Civitavecchia to Rome and back in one day

[flames]

Has anyone done this before, go to Rome from the cruise ship in Civitavecchia and back to make the sail away:eek:

 

We are thinking a doing a b2b and we arrive in Civitavecchia Italy and we sail later that day for a b2b and we were wondering if we could see Rome or does the ship do a tour:confused:

 

Carol:)

[euro cruiser]

Easily done, a number of ways, depending on how much you want to spend. On the Gem last week, you could take a ship sponsored bus into town and back for $119 per person. We opted to go on our own by train for 9 Euro per person, including all mass transit for the day in Rome.

[flames]

Easily done, a number of ways, depending on how much you want to spend. On the Gem last week, you could take a ship sponsored bus into town and back for $119 per person. We opted to go on our own by train for 9 Euro per person, including all mass transit for the day in Rome.

 

Did you sail b2b and did you do it in one day? or is it to far? and how long would it take to get to Rome as I would like to see the Coliseum:confused:

 

Carol:)

[euro cruiser]

We did this last week, along with dozens of our fellow cruisers.

 

We took the free shuttle from the ship to the port exit (could have walked, but shuttle was faster and it was HOT, HOT, HOT, even at 8 AM) and then walked the three blocks or so to the train station.

 

We purchased regional tickets called BIRGs at the newstand, NOT the train ticket office. They cost 9 Euro each and include the round trip regional train as well as all buses, metro and trams in Rome for 24 hours.

 

The train ride is a little over an hour each way. We were at the Colosseum by 9:45 AM and took the 5:00 train back, which put us on the ship around 6:20 (cutting it a little close for a 6:30 call, 7 PM departure, but what the heck).

 

(I'm not sure what b2b means, so I'm sorry if I'm not answering the question you asked).

[emmy]

I am also on this sailing with the original poster. It is a transatlantic that ends in Rome. Our itinerary says the ship arrives at 4am. Realistically what time will disembarkation begin so that one might optimize their time in Rome.

 

B2B means back to back cruises.... transatlantic sailing followed by a Med cruise right after

[euro cruiser]

Ah, thanks. Insider cruise lingo that went right by me.

 

I'm assuming it's B2B on the same ship, and you're not moving all your luggage off and back on, correct? Therefore, as soon as they let folks off you should be good to go, footloose and fancy free, right?

 

The first train I see on the www.trenitalia.com site is at 6:03, arriving in Rome a little after 7:00 (exact time depends on which Rome station you want), so you wouldn't have to rush off. St. Peters, and most of the other big churches, are open by 7:00 so there's plenty to see and do even if you get there that early.

[sandinmyshoes]

You may also consider doing a private tour. They are customizeable and will take you straight up to the entrances of the places you want to visit instead of the ship's tour buses that are so big they have to park and you have to walk a long way to get there. This extra walking eats us a lot of your valuable touring time. Also, the private tour drivers can assist you in skipping the ticket lines and help you bypass the long lines the general public has to wait in to enter the sites. All of this and they are usually cheaper than the ship tours!

 

Their business depends on getting you back to the ship's in time. If they didn't, they wouldn't stay in business because you know they would get torn apart on advice websites like this one! ;) Once you figure out which co. you want to use, just go on your sailing's roll call and ask others to join you. A private tour that would normally cost 2 people $250Euros each costs less than $100Euros each if you can get a group of 6 people. Talk about a good deal! You even get to make friends in the process of saving a bundle of money! Can't beat that in my book.

 

There are lots of great companies with reviews from past users here on the boards. The hard part is choosing the right one for your group. If you want my recommendations and write ups about my experiences with the company we used, just do a search for posts by "sandinmyshoes" and you'll see them.

 

Whoever you choose, have fun and enjoy Italy! It's the most fascinating place in the world (to me).

[flames]

We did this last week, along with dozens of our fellow cruisers.

 

We took the free shuttle from the ship to the port exit (could have walked, but shuttle was faster and it was HOT, HOT, HOT, even at 8 AM) and then walked the three blocks or so to the train station.

 

We purchased regional tickets called BIRGs at the newstand, NOT the train ticket office. They cost 9 Euro each and include the round trip regional train as well as all buses, metro and trams in Rome for 24 hours.

