Can't decide on Rome excursion

[zitsky]

There are two tours I'm interested in.  1) Sistine Chapel or 2) Highlights of Rome & Colosseum.  Or 3) Private tour.  I think the Sistine Chapel tour will be very crowded.  On the other hand the Highlights of Rome does include some walking and free time to get lunch.

 

If you have tried either of these tours, what did you think about them?  

If doing a private tour, is there enough time to do both Sistine Chapel and Colosseum?

 

Sistine Chapel & Vatican City 8:15am - 6:15pm $239   Highlights of Rome & the Colosseum 7:45am - 6:15pm $199 (free time for lunch)

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Well you have to decide.  Both the Vatican and the Colosseum will be very crowded.  I doubt if you could do both and have a good time.  

 

It really depends on what you're interested in.  Antiquities or Renaissance art?  The Colosseum is spectacular, as is the Forum, but the forum itself could take all day.  The Colosseum half a day.  And the Vatican Museum could take all day, and yes, is very crowded, and culminates in the Sistine Chapel.  If you can skip the museum and just do the Chapel, you might get to do both, but not very satisfactory.  But could be done with a guide I guess.  

 

Remember that you have to get into Rome and back from Civitavecchia and that's not trivla, and traffic can be a killer.  It might be risky with a private guide.

[Peregrina651]

Wendy is right, you can't do it all in one day. Rome is a hugely popular tourist destination and the major sites have lines to cope with almost all the time --and lines mean wasted time. Other than a private guide with skip the  tickets (if such a thing is available), the only way to avoid the lines to avoid the major tourist destinations, i.e., the Vatican and the Colisseum/forum.Even then, you want to pick one area to focus on for the day.

 

We have docked in Civitavecchia twice now with Viking. The first time we had two full days there and didn't go into Rome at all. One day, we went to Ostia and saw the ruins that were once the seaport of ancient Rome. The next day we went to Tarquina to see the Etruscan necropolises just outside the town and the archeology museum in the town. Both were tours offered by Viking. In December, during school vacation, neither place was crowded. Our second time, again for New Year's Eve, we did the included tour, which was basically a bus ride through Rome ending at Vatican City where we had about an hour and half free time. While many of the people on our bus got in line to see St. Peter's, we opted to walk away from the crowds, along the Tiber River. Having arrived for the cruise the day before, we were happy for the long bus ride coming and going and for the easy tour of the city.

[Dauntless]

6 hours ago, zitsky said:

There are two tours I'm interested in.  1) Sistine Chapel or 2) Highlights of Rome & Colosseum.  Or 3) Private tour.  I think the Sistine Chapel tour will be very crowded.  On the other hand the Highlights of Rome does include some walking and free time to get lunch.

 

If you have tried either of these tours, what did you think about them?  

If doing a private tour, is there enough time to do both Sistine Chapel and Colosseum?

 

Sistine Chapel & Vatican City 8:15am - 6:15pm $239   Highlights of Rome & the Colosseum 7:45am - 6:15pm $199 (free time for lunch)

 

With seeing things on a cruise, as most of us know, you go for a general overview or a specific attraction.  We did both with Italy tours, along with 10 others from the ship.  We were split in 2 groups of 6 for the morning portion of the excursion.  After lunch we joined forces for a guided tour of the Vatican and Sistine Chapel and galleries.  We had skip the line tickets at both locations and we were picked up and delivered to ship.  You will get to see it all.  The time at Colosseum is not guided.  There is a lot of history in this area and you won't be able to delve.  If you try to take in Forum and hill while on you stop you will be at a fast pace.  The chapel is like Times Square on New Years Eve.  Packed, Everyone looking up to take it in as there are no pictures.  The rest of the guided tour is fine and gave me an appreciation for what was there.  Came out to catch a changing of the guard.  The driver takes you many other locations but they are not 'official' guides so they can'r go inside places with you.  Ours took us to a nice little Italian restaurant for lunch.  Check the website for current price and remember, lunch and skip the line tickets are not included in that price.  I'm glad we did it like this as that will probably be the only time I'm there.  If I was going to do it on my own, off a cruise my decision would have been different but this served the purpose.

[Parsley Cruises]

We are very lucky in being able to pop over to Rome as and when it suits - but we do have our favourite sites.  Personally we wouldn't bother with the Colosseum - where the queues can be too long and too slow to see much apart from the bit you are standing next to as you queue.  Instead we'd opt for the Palatine Hill - there is security to go through obviously as you get to the entry barrier, but it's a lovely place, you get really good views of the Forum, and it places you near to a really lovely restaurant (on the other side of the road, opposite the exit and up the small hill through the little park.  It's a place on a corner, and if you eat outside of have a window table - which we usually do - there's fabulous views of the Colosseum/Forum/Palatine Hill.  Having got to the restaurant for maybe lunch, then (if you've booked ahead) there's Nero's Palace ruins, and then if you leave there and head towards the main train station you're in the perfect area for the National Museum (especially Livia's Room - which is an absolute must see) and the Baths of Diocletian.

