Hi,

We have Sorrento as a stop in our Mariner cruise in August. We are debating between doing the Capri vs Amalfi Coast excursion.

I would appreciate comments from anybody that has done either using Regent. Regarding the excursion to Capri, could you tell me if the hydrofoil the Regent group uses is a private one or is the one anybody has access to. Same question regarding the mini bus that takes you from the marina up to Capri itself. If the latter, do you have to stand in line to get in or does the Regent group has preference?

Thank you for any info.

Maria, I can't help you with Regent tours because we've just done our own thing. I Love the Amalfi Coast (we did it with 2 other couples with private guide). It is magnificent.

Capri is very commercialized and $$$ now. I've been several times but won't go anymore. My favorite of the islands is Ischia...it is like Capri probably was 40 years ago. Very Charming !! It is easy to get around on hydrofoil on your own should you decide to do your own thing.

We took the Regent tour to Capri on our first visit. Probably worst tour we have taken; Regent refunded our money. This was in 2003 so Regent may have improved.

You do take regular hydrofoil. You do have to wait for funicular down. The restaurant/meal included was pretty bad for a very expensive tour.

We learned our lesson. Best deal is to take hydrofoil yourself and then get four people to share a taxi on Capri.

Maria, I have no information about Regent tours and never have been to Capri, but I agree with Marcie that the Amalfi coast is beautiful. We went along the coast road, stopping in several towns, while on a private tour several years ago. Very memorable!

Hi Maria!

I actually arranged the private tour of Amalfi, through Sorrento Limo, and Marcie and Tom joined us. Lovely day and breathtaking views. We also had a wonderful lunch. No experiences with touring Capri. I would really recommend the Amalfi Coast.

Gennaro at Sorrento Limo is the best!!!

We loved Gennaro. I spent some time communicating with him, arranging things. He personally drove/guided us. He is the best!

Thank you all for the comments.

Initially we booked the Capri excursion, but the more I thought of it , the more I realized it is not the way I want to go back to Capri. August is too crazy as the Italians are also on vacation and all the public transport is bound to be overflowing with people. In rereading the description of the excursion with Regent, it became clear it is not with private transport. No need of a ship excursion to do that.

We will change to the Amalfi Drive tour, I haven't done that before.

Denise, thanks for the reference of the guide. We might stay with the "free" excursion and see how it works.

Maria, have been to both, but no Regent tours (it was much better, and less expensive back then to get a private guide) since excursions were not included. I do remember seeing our cruisemates on a Regent tour having to walk into one of the towns, the busses simply can't all park right in the middle of them. What I liked about the private guide is that we covered a lot more ground than Regent. Walked all the way down to the beach in Positano, visited a villa in Ravello, but just drove through the town of Amalfi. It was close though, getting back to the ship for the last tender which was at 4:30. I can imagine that in August, that single road gets choked, it was bad enough in mid-September.

For Capri another year, we just got off the ship and took the tender into Sorrento, and caught the high speed ferry over to Capri. From there, we hired a driver in some unusual car, forget the name of them, and he drove us up to Anacapri and all around. It really is beautiful up there, and we stopped several times for lookouts.

If I had never been to either, no doubt Amalfi coast would get my vote, but not on a big bus, or even spending a long lunch at that hotel, which while beautiful is just before you get to the town of Positano, as I remember.

Had same experience as Olivia - 2 different trips - Amalfi # one and Capri #two - feel same way as she does - we did both on our own (Amalfi driver) and Capri did same as O - I found my Amalfi guide on CC - great! Both were stress free -

We have been to both Capri and the Amalfi coast. Both are beautiful places. Capri is easy to get to own your own (high speed ferry from the port). There is no need to go with a group and you may be better off on your own as the island can be quite crowded with day trippers. We found Almalfi less congested and more interesting in the diversity of attractions. Endorse the earlier recommendation to go to Almafi with your own car and driver (don't need a separate guide) rather than on a bus tour. You will see far more of this beautiful area and avoid the long Italian lunch to take full advantage of your limited time. If faced with a choice, I'd also go to Almalfi.

Oh yes, (should you decide on Amalfi Coast) I wouldn't recommend Amalfi Coast in a big Greyhound type bus if this is how Regent does it, the road is very narrow. I'd line up a private driver with 1 or 2 other couples. Denise did a GREAT job of lining up our guide...just perfect!

Marcie you and Denise and many others are great organizers/planners.. thanks for always sharing your knowledge - :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:

Hmmmm... When I see so many travel savvy people telling me not to go in the big bus (which I usually don't like either) , I take notice.

It is too bad that I don't know anybody that is going on this cruise. I have also posted on the CC Roll call and it is really pathetic. Just one more person has posted and she hasn't been back since October.

I think I will sign up for the Amalfi tour and if more people show up I'll try to organize something. The one thing that weighs on my mind is that I have read about more than one person that went on a private excursion and missed the boat back at Sorrento due to heavy traffic! Last year there was construction work on that road, I hope it has finished by now!

Olivia, thanks for posting that this is a tender situation, I didn't know that.

Thank you again for the comments. I'll keep Gennaro's name in my file, he sounds like a winner.

We've done both Capri & Amalfi coast on Regent excursions.

I'll agree that Capri is easily doable on your own - would actually be preferable.

The Amalfi coast was beautiful and the "bus" that Regent used is not the "full size" 50 passenger one but a smaller one perhaps 20 passengers. Lunch for our excursion was at the Hotel San Pietro - with stunning views. This is more difficult to do on your own at least without prior arrangements with private guides.

I have been to both, but not on a Regent tour. Definitely could do Capri on your own and I love it--but I wouldn't rec going there in August. We went in March, and it was pretty busy then. I can't imagine the crowds in August.

Problem is that the Amalfi drive is also probably going to be a crunch then too. I would not do it in a big bus, for sure. Positano is wonderful. We stayed there a week a couple of years ago.

Another option would be going to Pompeii. It is easy to do on your own from Sorrento, or I am sure they have a tour going there. The guides at Pompeii are really knowledgeable.

I agree with Marcie about Ischia. If there is an excursion to there, that would be nice or you definitely could do on your own.

Well, I just changed the excursion from Capri to Amalfi drive.

Peter, It is good to know they use the smaller buses, hopefully our experience will be the same.

Rachel, Oh, yes, I know what July and especially August looks like in Italy, especially on the coast. We are not considering Pompeii. I went there some yrs ago and my husband has no interest. Unfortunately, no excursion to Ischia and due to crowds this is one port I will not risk being dependant on ferries/ public transport to get back to Sorrento on time.

Thanks again for the comments!

Be prepared for intense heat and sun. This part of Italy can be a furnice in Auguest.

We did the Amalfi Coast with lunch at Il San Pietro. We loved it.