 

The train ride is a little over an hour each way. We were at the Colosseum by 9:45 AM and took the 5:00 train back, which put us on the ship around 6:20 (cutting it a little close for a 6:30 call, 7 PM departure, but what the heck).

 

(I'm not sure what b2b means, so I'm sorry if I'm not answering the question you asked).

 

You may also consider doing a private tour. They are customizeable and will take you straight up to the entrances of the places you want to visit instead of the ship's tour buses that are so big they have to park and you have to walk a long way to get there. This extra walking eats us a lot of your valuable touring time. Also, the private tour drivers can assist you in skipping the ticket lines and help you bypass the long lines the general public has to wait in to enter the sites. All of this and they are usually cheaper than the ship tours!

 

Their business depends on getting you back to the ship's in time. If they didn't, they wouldn't stay in business because you know they would get torn apart on advice websites like this one! ;) Once you figure out which co. you want to use, just go on your sailing's roll call and ask others to join you. A private tour that would normally cost 2 people $250Euros each costs less than $100Euros each if you can get a group of 6 people. Talk about a good deal! You even get to make friends in the process of saving a bundle of money! Can't beat that in my book.

 

There are lots of great companies with reviews from past users here on the boards. The hard part is choosing the right one for your group. If you want my recommendations and write ups about my experiences with the company we used, just do a search for posts by "sandinmyshoes" and you'll see them.

 

Whoever you choose, have fun and enjoy Italy! It's the most fascinating place in the world (to me).

 

Thanks for all your help, I appreciate it:cool:

 

Carol:)

[browneyes7]

Ah, thanks. Insider cruise lingo that went right by me.

 

I'm assuming it's B2B on the same ship, and you're not moving all your luggage off and back on, correct? Therefore, as soon as they let folks off you should be good to go, footloose and fancy free, right?

 

The first train I see on the www.trenitalia.com site is at 6:03, arriving in Rome a little after 7:00 (exact time depends on which Rome station you want), so you wouldn't have to rush off. St. Peters, and most of the other big churches, are open by 7:00 so there's plenty to see and do even if you get there that early.

 

I you want to see the Vatican first, get off at the San Pietro Station. It is only about 2 blocks from the Vatican. The main station in Termini and isn't very far from the Colosseum. Have fun!!:)

[euro cruiser]

The main station in Termini and isn't very far from the Colosseum. Have fun!!:)

This is true, but it's not necessary to go all the way to Termini and doing so will cut into your time in Rome. The three previous stops on the regional line, San Pietro (good for the Vatican area, as noted above), Trastevere (where you can pick up either the #3 bus/tram to the Colosseum area or the #8 tram to Largo Argentina, the heart of the centro storico) or Ostiense (where you can connect with the metro to the Colosseum or with several buses and trams) are each better choices than Termini for most tourists to Rome.

 

I'd only go all the way to Termini if my first stop was either something in the train station neighborhood (for example, Santa Maria della Vittoria for the Bernini, or Santa Maria Maggiore) or one of the places along metro line A, such as the Spanish Steps or Piazza del Popolo.

[browneyes7]

This is true, but it's not necessary to go all the way to Termini and doing so will cut into your time in Rome. The three previous stops on the regional line, San Pietro (good for the Vatican area, as noted above), Trastevere (where you can pick up either the #3 bus/tram to the Colosseum area or the #8 tram to Largo Argentina, the heart of the centro storico) or Ostiense (where you can connect with the metro to the Colosseum or with several buses and trams) are each better choices than Termini for most tourists to Rome.

 

I'd only go all the way to Termini if my first stop was either something in the train station neighborhood (for example, Santa Maria della Vittoria for the Bernini, or Santa Maria Maggiore) or one of the places along metro line A, such as the Spanish Steps or Piazza del Popolo.

