P & O cruise - is it feasible to do an independent day trip from Civitavecchia port to Rome (Cruise leaving Malta 29/8/24)

[Northern Jo]

Hi,

 

I was going to book a day trip to Rome with P & O but there does not seem to be one that includes a walking tour, just Rome on your own for £60. I believe the ship docks in the morning and leaves in the evening on 31/8/24.

I just wondered how feasible it is to do an independent trip (making sure I get back in plenty of time to the port of course) and, if so, is it recommended I book something in advance?

The ship goes to Livorno too, (for Florence) and I wondered the same thing there too.

Any advice, sugggestions or tips would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

[MBP&O2/O]

I have just come back from Florence. We went early March and it was heaving.  2hr queues for the Uffizi! You mention dates around peak season to if you go it will be horrendously busy.Florence is reasonably compact which exaggerates the crowds but if you know what you want to see you can plan accordingly. Bear in mind  the journey times to and from Livorno will eat into your day.

[NotADopey1]

Find a reputable tour firm that picks you up and returns you to the ship. Also one that provides front of line and expert escorted tours.  It will not be inexpensive but it  may be your only time to see it all and do it right.

[navybankerteacher]

Getting from CV to Rome on your own is certainly doable by train.  I would suggest talking it up on your cruse’s roll call to possibly organize a shared van (RomeinLimo or other service) - we’ve done this several times to maximize time in Rome.   Florence is a tougher concept - too much to see in too little time with huge crowds — consider taking train to Lucca, a lovely small walled city which you can do in a day — save Florence for a time when you can spend a couple of days there.

[John Bull]

We've done both by train.

Rome.

Before you cruise, buy Colosseum tickets (they're a 3-venue ticket for Colosseum, Forum and Palatine Hill) from the official website. I think it's https://www.coopculture.it/en/products/ticket-colosseum-forum-and-palatine-_24h/ but so many different websites claim to be "official" 🙄. That one is the cheapest and no bull💩 about beat-the-lines, guides etc. Perhaps others can confirm or otherwise. This will avoid the ticket queue on-site, but there's no avoiding the fast-moving security queue.

Also buy on-line such tickets as you want for places like the Sistine Chapel

 

Free port shuttle from ship to port gate.

Payable (pennies)  shuttle from gate to Civi station.

Note down the return times of the trains from Termini and Ostiense and San Pietro stations.

Buy return tickets for the regional train to Rome, I think the current fare is €15. If there's a queue at the ticket office buy from the station news-stand, same price.

Tickets aren't dated, validate them in a machine on the platform. There aren't (weren't) validation machines on the train so we had squeaky-bums that there'd be a ticket inspector, which would have meant a fat fine.

The trains are heavily-subscribed, everyone manages to get on but there's a probability that you'll be standing all the way.

 

If you want to first visit the Vatican, get off the train at San Pietro station. It's a 15 minute walk to the Vatican.

 

If you first want to visit the Colosseum - this is what we did ....

Get off at Ostiense station. Follow the signs to the adjoining Piramide Metro station and take the blue line metro in the direction of Conca D'Ora or Rebibbia. The Colosseum is the second stop.

NB Your train ticket also gives you unlimited use of the metro and local buses.

The entrance to the Forum (included in your Colosseum tickets) is across the road from the Colosseum. Altho Palatine Hill is also included you won't have time for it unless you skip everything else.

Walk thro the Forum toward the back of the big white Vittorio Emaneuele 11 monument topped with black horses & angels ("the Wedding Cake"). There's a Forum exit here, but not an entrance. Walk to the front of the monument (where you'll understand its nickname) and head for the Trevi Fountain.

At this point figure whether you'll have time to visit the Spanish Steps - you probably won't, so head for the Pantheon. The line for the Pantheon moves quickly, it's one big circular hall.

Then to  the Piazza Navona (often street entertainers).

Now decide whether you want to bus or to taxi or 20-minute walk to the Vatican. 

Then 15 minute walk to San Pietro station for the train back to Civi.

