tomsav1

Has anyone ever stayed in the overnite cabins? I was wondering about the cleanliness of the rooms, toilets etc

GAC

I haven't on this particular ferry line (Caronte & Tourist), but I've taken other overnight ferries, and can report that the cabins are adequate for sleeping. The toilets are OK, but some people prefer to use flip-flops in the shower. Be aware that the "overnight" ferries leave Salerno at ungodly hours.

tomsav1

Thanx for your reply, GAC. We will actually be taking the Messina to Salerno ferry in late October. I have been unable to navigate ANY of the Caronte sites. I have read many forums on this and other sites. Using the info I have found I am anticipating appox. 120 euros per person for the two of us in an overnite cabin. I realize it will not be cruise ship accomodations but my wife has real concerns over taking this ferry. I am trying to reassure her that it will be more relaxing than the train. I hate long train rides, I do not take them here in the States, nor in Europe.

Ann1

We have taken ferries from Naples to Catania and Palermo. We have gone on three different lines. Personally for us....please tell your wife ...... it is soooooo much better than the train. As GAC said, just be prepared to possibly use flip flops, but I do that normally. The food has been good on the ferries we have taken. On Sunday nights you usually get a lot of locals going to either Sicily or Salerno (depending on which way you to) for work. Then of Friday night they come back. At least that's the way it is from Naples.

One hint. Have your hotel call for a taxi to meet the ferry. Or call the hotel to get one when you arrive. Many times there are no taxi's because people have their cars and trucks on board.

Ann1

I just went to the Caronte & Tourist site and I think the reason you are having problems with it is because they do not make reservations this far in advance so they don't have information. Trains and other transportation in Italy don't go that far in advance. They have an icon for English.

GeoffHamer

In October, low season fares apply. In a two-berth cabin, the price per person is €55 for an inside cabin or €60 for an outside cabin (with a window). These prices apparently include breakfast.
I haven't been on these ships, but they were built recently in Italy. The two currently on the Messina route are the CARTOUR DELTA (built in 2010) and CARTOUR GAMMA (2006), but another new ship is due this year. They are 186 m long and measure around 27,000 tons. Similar ships from the same shipyard are used on several routes in other parts of Europe.

GAC

There are 121 cabins and 138 reclining seats on these ferries. Most of the ship is dedicated to space for vehicles and autos. The private cabins should measure around 45 square feet, of which approx. 10 square square feet are used by the private facilities.

The ferry is MUCH MUCH MUCH more comfortable than taking the overnight train!!! You can actually sleep on the ferry versus hit and miss on the train (depending on how many stops in makes in the dead of night). The cabins on the ferry are nearly twice the size of those on the train. Also, it's very nice to watch the ferry approach the port of destination.

GAC

Here are some photos of the ferry:

http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/cartour_beta_2006_b_1.htm

http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/cartour_beta_2006_b_2.htm

http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/cartour_gamma_2006_b_1.htm

http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/cartour_delta_2010_b_1.htm

http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/cartour_delta_2010_b_2.htm


Length: 612 feet
Width: 84 feet
Displacement: 26500 tons
Speed: 24 knots
Year built: 2006 (Cartour Beta and Gamma)
Year built (Cartour Delta): 2010: used on Salerno/Termini Imerese route

GeoffHamer

Actually, the newest ship, the CARTOUR DELTA, is on the Salerno-Messina route. The CARTOUR BETA runs between Salerno and Termini Imerese (near Palermo). They're all very modern ships and things will change before October because another new ship is due, presumaby to be called CARTOUR EPSILON.

GAC

Geoff is correct. I double-checked my sources, and apparently, there was a switch recently. For that matter, the destinations of the ships could change again several time during 2011. It's common for there to be rotations throughout the year. In any case, none of this probably has any significance whatsoever to most travellers, who probably can't even tell the differences amongst the three ships.

tomsav1

Thanks so much for all the interesting, and helpful replies. I know we will enjoy this part of our trip as we leave Sicily to make our way to Amalfi.

GAC

There's one more thing you should know:

While the overnight ferry from Messina to Salerno is without question much more comfortable than the overnight train, the train has one distinct advantage: the SITA bus to Amalfi departs from directly outside the train station, whereas the deep-water commercial dock of the Caronte & Tourist Line is located 2.6 kilometers due west of the station.

SO .... you'll need to figure out how to get from the Dock to the SITA bus stop. You've got at least four options:

1. Take a taxi from the Dock to the station; or
2. Take a local bus from the closest stop to the Dock to the station (ask locally where to buy the bus ticket and how to reach the bus stop on foot); or
3. Walk from the Dock to the closest SITA bus stop going to Amalfi (ask locally how to do this and where to buy the bus ticket). The SITA bus does make a couple of stops in Salerno before taking the state road up the mountain to Vietri sul Mare, so you don't necessarily need to board the bus at the station, although that would be easier. Nevertheless, you may have to walk 10 minutes or even a bit more to the closest SITA bus stop to the Dock; or
4. Walk from the Dock to the departure point of the Metro del Mare or Alicost hydrofoils/boats to Amalfi (seasonal service from Molo Manfredi). You'll be walking approximately 850 meters, and Google Maps clearly shows the eastbound pedestrian route along Via Ligea and Via Porto. BE SURE to check the boat schedules in mid-October to determine whether the maritime connection from the Caronte ferry is useful, because service begins shut down during October. In LATE October, Alicost (and not Metro del Mare) will likely be your only close-in maritime option from Salerno to Amalfi (unless you choose to go all the way to Molo Concordia (near train station) for the Cooperativa Sant'Andrea ferry boat, which stops running around the end of October).