 

However, you have to ensure that you get back to the ship on time, and it's about 60-90minutes usually from port to city.

 

You may like to read books written by Prof. Dame Mary Beard - indispensable if you're heading to Rome.

[zitsky]

Thanks everyone.  Lots to think about.

[Lotusgirl22]

Zitsky - I have been to Rome a few times over the years - both on cruises and land visits, but not with Viking.   What is striking to me as to Rome and many other heavily traveled cities, is the increase in tourists.  Years ago, you could have done both Vatican City and the Colosseum on a ship tour, and we did.  Now, short of a private tour with some kind of express access, I think you would need to pick one, depending on your preferences.  I looked at the descriptions on the Viking website.  If you choose a ship tour, and if this is your first visit to Rome, I would choose the Highlights and Colosseum tour, as it appears to cover a lot of ground.  

[cocopico]

We did the "Rome on Your Own" tour, which was really just bus transportation to Rome and back.  We did this rather than arrange our own transportation because we knew if we were on a Viking excursion there wouldn't be an issue with us getting back to the ship on time.  They drop you off right at St. Peter's Square, so very convenient.  Unfortunately, we were there on a Sunday, so the Vatican museums were not open.  We did purchase (in advance) "Skip the Line" tickets to St. Peter's Basilica, which was well worth it.  The line was two hours long when we got there and the skip the line tickets got us right in with no wait at all.  (I believe Skip the Line tickets may also be available for the Coliseum).  The Skip the Line tickets are not a tour (although I think many tours include them), so you are still on your own.  Before going in the Basilica, we just took a leisurely walk to the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain and made a few other stops.  As others have said, a day is not nearly enough to see it all, so best to manage expectations before you get there and just pick a few select things that you definitely want to see. 

Edited May 31, 2019 by cocopico

[Wendy The Wanderer]

12 hours ago, Parsley Cruises said:

...  Instead we'd opt for the Palatine Hill - there is security to go through obviously as you get to the entry barrier, but it's a lovely place, you get really good views of the Forum, and it places you near to a really lovely restaurant (on the other side of the road, opposite the exit and up the small hill through the little park.  It's a place on a corner, and if you eat outside of have a window table - which we usually do - there's fabulous views of the Colosseum/Forum/Palatine Hill.  Having got to the restaurant for maybe lunch, then (if you've booked ahead) there's Nero's Palace ruins, and then if you leave there and head towards the main train station you're in the perfect area for the National Museum (especially Livia's Room - which is an absolute must see) and the Baths of Diocletian.

 

However, you have to ensure that you get back to the ship on time, and it's about 60-90minutes usually from port to city.

 

You may like to read books written by Prof. Dame Mary Beard - indispensable if you're heading to Rome.

 

I've seen documentaries with Mary Beard, but haven't read her books--I'll have to add her to my list for next time, thanks!

 

And yes, I was going to mention the Palatine Hill, which we loved.  Started there in the morning, and eventually wandered down into the Forum.  Spent the whole day (we'd done the Colosseum already.)  A bit risky from a cruise ship, perhaps, but great.

 

But then again, that Vatican Museum is something else--the Rafael Room, for instance!

[Parsley Cruises]

I know that for some people the vatican thing is a must see; however the queues etc can be extremely demanding, so for me it's a waste of time when I know that although there may be queues for stuff like the Colosseum it's not so bad, not so crowded etc.  

 

Prof. Dame Mary Beard has written books which are regularly used for our granddaughter's bedtime reading, and when we had a thoroughly unpleasant incident in Rome, it was MB who 'rescued' the whole holiday with some personal recommendations.  

 

For us (and I do appreciate that everyone has their own preferences and personal agenda), things like the National Museum, the Baths of Diocletian and the Palatine Hill/Forum/Nero's Palace are the true essence of Rome - it's how things were back in the day, not some renaissance instrument.

 

Don't forget also that if you are flying in or out of Rome, on some days (make sure you have the spare time at the airport), there is a free service to get to the nearby original port area of Rome (it used to be free, anyway).

 

 

[zitsky]

I'm leaning towards going with a Viking tour just to make it easier.  You are on the bus but some tours have more walking than others, some more bus time (panoramic).   I'd appreciate any feedback about which tours have the most walking.  It's also nice to have free time for lunch.

[Peregrina651]

5 hours ago, zitsky said:

I'm leaning towards going with a Viking tour just to make it easier.  You are on the bus but some tours have more walking than others, some more bus time (panoramic).   I'd appreciate any feedback about which tours have the most walking.  It's also nice to have free time for lunch.

 

Okay, that at least narrows it down. From here on out, though, it is going to be harder and harder. My guess is that none of the tours you are considering is bad tour and that in the end, you will be happy with whatever you choose -- because it is ROME, man, and Rome is cool no matter how you look at it!!!