 

Great advice!:)

[flames]

Thanks, I have to do some research, I do not know what I want to do yet but I do not want to miss the ship:eek::D

 

Carol:)

[mydreamvacation]

Email Stefano, we have done tons of tours with him pre and post cruises and once on a back to back while waiting to reboard the ship. He just took us to a castle not too far from the port that is gorgeous lake Braccia (sp?) it is where Tom Cruise was married, he is the best driver/guide in all of Rome! contact him at romecabs@yahoo.com

[flames]

Email Stefano, we have done tons of tours with him pre and post cruises and once on a back to back while waiting to reboard the ship. He just took us to a castle not too far from the port that is gorgeous lake Braccia (sp?) it is where Tom Cruise was married, he is the best driver/guide in all of Rome! contact him at romecabs@yahoo.com

 

Thank You mydreamvacation, I will look into this:cool:

 

Carol:)

[janoma]

euro cruiser (or anyone who could help)....we are a group of 4 planning to DIY-it to Rome but I got a little panicky reading someone's comments about getting back to the ship at the end of the day (indicated it was a 45 min. walk and there were no shuttles)...I hadn't been focusing on how long it would take us to get back to the ship once we hit Civitavecchia...how late do the shuttles run? The other OP said it was a 40 min. walk...but I guess it depends on where you are docked. Just want to make sure we allow enough time when we get back.

[GSPLover]

euro cruiser (or anyone who could help)....we are a group of 4 planning to DIY-it to Rome but I got a little panicky reading someone's comments about getting back to the ship at the end of the day (indicated it was a 45 min. walk and there were no shuttles)...I hadn't been focusing on how long it would take us to get back to the ship once we hit Civitavecchia...how late do the shuttles run? The other OP said it was a 40 min. walk...but I guess it depends on where you are docked. Just want to make sure we allow enough time when we get back.

 

Train station to the port entrance is 10-15 minutes on foot. You cannot walk any further than that. The shuttles run very frequently. So add about 20 minutes to the previous figure. Check with your cruise line to see when the last shuttle is. Also, if you take a shuttle in the AM, ask the driver when the last shuttle is (you may get a different answer from what the cruise line told you. I'd side with the driver.)

[euro cruiser]

Folks on our cruise, a couple of weeks ago, were able to walk all the way back to the ship. There was no one at the port to stop them, and no shuttle available when they got back, so they simply hoofed it. Not recommended, as it's a long walk, but possible in a pinch.

 

I try to time my return to be on the ship a half hour before they say I have to, just to be sure. In our case, NCL said be back by 6:30 for a 7 PM departure, so I would have preferred a train returning at 5:30. As it was, we took a train that put us in Civitavecchia at 6:00, giving us a half hour for the walk and shuttle. It worked out just fine and I think we were in our cabin at 6:20.

[SandG]

Folks on our cruise, a couple of weeks ago, were able to walk all the way back to the ship. There was no one at the port to stop them, and no shuttle available when they got back, so they simply hoofed it. Not recommended, as it's a long walk, but possible in a pinch.

 

I try to time my return to be on the ship a half hour before they say I have to, just to be sure. In our case, NCL said be back by 6:30 for a 7 PM departure, so I would have preferred a train returning at 5:30. As it was, we took a train that put us in Civitavecchia at 6:00, giving us a half hour for the walk and shuttle. It worked out just fine and I think we were in our cabin at 6:20.

 

Euro, were you on the cruise that was in Rome on July 16? We were sailing on the Solstice on the 17th and had taken a day trip into Rome on the train on the 16th. There was a nice young couple on the train (I think from Canada?) who was on that cruise, and our train pulled into the station around 7:08. We wished them good luck as they ran off to the ship and I wondered if they made it, hoping that the ship departed late.

 

You really have to look at the train schedules. I looked just now at the schedules between Rome and Civi and the time from the main terminal varies from 42 minutes to 85 minutes. (85 minutes was length of the one that we and that poor couple were on). They had estimated the time needed to return by how long it took to travel to the city and they said it took only 45 minutes to get down to Rome in the morning. We were on the train that left at 5:39, and they knew they were already cutting it close even assuming a 45 minute ride.

 

Sue C

[janoma]

Thanks Foye...I was counting on you for the correct info...I really got panicky there for a mo'...I'm shooting for the return train that leaves Termini at 3:59 and arrives in Civi at 5:20 (for 7 pm departure); if we miss it, the next one leaves 40 mins later and gets in only 30 minutes later...which should still be plenty of time, no?

[SandG]

Thanks Foye...I was counting on you for the correct info...I really got panicky there for a mo'...I'm shooting for the return train that leaves Termini at 3:59 and arrives in Civi at 5:20 (for 7 pm departure); if we miss it, the next one leaves 40 mins later and gets in only 30 minutes later...which should still be plenty of time, no?

