Celebrity Rome Excursions: Train or Bus?

[leela14]

I noticed that there are 2 "Rome on Your Own" options: bus or train.

 

Does anyone have any feedback on these? We did the bus with NCL once but I'm curious about the train and why I would choose it over the bus option. Is it better for some reason? Faster? More or less convenient? You have to get to the train so it sounds less convenient?

 

All feedback/opinions would be appreciated. :)

[Jo42]

Just came on to ask exactly the same question! Our excursion data states if not enough people opt for the private train option you will be transferred to the bus option so maybe its just not as popular? Dont know why though. I would hope it was a bit quicker but it doesn't actually say that. Hoping someone's got some feedback for us :)

[CathyCruises]

I have a great option for you!! Take the train on your own for 12 euros return! This also gives you all day use of the metro and buses in Rome. Very simple to do and waaayyyy cheaper than paying for the exact same thing through the ship. If you go to the Italy boards, you can find detailed info, but I will say my preferred method is to get off at Roma Ostiense and hopping the metro one stop and emerging right in front of the Colisseum. Then some meandering on foot (Forum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, etc.) before cabbing to the Vatican. Then a short walk to Roma San Pietro station to catch the train back to the port. I'm just sayin'. . .

[Cruise Junky]

I have a great option for you!! Take the train on your own for 12 euros return! This also gives you all day use of the metro and buses in Rome. Very simple to do and waaayyyy cheaper than paying for the exact same thing through the ship. If you go to the Italy boards, you can find detailed info, but I will say my preferred method is to get off at Roma Ostiense and hopping the metro one stop and emerging right in front of the Colisseum. Then some meandering on foot (Forum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, etc.) before cabbing to the Vatican. Then a short walk to Roma San Pietro station to catch the train back to the port. I'm just sayin'. . .

 

Completely agree with Cathy. If you're doingbrome on your own anyway, just hop the train. Follow the crowds, tons os people will be doing the same thing and it's very Easy. Get off at San Pietro and work our way from there

[rebeccalouiseagain]

I did the Rome on Your Own bus excursion and it was fine. I'd really recommend doing a tour instead. We found that there simply wasn't enough time to cover all the places we wanted to go on foot and ended up only having time for the Colosseum, St. Peter's and a nice lunch. If I had it to do over- I would have paid a bit more to do an all day tour. You really can't do Rome in a day IMO. Once you've walked through a couple sites- you are exhausted. I'm 47 and I was worn out.

 

Of course we did walk up 400 steps to the dome of St. Peter's but it was so worth it for the view.

[leela14]

I have a great option for you!! Take the train on your own for 12 euros return! This also gives you all day use of the metro and buses in Rome. Very simple to do and waaayyyy cheaper than paying for the exact same thing through the ship. If you go to the Italy boards, you can find detailed info, but I will say my preferred method is to get off at Roma Ostiense and hopping the metro one stop and emerging right in front of the Colisseum. Then some meandering on foot (Forum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, etc.) before cabbing to the Vatican. Then a short walk to Roma San Pietro station to catch the train back to the port. I'm just sayin'. . .

 

Completely agree with Cathy. If you're doingbrome on your own anyway, just hop the train. Follow the crowds, tons os people will be doing the same thing and it's very Easy. Get off at San Pietro and work our way from there

 

This is what my DH wants to do. I'm always a bit nervous about missing the ship doing our own excursions and I'm worried about being exhausted on the ride back and not having a place to sit. I remember the last time sleeping all the way back on the bus - you think it could be standing room only on the train ride back? That could kill me.

[jomf]

We have booked the Rome on your own via the train. Not sure if will be quicker but we felt it might be more fun.

 

We took a tour (luckily via the ship) to Rome a few years ago. The coach broke down on the way back. If we had been on our own tour then we would have missed the ship. The ship waited for us. Being English we know that trains can break down/ be very late!

 

As the port is so far from Rome we feel safer taking the ships tours. More costly we know but you can spend longer in Rome as you have no worries about missing the ship.

 

We have seen plenty of passports in the hands of the shore personnel waiting for late returners!

[CathyCruises]

All I can say is that MANY people take the train on their own, and I have never heard a personal report of anyone missing their ship. We are careful to get a return train early enough that we have some alternates as a backup--we usually depart San Pietro just before 4.

 

I think the cruise lines 'get you' by the threat of missing the boat, in every port, not just Rome. This is a clever way to extort money and prey on your paranoia. If you are a savvy traveler and pay attention to the time and distances, you will have no trouble at all.

