Need Help Regarding Pre-Cruise Hotels, Transportation, Tours in Rome

Alaskanb--that is a spectacular cruise. :D I looked it up on a large online cruise site. Wow . . . 37 days! It hits a lot of items on my bucket list.

So, it appears you are leaving the ship for 3 days and will catch up to it later. Is that right? We have never done that. . . . but, Rome is a place you would want to spend more time.

OK--it is time to get busy and make some more plans for our visit to Rome. I found this thread earlier today giving a review from CC member CaribbeanBound. [thank you--this is great information]

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=56209636&posted=1#post56209636

I am putting the link here so I can easily find it later.

My goal is to get a hotel reserved within the next week.

Several people said they were cruising and/or visiting Rome last month. Are you back? We would love to hear about your experiences. :)

I am a planner. I know you can tell that from this thread. If I have a cruise with a complex pre/post cruise and or many ports I put the information into a table. I am attaching my table to this message. I have found these categories work well for me.

You can see I still have LOTS of work left to plan this cruise.

I am not married to my plans. If something better or a problem comes up [nothing ever works out perfectly when you travel] we change plans on the fly. . . . Also, we always make time to stop and smell the roses. :D

Rome and Cruise Planner.docx

Thank you for bringing this great post to my attention.

OK--it is time to get busy and make some more plans for our visit to Rome. I found this thread earlier today giving a review from CC member CaribbeanBound. [thank you--this is great information]

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=56209636&posted=1#post56209636

 

I am putting the link here so I can easily find it later.

 

My goal is to get a hotel reserved within the next week.

 

Several people said they were cruising and/or visiting Rome last month. Are you back? We would love to hear about your experiences. :)

I'm back, my summary from my trip is here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2637610

Finding this thread very interesting. We too love Italy. We have used Rome cabs many times and find them safe and reliable.

The Hilton airport hotel is great for an overnight with its free Rome shuttle. We love to stay near Campo di Fiori in Rome to wander the streets of Rome and nearby Trastevere.

I saw a mention of Villa Farnese and we were totally mesmerized by this castle. Well worth visiting. We often have stayed in Viterbo precruise as another possibility, Villa Lante and the monster gardens are interesting as well. And Tarquinia and the museum and tombs are fascinating.

Can’t wait to go again!

Alaskanb--that is a spectacular cruise. :D I looked it up on a large online cruise site. Wow . . . 37 days! It hits a lot of items on my bucket list.

 

So, it appears you are leaving the ship for 3 days and will catch up to it later. Is that right? We have never done that. . . . but, Rome is a place you would want to spend more time.

We are just doing the Southampton to Rome leg of the cruise --- wish we could do the rest! Was surprised when I found it. :D

I'm back, my summary from my trip is here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2637610

Oh my --what an adventure! I've had both knees replaced --and a hip. I plan around how much walking I can realistically do and how we get luggage from place to place. Gave up on the idea of train travel with luggage except in the UK who provide great assistance.

One thing I've done for the first time is to organize a private tour for slower walkers at one of our Panama Canal cruise ports. For our med cruise I'm planning mostly on DIY days so we can stop and start at will.

I am a planner. I know you can tell that from this thread. If I have a cruise with a complex pre/post cruise and or many ports I put the information into a table. I am attaching my table to this message. I have found these categories work well for me.

 

You can see I still have LOTS of work left to plan this cruise.

 

I am not married to my plans. If something better or a problem comes up [nothing ever works out perfectly when you travel] we change plans on the fly. . . . Also, we always make time to stop and smell the roses. :D

OMG --this is practically identical to mine! I also keep a page for notes where I copy and paste bits of info that I acquire --like a parking lot. I make one of these tables for every cruise and share them with our kids so they know what we are more or less up to while traveling.

OMG --this is practically identical to mine! I also keep a page for notes where I copy and paste bits of info that I acquire --like a parking lot. I make one of these tables for every cruise and share them with our kids so they know what we are more or less up to while traveling.

Good minds think alike. ;p

I also share them with our kids--however, the person that uses it the most is DH. He leaves the planning to me. Yet, he wants to know what we are doing. This is his cheat sheet. :D

I'm back, my summary from my trip is here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2637610

Thank you for the link. You have so much good information.

I finally booked our hotel. Yeah! :D Actually I did this last week but have just gotten around to posting.