 

Have you considered letting chance decide for you? Pick a name out of a hat or roll the dice or flip a coin. If in the end, you don't like your choice, you can blame Lady Luck.

 

 

 

 

[AuntieWerewolf10]

As long as we are discussing Rome, I am curious about Viking’s pre cruise extension. Our cruise starts, we are flying in a couple days early because we have never visited Rome before.

If all flights go as planned, we arrive at 9:00 a.m. and will be transferred to the hotel before setting off to discover our highlights. We will enjoy another whole day on our own before transferring to the ship. 

What can we expect on that transfer day? Any sightseeing / panoramic tour from the motor coach?

 

[Peregrina651]

40 minutes ago, AuntieWerewolf10 said:

As long as we are discussing Rome, I am curious about Viking’s pre cruise extension. Our cruise starts, we are flying in a couple days early because we have never visited Rome before.

If all flights go as planned, we arrive at 9:00 a.m. and will be transferred to the hotel before setting off to discover our highlights. We will enjoy another whole day on our own before transferring to the ship. 

What can we expect on that transfer day? Any sightseeing / panoramic tour from the motor coach?

 

 

Rome, Italy

Day 1 - Rome

Discover the "Eternal City," beautiful Rome. We will greet you at the airport and transfer you by coach to your centrally located hotel. After checking in, enjoy the rest of your day at leisure. You may consider a visit to one of the city’s many fine museums as well as a dinner of local specialties. Your Viking Representative is available to help you plan your time in Rome so you can make the most of your visit.

 

 Between getting through customs (which if I remember correctly was very quick in Rome because we could use the embedded chip in our passports), picking up luggage, stopping at the toilet ( a must since you have over an hour ride into Rome), figure on arriving around at your hotel close to Noon. You are on your own and how much you can an accomplish depends on how well you handle jetlag.

 

Transfer means just that. Airport to hotel, no muss, no fuss. Bus or van depends on how many people are arriving in your time frame. If you have a host on the bus, there may be some brief orientation on the bus.

 

 

Rome, Italy

Day 2 - Rome

After a leisurely breakfast, you have a full day to explore on your own. You may want to learn more about the city’s storied history by visiting a number of the its landmarks, such as the Trevi Fountain, Arch of Constantine, Pantheon, Spanish Steps or the Colosseum, the largest amphitheater ever built. Or perhaps, you would prefer a trip to the Vatican, a city within the city, and home to the Pope. Lunch and dinner are on your own to sample some regional favorites. (B)

 

You can't see everything, so pick two or three things to see, use cabs to get between them and get skip the line tickets where ever you can (usually purchased in advance) or arrange for a private guide for the day. Lots of info about guides on Trip Advisor and in the Ports of Call/Europe section of Cruise Critic.

 

Rome, Italy

Day 3 - Rome

On your final day, after breakfast, you will check out of your hotel and transfer by coach to the ship. (B)

 

Again, it is just a transfer, no mention in the description of additional touring ; you should be on board in time for lunch. If you want to have a half day touring and arrive at the ship later in the day, you would have to arrange that on your own. If you are sailing that evening make sure you know by what time you need to check in.

 

TIP: Make it easy on yourselves. Pack so that all the clothing you both want for your time in Rome is in one bag or at the top of one suitcase. The less there is to repack, the more time you can spend exploring.

[zitsky]

OK so the boss (my partner) surprised me.  We are doing the Sistine Chapel Viking tour.  I didn't think we was interested but he says he'd really like to do that.

 

It says "meal included" but I don't see anything mentioned in the description unless it's during free time?

[Jim Avery]

6 minutes ago, zitsky said:

OK so the boss (my partner) surprised me.  We are doing the Sistine Chapel Viking tour.  I didn't think we was interested but he says he'd really like to do that.

 

It says "meal included" but I don't see anything mentioned in the description unless it's during free time?

Last I heard the meal was a "Pope Dog" at the Vatican commissary.....

[Peregrina651]

10 hours ago, zitsky said:

OK so the boss (my partner) surprised me.  We are doing the Sistine Chapel Viking tour.  I didn't think we was interested but he says he'd really like to do that.

 

It says "meal included" but I don't see anything mentioned in the description unless it's during free time?

 

Well that beats flipping a coin!

 

When Viking says , it means a meal is included in the price of the tour. And usually, that means a sit-down meal in a restaurant with a set menu (you eat what they serve; if you have allergies or are gluten-free, make sure the shorex desk knows and then confirm again with your guide).

 

Not all all-day tours include a meal. There are some where you are expected to feed yourself during your free time

[zitsky]

Yea, better than flipping a coin.  We've had conversations from last trips... he had his fill of old churches and he's not always in the mood for museums so I never thought to suggest Sistine Chapel.  Well you learn something every day, don't you?