Rome Shore Excursions

[rer0538]

New to forum need your help planning a shore excursion for Rome. We will be sailing on Oceania Cruises arriving in Civitavecchia Italy April 25. This is our first trip to this part of the world and need your help. It appears that travel time from the port to Rome is approximately 2hrs what is your suggested shore excursions along with cost if possible? Of primary interest is the Vatican we will have four in our group.

[CruiserBruce]

Some reading on the board will give you lots of info. For example, you can do trains and cut the travel time. Or do a private excursion and perhaps use your time very efficiently.

 

The travel time from port to Rome is more like 75-90 minutes each way.

[euro cruiser]

More information is necessary to be helpful. Are you looking for a private excursion, DIY, or a ship excursion? What is your budget? What do you want to see at the Vatican (museums/Sistine Chapel, basilica, both)?

[cberge]

You can also read through pages on this board re trips into Rome as there is a lot of info here than can help you. Also the sticky at the top of the Forum would be of big help to you.

[Aunt Tina]

Two years ago our cruise ended in Civitavecchia and we were picked up by Rome Cabs and did the Christian tour of Rome. They arranged for a private tour guide for just the Vatican which was very helpful. They have tours and prices on their website.

[rer0538]

More information is necessary to be helpful. Are you looking for a private excursion, DIY, or a ship excursion? What is your budget? What do you want to see at the Vatican (museums/Sistine Chapel, basilica, both)?

 

Hi and thanks for the reply's to my questions. Based on our limited cruise experience time in port limits what you can see. I assure this applies even more in some place like Rome. We will be happy to if we have the opportunity to visit the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel. As for budget it's NOT unlimited. Based on what I have read from the forum (very helpful) this is my thoughts on Rome:

 

Romeinlimo for 4

Tour Guide and Tickets to Vatican & Sistine Chapel

 

Note: my estimated cost for this day is approximately $300.00/person is this

correct? Hope I'm wrong and it is less. I do not understand the cost for the guide for group up to 15 is it 250 euro for the group, example; if group size is 10 cost for guide would be 25 euro? How far in advance should one make reservations for these services?

 

Florence/Pisa/Tuscany

Romeinlimo for 4

 

Note: my estimated cost for this service is $175.00/person plus tip. Not sure how to spend our time in this port ladies want time to shop and visit the area. Is this the place for them to spend time in quant shops etc?

 

This leave us 8 more ports Barcelona (deportation) Marseille, Monte Carlo, Amalfi/Positano, Taormina (Sicily), Ephesus (Kusadasi) Turkey, Santorini Greece, lastly Athens.

 

Looking forward to hear from you cruisers

[WildWind]

For Florence/Pisa I recommend you to hire a driver and share a van for 8 persons. It will cost you 40-45 Euro pp plus tips. Last august we used Nicola Scovenna service (http://www.livornotoflorence.com/services/) and were not disappointed. He picked us up at the pier and drove first to the heart of Florence where we spent 5 hours walking around and visiting Ufuzzi ( tickets were booked in advance) and then he drove us to Pisa to visit the leaning tower. We did not lose a minute and save a lot of money.

 

Hi and thanks for the reply's to my questions. Based on our limited cruise experience time in port limits what you can see. I assure this applies even more in some place like Rome. We will be happy to if we have the opportunity to visit the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel. As for budget it's NOT unlimited. Based on what I have read from the forum (very helpful) this is my thoughts on Rome:

 

Romeinlimo for 4

Tour Guide and Tickets to Vatican & Sistine Chapel

 

Note: my estimated cost for this day is approximately $300.00/person is this

correct? Hope I'm wrong and it is less. I do not understand the cost for the guide for group up to 15 is it 250 euro for the group, example; if group size is 10 cost for guide would be 25 euro? How far in advance should one make reservations for these services?

 

Florence/Pisa/Tuscany

Romeinlimo for 4

 

Note: my estimated cost for this service is $175.00/person plus tip. Not sure how to spend our time in this port ladies want time to shop and visit the area. Is this the place for them to spend time in quant shops etc?

 

This leave us 8 more ports Barcelona (deportation) Marseille, Monte Carlo, Amalfi/Positano, Taormina (Sicily), Ephesus (Kusadasi) Turkey, Santorini Greece, lastly Athens.