If you first visit the Vatican you can do this in reverse, except that you have to walk down the road beside the Forum to its entrance by the Colosseum.

 

It's a busy day, we did it without panic but planned it carefully and kept an eye on the clock.

 

Don't plan to use the last possible train back to Civi. Aim for the second or even the third-last possible train, to allow for any mistakes.

If you return from Termini station you might get a seat o the train (NB trains to Civi don't leave from the main station concourse, so give yourselves an extra 10 minutes)

If you return from Ostiense station you probably won't get a seat. 

If you return from Sa Pietro station you certainly won't get a seat.

So do expect to be standing on the train.

............................................................................

Florence

We did it by train,

Most difficult part is port to Livorno Centrale station, waaaay too far to walk. We were lucky to get a shared taxi, the alternative is ship's shuttle to the town centre then local bus to the station - shuttle driver can point you in the right direction for the local bus.

Direct train to Firenze Santa Maria Novella - the station is conveniently right on the edge of the old city centre.

Most folk would prefer to spend all their time in Florence, but we don't worry too much about inside visits, so we caught an early train back & stopped off at Pisa - a break in the journey is permitted in the train tickets. 15-20 minute walk to the Field of Miracles, spent 20 to 30 minutes there then any local train back to Livorno. No sharers at the station so the taxi fare back to the ship was (?) €25 (?)

 

There are independent tour options by road

.........................................................................

We're great fans of hop-on buses elsewhere, but not Rome or Florence - both have very limited routes and a waste of time & money

 

JB 🙂

Edited April 22 by John Bull

[donaldsc]

How long are you in port - not port time but disembarkment to last boarding time?  According to RometoRio it is going to take you 1 hr 30 m to get to Rome and another 1 h 30 m to het back and this does not include the time to get to and from the time from the ship to the CV transport hub.  How much time would you have to see anything in Rome.

 

Just my opinion but it just ain't worth it.

 

You live in Manchester so you can fly from there to Rome for a reasonable amount of money.  Spend several days in Rome.  Then take the train to Florence.  That gives you time to see both cities without rushing around.

 

DON

Edited April 22 by donaldsc

[MBP&O2/O]

You live in Manchester so you can fly from there to Rome for a reasonable amount of money.  Spend several days in Rome.  Then take the train to Florence.  That gives you time to see both cities without rushing around.

 

 

That is what we did for Florence ... flights plus hotel for three nights was £200 more that the ships cheapest excursion. 

 

Rome was similar ... budget airline, direct flight, half decent hotel. Plenty of decent and inexpensive eateries in both cities.

[wcook]

Rome is pretty easy to tour on your own. You will find many write ups and advice. 
 

Florence is a pain in the ass to get to on your own. People do it, but, personally, I’d only go to Florence on a cruise stop if I had a burning desire to see Florence. Consider Lucca as an alternative. 
 

Unfortunately, even Lucca is a bit tricky to get to via public transportation from the port. We rented a car which worked out great, but isn’t for everyone. 

[navybankerteacher]

7 hours ago, donaldsc said:

How long are you in port - not port time but disembarkment to last boarding time?  According to RometoRio it is going to take you 1 hr 30 m to get to Rome and another 1 h 30 m to het back and this does not include the time to get to and from the time from the ship to the CV transport hub.  How much time would you have to see anything in Rome.

 

Just my opinion but it just ain't worth it.

 

You live in Manchester so you can fly from there to Rome for a reasonable amount of money.  Spend several days in Rome.  Then take the train to Florence.  That gives you time to see both cities without rushing around.

 

DON

Excellent points - Rome, Florence, etc. are not places which can be “done” in a short day.  They ware worth a land stay  - perhaps several days before, or after, or both, your cruise.   It always amazes me to see people fly across the Atlantic for just a cruise.

[John Bull]

I'm struggling to understand why in respect of those ports experienced cruisers like @donaldsc  and @MBP&O2/O, and in respect of Florence experienced cruisers like  @navybankerteacher, and @wcook, are so dismissive of port-of-call visits.

 

Hopefully others will chime in more positively.

