Queen Victoria 30th Nov, couple of questions please!

[gillytwoshoes]

Hi there everyone

We are looking forward to our Med cruise on Queen Victoria, taking care of the first 2 weeks of December. (I don't like all the frantic run up to Christmas - so ideal!) My question is about Rome please - what is the best way to get to Rome from the port in Civitavecchia? I have an arthritic knee, so I'm concerned about too many steps etc at the train station. Is is best just to get the Excursion coach to drop us off in Rome, even though the price is astronomic? Or a Cunard excursion? I am assuming that there is no shuttle? Appreciate people's suggestions - thanks, Gill :)

[Ray66]

We went to Rome from Civitavecchia last month when cruising on the QE. We took the ship's excursion. It was an hour and a half journey and we didn't want to risk going on the train in case of delays, full trains etc.

 

It was a 5 hour tour and we got to spend some time at the Colosseum. The rest of the time was on the coach.

 

Apparently the train to Rome is 1hr 5mins every 30mins. with a 10 minute walk to the station.

 

There is a shuttle service into Civitavecchia.

Edited October 28, 2015 by Ray66

[edwardh1]

Hi there everyone

We are looking forward to our Med cruise on Queen Victoria, taking care of the first 2 weeks of December. (I don't like all the frantic run up to Christmas - so ideal!) My question is about Rome please - what is the best way to get to Rome from the port in Civitavecchia? I have an arthritic knee, so I'm concerned about too many steps etc at the train station. Is is best just to get the Excursion coach to drop us off in Rome, even though the price is astronomic? Or a Cunard excursion? I am assuming that there is no shuttle? Appreciate people's suggestions - thanks, Gill :)

================

 

are you going to Rome at the end of the cruise?

or going to rome for a day tour?

we had bad experiences going TO the ship on the cunard charter bus from the savoy hotel

and

bad experience coming back to the train station after the cruise also on the cunard chartered bus.

this july on QV

can't remember price maybe US$100 per person round trip

 

what is an excursion coach?

Edited October 28, 2015 by edwardh1

[edwardh1]

================

 

are you going to Rome at the end of the cruise?

or going to rome for a day tour?

we had bad experiences going TO the ship on the cunard charter bus from the savoy hotel

and

bad experience coming back to the train station after the cruise also on the cunard chartered bus.

this july on QV

can't remember price maybe US$100 per person round trip

 

what is an excursion coach? we also had an issue with a tour bus (is that an excursion bus) that cunard provided in Barcelona.

 

Our main issues with Cunard were the shore tours. my suspicion is that cunard low bids them , then does not monitor the tours quality. they do these tours over and over for 10 or 20 years, you think they would get it right.

[BigMac1953]

Hi

 

We've used https://www.discoveryguidedtours.com/ several times. They have both limo cars and limo vans.

 

The boss, Gilberto Stanzioni speaks perfect English and was born in Rome.

 

A full day, from the port and back, costs around €550 for up to 7 people. You will see as much or as little as you like, because you are in charge.

 

Stewart

[morbihan]

The shuttle bus goes to the port gates. Here you will find the taxi's not allowed in the port. Which you can catch otherwise from there I would allow 20 minutes to walk to the station. It must be nearly a mile. All flat. The ticket office is just before the station opening and I think it cost us about 4 € each for a single. You have to go down and then up steps to the inner platform to go into Rome but you arrive on the other platforn where you are directly out. Can catch a taxi here right back to the ship.

 

There are fast services which take 45 minutes I think. It is a nice trip. You can look out of the window instead of dashing down the motorway. You can also get off at the Vatican station and walk there which will save you an hour what with the less train time and a taxi. Think it is St Pietro. We went from there to Civitavecchia.

 

If you have a bad leg, what were you planning to see? There is a lot of walking involved. Vatican museum? Trevi fountain and Spanish steps are in pedestrian areas I think so more walking. Well, at 05.30 they were!

 

Difficult. I went around very early in the morning as we stayed there to find the route to take my husband as he is not in the best of health and can't walk far.

 

Beware of unofficial taxi's at the station in Rome.

 

Try to get in though as Rome is fabulous.

Edited October 28, 2015 by morbihan

[gillytwoshoes]

Thank you to Edwardh1, BigMac1953, Morbihan, and Ray66. All very useful advice.

Sorry for delay in replying, we have been getting ready for moving house.

 

We are calling in for a day's visit to Rome, so want to make the most of it. The 'excursion coach' I mentioned Edwardh1, I meant tour bus, (that's a British term I think) organised by Cunard. They take you to Rome in the coach and you have 9 hours there on your own, price $68 dollars, so I just thought, is that a rip off, and how can we do it cheaper? But given that I have a bad leg, maybe the comfort and security of the organised tour bus is the best option, (as in delays, timing etc) and swallow the cost!

