could possibly absorb.

 

Best wishes, you will have a great time. I can't wait to return.

 

Regards,

 

Shannon

[bec2629]

Hi Shirley,

 

Considering your experience, I would have felt the same:( I do think it's worth giving it another chance, it really is fascinating. Hopefully the weather will hold out and everyone will be in a better frame of mind. ;)

Enjoy your next Med trip.

Becky

[Bruin Steve]

I'd been through the region a couple of times in the past...but it had been awhile...

 

So, last year, when we were on the Millennium, we decided to see BOTH Capri and Pompei...

 

It is entirely workable, no matter what some folks will tell you...

"Private Guides" will tell you it can't be done...largely because it creates logistical difficulties for them...they need to park their car at a hydrofoil dock and then return to that same dock to pick up the car...

 

We chose to do this one by the ship's shore excursion...largely to guarantee that we'd get back to the ship...

 

It was a 10 hour excursion--they picked us up at the ship EARLY and took as directly as possible to a hydrofoil to Capri...We hit Capri in the morning, before the "crowds"...and a short visit in the morning is ample time to get a feel for the island--no, you can't see "everything" but there's enough so that you get a taste of it...

 

We then took a hydrofoil DIRECTLY from Capri to Sorrento...had lunch there and a short time on our own for shopping before boarding a bus for Pompei...

 

Most of the afternoon was spent in Pompei and the guide was EXCELLENT (a lot of private "guides" aren't even allowed by law to do "tours" INSIDE Pompei, so they just drop you off to explore on your own)...

 

The only bad part of the ship's excursion was they pay an unneeded visit to a Cameo Factory on the way back to the ship...

 

IF I had to chose between Pompei and Capri, I'd choose Pompei ANY TIME...

Pompei is simply the most awesome collection of ancient ruins I have ever visited (and I have visited ruins from Mesa Verdi to Chichenitza to the Roman Forum to Masada)...its sheer magnitude is almost unfathomable...AND the condition of the excavations is incredible...If you have never seen it, it is not to be missed...

 

But, then again, you CAN see both...

[Mijura]

A big part of a decision between Pompeii and Capri would be the weather. If the day is sunny and hot, Pompeii conditions can me merciless. There is no shade exept for the small buildings that one can explore. On the other hand, Capri is full of trees and places to relax or have a drink. You can see Capri, Sorrento and Positano on your own, all in the same day, by boat from the Naples harbour area, and be back in plenty of time.

Pompeii is fascinating. When we were there, we first took our car to the top of Mt. Vesuvius and actually peered into the crater. From there, we drove to Pompeii and looked around. Herculaneum is okay too, but not as impressive as Pompeii.

I imagine you can still hire a car and driver to take you to the volcanoe and then to the excavation. If you take a train from Naples, I think you would just go to the excavation (Pompeii).

[desertheat]

Where do you get the hydrofoil to Capri? We would like to do it on our own.

Is it close to where the ship docks?

[kenisawake]

What would you recommend we do for the day take the hydrofoil into Capri or go by train to Pompei ? Leaving on Wed. for Barcelona and need your help .

We were on a Med cruise on HAL Rotterdam in August 2001, we caught the train to Pompei from Naples. We walked to the train station but caught a taxi back. The train stops right at Pompei. It was hot...... but if you haven't been before I would thoroughly recommend you don't miss out on visiting this awesome city. You don't say where you live but if you catch the BBC they recently did an awesome computer reconstruction of the eruption which confirmed that once visited the impressions are with you forever. Some information at http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/programmes/pompeii/ We didn't get chance to visit the museum there but my wife visited a temporary exhibition from Pompei in Brussels last year which once again brought to life her visit to this city. One pointer - they didn't accept credit cards at the turnstile - you needed cash, euros now. It may have changed since then and hopefully someone can confirm or deny this statement for you.

 

We're in Naples again in September this time on RCCL Brilliance of the Seas and plan to catch the hydrofoil to Capri. If I remember from last time the hydrofoil left from quite near to where our ship was docked. Others on our cruise did it alone with no problems.

 

Whatever you choose make the most of it and enjoy............:)