 

Looking forward to hear from you cruisers

Edited January 2, 2014 by WildWind

[CruiserBruce]

Hi and thanks for the reply's to my questions. Based on our limited cruise experience time in port limits what you can see. I assure this applies even more in some place like Rome. We will be happy to if we have the opportunity to visit the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel. As for budget it's NOT unlimited. Based on what I have read from the forum (very helpful) this is my thoughts on Rome:

 

Romeinlimo for 4

Tour Guide and Tickets to Vatican & Sistine Chapel

 

Note: my estimated cost for this day is approximately $300.00/person is this

correct? Hope I'm wrong and it is less. I do not understand the cost for the guide for group up to 15 is it 250 euro for the group, example; if group size is 10 cost for guide would be 25 euro? How far in advance should one make reservations for these services?

 

Florence/Pisa/Tuscany

Romeinlimo for 4

 

Note: my estimated cost for this service is $175.00/person plus tip. Not sure how to spend our time in this port ladies want time to shop and visit the area. Is this the place for them to spend time in quant shops etc?

 

This leave us 8 more ports Barcelona (deportation) Marseille, Monte Carlo, Amalfi/Positano, Taormina (Sicily), Ephesus (Kusadasi) Turkey, Santorini Greece, lastly Athens.

 

Looking forward to hear from you cruisers

 

Rome in Limo is an excellent company, that provides a superb product...look down the board for their many thousands of positive comments.

 

Something is wrong with the numbers you presented. Assuming a party of 4, with a guide for the Vatican, I would think your cost would be somewhere around 6-700 euros for the day. I am not seeing the leap to the 250 euros price. Comparing apples and oranges?

 

You should be making reservations for your group for April excursions now.

Edited January 2, 2014 by CruiserBruce

[rer0538]

Thanks to all. I called RomeinLimo and my estimate for tour guide was wrong. We plan to book with them for our Rome visit. Still have not made a decision for Florence however thanks to you folks we have some good suggestions.

[mikaula]

We took a tour thru the ship that visited the colosseum & the Vatican. It also included lunch. We got off the ship at 7:00 am & were one of the last busses to board the ship at 7:00 pm. It was a long, amazing day & most people took a nap in the bus on the way back. The guide even said he wouldn't talk much since everyone was tired.

[Northern Aurora]

We used Romeinlimo last May for a tour to Rome and were extremely pleased. Romeinlimo arranged for our Vatican tour guide, and we were very impressed with her knowledge and skills. Our driver had called her and so our guide was waiting on the curb where we were dropped off and we literally hit the pavement running.

 

We've used this company in other ports, and were equally pleased.

[deentonyo]

Hey Guys,

 

We Just booked this tour and are awaiting response from the website.

We booked it for eight people and are taking up two of those spots leaving six open. I will keep you updated when I hear from them!

 

Denise and Tony

 

 

 

 

 

This day trip is designed for those who wish to enjoy all the highlights of ROME IN A DAY at a relaxed pace.

 

If you wish to book this tour from the port of Civitavecchia as a day excursion, please click here: Rome Highlights.

 

After you are greeted by your English speaking driver at your hotel, you will make your way to the historical center and begin your tour at the National Monument of Vittorio Emanuele II in Piazza Venezia.

 

You will continue on to the splendors of Ancient Rome, which include the vicinity of the Roman and Imperial Forums, the Coliseum, the Capital and Palatine Hills, the Circus Maximus, and the glorious Pantheon. Moving on, you will walk through the famed Piazza Navona, stopping at the Spanish Steps, before throwing your coins into the Trevi Fountain.

 

You will pause for a traditional Italian lunch before you head over to the world’s smallest state; Vatican City. The duration of your afternoon will be spent in the Vatican’s Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter Basilica before you are returned to your hotel at the end of the day.

 

If you have more then one day in Rome, we recommend to do the Vatican on a different day and take advantage of the car to see more sites.

 

It is important to note that proper attire must be worn in the Vatican: shoulders and knees must be covered.The Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel are closed on Sundays with the exception of the last Sunday of every month.

 

All rates are quoted in the Euro and are only payable in the Euro currency, including Traveler’s Cheques, at the end of the services.

Rates include the use of our luxury vehicles, English speaking driver to and from your hotel. Lunch, gratuities, or entrance fees to the sites are not included.

Please note that the order of the itinerary might change.

 

Entrance to the Catacombs € 8.00 pp

 

We highly recommend for you to pre-purchase your Vatican tickets online for 2 pm.

We highly recommend for you to pre-purchase your Coliseum tickets online.

 

Important notice: The Basilica of St Peter’s might close for last minute ceremonies or mass. We will try to inform you as soon as we can but not always possible. In this case if you have booked a Vatican guide through us you will pay a lower fee for that.

[CruiserBruce]

deentonyo, if you are looking for others to join you on this tour, per board rules, tour sharing is done on your roll call. I am not sure which cruise this is for, so can't link you to your roll call. You might want to read this Sticky form the top of the Italy board:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1020637

Edited January 6, 2014 by CruiserBruce