We are staying at the Albergo del Senato for three nights on the same piazza as the Pantheon. [After our 1 night stay at the airport Hilton.]

The price for the prepaid rate is 529 euro. [~$620] The refundable rate was about $80 higher. Since the trip to Rome is only a little over 3 months away we felt OK booking the nonrefundable rate. The rate includes breakfast and wifi.

This hotel gets excellent reviews on Trip Advisor and very positive comments on Cruise Critic.

Some rooms have a view of the Pantheon. I doubt we will get one of these with this lower rate. However, I asked for one in the comments section of the reservation. It does not hurt to ask. ;p

Have any of you stayed her? Do you have any tips?

I finally booked our hotel. Yeah! :D

 

We are staying at the Albergo del Senato for three nights on the same piazza as the Pantheon. [After our 1 night stay at the airport Hilton.]

 

The price for the prepaid rate is 529 euro. [~$620] The refundable rate was about $80 higher. Since the trip to Rome is only a little over 3 months away we felt OK booking the nonrefundable rate. The rate includes breakfast and wifi.

 

This hotel gets excellent reviews on Trip Advisor and very positive comments on Cruise Critic.

 

Some rooms have a view of the Pantheon. I doubt we will get one of these with this lower rate. However, I asked for one in the comments section of the reservation. It does not hurt to ask. ;p

 

Have any of you stayed her? Do you have any tips?

The Albergo del Senato is my favorite hotel in Rome and is in my top 5 anywhere. I've stayed there 4-5 times and really love the location and the classic Italian style of the hotel. You got an excellent rate -- congrats!

The only tip I'd give is to make time to enjoy at least one drink on the rooftop terrace, preferably at sunset. Wonderful views to St. Peter's dome and it's great to watch the skies darken and the lights coming on in the city.

I finally booked our hotel. Yeah! :D Actually I did this last week but have just gotten around to posting.

 

We are staying at the Albergo del Senato for three nights on the same piazza as the Pantheon. [After our 1 night stay at the airport Hilton.]

 

The price for the prepaid rate is 529 euro. [~$620] The refundable rate was about $80 higher. Since the trip to Rome is only a little over 3 months away we felt OK booking the nonrefundable rate. The rate includes breakfast and wifi.

 

This hotel gets excellent reviews on Trip Advisor and very positive comments on Cruise Critic.

 

Some rooms have a view of the Pantheon. I doubt we will get one of these with this lower rate. However, I asked for one in the comments section of the reservation. It does not hurt to ask. ;p

 

Have any of you stayed her? Do you have any tips?

Thank you for posting the hotel and rate.

To clarify, is 529 € the daily rate, or for 3 nights stay? Does rate Includie all taxes? Does it include transportation pick up from airport to hotel, and transportation from hotel to the cruise port?

King

Thank you for posting the hotel and rate.

To clarify, is 529 € the daily rate, or for 3 nights stay? Does rate Includie all taxes? Does it include transportation pick up from airport to hotel, and transportation from hotel to the cruise port?

King

That rate is for all three nights for the room and taxes. It does not include a special Rome tax.

This is the statement from my reservation: "

There is not any transportation included.

As DH and I discussed--we could not get a room in a prime location in Washington DC or New York for that.

I need to state we are checking in on Nov 2 and out Nov 5. The time of year will likely impact the cost. Also, The Friday and Saturday nights are more expensive than the Sunday night.

That rate is for all three nights for the room and taxes. It does not include a special Rome tax.

 

This is the statement from my reservation: "

 

Not included in the room rate is a City Tourist Tax will be applied to all guests – this tax costs 4 Euro per person per night and must be paid upon departure."

 

 

There is not any transportation included.

 

As DH and I discussed--we could not get a room in a prime location in Washington DC or New York for that.

 

I need to state we are checking in on Nov 2 and out Nov 5. The time of year will likely impact the cost. Also, The Friday and Saturday nights are more expensive than the Sunday night.

Thank you. Sounds like a good rate, and great location.

We are starting to plan for our Rome-Barcelona cruise booked for 2019.

Enjoy your stay in Rome, and your cruise! :)

Does it include transportation pick up from airport to hotel, and transportation from hotel to the cruise port?

King

I don't know of any hotel in central Rome that includes transportation to the airport or to the cruise port. They will be happy to arrange it for you -- for a cost. The going rate for a private car to the airport is around 50-55 euro. To the port, I have no idea, I've never asked and I assume it would be significantly higher than one can arrange on one's own with one of the reputable services frequently mentioned here.

