Galaxy in Rome

[espana12]

Traveling on the Galaxy in November. I'm trying to decide whether to book my hotels (2 day pre-cruise) on my own, or to book through Celebrity. Any recommendations regarding hotel/transport to pier?

[superjerryw]

We did the Med cruise on the Galaxy from Rome last year. We stayed in Rome one night before the cruise and a few nights afterwards. As for transportation, we use Bob's Rome Limo's. You can find them at this web address:

 

http://www.romelimousines.com/

 

They picked us up at the airport and took us to the hotel when we arrived in Italy, took us to the pier the next day, picked us up at the pier when the cruise was over and took us back to Rome and took us back to the airport for the flight home. They were always on time and waiting for us. They seemed to have been a little more expensive than some of the other limo services but it was worth it for te reliability.

 

As far as hotels, it was much cheaper to book on our own. We stayed at the Mercure Hotel near the Colosseum. It's only a five minute walk from the hotel to the Colosseum. There is a subway station near the Coloseum as well. Numerous restaurants nearby as well as a grocery store. The rooms are very small but it didn't matter to us since we were only there to sleep. Oe advantage of the hotel is the included breakfast buffet which is very good and includes both hot and cold food.

[Joanne G.]

We stayed one night pre-cruise and one night post-cruise in Rome last summer. We looked into hotels in Rome and discovered that it is a very expensive city, especially in the peak summer tourist season when we sailed. We ended up using the Celebrity package. The price seemed high at first, but when we factored in the included transportation to and from the pier, which is some distance from Rome, it wasn't so bad. The hotel Celebrity used, the Crowne Plaza, provided a shuttle to and from the airport, so that was a savings also. And a breakfast buffet was included. We even took advantage of a Celebrity-sponsored tour of the Vatican the morning of embarkation.

 

In addition, there was a certain simplicity in booking through Celebrity. There was a Celebrity rep at the hotel to answer any questions or address any concerns. The morning of embarkation, we put our luggage outside our hotel room and didn't have to deal with them again; they were in our cabin when we got to the ship. There was a comfort factor in knowing that Celebrity wouldn't put their passengers in a bad hotel or a bad neighborhood. And we had confidence that the transportation to and from the pier would be reliable. Celebrity's hotel package is not for everyone, but for a first visit to Rome, it worked for us.

 

When you are making your decision, check on the cost of transportation between airport, hotel, and pier. It can be significant.

 

Whatever you decide, have a great cruise on the Galaxy.

[Trixsea]

We stayed in Rome 5 nights pre and it was well worth it. The Hotel Lancelot was also located near the Colesseum. It was a very charming hotel and the owners were wonderful. We made arrangements to be picked up at the airport, but next time I will take the advice from the hotel and let them make the arrangements. Waiting 2 hours after a long flight is not a great way to start a trip!:eek:

[espana12]

Thanks to all of you! Your information was very helpful!

[crazy4cruzin]

Espana - check out venere.com for your Rome hotel, this sight has all types of hotels and prices, as well as reviews from people that have stayed there recently. I booked 4 hotels in Italy for our upcoming Galaxy cruise pre and post cruise stay and had great success in finding nice hotels with good locations that had quad rooms for my family which normally is difficult to find. In Rome we wanted to be relatively close to the Termini train station but not too close, so we chose the hotel Virgilio for the pre-cruise stay and Hotel Centro for the post-cruise. Other times that we have stayed in Rome we've stayed in the historical center near the Pantheon which is still our preferred area, it's central to everything. From there we walked to the Trevi Fountain, Spanish steps, Piazza Navona and even walked back from the Vatican. Check out this website you are sure to find a hotel that you will be happy with and in your price range and the location you want.

[shepsm001]

If Celebrity's price is all inclusive of transfers and also includes a short tour in Rome, I would definitely consider this. Termini is a royal pain especially if you have a lot of baggage and it would be great to avoid it. The other side your far more in tune with the local culture and have the ability to operate independantly which is nice especially if one wants to go back to Rome on your own. Also if one does get used to taking transport like the locals the costs drop astronomically. How about $10 from Termini to the boat. Yep it can be done. Have to be careful in Rome, overcharging is a fine art, especially when it comes to dependant tourists that dont speak the language. I could tell you many stories Ive heard. Celebrity really makes sense if one wants to go this route. The costs are front end loaded and known. Oh yes, we took the Galaxy eastern med last Sept and it was the trip of a lifetime.

[Joanne G.]

If Celebrity's price is all inclusive of transfers and also includes a short tour in Rome, I would definitely consider this.

 

Just to make sure there are no misunderstandings, the Vatican tour that I mentioned was an additional charge. Transportation between Rome and the pier was included with the hotel package, but the tour was extra. I still consider it an advantage of using the Celebrity package because it was a way to see the Vatican that morning without worrying about getting to the ship on time. At the end of the tour, we re-boarded the same bus and were taken to the pier.

[superjerryw]

A word of caution about the area near the Termini rail station. While this area may be convenient in terms of transportation, it's not that safe in the evening. If you want information on hotels, be sure to use the Tripadvisor web site. I used it extensively when doing hotel research for Italy. In the case of many of the hotels near the Termini, the hotels reveived a good review but many people mentioned that they felt unsafe in the area and would definitely not feel safe wandering about at night.

[julieanne]

We were near Termini station at the Hotel Piave. Also booked on Venere.com. It was wonderful! There was never a time we felt unsafe in this area as there are so many tourists. Common sense is the best safety tool you can use.

[teedee]

We stayed in Rome 5 nights pre and it was well worth it. The Hotel Lancelot was also located near the Colesseum. It was a very charming hotel and the owners were wonderful. We made arrangements to be picked up at the airport, but next time I will take the advice from the hotel and let them make the arrangements. Waiting 2 hours after a long flight is not a great way to start a trip!:eek:

 

I've also stayed at Hotel Lancelot & highly recommend it. I'm looking at a Med cruise next year & want to stay there again. Mrs. Khan,the owner, is very nice & accommodating. She went out of her way to help us with anything we needed, even went & bought bus tickets for us (of course we paid her back) to make sure we got the correct tickets.

 

Terri