Questions for 1st cruise to Med

[Sandi07054]

I am going on Spendida cruise with my 30 year old daughter, her friend and mom, in 2016. this is our first time to Europe.

Maybe you can help me answer a few questions:

 

Cruise leaves on Monday but we will be arriving Saturday morning so we will have 2 full days in Rome before the cruise.

 

*I'm thinking of an early flight Friday so we arrive early on Saturday morning - but what if we can't get into the hotel yet? Do they hold your bags etc.?

 

*We would like the visit the Vatican on Saturday (since it is closed on Sunday)- what do you suggest the latest we get to the Vatican and do you suggest a tour since this is our first time.

 

*I thought Sunday we could go to mass at St. Basilica , the Colleseum and the Forum.

*we were recommended a hotel - Hotel della Conciliazione

Via Borgo Pio, 163

Rome

is this a good hotel close to everything and is it safe?

 

I have some other questions about the ports but thought I would ask that later.

thanks so much for your help.

[euro cruiser]

You don't have a lot of choice regarding flights to Europe from the States, they all leave in the evening/night and arrive the next morning. If you don't have a direct flight you may arrive a little later, but arrivals between 7 AM - noon are the most common.

 

The hotel you've asked about is great for visiting the Vatican (the museums as well as the basilica) but a bit far for the rest of Rome. Not terribly so, and there are buses almost right outside the door of the hotel to ease the travel.

 

Based on your schedule, for a regular visit to the Vatican Museums you'll be limited to your arrival afternoon or an early morning visit on Monday before leaving for the port. I would strong urge you to look into one of the "breakfast at the Vatican" tours. They are expensive but you get in before the crowds and get to see the Sistine Chapel in a small group, rather than elbow to elbow with half of the free world. It's hard to describe how crowded the museums are, especially on a weekend.

 

The other reason I'd urge you toward Monday, even if you wait and go in at the regular opening time, is that you might well be jet lagged and fuzzy on your first afternoon in Italy. A hot, crowded indoor space is the worst place to be in that condition.

[euro cruiser]

The Colosseum, the Forum, Trevi Fountain, etc. would be better use of your arrival afternoon as you'd be outside in the fresh air and sunshine, which is much better for acclimating.

[wheezedr]

Cannot address that specific hotel but in multiple trips throughout Europe and elsewhere most hotels will be happy to hold your luggage until your room becomes available. They will also hold it after check out if you plan to tour on your last day prior to leaving for the cruise. You can usually check their website or email them.

[hazeleyez3]

All hotels will hold your bags.

 

Regarding the days before the cruise. I wouldn't really consider Saturday a full day. While you may arrive early, you are flying in from the States. With jet lag and trying to get adjusted to the time, my thought is that you might want to do things but you won't have the energy to. Remember, it might be 9am in Rome, but it's only 3am in New Jersey, and you have just taken a long flight with possibly little or restless sleep.

 

 

Everyone's different, but when we fly over to Europe, we take that first day and just roam the city a bit (nothing to far or needing a lot of energy), have a nice dinner, and then go to sleep.

[euro cruiser]

Whatever you decide to do about the Vatican Museums, be sure to purchase your tickets in advance. You do not want to waste any time standing on lines.

[Sandi07054]

Thank you all for your help. I think I will look into the breakfast on Monday

[IsanTom]

Have a great cruise!

[KiwiGal117]

 

Everyone's different, but when we fly over to Europe, we take that first day and just roam the city a bit (nothing to far or needing a lot of energy), have a nice dinner, and then go to sleep.

 

I second this! In an effort to get onto local time as quickly as possible, resist the urge to have a nap in the afternoon. Go for a walk, dinner and try to stretch it out until 9:00 for bed time. I always find that this works best and the next day I'm pretty much on local time.

[marazul]

Sorry. I was about to repeat info I gave the OP in another thread..

Edited August 5, 2016 by marazul

[Ottawamomof2]

We just returned from our first Med Cruise and it was wonderful!!!! We arrived in Rome around noon on thursday and the cruise was Saturday so we almost had two full days there. After we arrived, we explored the city a little (trevi fountain, had lunch), then took a nap (we NEEDED this as we barely slept on the plane. It did not mess up our schedule at all and really helped us stay up a little late that evening). Then went back out and visited the Parthenon and Piazza Venezia. Friday, we went to the Vatican. We had a tour booked for 9am (did that online at home), that took a few hours, it was really cool, a highlight of the trip. Then we made our way back, had lunch, visited Piazza Navona then headed to the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. We explored the colosseum on our own (with a headset) and it was fine. So it is totally doable to do the Vatican, Colosseum and Roman forum in one day and not be rushed and have time to enjoy it all. Our hotel was right beside the Trevi fountain so we walked by this multiple times a day but it is close to a few other attractions so you aren't going out of your way...we actually found the city totally walkable. Even walking to the Vatican and then down to the colosseum, it looked far on the map but it was a great walk...as long as you stop for drinks and gelato every once in a while ;)

 

Have fun!!!

[Sandi07054]

Oh thanks so much. I'm so glad a good time. What hotel did you stay at and who did you book your Vatican tour with

Than you