Or go to the Italian forum linked by @CruiserBruce  to see how many thousands of others have visited Rome or Florence in a single port-of-call day.

 

Yes, if a cruise starts or finishes in Rome (Civi) and you can spare the time & cost, do as we & thousands of others do and tag on a few hotel days to give yourselves much more time in a city worthy of several days and more.

But if it's a single port-of-call day, what would you suggest - hang around all day in a bar on the pretty basic waterfront of Civitavecchia ? Or mooch around the shops of boring Livorno ?

We've stayed a few days at Lucca on a road trip, very pleasant walled city but not iconic like Florence. It's the sort of place I'd recommend to those who've visited Florence and are looking for somewhere different

 

Added to an interesting day, a short visit to either Rome or Florence will allow a visitor to decide whether a "proper" return visit is worthwhile. And both are usually ports on western Mediterranean cruises so the opportunity of a second port-of-call visit.

 

Even for someone based in the UK (yes, flights are cheap but add parking, hotel, etc etc) visiting those places when a ship visits makes total sense to me.

 

Just MHO as always 😏

I have my tin hat at the ready 😂

 

JB 🙂 

 

 

 

Edited April 23 by John Bull

[Northern Jo]

On 4/22/2024 at 12:25 PM, MBP&O2/O said:

I have just come back from Florence. We went early March and it was heaving.  2hr queues for the Uffizi! You mention dates around peak season to if you go it will be horrendously busy.Florence is reasonably compact which exaggerates the crowds but if you know what you want to see you can plan accordingly. Bear in mind  the journey times to and from Livorno will eat into your day.

Thank you for that helpful information 🙂

[Northern Jo]

On 4/22/2024 at 3:04 PM, navybankerteacher said:

Getting from CV to Rome on your own is certainly doable by train.  I would suggest talking it up on your cruse’s roll call to possibly organize a shared van (RomeinLimo or other service) - we’ve done this several times to maximize time in Rome.   Florence is a tougher concept - too much to see in too little time with huge crowds — consider taking train to Lucca, a lovely small walled city which you can do in a day — save Florence for a time when you can spend a couple of days there.

Thank you for taking the time to respond. This is useful information 🙂

[Northern Jo]

On 4/22/2024 at 5:20 PM, John Bull said:

We've done both by train.

Rome.

Before you cruise, buy Colosseum tickets (they're a 3-venue ticket for Colosseum, Forum and Palatine Hill) from the official website. I think it's https://www.coopculture.it/en/products/ticket-colosseum-forum-and-palatine-_24h/ but so many different websites claim to be "official" 🙄. That one is the cheapest and no bull💩 about beat-the-lines, guides etc. Perhaps others can confirm or otherwise. This will avoid the ticket queue on-site, but there's no avoiding the fast-moving security queue.

Also buy on-line such tickets as you want for places like the Sistine Chapel

 

Free port shuttle from ship to port gate.

Payable (pennies)  shuttle from gate to Civi station.

Note down the return times of the trains from Termini and Ostiense and San Pietro stations.

Buy return tickets for the regional train to Rome, I think the current fare is €15. If there's a queue at the ticket office buy from the station news-stand, same price.

Tickets aren't dated, validate them in a machine on the platform. There aren't (weren't) validation machines on the train so we had squeaky-bums that there'd be a ticket inspector, which would have meant a fat fine.

The trains are heavily-subscribed, everyone manages to get on but there's a probability that you'll be standing all the way.

 

If you want to first visit the Vatican, get off the train at San Pietro station. It's a 15 minute walk to the Vatican.

 

If you first want to visit the Colosseum - this is what we did ....

Get off at Ostiense station. Follow the signs to the adjoining Piramide Metro station and take the blue line metro in the direction of Conca D'Ora or Rebibbia. The Colosseum is the second stop.

NB Your train ticket also gives you unlimited use of the metro and local buses.

The entrance to the Forum (included in your Colosseum tickets) is across the road from the Colosseum. Altho Palatine Hill is also included you won't have time for it unless you skip everything else.

