A different type of Rome on Your Own ship's tour

[VYrainbow]

We paid HALF as much as that to use the Roma Express, which was the going rate for RCCL. Also, we met a traveler who did get robbed of his cell phone on an Italian train and watched helplessly as the robber ran off the train, so the security of being in a group was real. Since we had just been in Rome 3 years ago, we knew where we wanted to go and the rest of our expenses were minimal. Many of the beautiful places in Rome have modest admissions or are free.

 

 

The beauty of this forum is that we can see all the choices that others have made and make the choice which works for us, LondonTowner.

 

 

We watched the internet and got 30% off all the shore excursions that were organized through RCCL (this one was NOT) during brief internet sales and in talking with our fellow travelers, were very happy that we were able to pack more in each port than we could otherwise, at prices which worked. There is no way you could see as much as we did apart from an organized tour, so we went home tired and happy.

[VYrainbow]

Be sure to sign up for email notifications if you do sail with RCCL because they did notify customers of the reduced price shore excursions twice before our cruise date, and the final sale was 2 months before sailing.

They were called Flash sales, and we called RCCL to have them adjust the prices. The Roma Express tour was the only one which could not be reduced, and was $89 per person, which was almost the same as the bus trips which took longer than our 42 minute ride to Rome.

Edited June 26, 2017 by VYrainbow

[cruisemom42]

VYrainbox: for the price you paid -- while I still wouldn't do it -- I can see why some would consider it. At $179 per person, it's robbery though.

 

Also, we met a traveler who did get robbed of his cell phone on an Italian train and watched helplessly as the robber ran off the train, so the security of being in a group was real.

 

Not trying to be argumentative, but once you're off that train and in Rome, pickpockets are quite adept at targeting unwary tourists. Isn't it best to be alert and prepared from the beginning, rather than waiting until one gets into Rome? The places where pickpockets are most frequently a problem include: Termini station, Trevi Fountain, the piazza in front of St. Peter's basilica, the Spanish Steps, and the area around the Colosseum and Forum.

[sweetpea222]

We were in Rome in 2013 and, after many hours of research, we decided to DIY as a family of 4 and took the train into Rome. I had our route mapped out carefully, so I knew exactly where to go and what time to make it back to Termini to catch the train back to Civitavecchia. If I remember correctly, we caught the earliest train possible and came home around 3:30 pm, arriving at 4:45 or so and back onboard at least an hour before we had to. It was a great day, and we had no problems whatsoever. Having said that, though, in both Florence and Ephesus we elected to take NCL's transportation, because I was not as confident in my research that I could easily get there and back via public transportation. I think the ticket is to do extensive research and then go with your comfort level. Yes, as a family of 4 we paid more in Turkey and Florence than I would have liked for a simple bus ride BUT I also felt so relaxed that day knowing that I would not run into trouble and miss the ship. I think each person makes the choice that is right for them! :)

[euro cruiser]

The places where pickpockets are most frequently a problem include: Termini station, Trevi Fountain, the piazza in front of St. Peter's basilica, the Spanish Steps, and the area around the Colosseum and Forum.

And inside the Vatican museums! A few years ago a tour guide I was working with told me that they were organizing to strike to force the museums's management to do something to curb thefts inside the museums! It's hard to believe they'd pay the price for a ticket, but maybe that's why people let their guard down there. The guides themselves were often victims because they were distracted while doing their job.

[luvtheships]

We were in Rome in 2013 and, after many hours of research, we decided to DIY as a family of 4 and took the train into Rome. I had our route mapped out carefully, so I knew exactly where to go and what time to make it back to Termini to catch the train back to Civitavecchia. If I remember correctly, we caught the earliest train possible and came home around 3:30 pm, arriving at 4:45 or so and back onboard at least an hour before we had to. It was a great day, and we had no problems whatsoever. Having said that, though, in both Florence and Ephesus we elected to take NCL's transportation, because I was not as confident in my research that I could easily get there and back via public transportation. I think the ticket is to do extensive research and then go with your comfort level. Yes, as a family of 4 we paid more in Turkey and Florence than I would have liked for a simple bus ride BUT I also felt so relaxed that day knowing that I would not run into trouble and miss the ship. I think each person makes the choice that is right for them! :)

 

 

 

Our experience in Istanbul was that the ships tour(princess) offered more and cost less than the private tour I was considering and included lunch and all admissions plus a special opening on a Tuesday of the Topkapi

 

It was a no brainer to cancel my private tour and just go with the ships excellent tour

 

A savvy traveler ...be they solo or with companions be they cruisers or land based knows when to DIY and when to join a group or book a tour

 

 

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[vickiw0318]

VYRainbow, thank you. Your post was exactly what I was looking for.

 

Now, where were those two gelaterias???