Some assistance/suggestions about logistics in travelling to Cinque Terre towns please

Ouch! Looks like you will be low on time. The two towns you mentioned are indeed beautiful and would, by themselves, take a few hours to wander through (wander=enjoy). The other towns can be reached by train (1 stop to the next town) but that means waiting for the train. You can also take a boat (my favorite) that goes along the coast and will stop at each town. Hmmm, that might be possible when you stop in La Spezia. Check time schedules for your cruise ship and also train schedules to/from La Spezia. Don't count on the trains running on time, however. Good luck!

The towns are very, very near each other. Hopefully you can have time for the others. I guess this is a drawback to using a cruise ship to explore as you are tied to their schedules.

I don't think there is any real point in trying to see them all.
They are all picturesque and pleasant to wander through, but not so terribly different.
I suggest you enjoy whichever you are able to get to, and not worry if you don't get to others.

It is only 8 minutes to Riomaggiore from La Spezia, but you need to get to the station which is aways from the port-taxi?
We walked from the ferry dock up to the station, but I think the ship will dock in a different area that would be further away.
The segment Riomaggiore to Manarola is a quick 2 minutes. I would think you would not want to leave the last visited town much after 12:30-1:00 to ensure you’re back on the ship. Realistically, it can be done. I would go to Manarola first then back to Riomaggiore-two similar yet very different atmospheres. Get as early a start as possible. No matter, it is a fun train ride.

Hello cmheer,

La Spezia is connected by ferry to Porto Venere and the CT towns by a ferry that makes this circuit. Assuming you're on the ship the ferry terminal leaves from nearby and I'm sure they'll make themselves known to you. Just keep a very close eye on the schedule. I believe getting back is first come first served on the ferry so be sure you're in line.

The train station is a ways from the harbor front - probably a 20 minute walk or a quick taxi ride so factor those times in if you're using the trains.

Another option is to stay in the La Spezia "Bay of Poets" and explore. Porto Venere is scenic and is now treated as the 6th CT town although it is not as quaint as the actual CT towns with a larger modern part attached. The southern side of the bay has several cities - the biggest is Lerici and the smallest Tellaro which is a small, tumble down to the harbor town like CT but with zero tourists.
One advantage of exploring these areas is if you get caught for time you can always call a taxi and know you'll be back the boat in <20 minutes which you cannot say for the towns of the CT.

Good luck, enjoy the Ligurian coast!
=Tod

We were just there in October and had only a day trip to explore 1 or all 5 villages. During trip planning, I decided we would opt for one village, show up and enjoy a picturesque view while having lunch at Dessayuno (sp)…well it just so happened that they were closed for business on the day of the week that we visited. So, because we had purchased the Terre Express tickets already, we decided to tackle all 5 villages before sundown. It was aggressive but doable and worth it. We had time to sit down and have a drink and eat, explore each village, and trek to the next.. without the express train, we wouldn’t have been able to do it. Also, the main walking trail that connects the first two villages was closed (and I believe still is) so that limited the ability to move from the first to the second village. You must buy either a hiking pass or the pass that includes train and hiking, with not much time to spare you will need to take the train to hop around. Have a great trip!