Highlights of Rome on disembarkation day or next day?

[LisaSp]

We are sailing in and out of Rome on Norwegian Epic in September. We are spending a couple of days in Rome post-cruise, then a few days in Florence. We have booked shore excursions for our port days in Florence/Pisa and Naples with ItalyTours.eu and those are confirmed. We also wanted to do their "Best of Rome" tour the day we disembark. This tour includes the Colosseum and Vatican with guides. My thinking was we can make that first day crazy, and then spend Thursday and Friday exploring Rome on our own/in a more leisurely fashion. But I am getting worried that we won't end up with the total number of participants needed to do the post-cruise tour (there are 2 of us, we need 5). Chicco from ItalyTours.eu seems to think the tour will fill but I also worry about being able to get tickets for Colosseum and Vatican the longer we wait. My roll call is SUPER quiet. Would it make more sense to just arrange transport to our hotel from the port on Wednesday and do our own thing that first day, and then book a formal tour for all day Thursday? What I liked about ItalyTours.eu's post-cruise excursion is the price and convenience as it includes transport from port and drops us at hotel at end of day. Can someone who has "been there, done that" chime in with suggestions? Thanks!

[LisaSp]

27 minutes ago, LisaSp said:

Can someone who has "been there, done that" chime in with suggestions? Thanks!

 

And by suggestions, I don't mean which specific tours to do--I can figure that part out--I just mean the logistics of which day to attempt to make this tour happen. Thanks!!!

[cruisemom42]

I think you'll be doing Rome a disservice by cramming everything into one day when you have several. 

 

Book a Vatican tour one day and a Colosseum tour on another day. (Or see them on your own.)  Then plan to do other things on your own near the areas where these places are. It's easy to get around Rome.

 

The joy of having several days in Rome is being able to spread it out. By seeing only one or two major highlights each day, you are more likely to enjoy and remember them.

[LisaSp]

2 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

I think you'll be doing Rome a disservice by cramming everything into one day when you have several. 

 

Book a Vatican tour one day and a Colosseum tour on another day. (Or see them on your own.)  Then plan to do other things on your own near the areas where these places are. It's easy to get around Rome.

 

The joy of having several days in Rome is being able to spread it out. By seeing only one or two major highlights each day, you are more likely to enjoy and remember them.

I don't disagree with you, but I also kind of liked the idea of having empty days without tours being booked so we weren't on any set schedule. Decisions, decisions!!! Thank you!!

[cruisemom42]

Just now, LisaSp said:

I don't disagree with you, but I also kind of liked the idea of having empty days without tours being booked so we weren't on any set schedule. Decisions, decisions!!! Thank you!!

 

You can break it up by doing a half day of set activity (e.g., your tour) and then having a half day to explore on your own.

 

I agree though -- you should do what suits you best. I just know that many people get burned out trying to rush through everything.

[LisaSp]

3 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

I just know that many people get burned out trying to rush through everything.

Yes, I worry about this too...the whole cruise will be a whirlwind so my thought was make disembarkation day crazy too and then chill the rest of the time on land!!!

[Yakb0]

I'd do it the day afterwords. By the time you reach your hotel, check in, unpack etc... the lines for the Colosseum and the Vatican are going to be enormous. You want to get an early morning (or late night if you do a night tour of the Colosseum) start.

[LisaSp]

1 hour ago, Yakb0 said:

I'd do it the day afterwords. By the time you reach your hotel, check in, unpack etc... the lines for the Colosseum and the Vatican are going to be enormous. You want to get an early morning (or late night if you do a night tour of the Colosseum) start.

Thank you. But if we did it on disembarkation day, it would be an early start-will be off ship likely by 8 am...

[Cachecara]

On 6/5/2019 at 12:39 PM, cruisemom42 said:

I think you'll be doing Rome a disservice by cramming everything into one day when you have several. 

 

Book a Vatican tour one day and a Colosseum tour on another day. (Or see them on your own.)  Then plan to do other things on your own near the areas where these places are. It's easy to get around Rome.

 

The joy of having several days in Rome is being able to spread it out. By seeing only one or two major highlights each day, you are more likely to enjoy and remember them.

I totally agree with you.  

We just got back from doing a 9 day W. Mediterranean with a 4 day pre cruise in Rome. Everything is time and energy intensive. Not just Rome, but most of the ports. I am still catching up 3 days post cruise. Lol

Spending one day at the Vatican and St. Peter’s. That will easily take 4 hrs. 

Spending one day doing Coliseum, Palatine Hill and Forum. that will easily take 3 hours.  

Each of those areas involve lots of ancient steps and lots of walking.  Not the easiest. I would imagine doing them all n one day would be too much. 

Then there is still Trevi fountain, Spanish steps, the Pantheon and many many more things to do. Then there are wonderful things to savor eating and drinking.  Rome is gorgeous!

Enjoy and don’t rush. 

Edited June 10, 2019 by Cachecara