Boat excursions in Capri
 

I see ont he Capri sites tht you can take day excursions via boats to the blue grotto and other spots. How do you book these is it best to book when your on the isand or before you go and if so who do I contact. I dotn mind a group tour as moeny is begining to get tight. Thanks all

My husband and i took a trip from rome for the express purpose of seeing the grotto. I insisted on going (although I am prone to seasickness) I was determined to take the boat from Naples to Capri and the ride into the Grotto.
Unfortunately we were assured early that morning the tides and water conditions would allow oue entry, before we paid for the tour. Upon our arrival we were turned away with the water conditions as the reason and given a terrific ride around the island.
Although I enjoyed our diversion,please make sure you get the experience you pay for.
please let me know how much you enjoyed it, as I look forward to our next chance at it.
Good Luck

We are hoping to go out with this company next week if the weather is okay. I'll give a report when we return.
www.syrene.it/gennaroesalvatore

Also, search for a thread called "boat trip from Positano...". (I couldn't figure out how to cut and paste the thread address.)

Going into the Blue Grotto involves two boats. first you take a motor launch from the Capri harbor about halfway around the island to a staging area near the grotto. You then transfer to rowboats (someone told me this is called a dory - but it sure looked like a rowboat to me) in groups of 4 people. the oarsman then rows you over to the grotto, which has a very small, low entrance (if the sea is high you literally cannot get inside). As you approach the entrance he'll yell a signal at you and everyone in the boat has to lay back onto the bottom - or each other (don;t do this in white linen pants like I did) in order to fit through the enrance. You are then rowed around the grotto - which is truly beautiful - to the tuneless yodeling of the various oarsmen. After a brief tour around you exit the grotto as you entered - laying in the bottom of the rowboat. You are then brought back to the motor launch so another set of 4 people can get in the rowboat. the truly fun part is climbing from the rowboat back into the launch. If you're fairly agile and tall this is not an issue - but there was an older couple in the rowboat with us and the woman was quite petite. there was no way she could balance on the side of the rowboat and step up over the railing of the motor launch onto the seat - she was simply too short - even if she had had the strength/balance. so the two boatmen between them sort of hoisted/threw her back into the launch. She wasn;t hurt but was kind of embarassed.

A very interesting experience and I'm glad we did it - but would not repeat the exercise.

However, the island is beautiful and there are lots of other boat trips available.

I did the grotto tour like nytraveler but I understand there are private boats you can arrange after the big tour boats are gone for the day and you can acutally get out and swim in the grotto. Might be fun but might be very pricey.

I will check out that site above. I not aonly want to see the grotto itself but take a full tour of the island. I think I might try to call the tourist office and get some informations. We are really interested on a sail for a couple of hours.

If you are interested in chartering a sailboat, check out the following sites as well:

amalfisails.it
www.bludream.it
www.lucibello.it
www.mitopositano.it/barca.htm
www.coopsantandrea.it
www.starnet.it/ornsay

We chartered a power boat for the day to go to and around Capri using a group called Amalfi Sails. I got their name from this board. We were very happy with them. As mentioned above, with your own charter, you can go to the Blue Grotto at off times when it is less crowded. Plus you will see parts of the island the larger boats don?t' go to, and do things like take a swim through the Spumanti cave, or sail under the Farignola outcroppings. Great way to spend the day.

The Grotta Azzurra is maintained by the state and there is an admission fee which includes being taken in a rowing boat as described above. The entrance to the cave is very small and boats can only enter when the sea is very calm - it would be dangerous otherwise. The sea conditions cannot be predicted in advance so, even if you check the sea conditions in the morning, you might get there and find the Grotta is closed. Two boat operators run fleets of motor boats which offer a cruise round the island to see the caves and cliff formations. The trip round the island takes about an hour, or longer if the boat is able to stop for entry to the Grotta Azzurra. These are the web sites:
www.lasercaprisrl.com
www.motoscafisticapri.com

Hi ho,

>(I couldn't figure out how to cut and paste the thread address.) <

In the right-hand pane of the window, Right click on the title. You will get a menu. Left click "copy Shortcut". Paste shortcut (CTRL + V)

This thread is
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34489331

Sandjmcknight. How did you do? I get sea sick looking at a docked boat but I am determined to do Capri and some excursions. I bought bonine and wrist bands for seasickness. Thanks Rosetta

Hi Cicerone,
I did go to the amalfisails.it site and it was under construction plus in Italian which regretfully I cannot read (or speak). Did you have to charter for the whole day or could you do a half day? Also, I am wondering about the price for this. This does sound wonderful. Is there another way to contact them and do I need to reserve early or is it possible to do that when I get there? Thanks so much.