 

Thank you for all the suggestions, we haven't been to Rome before, always meant to, so we want to make the most of it. As you say Morbihan it's difficult as I can't walk for miles, but I want to take in the sights, so maybe a coach trip like you went on Ray66, is the answer, seeing all the main sights from the coach, they still have the trip you mention.

 

It sounds like a long walk to the train, and if I get there exhausted, there is no reserve of energy left for Rome! No fun with the bad leg.

 

Thanks for the advice, happy cruising

Gill x

[morbihan]

Yes, it is a shocking price but ideal for you. All the prices seem to be shocking to me!

 

You will arrive rested and will, no doubt, see bits of Rome from the coach.

 

Buy yourself a good map. Trevi fountain and the Spanish steps are not far apart. I am not interested in fallen down old stone - shock horror - so fell on some of the other must sees whilst strolling. Did go to the Vatican museum though. Really needed a month there. That can be booked online. The queues were tremendous when we were there this year.

 

Best idea, of course, is to book another cruise sailing from Civitavecchia and stop in Rome for a week beforehand.:D

[gillytwoshoes]

Yes, it is a shocking price but ideal for you. All the prices seem to be shocking to me!

 

You will arrive rested and will, no doubt, see bits of Rome from the coach.

 

Buy yourself a good map. Trevi fountain and the Spanish steps are not far apart. I am not interested in fallen down old stone - shock horror - so fell on some of the other must sees whilst strolling. Did go to the Vatican museum though. Really needed a month there. That can be booked online. The queues were tremendous when we were there this year.

 

Best idea, of course, is to book another cruise sailing from Civitavecchia and stop in Rome for a week beforehand.:D

 

I like your style morbihan. I think we will get more out of strolling around the centre of Rome too, and admiring our surroundings, rather than concentrating on a particular place. We will need longer as you say to see everything, we need 'A Room with a View'!

 

Thanks again:)

[Camgirl]

I would advise against the 'on your own' excursion that cunard offers as they tend to park a fair way out and the march you en masse to the centre. We did it in Florence this year. I have a bad knee and I really struggled. We just got left behind. It was not pleasant. I ended up visiting the medical centre the next morning with leg problems caused by trying to keep up when I really wasn't able and being told not to do the trip to Rome which we had also booked as it would be the same situation. We had booked these tours specifically so that we could take it all at our own pace.

[Kynance]

Gilly - we did the "Rome on your own" excursion you're referring to last month when on QE. The drop off and pick up point was the Teatro di Marcello. On arrival, the tour host walked our group the few minutes to Piazza Venezia, a very central point convenient for visiting the Colosseum, Forum, Palatine - in fact more than enough of the key Roman sights than you will have time for. It is less convenient for the Vatican: the host recommended taking a taxi, although you can do it via the metro if you want (but you need to change lines at Termini station and then walk a few minutes at the other end).

 

Rome tends to be best visited on foot - the metro is of limited use, although there is a stop by the Colossuem.

 

The tour length is advertised as 9 hours: with the travelling taking up to 3 hours you'll have a maximum of 6 hours in Rome. Having visited Rome twice before, we used the time to visit the Baths of Caracalla and the Circus Maximus, neither of which we had seen on our earlier trips - and to have a leisurely lunch near the Colosseum. You can buy a pass which covers entry to the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine but there were queues to get into the Colosseum in early October, so if you particularly want to go inside, you should go there first to be certain of having enough time to enjoy your visit.

 

We looked into getting the train - you can find lots of useful information if you go to the ports of call section on Cruise Critic but decided in the end we preferred the more leisurely coach trip coupled with the guarantee that the ship waits for you if the coach is late back. I think a lot of people do go independently from Civitavecchia but we just didn't fancy the hassle. After all, we were on holiday!

 

Whatever you decide to do, have a great time!

[gillytwoshoes]

I would advise against the 'on your own' excursion that cunard offers as they tend to park a fair way out and the march you en masse to the centre. We did it in Florence this year. I have a bad knee and I really struggled. We just got left behind. It was not pleasant. I ended up visiting the medical centre the next morning with leg problems caused by trying to keep up when I really wasn't able and being told not to do the trip to Rome which we had also booked as it would be the same situation. We had booked these tours specifically so that we could take it all at our own pace.

 

I was almost wincing with pain reading your post Camgirl, because I know what that's like, and as you it's no fun. I hope your knee is a bit better now, and that you managed to enjoy your cruise after that. Thanks for passing this info on, that's very useful in deciding the best thing to do. It is a balance between wanting to see everything and not wanting to end up in the situation that you were in and struggling.

 

We went to London for a night in a hotel and a lovely show and dinner a few months ago and the occasion was ruined by steps at the station, steps at the theatre....you can imagine the rest, I ended up in flood of tears, and won't do it again in a rush! Currently considering surgery on my knee, but looking forward to it like a proverbial hole in the head.

