Advise on trip to Rome

[fastpitchdad]

Here is Airbnb for the 3 days prior to your departure...prices are pretty reasonable especially if your travel mates would share a 2 bedroom flat.

 

Airbnb Rome Near Pantheon June 10-13

[Njkrewzer]

I did this in 2016 and can definitely say, do the 2 days in Rome after the cruise

[IrieBajan54]

Last Fall for my TA, I used SmartCruiseTours for a direct bus transfer from FCO to Civitavecchia Port. Cost was only Euro 20.

[zqvol]

We are a group of 4 booked on the Epic leaving on June 13th. We want to see Rome either pre or post cruise. I am having a lot of difficulty with trying to plan. We will be flying into and out of FCO. We can fly in early and do a day to 2 days of sightseeing or go directly to the ship and see Rome on our return. I'm trying to decide whether after flying for so many hours if we will be too tired to really enjoy sightseeing pre-cruise and maybe after the cruise would be better; we can sleep on the plane going home.

 

Have checked a few places and am very confused about once we get to Civ...how we get into the port and to the ship, Would a cruise line supplied transport get us there. I saw that it was quite a walk from the terminal to the ship.

 

If we choose to do Rome sightseeing after the cruise, how would you suggest we get from the departure into the City?? I see that there is a train but we will have luggage.

 

We are not 'newbies' to cruising but this one has me pulling my hair out. This is by far the most difficult to plan. H E L P !!!

 

Do both. Fly in a couple of days early and stay a couple of days after. That is what we do when we cruise out of Europe.

[Giantfan13]

We just did a Rome to San Juan TA in November. We spent 5 days in Rome, obviously pre cruise. We had never been to Rome (well I was there 50 years ago, while in the service) and we had many of the same questions as you have. I am pretty anal and need to have things done before I set out, you know all the 'i's' dotted and 't's' crossed.

I got a wealth of info, from so many wonderful people, on the Italy boards on this web site. Go there and ask anything and people are all willing to help out fellow travelers.

If I can be of any help, just let me know.

Depending on what you are looking for in a hotel, can set the tone immediately. We wanted the 'real' Rome, so we shied away from the big hotels and opted for a quaint bed and breakfast in the Termini area. It was very reasonable (about $50 per night. Sure you don't have all the glam of the major hotels, but we didn't want that. We wanted to feel part of Rome. Getting around is quite easy as the trains are efficient and easy to use. Our location was desirable for us to get to many sites, but we took the train to the Vatican and to the Coliseum. We also did a day trip to Florence on the high speed train.

MY suggestion, if you can, and are able, stay in Rome for more than 2 days. Even 5 days wasn't enough, but we managed. You can see most of the highlights in a few days.

FYI-if you want to go to the Vatican and tour, book right thru the Vatican's web site and avoid all those extra fees from tour groups. EVERYONE gets to enter early if you have a tour and a ticket.

Cheers

Len

[Sunseeker1001]

Thanks, Len. I have TRIED repeatedly to get onto the threads about Italy on CC but it won't let me open the links. Frustrating. Have written to CC help and they have doublechecked my login and it is correct. I am hoping that somehow something can get posted that I can pick up the link and get on.

 

Yes, we are doing 1.5 days in advance and staying a little over 2 after. We have chosen to stay in B&B's both times. I am not sure exactly where they are in relation to where we want to go 'cause my daughter took on that part; it was frustrating me. I do not have a map of Rome and the ones off the internet expand but I can't tell where I am. Until my daughter stepped in, I was about to throw in the towel.

I will definitely try to book the Vatican with your suggestions. I'd read there is a 2-3 hr. wait to get in and that doesn't do it for me...esp. with the heat we are anticipating.

Edited January 25, 2018 by Sunseeker1001
adding

[Sunseeker1001]

Last Fall for my TA, I used SmartCruiseTours for a direct bus transfer from FCO to Civitavecchia Port. Cost was only Euro 20.

 

That is a WONDERFUL idea. I was seeing prices for a taxi at about $400e. I also read that there was a train into central Rome but was a little leary since comments on Travel Advisor warned of extreme pick pocketing on the train and on the subways in the City. That would ruin our vacation to lose something important, of course.

[StephFromAZ]

Last Fall for my TA, I used SmartCruiseTours for a direct bus transfer from FCO to Civitavecchia Port. Cost was only Euro 20.

 

Wow this is such a great tip! I have yet to find anything even close to this price. How did you like it? Did you use them for any other excursions? Anybody else use SmartCruise Tours?

 

Thanks,

Stephanie

 

Norwegian Epic from Rome May 30th

[Sunseeker1001]

Yeah, sometimes sub forums are slooooow to load on my computer. If I clear my cache, shut down and restart it helps.

 

 

THANKS for that suggestion. All I want is to get onto the Roll Call for the NCL Epic leaving Rome on June 13. So far, I have not been successful in getting the Admin. for CC to help me figure out how or creating a link for me to follow.

[tyger429]

We used a company called RomeCabs and they were excellent. Picked us up from the airport (the driver was waiting for us outside the terminal with our name showing) and got us to our hotel. Then used them to get to the ship as well. NO problems at all. I highly recommend them.

 

If you need any other advice, feel free to ask!

[IrieBajan54]

Wow this is such a great tip! I have yet to find anything even close to this price. How did you like it? Did you use them for any other excursions? Anybody else use SmartCruise Tours?

 

Thanks,

Stephanie

 

The service for the transfer was very good. We actually left FCO about 30 mins early because everybody was onboard. The bus was a modern coach and comfortable. No, I did not do any excursions with them. They offer many as noted on their website. I just Google it and Cruise Critic-Italy board popped up with comments on the excursions.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1684036

Edited January 27, 2018 by IrieBajan54
add answer

[Markanddonna]

We did a TA from Rome to Miami a few years back, so Rome was first. We stayed at Hotel Sonya and there were quite a few cruise critics there. We got to know one another before the cruise and sometimes had happy hour together in the lobby. A really fun experience!