I am arriving at Naples train station at 3 PM on 22/06/18 from Florence. I have arranged for a private driver to take us from there to Pompeii for a quick 2-hour visit and back to the ferry port to catch the ferry to Capri. They have assured me that 5 hours is plenty of time to do this. The ferry schedule online says that there is an 8 PM high-speed ferry, but when I go to purchase it online, it does not list that time as an option. I have asked my hotel in Capri and an online forum on capri.com and both said I should just get the tickets at the port that day. This would be fine if I knew for sure that there is, indeed, an 8 PM ferry and that it wouldn't get sold out, but since that is the last high-speed ferry out, I don't want to take that chance unless I know for sure. Any thoughts other than skipping the jaunt to Pompeii? Does anyone know if there are ferry times that don't get sold online even if there is a "book now" button next to that time?
Posted by
Washington DC Region, USA
7054 posts
I don't know if it's possible to pre-book this ferry (I just bought it the same day), but I'm wondering if you have really considered how much you're trying to jam into a single day considering you're coming all the way from Florence. I think you may regret seeing Pompeii in a whirlwind fashion (2 hours is really the absolute minimum), and that assumes everything goes to schedule (you still have to get there from Naples even with a driver and I don't know when the site closes). Personally, I would go straight to Capri (or better yet, stay in Naples or Sorrento that night) and leave Pompeii for the next day(s) when you can give it more time and get an early start. Arriving at the earliest at 3:30pm will be hot (peak sun) and crowded and there's no shade there.
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
8028 posts
All these ferries can be assumed to run sold out from May to September. Last ferries are especially full. I would not count on walk-up boarding.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Yes, I realize this is a whirlwind tour of Pompeii and that's really all we're looking for. We are staying on Capri for the weekend so if we do not get to Pompeii on Friday, we will not get there at all. If that's what has to happen, then fine, but really just trying to figure out if that last ferry at 8 PM will actually be running.
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
16698 posts
Just did a test run and it looks to me like the latest ferries are sold out. The 8:00 one doesn't show for 22/6 on NLG's own site. It looks like there are still openings to Capri from Sorrento at 19:25 (7:25) but no way would I try to make that one AND do Pompeii. Shoot, the scavi need more than 2 hours anyway, and late afternoon, when it's hottest, isn't a great time to go. So I think your option is to choose to skip it while you can still book an earlier boat.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Is it worth considering the slightly slower 'caremar' ferry from the other port at 9:05 PM? It says it's only 10 minutes slower and is able to be purchased online.
Posted by
Edmonds, WA 🌨 ☂
12037 posts
Is it worth considering the slightly slower 'caremar' ferry from the other port at 9:05 PM? It says it's only 10 minutes slower and is able to be purchased online.
That seem to solve a lot of problems, primarily giving you a bit more time at the Ruins, so you do not have to jog past everything.
"High speed" ferry is just 10 minutes faster. Not a meaningful difference to my way of thinking
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
16698 posts
Is it worth considering the slightly slower 'caremar' ferry from the
other port at 9:05 PM?
Did a test run on tickets for that one at the same time as testing the 8:00 and they didn't show up on the purchase page so they're evidently sold out too. The last available tickets showing are for 18:10 (6:10 PM).