Pre-cruise hotel-Rome-Carnival

[missyal]

Does anyone know if there is a minimum required pre cruise stay? Will Carnival allow us to book 2 or 3 days pre cruise with them? Do they get good rates? I am asking because I like the idea of them doing the transfers from airport to hotel to ship. I'm sure I can find cheaper hotels but then how expensive does it get for 4 people to get a driver or taxi to the pier?

Thanks so much.

 

Missyal

[Maryutah]

Good questions - i'd like to know the same thing - anyone have experience with these pre-cruise arrangements?

[cberge]

Does anyone know if there is a minimum required pre cruise stay? Will Carnival allow us to book 2 or 3 days pre cruise with them? Do they get good rates? I am asking because I like the idea of them doing the transfers from airport to hotel to ship. I'm sure I can find cheaper hotels but then how expensive does it get for 4 people to get a driver or taxi to the pier?

Thanks so much.

 

Missyal

 

Carnival or your TA should be the one to answer your question re stay of days.I would assume they get ok rates depending on the time of year as Rome hotels can be on the $$$ side depending on location.If you use them pre-cruise make sure they are city center and not by the airport.It will cost you about 40 to 50€ to get from the airport to Rome maybe a tad more for 4 people and luggage if you use a private transfer...here is a link.Then to get to the pier from Rome it will be about 110€.These prices are for the car not PP,and add in a little for the tip.I am also adding a link for hotels.

Hotel reservations - Venere.com

 

ABOUT US

 

 

Limousine service Rome, Limousines Roma

[petlover]

This is a good site for looking at hotels (and prices are quoted in USD)

http://www.alpharooms.com/

 

I would recommend the following hotel with very reasonable prices, a lovely terrace where breakfast is served (included in the price of the room). Rooms are small (certainly by American standards) but it is a very nice, clean hotel with a great English speaking staff. It gets rave reviews on tripadvisor.com as well.

http://www.marcellaroyalhotel.com/

 

As for transportation from to/from Rome to Civitavechhia we always use:

http://www.romashuttle.com/

They're probably the least expensive and have always picked us up exactly on time in a nice, new, large air conditioned car with fluent English speaking driver.

[missyal]

Karen & Marcie--Thank you sooooo much. I really appreciate the info and the links to websites. We booked our cruise through a large discount TA so they don't really hold your hand with the other stuff. All they can tell me is Carnival will post the hotels available for our 6/07 cruise sometime this September, so I thought I would get a head start. Transfers from them are pricey and I'm sure the hotels will be too. The more I think about it, I'm sure we would be better off doing things on our won. Thank you again. I'll have fun doing my research:D

 

Missyal

[cberge]

Missyal... I think Carnival uses the Hilton at the Rome airport from what I saw somewhere.They may offer a free shuttle into the city as well.It will be more American and larger rooms than what you may find at hotels in Rome as rooms can be small,but then you trade the ambiance and being in the city center....:D Just an FYI.

[missyal]

Karen--true, there is always a trade off. I am trying to keep costs reasonable, but I don't think I would I would like the Hilton because it is too near the airport. I'm sure I will find something closer to city center that is nice.

Thanks again:D

 

Missyal

[newyorkgolfer41]

I wouldn't recommend the airport Hilton. We have stayed there ONLY because we had an early flight the next day. If you're actually going to spend a day trying to see Rome I would stay in the city center. My inlaws stayed at the Marcella Royal Hotel and were very pleased with it as well. Sounds like a good value for the money if you're looking to economize yet still have a very nice 4 star boutique hotel.

 

We too used Roma Shuttles with good success.

[missyal]

41-Thanks for the tip. I'll definately check that hotel.

 

missyal

[mamawg]

Does anyone know if there is a minimum required pre cruise stay? Will Carnival allow us to book 2 or 3 days pre cruise with them? Do they get good rates? I am asking because I like the idea of them doing the transfers from airport to hotel to ship. I'm sure I can find cheaper hotels but then how expensive does it get for 4 people to get a driver or taxi to the pier?

Thanks so much.

