ROME postcruise help needed

[beargal]

I need to finalize my deposit on a cruise for next year that ends up in Rome. I am having a very difficult time looking at the amount of $$$ that HAL wants for postcruise hotels for two nights. By the time we include any tours in Rome, it comes almost to the cost of another cruise! (slight exaggeration but only slight). Any advice on what you have done? Set up independent hotels and just paid the deviation and taken on the risk to get to the airport??? etc
Any help is appreciated.
TIA, Rebecca

[Aussie Gal]

We have always done our precruise and post cruise independently. It is not hard to get to the airport from Rome. We always ask our hotel to organize a taxi, allow 40-50 minutes for the drive, plus 2 hours for check in etc and you will be fine.

I always book our hotels directly on the internet and nothing has ever gone wrong. I know people from the U.S. use priceline and other cheap ways, but I have found dealing with the hotel directly suits us and you do not need to leave a deposit, just a credit card number in case you do not turn up on the first night.

Jennie.

[beargal]

Thanks for the quick reply! We loved Melbourne when we were fortunate enough to stay there back in "96!
Any idea of the cost of transportation from the port to downtown Rome hotels (again not going through HAL)?
Thanks again, Rebecca

[Aussie Gal]

Beargal,

I am so glad that you have been to Melbourne and that you enjoyed our beautiful city.

We were last in Rome in 2002 and from my memory it cost us around $70Aud which would probably be between 30-35Euros. Of course that was when Italy was using lire and we noticed this year in Venice and France that since Euros have come in, everything has nearly doubled though we found the taxi fares in Paris to be the same as when we were last there in 2001.

Hope this helps. Rome is a great city, easy walking and I am sure you will love your time there.

Jennie

[Cauvet]

Unfortunately, Rome is very expensive even if you pay on your own. I read the Euro is now at $1.28!

[dramamama]

There is a great deal of information in the Ports of Call section of CC. We made our own arrangements for a hotel in Rome using tripadvisor.com. You can expect to pay approximately E130 for transportation from the port to Rome. It would be a good idea to hook up with someone in the roll calls to share a ride. This is what we did for our Med cruise in June. Rick Steves books and Frommer's guides are also full of suggestions for hotels and cheap transportation. This is a once in a lifetime trip. Go for it! You can do many things on your own without paying steep prices for ship excursions.

[patticake1448]

We were in the same position, HAL wanted way too much for a post cruise hotel. We had friends that recently honeymooned in Rome and suggested the Hotel Diplomatic. it was a wonderful mid-range hotel in a perfect location. walking distance from absolutely everything. about 170E for two per nite. all the front desk staff we dealt with spoke fluent english and even exchanged dollars to euro for us. the ship offered a transfer to rome for $75 per person. we (three people) ended up paying $200 for a taxi. one of our group tried to negotiate with several for a lower price, but it didn't happen. The ship's transfer would have dropped us at a central location in rome, but the taxi took us straight to our door. it was costly, but you can't dwell on that. rome is a fair distance away, and it will cost one way or another. the cheaper way to go would be to catch a shuttle to the pier gates, then walk about 3/4 miles to the train station, catch the train to Termini Station, then cab or walk it to your hotel. we had way too much luggage for this. have a great trip!

[beargal]

I have been to Rome twice before but it was back in "87 when I was in the Air Force so was traveling much lighter! This time not only is it my husband (who has never been to Rome) but also my 74 year old mother and my sister. I think the biggest issue is how much luggage we will all have! My mother thinks she will be too tired after such a port intensive cruise to really appreciate Rome, while my husband and sister think it will be their only time to see Rome so they want to stay there for a few days. The hotel I stayed at before is showing it is $192 per night per room which includes breakfast. The hotel is walking distance to the Vatican museum.
I ended up making the crusie deposit with the pre-cruise night in Copenhagen but have left the Rome end up in the air for right now.
Thanks again for all your replies.
Rebecca

[xpcdoojk]

