Rome Excursion help! - Tiber Cruise and Walk

[Tomcruise92]

Hello all, this is our first P&O cruise and looking at the excursions. Any help would be really appreciated. There doesn't seem to be huge amounts of details about the itineraries. Has anyone done the Rome Tiber Cruise and Walk excursion? Do you spend most of the day on a coach? We would like to get out and see the attractions (particularly the colleseum) but worried it is more of a drive by situation?

 

We are on the Azura on the 29th June.

[Harry Peterson]

This may not suit you at all, but personally I’d go for the Rome on your own option. We did that and had a great day, covering all the main sites in our own time. Walked a very long way though - several miles.

 

But then, I hate being stuck in a coach without the freedom to choose what to see, and how long for.

[Presto2]

3 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

This may not suit you at all, but personally I’d go for the Rome on your own option. We did that and had a great day, covering all the main sites in our own time. Walked a very long way though - several miles.

 

But then, I hate being stuck in a coach without the freedom to choose what to see, and how long for.

This is exactly what I was going to put. Rome on your own the best choice. 

[lindyloo22]

I agree Rome on your own have done this much better then being marched along with a guide.

[Tomcruise92]

Thank you all for your help...Rome on your own is now booked!

[Snow Hill]

We did Rome on your own, a much better option. It was remarkable how much I had remembered from my previous visit 40+ years earlier and my ability to find places. 

[Megabear2]

I took the Rome on your own the last time I visited Civitavecchia on QV a couple of years before the pandemic.  To make sure I saw the two most congested sites I booked a couple of skip the line entries to the Vatican and Collosium with Viator which were fully cancellable until 24 hours before the day in case of the port being cancelled. It saved considerable time and we were able to use the Hoho between the sights whilst seeing the two with a set appointment.  Having visited Rome for quite a long period last year it seems the authorities have cut back on numbers allowed into in particular the Vatican museum so if that's on your visit list a reservation might be a good idea.

[DabblerCruise]

Boat trip element of this tour is not worth it. 30 mins at best. No actual sites seen unless you count joggers on Riverside and homeless people. Spend 1 hour in part of Rome you probably wouldn't go to before finding the boat"

Edited June 10, 2023 by DabblerCruise
Update

[Tomcruise92]

3 hours ago, DabblerCruise said:

Boat trip element of this tour is not worth it. 30 mins at best. No actual sites seen unless you count joggers on Riverside and homeless people. Spend 1 hour in part of Rome you probably wouldn't go to before finding the boat"

This is great to know! Thank you.

I am struggling a bit as the P&O descriptions of the shore excursions are not very detailed.

[Harry Peterson]

There is another option, assuming that we’re talking about Civitavecchia, and that’s the train. Obviously not as convenient, and not entirely without risk, but massively cheaper and perfectly doable with a little forward planning.

 

Quite a few here do use that route, but you don’t have the reassurance that the ship won’t sail without you - which is why P&O are able to get away with the price they charge for a relatively short coach journey.

[Thejuggler]

Whilst I noticed the river in Rome and crossed it by foot, it wasn't an attraction as say the Seine.  I can't see what you would see from a boat trip.

 

If you want to do justice to Vatican and St Peters Basilica you may not have time for much else.  Even with skip the line we were there about 4 hours and didn't do the climb up St Peter's as it was close to closing time.

[Tomcruise92]

1 minute ago, Harry Peterson said:

There is another option, assuming that we’re talking about Civitavecchia, and that’s the train. Obviously not as convenient, and not entirely without risk, but massively cheaper and perfectly doable with a little forward planning.

 

Quite a few here do use that route, but you don’t have the reassurance that the ship won’t sail without you - which is why P&O are able to get away with the price they charge for a relatively short coach journey.

This is my worry! I am taking my mother (her first cruise and time n Europe). My partner and I got the train from Termini to Rome last year to board the Regal Princess which was fine, but I worry it may be a bit rushed. But I am going to do a bit of planning this evening and see how a train option would work. The cost difference is insane for the same route. I suppose you pay for the reassurance and convenience.

[Harry Peterson]

3 minutes ago, Tomcruise92 said:

This is my worry! I am taking my mother (her first cruise and time n Europe). My partner and I got the train from Termini to Rome last year to board the Regal Princess which was fine, but I worry it may be a bit rushed. But I am going to do a bit of planning this evening and see how a train option would work. The cost difference is insane for the same route. I suppose you pay for the reassurance and convenience.

As you say, insane. Around 10 Euros return on the train. Coach £60 at a guess?

[jeanlyon]

We did a private coach into Rome.  20 Euros return.

 

[Tomcruise92]

9 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

As you say, insane. Around 10 Euros return on the train. Coach £60 at a guess?

Spot on!

[Presto2]

To be honest we seenthe price savings re the train but always remember our last excursion with PO and a massive traffic jam.  We were late back to the ship and there were others in the traffic chaos who had done private tours who must have been panicking. Personally we'd rather know the ship will wait.