 

Missyal

 

We let Carnival do our pre cruise stay for 2 days. They put us up at the Cicerone which is on the side of the river considered on the Vatican side. The cost for 2 days in 2005 was $800. Of course this also included tips and the transfers from the airport to the hotel and on to the ship. The airport Hilton was about $700 for the same time period, I think. They don't tell you where they will put you up, just at some downtown location. I know they put some people at the Visconti Palace. The Cicerone was a nice hotel by Europe standards. It is just farther from the other sites, although we were able to walk there with no problem. Many would probably prefer to get a cab. The Vatican is just about a 10-15 minute walk.

 

I understand transfers for next year are $75 one way per person through Carnival, but are included if you get your air through them.

 

Gail

[Izzy'smom]

I haven't taken my cruise yet - but this is what I'm finding since joining CC...

 

We did book at the Airport Hilton throught the travel agent to the tune of $205 per person per night - and it does include transfers to the port.

 

Per a cruiser in June - The hotel does offer a free shuttle to Rome - which is a 45 minute ride. The last pick-up is 11:00 pm. The day that they were to board the ship, they were to have their luggage outside the door by 7am. They boarded the shuttle between 10 and 10:30 am - which was too early to head for the port. So, they were driven around Rome on a tour - before heading to the port. They were on the ship - I think by 1:30......The ship doesn't leave until 7:00 pm.

 

That kind of blows the day for sightseeing - which I had been counting on.

 

I joined the roll-call for the ship - and have been conversing with others on my same cruise. They have been arranging and sharing tours, transfers etc.

 

We joined a couple that had already booked - so we wanted to stay together. After joining CC - I would probably do things differently - perhaps using Expedia or internet searches for places to stay - and then arranging transfers to the ship at our convenience.

 

Just a thought.

 

I'm finding CC a very valuable tool when planning a cruise - and wish that I had known about them before booking.

[newyorkgolfer41]

Izzy's Mom,

Have you spent previous time in Rome? If not I'd really suggest you cancel Hilton and stay in the city. JMHO. We stayed at the Hilton and if someone has a reason to be near the airport for an early flight I'd recommend it but other than that I can't think of any reason you'd want to be so far away from the sites transfer or not. There are many EZ ways to get to the port.

 

If you've already spent quality time in Rome before than you can ignore this reply.

[cberge]

Izzy's Mom,

Have you spent previous time in Rome? If not I'd really suggest you cancel Hilton and stay in the city. JMHO. We stayed at the Hilton and if someone has a reason to be near the airport for an early flight I'd recommend it but other than that I can't think of any reason you'd want to be so far away from the sites transfer or not. There are many EZ ways to get to the port.

 

If you've already spent quality time in Rome before than you can ignore this reply.

 

I agree with this post 100%..if never been to Rome stay in the city center shuttle or no shuttle..Rome is a place to be at night as well just eating and walking around!!! You can meet up with the friends on the ship:)

[Izzy'smom]

I'll check - we're already paid.....

 

I would love to stay in the heart of the city. I'm doing this cruise as a timeshare trade thought RCI. It was like pulling teeth just to have them help us book the hotel that our friends had booked. Everything has to be done through the TA. I tried calling Carnival on Thursday - just to confirm the hotel, they won't even talk to me. It's worth another try though!

 

Thanks for the advice.

[Maryutah]

I'm doing this cruise as a timeshare trade thought RCI. It was like pulling teeth just to have them help us book the hotel that our friends had booked.

 

We are using our time share trade-in for the reduced cost of the cruise (we are going April 19th on the new Freedom). I had not thought of checking with RCI for the hotel - were they cheaper or ??

 

~ thanks

[Izzy'smom]

We did'nt use RCI for the hotel - Our friends had already book it with their cruise (they traded through VI and has a much easier time of it) - We just wanted to stay together - It's the first time in Europe for all of us. The hotel is something offered by Carnival. We do have an early flight out - so we'll probably stay with it.....

[Maryutah]

We were heartened that the Airport Hilton says it has free transport to the heart of the city - but not sure exactly where that is :D

 

I think you made a good choice, it's a decent priced hotel, you know it's quality and in safe area etc., and it's in ROME - can't go wrong there :)