We will leave Umbria on May 21 to drive to Naples. We would like to stay 1-2 nights in Naples before catching overnite ferry to Palermo for a week in Sicily. Does anybody know if we need to reserve the ferry in advance. Also where to stay w/ car to easily reach the ferry. Thank you for any advice.

If you definitely desire having a sleeping cabin on the ferry, you should reserve in advance. Otherwise, you risk having to accept a reclining seat or, worse still, no guaranteed seat whatsoever. Much depends on the passenger load on the specific evening of departure. While May is not high season, the ferry should still have several hundred passengers (more on weekends). There is a limited number of twin cabins; once these sell out, you're stuck with taking a quad and paying a supplement for the unoccupied bunks. Securing space for the rental car is also a consideration, although I would not be too worried during May. I would reserve the sleeping cabin no later than 30 days beforehand.

Bear in mind that the Tirrenia "customary" ferry on this route ("Rubattino") accommodates 1,400 passengers and 700 autos; the SNAV ferry ("Sicilia" and "Campania") 950 passengers and 600 autos. "Rubattino" has approx. 288 cabins and 195 reclining seats; "Sicilia" and "Campania" a similar number (maybe fewer). However, if you sail on a night when Tirrenia's older ferry "Nomentana" ("Aurelia" class) -- is operating on a temporary basis, the accommodations are greater: 2,280 passengers, 645 autos, 320 cabins and approx. 600 reclining seats. You can determine which ferry operates on which days from the Tirrenia website. The "Rubattino" is classified "Nuovi Traghetti" whereas the "Nomentana" is classified "Nuovi Traghetti 'Aurelia'". There's not much difference between the ships in terms of interior accommodations, but they look very different from the exterior.

Here is more information about the ferry service options (pasted from another of my postings):

NAPLES TO PALERMO: both Tirrenia Lines and SNAV Lines operate daily overnight car ferries 365 days per year. Tirrenia has additional weekend DAYLIGHT sailings from the end of July through the 10th of September. A twin outside cabin ranges from 61.11 to 78.04 Euros per passenger, depending on season. Inside twins and quads available for less. A first class reclining seat ranges from 37.40 to 45.97 Euros. Deck passage (no guaranteed seat) ranges from 35.78 to 41.70 Euros. Port taxes are an additional 3.09 Euros per person. Ferry boat accommodates automobiles and trucks as well. Tirrenia ferry has air conditioning, restaurant, cafeteria, two cafe/bars, cinema, game room, card room, shopping, and large public salon. Tirrenia ships, built in 1999 and 2001 ("Florio" and "Rubattino") displace 30,800 tons, are 595 feet in length, travel at 23 knots, and can accommodate 1,400 passengers and 700 automobiles. There are 288 cabins and nearly 200 first class seats. SNAV ships, built in 1974 ("Campania" and "Sicilia") displace 27,000 tons, are 568 feet in length, travel at 20 knots, and can accommodate 950 passengers and 600 automobiles. Tirrenia crossing takes approx. 9.5 hours. SNAV ferries take one hour longer and cost less. Cabins and reclining seats should be reserved in advance, particularly during the summer. By contrast, Naples to Palermo by train takes as little as 8.5 hours by daylight Intercity train.


MODIFICATIONS TO NAPLES/PALERMO CROSSING ON TIRRENIA LINES


Pending the return to service of the Vincenzo Florio on the Naples/Palermo route, Tirrenia Lines is using one of its modernized "Aurelia" class car ferries (currently the "Nomentana", modernized in 2004) on alternate days with the Florio's sister ship, Raffaele Rubattino. Service remains daily overnight, in each direction.

The modernized "Aurelia" class are slower (19.5 versus 23 knots) and smaller ships (14,800 tons, 485 feet in length, versus 30,800 tons, 595 feet), but can accommodate more passengers (2,280 versus 1,400) and have an interior styling comparable to her larger sisters. There are a similar number of cabins, but no first class reclining seats. Instead, there is a larger number of second class reclining seats. As on the larger ships, there is a boutique, restaurant, cafeteria, two bars, cinema, reading room, videogames room, and large public salon.

The "Aurelia" ships date back to the late 1970's, and look very different from the more modern Florio and Rubattino.

The "Aurelia" ships will employ about 30 minutes longer to make the crossing.

The "Vincenzo Florio" will hopefully return to service on this route this summer.


Hotels near the Port: Pensione Bella Capri, right across the street (very basic, in a rundown building but modernized inside and with air conditioning). Much more "upscale" and more expensive is the business-oriented Hotel Mercure Angioino, off of Piazza Municipio and 300 yards from the Port. The luxury hotels ("Exclesior", "Vesuvio" and "Santa Lucia") along the fashionable Via Partenope are about 1200 yards distant.

www.tirrenia.it
www.snav.it

if you are taking it in the summer months definitely book ahead. i took it in august and it was sold out. people were trying to buy our reservations from us on the dock. we had a cabin and it was very nice for a cabin on an overnight ferry. i was on snav. the boats left port around the same time and came it at the same time. so very similar schedules.

Just in case it was not clear from my previous posting, the two twin SNAV ferries "Sicilia" and "Campania" depart from both Naples and Palermo on alternate days (thereby maintaining daily service in both directions).

Similarly, the two Tirrenia ferries "Rubattino" and "Nomentana" also operate on alternate days in both directions.

In any case, the departure and arrival times of the ferries of both operators are very similar (as Kelly correctly points out), as is the duration of the crossing, notwithstanding the fact that the "Rubattino" is a little faster.

Prices are also similar: for example, a twin outside cabin on SNAV in low season costs 58,44 Euros per person; on Tirrenia 64.85 Euros. A reclining seat on SNAV in low season costs 34.45 Euros; on Tirrenia 37.01 on the "Nomentana" and 41.14 on the "Rubattino".

Why the two rates for seats on Tirrenia? Because "Rubattino" has only first class reclining seats, whereas "Nomentana" has only second class reclining seats. The first class seats recline more and have more leg and thigh room.

Quad cabins cost slightly less per berth, BUT you pay a supplement (usually 50%) for any unoccupied berths. So, it's clearly better to reserve a twin if there are only two people travelling together... AND there are far fewer twins available than quads.

HINT: Single travellers save lots of money by purchasing a reclining seat. No supplement to pay for the unoccupied twin berth. The actual crossing time is about 9 hours, or roughly the same as a Transatlantic flight. And there's lots to do on the ship to pass the time, including going to the cinema (3 Euros on Tirrenia), the formal restaurant or the self-service cafeteria, and the informal bar area with cocktail chairs. The first class seats on the "Rubattino" are particularly good value, and somewhat comparable to business class on airplanes.

NOTE: Though this occurs FAR FAR less frequently than on winter crossings to Sardinia, when the ship has a very light passenger load (usually in late November or early February), parts of the ship are subject to being closed to the public (including cabins and reclining seats). However, Naples/Palermo is never a "ghost" ship, as is sometimes the case on winter ferries to Sardinia.