I forgot to mention that if you want to reserve this hotel go to their website first. If you go to the bottom of the page there is a link to join their mailing list. They will send you a promo code if you do. It saved me around 11 euros off my room.

I joined more than a week ago and have not gotten anything yet. So, I do not think they are going to flood my inbox with spam. I can always unsubscribe after the cruise. YMMV

I am sorry I have not posted lately. I have made some plans and will post in the next few days.

It is still 7 weeks before the cruise. I thought I had plenty of time. . . lesson learned! :(

When we visited London 3 years ago before a TA we were able to get lots of valuable information on Cruise Critic. I started a thread that I used over time to make hotel, touring and transportation decisions. In addition, other travelers used the thread to ask individual questions without having to create their own thread. So, I am creating this thread hoping I have the same success.

 

 

We are mature travelers with no mobility issues—although we do not have the stamina we did at 30. [who does?] :rolleyes: We are traveling with another couple and are all interested in history. . . . DH says I cannot pass a fort or church without visiting. We will have to prioritize our church visits in Rome or we will not see anything else.

 

I have been researching our Rome visit extensively and have found just enough information that I can ask intelligent questions [or I hope they are]. I have the Rick Steves’ Rome 2018 book and have read many of the threads in this forum.

As I find information I will post it here to help others. FYI-- Rome is on Central European time. It is 6 hrs ahead of Washington, DC. Sunrise/sunset is 6:42 am /5:04 pm on Nov 1st and 6:47 am /4:59 pm on Nov 5th.

 

 

We have plans for our first day. Please let me know if you think it makes sense. . . .

Whenever I travel, before I leave home I download a Google Map of the city I will be visiting so I can use this offline when in the city. This is very easy to do. Go to your Google map app on your phone and click on the three bars in the upper left hand corner. Scroll down and click on "offline maps" and then follow directions. Then, when in the city your are visiting, you can easily use this map (make sure your data connections are off so you don't get charged). I use offline maps for several reasons. First, I like to see where I am going in a city. Secondly, and most importantly, whenever I get into a taxi, I show the driver my map so he/she knows I have a map and will follow where the taxi will take me. I have used this all over the world with no problem. Uber is great, but sometimes in some countries, you do get a taxi driver who will "take you for a ride", way beyond where you want to go. Having a map is good too, in the event there is a language problem. Have fun in Italy--lived and worked there and have traveled there extensively!

I am sorry I have not posted lately. I have made some plans and will post in the next few days.

 

 

Just an FYI--We just booked our tickets for the Vatican today.

 

We fly into FCO on Thursday Nov 1 and cruise on Monday November 5, 2018.

We found that the only time we could get 3hr [museums + St Peters] tickets for an English speaking group tour was on Saturday at 8:30, 10 or 11am. We picked 10am.

 

We knew Thursday was All Saints' Day and the Vatican is closed. Also, Sundays are closed. But, we are not sure why there are no tickets for Friday November 2nd. . . . or Saturday afternoon. Maybe sold out. There is not much Vatican availability in the days before our cruise.

 

We think it cuts it pretty close to try to do this Monday in the AM before we leave for Civitavecchia. [There were tickets for Monday.]

 

It is still 7 weeks before the cruise. I thought I had plenty of time. . . lesson learned! :(

Hi, again, Just read some of your latest posts. The area around the Pantheon is lovely with lots of restaurants and central. You will enjoy it very much! We were there last December. I have also lived and worked in Italy, so comfortable with the country. I was supposed to do a cruise out of Rome this fall (long story, but cancelled and on another trip), and I had looked into transport from Rome to the port, and I was getting quotes between $100-150 with various companies, about 1 and 1/2 hours travel time. Also, about the Vatican--expect long lines and lots of security, but with a tour you will go around the lines into the Museum. LOTS of walking to get to the Sistine Chapel. My advice to enjoy St. Peters is to get there at 7:00 am when it opens--no lines at security and you will have the whole basilica to yourself. Incredible!!!!!!!! Spend a good hour looking around, leave the Vatican area, and there are lots of cafes in the area by the St. Ann's Gate. Go have cappuccino and croissant and watch people!!!!! THEN, go to where you are to join your group. You will have quietly enjoyed the basilica and now can see the museums and again visit the basilica when it will be VERY crowded. I do this all the time when in Rome. Never gets old. The other tour is the Vatican garden tour. You can buy this online or go to one of the tourist offices to the left of the Vatican plaza. The tour is about an hour, by small cart/van, and you get to see the backside of the Vatican and all the buildings and gardens behind the Vatican. Excellent!!!!!! Have fun!!!!!!!!!:)

 

I thought it might help if I repost our arrival and embarkation plans from the first page. As you can see we are not embarking the day after we arrive.