I took the Genarro e Salvatore tour from Positano that heidiho mentioned.

here is the link to my trip report:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...malfi+coast%22

I can't wait to go back!

You don't need to book a boat to the Blue Grotto in advance....we got a boat immediately upon arrival (from Naples to Capri). The best time to go is in the morning when the area is not as crowded with tourists. We went around 10 am. The boats to the Blue Grotto are immediately adjacent to the boat dock area and it costs ~ 8 euros to ride out to the grotto, another 7 euros to transfer into a smaller rowboat that actually goes inside the grotto (total = 15 euros). It is a worthwhile experience and something I will do again when I am there in September.

Funny, I was just looking at their website myself. I believe you can charter a half-day. We chartered for about 10 hours plus a bit, and the cost was $600, that included all fuel, docking charges in Capri, plus soft drinks, but not the small charge levied by the rowboat men who take you into the Blue Grotto. The best way to reach them is via e-mail, or you could phone or fax them:

tel 39-335-645-1400 f
fax: 39-08-985-2911
email: [email protected]

I would try to book now. They did not require a deposit (very trusting people), so you don't lose anything.

I have been doing some more research on other charter companies as I am going back to the coast in a few weeks. I have found that some of the websites above are not correct. Here is my take on what I have found so far:

1. www.bludream.it (site in Italian, very difficult to navigate)
Blu Dream S.n.c.
Via G. Marconi, 71
84017 Positano (SA)
E-Mail: [email protected]

2. www.syrene.it/gennaroesalvatore
If you can't find the website, " Gennaro e Salvatore Capraro" on a search and then the main home website should be the first link

Gennaro e Salvatore Capraro
Via Trara Genoino, 13
Positano - ITALY
Email: [email protected]

Cabin: +39 089 811613
Office: +39 089 875 211
Officce2: +39 089 875475
Fax: + 39 089 875475
Gennaro: + 39 368 455818
Salvatore: +39 368 445434

Good comments on Fodors website re day trip in 12-person boat to Capri for €80 including lunch. Open, low wooden boats, look a little unseaworthy, not sure I would want to take it from Positano. You see a lot of these boats in the waters around Capri full of tourists, they always look to me like a good wave would send them right over.

3. www.lucibello.it (website is virtually useless expect for providing an e-mail address and some photos)
e-mail: [email protected]

They have a beautiful wooden Chris Craft named Riva Aqurama which you can charter, but site gives no information on rates, also has with Positano 200-passenger boat that does day trip to Capri for about €32. I have written to them about the Chris Craft, I will let you know what prices I get.

4. www.coopsantandrea.it

Looks interesting, but very large boat of about 200 people, not a charter service.

7. www.motoscafisticapri.com
Via Provinciale Marina Grande, 282-80700 Capri
Tel/Fax office: 39-081-837-7714
Wharf 39-081-837- 5646
[email protected]

Large boats as well as private charters; they are located at Capri harbour so you would have to get to Capri by public ferry. The smallest boat is 25 passengers, low wooden boats which are totally open and IMO a bit unseaworthy looking. They also have 100 to 150 passenger boats which are enclosed and have decks. I have written to them regarding charters, will let you know what I hear about prices.

I am leaving for italy in a week and a half and recently went through researching boat chartes.

The Riva Aquarama was quoted at 900 Euro a day. A little pricey I thought.

The best deal I found for a modern boat to charter was a 27 foot motorboat for 500 Euro from Amalfisails, also the most responsive over e-mail.

The open boats ranged from 200-450 Eyro to charter for a day.

Jason

WOW Cicerone! you really have done a lot of research about this. Thanks to you and others for all the info.