Italy, Blue Grotto visit

I think you need to transfer, the little boats are too slow to go directly from land and can only carry a few passengers. It's a business, after all.

Also remember that the boats into the Blue Grotto are dependent on weather and tides. They do not run the boat trips if the tide is too high or stormy. I've heard of people planning to go and when they got there..... the boats were not running that day.
I don't know if there is way to check before you go to Capri (so that you could maybe change the day or time of day you are going.)
Fingers Crossed.....

We went to Capri on a beautiful sunny day and we were thrilled to get in to the grotto, but we were almost the last ones in. Shortly after our visit the small boats stopped going in because the seas were too high. It's very weather/sea condition dependent so I wouldn't plan a particular day for going if not being able to get in will ruin your trip. If you have a few days in Sorrento so you can wing it, that's better. As far as I know the only way is the ferry or tour boat to Capri, then the small boats to the grotto. You couldn't take a boat small enough to enter the cave all the way from the mainland, they are small rowboats.

This first website is current, page down to how to get there:

http://www.capri.com/en/s/la-grotta-azzurra

This is an older post on another newsboard:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g187783-i438-k1146999-Walk_to_the_blue_grotto-Capri_Island_of_Capri_Province_of_Naples_Campania.html

We skipped it, on two daytrips to Capri.

I did a little digging around and it look like you only have to transfer from one boat to another if you are taking a larger tour of the island (on a bigger boat) that includes the grotto. All but the little rowboats are too large to get through the entrance (you have to lay flat on top of each other as it is) and they row out to meet the larger craft.

There are a number of photos out there of people descending steps to a small platform to access the little rowboats, as on these sites:

http://twosteptothenextstep.blogspot.com/2015/08/isle-of-capri-worlds-most-beautiful.html
http://www.journeyofparenthood.com/2012/06/italy-day-5-blue-grotto-return-to-rome.html
http://www.bjandtony.com/2010/201003Sorrento.html
http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-waiting-to-enter-in-the-blue-grotto-capri-104349271.html

That said, we stayed on the island for two nights and skipped it as well. The price, crowds and hassle simply wasn't worth it to us for the very small amount of time you're in the cave.

Thank you all so much for all the good information. I have a much better idea of what to expect now. Sorry I did not respond sooner to all your replies have been ill and not on computer much. Thanks again.

Hope you are feeling better! :O)

Much better thank you. Back to fun, planning trip!
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Last Sept., I went to Capri, and did the Blue Grotto tour. At the Grotto, I transferred from the boat to the row boat. I will say that I was glad that my boat had a step down, so that iit was easier getting into and out of the row boat. I saw some people crawling over the side of their boat to get into the row boat. The time inside of the Grotto is quite short, but it was something that I wanted to do. There were people coming down the steps to the row boats. If someone has trouble with stairs, though, they could have a problem, as it is quite a distance down to the water.

Thanks so much.