 

Are you in Rome on 9/22? I see the following trains on that date on the trenitalia website (Termini to Civi):

 

• 3:46 -> 4:35 (49 mins - intercity)
  
• 4:09 -> 5:13 (64 mins - regional)
  
• 4:39 -> 5:57 (78 mins - regional)
  

Sue

[euro cruiser]

Are you in Rome on 9/22? I see the following trains on that date on the trenitalia website (Termini to Civi):

 

• 3:46 -> 4:35 (49 mins - intercity)
  
• 4:09 -> 5:13 (64 mins - regional)
  
• 4:39 -> 5:57 (78 mins - regional)

We were in Civitavecchia in mid-July on the Gem.

 

Keep in mind that if you are using the 9 Euro BIRG ticket, the faster intercity trains are not covered.

[SandG]

I'm shooting for the return train that leaves Termini at 3:59 and arrives in Civi at 5:20 (for 7 pm departure); if we miss it, the next one leaves 40 mins later and gets in only 30 minutes later...which should still be plenty of time, no?

 

Are you in Rome on 9/22? I see the following trains on that date on the trenitalia website (Termini to Civi):

 

• 3:46 -> 4:35 (49 mins - intercity)
  
• 4:09 -> 5:13 (64 mins - regional)
  
• 4:39 -> 5:57 (78 mins - regional)
  

Sue

 

We were in Civitavecchia in mid-July on the Gem.

 

Keep in mind that if you are using the 9 Euro BIRG ticket, the faster intercity trains are not covered.

 

I'm sorry for the confusion, I was posting the train schedule that I'd found for Sept. 22 for janoma since the schedule I found on-line didn't seem to jive with that post. I should have been clearer but it was late and I'm still a little jetlagged.

 

Euro, thanks for adding the clarification on the intercity vs. regional and the BIRG ticket. That's why I included that information on the list but I should have mentioned why I did so.

 

Euro, were you on the cruise that was visiting Rome on July 16? Do you remember if you departed the port on time (7:00) or a little? I'm wondering if that couple we met on the train had any chance of making the ship?

 

Sue

[euro cruiser]

Euro, were you on the cruise that was visiting Rome on July 16? Do you remember if you departed the port on time (7:00) or a little? I'm wondering if that couple we met on the train had any chance of making the ship?

 

Sue

I was - the Gem from Barcelona, at Civitavecchia on the 16th. As I recall we departed pretty much on time and I never heard anything about people missing the ship, but I'm not sure that I would have.

 

The good thing about missing the boat, literally, at Civitavechhia is that it's a piece of cake to get to the next port, Livorno, by train. A room for the night will take a small bite, but not bad. There are three trains after 7 PM that go to Livorno Centrale in less than three hours.

 

We weren't sure if everyone in our group had made it back in Malta and were we running through the possibilities there .... much harder to get from Malta to Naples than any of the other ports to the next port on that itinerary.

[SandG]

I was - the Gem from Barcelona, at Civitavecchia on the 16th. As I recall we departed pretty much on time and I never heard anything about people missing the ship, but I'm not sure that I would have.

 

The good thing about missing the boat, literally, at Civitavechhia is that it's a piece of cake to get to the next port, Livorno, by train. A room for the night will take a small bite, but not bad. There are three trains after 7 PM that go to Livorno Centrale in less than three hours.

 

We weren't sure if everyone in our group had made it back in Malta and were we running through the possibilities there .... much harder to get from Malta to Naples than any of the other ports to the next port on that itinerary.

I agree and said the same thing to the couple on the train - that it really could have been a whole lot worse. They were fairly young and I think they learned a valuable lesson with not as much pain as there could have been.

 

Sue

[Saturated]

Hope this is of some help to anyone thinking of taking the train to Rome ( like us). In addition to some of the very useful tips offered by posters on this thread it even has photos of some of the landmarks to look out for en route to the station:

 

http://goitaly.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=goitaly&cdn=travel&tm=84&gps=429_291_1020_552&f=00&su=p531.50.336.ip_&tt=2&bt=0&bts=0&zu=http%3A//www.europeportreviews.com/Rome2.htm

 

:)