 

I have looked into private tours--at 500 euros +/- they are way out of my budget--that's more than I pay for my whole cruise! Plus, we really enjoy being on our own, navigating a new city, and going exactly where we want to go.

 

I have heard reports of some people having to stand on the return train for a couple of stops, before the seats clear, but that's not the norm. If you are really concerned about that, you can begin your return journey at Termini, where you will be first on the train. However, the Civitavecchia-bound trains leave from a platform (binario) that's about 300 meters from the main part of the station, and Termini to me is not very convenient. It's a sightly uphill walk about a mile (give or take) from the Colisseum, although you could hop the metro for that portion of the trip. In that case, I would begin at St. Peters and reverse course.

 

There is a lot more info/discussion on the Italy boards about this very topic.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

I don't agree that the cruise lines make people fearful. I have been to Italy several times now but am hardly a pro. I don't know how to gage time in Europe because of the unknowns- will we get on the train at the right time coming and going? What is the distance between each landmark and will be able to walk or taxi.

 

I can tell you it ended up being a rainy day and this really threw a wrench into our plans to hoof it around Rome. Had my son been to Rome before- I would have probably just stayed onboard because it was a lack-luster day for him. He is 12 and this was THE port he looked forward to. He actually said that he wished we had done a narrated tour. He loved the tours we went on in other ports and we ended up being on several tours with the same people so it was fun. I do think the cruise lines do a good job. The tours are really easy and you are never worried for a moment about being left behind.

[Cruise Junky]

One of us had to stand on the way in but we just kept trading the seat. No issues on the way back as we got on at Termini. By St Peters it was busier coming back though. We did do a private tour our first time to Rome and it was well worth it. This was our third time that we did the train so we felt we didn't have to rush around to see everything so much.

[skylight]

My daughter and I got the private train thru Celebrity in Rome. They took us to the train and the train was shared with other cruise ships. It took about 45 mins approx to get to station and then guided to Vatican. From the Vatican it was easy to get taxi into Rome sites. We met back at station in afternoon I think 3.30. I have also used Romeinlimo for private tour and back in plenty of time for ship departure. When we caught the train we went by taxi into Rome nd did the Vatican last as it was nearer the station where we had to meet very easy.:D

[Glammy Grammy]

We've taken the Rome on your own train twice, and found it excellent both times. It is a 5 minute coach ride to the railway siding where the train is waiting. It is one of the old fashioned pulman type trains, so that's quite novel in itself. Once on the train there is a guide who will give you maps and suggested routes to make sure you see the sights you want to see and can recommend restaurants etc. You can also buy the fast track tickets to the Vatican off them too, and they will then take you from the train to the Vatican where you walk straight past all the queues and straight in - well worth every penny when time is of the essence.

 

The train stops a short walk from the Vatican, and you are given the time for the return train. It is great to get back on to the train, on a guaranteed comfortable seat, after a very hectic days sight seeing! We don't normally do ship's excursions but if ever we are in Rome again, we would certainly consider doing the Rome on your own train for a third time!

 

Have a fabulous time, Rome is simply amazing.

[Peteymil]

My daughter and I got the private train thru Celebrity in Rome. They took us to the train and the train was shared with other cruise ships. It took about 45 mins approx to get to station and then guided to Vatican. From the Vatican it was easy to get taxi into Rome sites. We met back at station in afternoon I think 3.30. I have also used Romeinlimo for private tour and back in plenty of time for ship departure. When we caught the train we went by taxi into Rome nd did the Vatican last as it was nearer the station where we had to meet very easy.:D

Where does the ship's excursion train let you off?

[skylight]

Where does the ship's excursion train let you off?

Hi I think the station is Roma San Pietro (we called it St.Peters station) you can see the Dome from the station its about 5 minutes down the hill to St Peters Square. It was great getting the air conditioned train as in August it was 48degrees celcius way to hot so we went in May last year and very comfortable.:D

[Jo42]

Thank you everyone for the very informative replies. We have been to Rome a couple of times before but as it is such a long way from the port it is very tempting to take the ships train, rather than DIY to negate the risk of 'missing the boat'. The jury is still out, but your replies have been really helpful, thanks again :)

[gek]

We booked the train ourselves and ended up on exactly the same express train as everybody else on the ship, but we paid a quarter of the ship excursion cost. This also included a hop-on hop-off bus ticket in Rome.

 

I guess I can't put a plug in for the company who we bought the tickets through but their office was right near the train station.