Walk thro the Forum toward the back of the big white Vittorio Emaneuele 11 monument topped with black horses & angels ("the Wedding Cake"). There's a Forum exit here, but not an entrance. Walk to the front of the monument (where you'll understand its nickname) and head for the Trevi Fountain.

At this point figure whether you'll have time to visit the Spanish Steps - you probably won't, so head for the Pantheon. The line for the Pantheon moves quickly, it's one big circular hall.

Then to  the Piazza Navona (often street entertainers).

Now decide whether you want to bus or to taxi or 20-minute walk to the Vatican. 

Then 15 minute walk to San Pietro station for the train back to Civi.

If you first visit the Vatican you can do this in reverse, except that you have to walk down the road beside the Forum to its entrance by the Colosseum.

 

It's a busy day, we did it without panic but planned it carefully and kept an eye on the clock.

 

Don't plan to use the last possible train back to Civi. Aim for the second or even the third-last possible train, to allow for any mistakes.

If you return from Termini station you might get a seat o the train (NB trains to Civi don't leave from the main station concourse, so give yourselves an extra 10 minutes)

If you return from Ostiense station you probably won't get a seat. 

If you return from Sa Pietro station you certainly won't get a seat.

So do expect to be standing on the train.

............................................................................

Florence

We did it by train,

Most difficult part is port to Livorno Centrale station, waaaay too far to walk. We were lucky to get a shared taxi, the alternative is ship's shuttle to the town centre then local bus to the station - shuttle driver can point you in the right direction for the local bus.

Direct train to Firenze Santa Maria Novella - the station is conveniently right on the edge of the old city centre.

Most folk would prefer to spend all their time in Florence, but we don't worry too much about inside visits, so we caught an early train back & stopped off at Pisa - a break in the journey is permitted in the train tickets. 15-20 minute walk to the Field of Miracles, spent 20 to 30 minutes there then any local train back to Livorno. No sharers at the station so the taxi fare back to the ship was (?) €25 (?)

 

There are independent tour options by road

.........................................................................

We're great fans of hop-on buses elsewhere, but not Rome or Florence - both have very limited routes and a waste of time & money

 

JB 🙂

This is valuable information which I have noted. Thanks very much for responding 🙂

[Northern Jo]

On 4/22/2024 at 6:25 PM, donaldsc said:

How long are you in port - not port time but disembarkment to last boarding time?  According to RometoRio it is going to take you 1 hr 30 m to get to Rome and another 1 h 30 m to het back and this does not include the time to get to and from the time from the ship to the CV transport hub.  How much time would you have to see anything in Rome.

 

Just my opinion but it just ain't worth it.

 

You live in Manchester so you can fly from there to Rome for a reasonable amount of money.  Spend several days in Rome.  Then take the train to Florence.  That gives you time to see both cities without rushing around.

 

DON

Thank you Don for your response. I am considering my options. If I make a trip to Rome from the port,  I can always return again for a longer period in the future 🙂

[Northern Jo]

On 4/22/2024 at 6:47 PM, MBP&O2/O said:

You live in Manchester so you can fly from there to Rome for a reasonable amount of money.  Spend several days in Rome.  Then take the train to Florence.  That gives you time to see both cities without rushing around.

 

 

That is what we did for Florence ... flights plus hotel for three nights was £200 more that the ships cheapest excursion. 

 

Rome was similar ... budget airline, direct flight, half decent hotel. Plenty of decent and inexpensive eateries in both cities.

That's great to know for the future! Thanks for your message 🙂

[Northern Jo]

17 hours ago, wcook said:

Rome is pretty easy to tour on your own. You will find many write ups and advice. 
 

Florence is a pain in the ass to get to on your own. People do it, but, personally, I’d only go to Florence on a cruise stop if I had a burning desire to see Florence. Consider Lucca as an alternative. 
 

Unfortunately, even Lucca is a bit tricky to get to via public transportation from the port. We rented a car which worked out great, but isn’t for everyone. 