HINT: In late October, don't count too much on finding a useful maritime connection to Amalfi when arriving in Salerno on the Caronte ferry. You might just get lucky, but I'd focus more on taking the SITA bus.

www.carontetourist.it
www.metrodelmare.net
www.alicost.com
www.coopsantandrea.it

tomsav1

At that point upon arrival in Salerno, we will be renting a car. So I am guessing we will taxi to the rent-a-car place, which I have not yet researched. Any suggestions? We will be driving to Amalfi, and using the car for trips into the town center for meals as we are slightly out of town at Villa Scarpiello, which does not have a restaurant. We will also drive the coast some, maybe not all the way to Positano, but at least to some of the smaller towns I have read about in some of the trip reports.

GAC

Yes. You'll need to get to the train station. Look up the address of your rental company on Google Maps to find its exact location.

Ann1

tomsav1 Just think about the fact that whomever is driving will not be able to enjoy the trip. Driving the Amalfi Coast is serious business. Not dangerous in the way of falling off because there are low walls, but as far as the curves. You will be turning right with immediate lefts and immediate rights and on and on. You have to watch not to hit other cars head on and also get by huge buses squeaking....squeaking...squeaking past. Then hope for being able to get parking.

It isn't a fun trip for drivers. We drive all over Europe and Italy and even Ischia (which is not easy at all) but when we go to the Amalfi coast we hire a driver or take buses. I want my husband and myself to enjoy the trip.

GAC

Ann gives good advice. Unless a car rental is indispensable because of the location of your hotel/apartment, using the SITA buses along the Amalfi Coast is a smart choice.

Because people usually like to "hop on and off" the buses to visit the numerous towns along the route, I suggest buying the 3-day UNICO COSTIERA ticket for 18 Euros, which gives you unlimited rides for three consecutive days (expires at midnight of the third day of usage). This ticket is valid from Salerno all the way to Sorrento (including the Amalfi/Ravello route).

And, if you plan to go slightly farther afield (e.g. Pompei or Naples or Paestum), get the 3-day UNICO CAMPANIA 3T tourist ticket for 20 Euros in lieu of the 3-day UNICO COSTIERA, and you'll get most (not all) public transportation throughout the Campania region (but NOT ferries or hydrofoils or the buses/funiculars on Capri, and not certain private bus companies).

And ... if you also plan to visit musuems/archeological sites in the Campania region during the 3 days, consider instead buying the 3-day Campania Artecard (27 Euros), which gives you free entry to two museums or archeological sites (which are part of the Artecard circuit), a 50% discount on entry to the third and subsequent site, and all the free transportation of the UNICO CAMPANIA 3T tourist ticket. If you don't plan to visit any sites, then focus either on the UNICO COSTIERA or the UNICO CAMPANIA 3-day tickets.

Getting one of these 3-day tickets not only can save money, but avoids the hassle of having to buy separate bus tickets for each trip. Otherwise, single-use bus tickets along the Amalfi Coast cost either 2.40 Euros (up to 45 minutes), 3.60 Euros (up to 90 minutes), or 7.20 Euros (24 hours).

ggreen

I agree that a car is unnecessary if your lodging is on the main road on the AC: it's easy to hop on and off the Sita bus, and as much as I love to drive, I was happy there to leave it to a professional! (I googled "Villa Scarpiello" and the results gave me a location in Ravello. Is that correct? If so, it does look like it's right on the main road...)

But I digress from the ferry question! We took the Catania-Napoli ferry last spring, and while as others have said it's a different line, the facilities were totally fine: not luxury, but clean and we were able to sleep. However, it's not a short trip! Have you considered a quick flight on one of the discount airlines?

GAC

The TTT Lines ferry ships between Catania and Napoli are nearly identical to the Caronte & Tourist ferries between Messina and Salerno, except that the latter are a newer by a few year, and have more cabins and fewer reclining seats.

GeoffHamer

"Have you considered a quick flight on one of the discount airlines?"

The ferry leaves Messina at half past midnight and arrives in Salerno eight hours later. The passengers will spend the trip asleep in bed. Any "quick flight" will actually waste more time.

ggreen

<i>Any "quick flight" will actually waste more time.</i>

How? For the ferry, you have to spend as much time in advance of departure and after docking as you do in an airport. The flight to Naples is one hour, then transit to Salerno is less than three hours. You're on land and get to see the area as you travel through.

The OP indicated his wife isn't keen on the ferry (in fact "has real concerns over taking [it]"). And of course it's a no-brainer not to take the train. Flying is another option he may not have considered.