Thanks again

x

[gillytwoshoes]

Gilly - we did the "Rome on your own" excursion you're referring to last month when on QE. The drop off and pick up point was the Teatro di Marcello. On arrival, the tour host walked our group the few minutes to Piazza Venezia, a very central point convenient for visiting the Colosseum, Forum, Palatine - in fact more than enough of the key Roman sights than you will have time for. It is less convenient for the Vatican: the host recommended taking a taxi, although you can do it via the metro if you want (but you need to change lines at Termini station and then walk a few minutes at the other end).

 

Rome tends to be best visited on foot - the metro is of limited use, although there is a stop by the Colossuem.

 

The tour length is advertised as 9 hours: with the travelling taking up to 3 hours you'll have a maximum of 6 hours in Rome. Having visited Rome twice before, we used the time to visit the Baths of Caracalla and the Circus Maximus, neither of which we had seen on our earlier trips - and to have a leisurely lunch near the Colosseum. You can buy a pass which covers entry to the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine but there were queues to get into the Colosseum in early October, so if you particularly want to go inside, you should go there first to be certain of having enough time to enjoy your visit.

 

We looked into getting the train - you can find lots of useful information if you go to the ports of call section on Cruise Critic but decided in the end we preferred the more leisurely coach trip coupled with the guarantee that the ship waits for you if the coach is late back. I think a lot of people do go independently from Civitavecchia but we just didn't fancy the hassle. After all, we were on holiday!

 

Whatever you decide to do, have a great time!

 

Thank you Kynance for that, that's so helpful, particularly as you've done it recently. After reading your post, my partner and I both agreed we would rather take the leisurely coach too, as you did. That tour sounds really good and perfect for us I think. As you say we are on holiday, it's not a route march, and after negotiating the shuttle bus, walking to the train etc before we get there, I would be just about done in. I like the idea of the security too, we have seen that lots of times, if a Cunard coach full of people is late, the ship waits! (While we all peer over the rail waiting for them)

 

We will book it online when we get a minute, it sounds perfect. Just to be immersed in it all in the centre of Rome will be fabulous, with a stop for something long and cold every so often. Hope the weather will be kind.

 

We have never been away this time of year, so it's quite exciting, all the hype of Christmas annoys me really, (bah humbug!), so it's great to be escaping for 2 weeks. There are lots of ports on this cruise that we have never been to before including Monte Carlo, Sardinia, Barcelona and Rome, so should be lovely.

Thanks again, have you got any cruises planned?

Regards

Gill

[Camgirl]

Thank you Kynance for that, that's so helpful, particularly as you've done it recently. After reading your post, my partner and I both agreed we would rather take the leisurely coach too, as you did. That tour sounds really good and perfect for us I think. As you say we are on holiday, it's not a route march, and after negotiating the shuttle bus, walking to the train etc before we get there, I would be just about done in. I like the idea of the security too, we have seen that lots of times, if a Cunard coach full of people is late, the ship waits! (While we all peer over the rail waiting for them)

 

We will book it online when we get a minute, it sounds perfect. Just to be immersed in it all in the centre of Rome will be fabulous, with a stop for something long and cold every so often. Hope the weather will be kind.

 

We have never been away this time of year, so it's quite exciting, all the hype of Christmas annoys me really, (bah humbug!), so it's great to be escaping for 2 weeks. There are lots of ports on this cruise that we have never been to before including Monte Carlo, Sardinia, Barcelona and Rome, so should be lovely.

Thanks again, have you got any cruises planned?

Regards

Gill

 

We did a 3 week Nov/Dec med cruise a few years back. It was my favourite cruise so far. I think you will have a fabulous time. Enjoy!

[Pjran]

I too have mobility problems which I won't bore you all with. I remember doing a scenic tour of Rome,taking in the main sites from the luxury of a coach. However I felt I missed out a lot but there was no other option for me so shouldn't grumble. Fabulous city and definitely worth doing a tour regardless of the price.

 

Just be aware that the cafe you are taken to might have inflated prices. We were certainly overcharged and listed this as a complaint once back on board. No prices were displayed, you've been warned.

[gillytwoshoes]

I too have mobility problems which I won't bore you all with. I remember doing a scenic tour of Rome,taking in the main sites from the luxury of a coach. However I felt I missed out a lot but there was no other option for me so shouldn't grumble. Fabulous city and definitely worth doing a tour regardless of the price.

 

Just be aware that the cafe you are taken to might have inflated prices. We were certainly overcharged and listed this as a complaint once back on board. No prices were displayed, you've been warned.

 

Thanks for your message Pjran, we have booked the 'Rome on your own' tour which is basically a coach to take us into Rome, and back. It's exactly the same as Kynance described, so it's perfect, with 9 hours in Rome. We've not been before, so it's worth doing, and it will be a welcome luxury. (We are very tired from marketing our house, with dozens of people tramping through to view it) Thanks for the warning too! I see you are in Hampshire too, we're in Lymington, so only half an hour to Southampton, so it's perfect. I don't like flying anymore, so cruises suit me and my partner, especially Cunard, our favourite. Any cruises planned for you? Regards, Gill