Ferry from Sardinia to Naples - a rough night on board

Writer: Helena Bergström

We travelled by ferry from Sardinia to Naples, and it was a rough night on board on a hard floor, with cold winds sweeping over us. But sure enough, after 15 hours at sea, we finally slipped into the harbour in Naples!

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Ferry from Sardinia to Naples

We spent our last days in Sardinia in Cagliari, and it was also from here that we took the ferry, with Grimaldi Lines, from Sardinia to Naples.

We booked the ferry a few weeks in advance, and then there were only a few departures to choose from. There was no cabin to speak of, so we booked a night crossing without a cabin. For two adults and a 7.3 metre motorhome, we had to fork out around €3,600. Please note that prices vary depending on departure, season and other factors.

Departure from Cagliari 19:00

We drove to the ferry terminal an hour or so in advance, and it was easy to board. In front of us in the car queue we saw some couples splitting up. The man stayed in the car and the woman boarded on foot. Why did they do that ...? Well, we would eventually get the answer to that!

We didn't realise that we were in a hurry, but took the boarding process in our stride. Together with everyone else, we were then able to look out towards Sardinia from the deck.

On board the ferry

On deck 10 there is an outdoor bar, swimming pool and deck chairs. On deck 7 there is a large café. In between there are some cabins, but there can't be that many, considering how many hundreds and hundreds of passengers slept on the floor of the ferry ...

Where will we sleep?

We thought we were smart and travelled well, bringing a pillow and blanket each, as well as a packed lunch. Once on board, we realised that we were in the shelter compared to many of the other passengers. They had inflatable mattresses, sheets and duvets.

It was also at this point that we realised why some couples split up, so that one of the couple boarded in advance. After all, they had to secure their place on the ship's floor!

We realised that people had occupied every square metre of the ship. Mattresses, blankets and backpacks were placed everywhere: inside, outside, in the corridors, in the stairwells, in the cafés...

Chairs and tables were quickly put away and people set up their little 'camps'.

A long night

So, where would we sleep? Even though the ship is big, it didn't feel like there was a single square metre left... In the end, we did find a small corner, outside on the deck. We were very happy for our pillows and blankets (and our packed lunch!), although now it felt like we could have prepared even better ... And yes of course we had our nice jacuard plaids with campervan pattern! (Advert link)

It was a hard, restless and cold night. By the time the sun finally rose over the sea, we had probably only had a few hours of sleep ...

Arrival in Naples 10:00

At 9 o'clock in the morning we were able to look towards Naples on the Italian mainland.

As the time approached 10:00, it was time to dock. We weren't exactly rested, but it was still good to be there.

Towards a campsite in Pompeii

Arriving by motorhome in Naples, on its bumpy and broken roads lined with rubbish, was not exactly cosy, but we headed straight for Pompeii. Here we chose to take in on Camping Spartacus, which is in a great location to visit the impressive archaeological site just next door.

What can you see and do in the neighbourhood?

The main attraction in Naples is the fascinating archaeological site of Pompeii. Other places we've been tipped off about include charming Sorrento and the magnificent castle of La Reggia di Caserta.