Thanks for your response. Useful as well what you said regarding Florence 🙂

[Northern Jo]

6 hours ago, John Bull said:

I'm struggling to understand why in respect of those ports experienced cruisers like @donaldsc  and @MBP&O2/O, and in respect of Florence experienced cruisers like  @navybankerteacher, and @wcook, are so dismissive of port-of-call visits.

 

Hopefully others will chime in more positively.

Or go to the Italian forum linked by @CruiserBruce  to see how many thousands of others have visited Rome or Florence in a single port-of-call day.

 

Yes, if a cruise starts or finishes in Rome (Civi) and you can spare the time & cost, do as we & thousands of others do and tag on a few hotel days to give yourselves much more time in a city worthy of several days and more.

But if it's a single port-of-call day, what would you suggest - hang around all day in a bar on the pretty basic waterfront of Civitavecchia ? Or mooch around the shops of boring Livorno ?

We've stayed a few days at Lucca on a road trip, very pleasant walled city but not iconic like Florence. It's the sort of place I'd recommend to those who've visited Florence and are looking for somewhere different

 

Added to an interesting day, a short visit to either Rome or Florence will allow a visitor to decide whether a "proper" return visit is worthwhile. And both are usually ports on western Mediterranean cruises so the opportunity of a second port-of-call visit.

 

Even for someone based in the UK (yes, flights are cheap but add parking, hotel, etc etc) visiting those places when a ship visits makes total sense to me.

 

Just MHO as always 😏

I have my tin hat at the ready 😂

 

JB 🙂 

 

 

 

Thanks JB! 🙂

[navybankerteacher]

6 hours ago, John Bull said:

I'm struggling to understand why in respect of those ports experienced cruisers like @donaldsc  and @MBP&O2/O, and in respect of Florence experienced cruisers like  @navybankerteacher, and @wcook, are so dismissive of port-of-call visits.

 

…

 

Just MHO as always 😏

I have my tin hat at the ready 😂

 

JB 🙂 

 

 

 

No tin hat needed- but encouraging folks on a ship calling at Livorno to join perhaps a few thousand shipmates on a crowded trek to Florence, where getting to see almost anything people think they will see in Florence is likely to take at least a couple of hours in line at each site, is questionable. Sure, there is nothing really interesting to do/see in Livorno, but Pisa is just 20 minutes away.

 

Hire a  car with others if you really want to see Florence - but planning to spend a few hours travelling to spend a few hours in line to spend a few minutes seeing something really needs to be thought about.   
 

I’m inclined to think that cruise lines which actually refer to a call at Livorno as a stop at Florence should be prosecuted for false advertising.  Almost as bad as referring to a stop in Manhattan as a call at Atlantic City.

Edited April 23 by navybankerteacher

[Northern Jo]

On 4/22/2024 at 12:52 PM, NotADopey1 said:

Find a reputable tour firm that picks you up and returns you to the ship. Also one that provides front of line and expert escorted tours.  It will not be inexpensive but it  may be your only time to see it all and do it right.

Thank you for that 🙂

[Northern Jo]

On 4/22/2024 at 12:25 PM, MBP&O2/O said:

I have just come back from Florence. We went early March and it was heaving.  2hr queues for the Uffizi! You mention dates around peak season to if you go it will be horrendously busy.Florence is reasonably compact which exaggerates the crowds but if you know what you want to see you can plan accordingly. Bear in mind  the journey times to and from Livorno will eat into your day.

Thank you 🙂

[Ashland]

We did an amazing private Rome tour with RomeInLimo....no worries with them when it came to timing. On another trip we joined our roll call and used Tours By Locals.

 

For Florence we opted for the ship offered DIY...worked out great for us two different cruises.

 

Check your rollcall perhaps you can join in.

[Northern Jo]

1 hour ago, Ashland said:

We did an amazing private Rome tour with RomeInLimo....no worries with them when it came to timing. On another trip we joined our roll call and used Tours By Locals.

 

For Florence we opted for the ship offered DIY...worked out great for us two different cruises.

 

Check your rollcall perhaps you can join in.

That's useful info. Thank you 😊