 

 

I am sorry if I was not clear.

"We land at FCO via Lufthansa at 12:20pm on Wednesday November 1, 2018 and leave from Civitavecchia aboard the Jewel of the Seas at 5:00pm Monday November 5, 2018."

We will be in Italy for most/part of 5 days. We will arrive on Wednesday--visit Ostia Antica and stay at the Airport Hilton overnight.

Then we go to Rome for 3 days of sightseeing. I am still looking at hotels and tour options for the city. We want to see the usual sites in the city. [ Colosseum,

Pantheon, Trevi fountain, Spanish steps, Campo di Fiori, Palatine Hill, Vatican, etc]

On Monday November 5 we board the ship. That is the day I was looking at visiting the Italian countryside on the way to Civitavecchia.

Dont know if you have a hotel yet. We stayed at Hotel Dei Brgognoni for a week in June and loved it. great location and excellent service.

Hi, again, Just read some of your latest posts. The area around the Pantheon is lovely with lots of restaurants and central. You will enjoy it very much! We were there last December. I have also lived and worked in Italy, so comfortable with the country. I was supposed to do a cruise out of Rome this fall (long story, but cancelled and on another trip), and I had looked into transport from Rome to the port, and I was getting quotes between $100-150 with various companies, about 1 and 1/2 hours travel time. Also, about the Vatican--expect long lines and lots of security, but with a tour you will go around the lines into the Museum. LOTS of walking to get to the Sistine Chapel. My advice to enjoy St. Peters is to get there at 7:00 am when it opens--no lines at security and you will have the whole basilica to yourself. Incredible!!!!!!!! Spend a good hour looking around, leave the Vatican area, and there are lots of cafes in the area by the St. Ann's Gate. Go have cappuccino and croissant and watch people!!!!! THEN, go to where you are to join your group. You will have quietly enjoyed the basilica and now can see the museums and again visit the basilica when it will be VERY crowded. I do this all the time when in Rome. Never gets old. The other tour is the Vatican garden tour. You can buy this online or go to one of the tourist offices to the left of the Vatican plaza. The tour is about an hour, by small cart/van, and you get to see the backside of the Vatican and all the buildings and gardens behind the Vatican. Excellent!!!!!! Have fun!!!!!!!!!:)

Thank you for this information. We think we will be happy with this hotel location.

I was especially interested in the cafes you say are near the St Ann's gate, too. It will be around 1 pm when we finish the tour and we may wish to get a snack/meal before we head back to the hotel area. . . another thought was to begin walking back to the hotel for 10 mins or so and stopping to eat.

I saw a restaurant/street food place called Likeat on the way back to the hotel if we walk. Have you ever heard of that? It was # 35 of all 13,000 restaurants in Rome on Trip Advisor.

Dont know if you have a hotel yet. We stayed at Hotel Dei Brgognoni for a week in June and loved it. great location and excellent service.

Thank you for the suggestion. We have reservations at the Albergo del Senato near the Pantheon.

Whenever I travel, before I leave home I download a Google Map of the city I will be visiting so I can use this offline when in the city. This is very easy to do. Go to your Google map app on your phone and click on the three bars in the upper left hand corner. Scroll down and click on "offline maps" and then follow directions. Then, when in the city your are visiting, you can easily use this map (make sure your data connections are off so you don't get charged). I use offline maps for several reasons. First, I like to see where I am going in a city. Secondly, and most importantly, whenever I get into a taxi, I show the driver my map so he/she knows I have a map and will follow where the taxi will take me. I have used this all over the world with no problem. Uber is great, but sometimes in some countries, you do get a taxi driver who will "take you for a ride", way beyond where you want to go. Having a map is good too, in the event there is a language problem. Have fun in Italy--lived and worked there and have traveled there extensively!

Thanks--I have not tried this before, but I will do it this trip.