We were just in Rome last month, and we stayed at a very nice hotel within in 3 blocks of the Termini Train station for about $240 per night. It is a 30 minute train ride to FCO Leonardo Da Vinci airport. That would be the easiest and cheapest way to go. Obviously, you can get a taxi or take public bus to the airport as well. Tours can be booked thru most of the hotels or on the internet. We booked our hotel thru orbitz.com and I researched hotels by using Tripadvisor.com. We stayed at the Empire Mecenate Palace. We got complimentary continental breakfast which was very good by Italian standards. If you are in good health, Rome is an easy city to walk around. This hotel was also, good for access to the subway, for taking trips of a longer nature around Rome. The public transportation was safe clean and easy to access. You definitely do not want to hire a car(rent a car), as the traffic is heavy and parking non-existent. If you have any specific questions feel free to email me, as I am happy to help. Hotels range from $125 to infinity per night. Our hotel was very deluxe by American standards, with a king bed, TV, Marble bathrooms, in room safe, etc.



jc

[xpcdoojk]

If you want to read a really long trip review, of our trip to Italy here is a link to it.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=86576

I hope you enjoy reading it, if you are interested.

jc

[louiskam]

While planning our Prinsendam 06/16/2005 sailing from Civitavecchia, I find the Rome train ride to the pier is a good alternative. At http://www.trenitalia.com/home/en/index.html the quote is 9,30E 1st class on #534 (45 min. one stop only). Four of us could then take a short taxi-ride (I heard its less than 10 min.) to the terminal. Some say we can get a ride from Rome hotel to the pier for 50,00E. We'll take it if it ever surfaces.

[dramamama]

Make sure that ride is not on a scooter! :) That price sounds just too good to be true;however, you might get a ride to the airport for that price since it is a lot closer.

[louiskam]

That train symbol is "IC".

[jplewis]

WE just returned from a cruise that ended in Rome. We chose to stay at the airport Hilton as our flight was at 7 a.m. and we needed to be at airport by 5 a.m. This gave us a little more sleep. The Hilton has a shuttle bus into town that starts at 8 a.m. and runs until 11 p.m. (or did in Oct.). We booked a guarantee room (paid in advance) and it was 128 euros per night.
We used Airport Shuttle (booked online before we left home) and found another couple on the roll call board to share with us. It was 110 eurosfor two people, 130 for 4 or 6.
There were a lot of people from our cruise staying there (in fact, HAL used it for pre and post cruise).
Also, in Rome there is a bus called the 110 that is an on/off sightseeing bus for about 15 euros that is great. We also got an all day bus pass for 4 euros the second day (after we had found our way around some) and it was a great deal. Just get a good map before you go and then each bus stop lists where the bus is going.
Good luck and have a wonderful time.
Patsy

[Aussie Gal]

Hi Patsy,

Welcome home. I sent you an email last week. Hope you received it.

Jennie

[jplewis]

Jennie, I sent you an e-mail today. Did not get yours. If you don't receive mine, let me know on here.
Patsy

[lipoppop]

Just returned from Rome where we stayed at the Hotel Beverly Hills on Largo Marcello near the Villa Bourgesi museum. They have a web site but don't know the spelling. Very reasonable and will arrange your trip to the airport.

PS Don't miss the museum

[Aussie Gal]

Patsy,

I resent your email, hope you get it! Haven't received yours as yet. Did you send it to lynto@hotmail.com?

Jennie

[mhshapiro]

Check tripadvisor.com for hotels in the vicinity of the Rome airport. They generally are cheaper and several run shuttles into the city center. :)

[Aussie Gal]

Patsy,

Tried to send you another email today and it was rejected. Have you a new email address?


Jennie

[xpcdoojk]

found the best prices at Venere.com for Italian hotels near fuicimino. We stayed at the Europa House Hotel, it was a great price, and a nice new small hotel, they have a shuttle that was reasonable and accomodating to take us to the airport the next morning. Very nice folks. It was in Ostia(sp?).

jc

[jplewis]

Jennie, I just sent you another e-mail just to see if you get it. I did not get the one you resent and I did have your correct address.
Patsy