Port Day in Rome - Experienced Help Needed

I'm having a difficult time seeing you trying to get cabs in busy tourist areas while hauling a baby and a little one.... Seems like you will be wasting precious time getting from one location to the next..

All these things are doable of course for two active adults but with children???

Either take the ships tour or join your Roll Call here on CC and see if anyone has room on their tour.

PS rome cabs also has an excellent reputation though I personally have only used RIL.

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Ditto to Rome in Limo.

Ditto to Rome in Limo.

Also by getting a private ride they will also be getting a tour of Rome so they will see the colesieum pantheon etc

Seriously look into the Rome cabs and ril port excursions

For 500 e roughly they will have privacy .. A car seat... And be able to make stops at all the sites...maybe not inside the colesieum but I know Rome cabs will take them up the hill to view the foroum from up top. Which is the best way IMHO

They will stop on a side street for a 15 minute walk thru of the pantheon

Show you the city walls and the various obilisks (sp) and finally they will arrange a Vatican tour that will end in the basicilica and be waiting for you and will whisk you back to the ship in plenty of time

To those that say it is expensive I say it is cheap for the convenience and efficiency that it will provide especially with a baby not to mention that they will get a history lesson and be able to view things that will be impossible for them with a baby and young child in tow

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Cabs are plentiful. May be a small wait but it will be faster than public transport and less confusing. No one is arguing that RIL or similar aren't great but some people don't have $500 to throw around on transport for the day

I'm having a difficult time seeing you trying to get cabs in busy tourist areas while hauling a baby and a little one.... Seems like you will be wasting precious time getting from one location to the next..

 

All these things are doable of course for two active adults but with children???

 

Either take the ships tour or join your Roll Call here on CC and see if anyone has room on their tour.

 

PS rome cabs also has an excellent reputation though I personally have only used RIL.

 

 

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I would say ships tour or private tour

My vote is private though

As a parent of 4 teen and 20 somethings who has traveled the world with them for years.... The last thing I would want is a family with 2 young kids trying to join up with us on our private tour just to save a few bucks

They should do their own private tour

I have used both ril and Rome cabs

But stefano from cabs is my buddy and will always be first choice for transfers as we diy Rome these days but last cruise we did 5 days pre in Rome so when we ported back there on our cruise we did an Etruscan/lakes/castle tour with Rome cabs that was incredible. I am experienced with driving in Europe but no way would I have gone thru the hassle of getting a car or public transport for that day. 400 e more than well spent.

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Cabs are plentiful. May be a small wait but it will be faster than public transport and less confusing. No one is arguing that RIL or similar aren't great but some people don't have $500 to throw around on transport for the day

Totally agree but they will have a much better experience if they do and trust me it is not just transport for a day. It is a tour of the city at the center of the universe while keeping 2 young kids comfortable and 2 parents sane.

IMHO a Rome port day plus their family dynamic makes it a good value

Of course I love Rome and know it well but I also love quality time there

Not to mention convenience

I would spend the 500 E. not dollars btw considering their family dynamic

But that is just me and that is why I only book insides and drive a 10 year old car. Lol

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We're also travelling with a five year old boy - I don't think we'll be spending three hours anywhere :)

IMHO, keep the kids at home.

Travel before you have them, or after they are old enough to appreciate what you are doing.

I've seen too many parents taking care of kids instead of enjoying a vacation.

Yes, let the flaming begin.:)

IMHO, keep the kids at home.

Travel before you have them, or after they are old enough to appreciate what you are doing.

I've seen too many parents taking care of kids instead of enjoying a vacation.

Yes, let the flaming begin.:)

No flaming but there is a point here

While it is tough to wait, they do tend to grow up way too fast and before you know it they are easy to take to Europe

Our 14 yo was 7 1/2 her first trip to Europe but that was with 3 older sibs as helpers and after several Carib and Disney trips so all of them were very saavy and well versed travelers able to deal with whatever came their way

Dh and I were the most difficult as it was July in Italy!!! Ouch hot.

Back to op. as they are doing this trip and it is booked they should do private tours as I posted earlier

For me I was glad we waited as time flys and we are already planning our 3 rd and 4 th big family Europe trip. Our first was in 2008 and we planned that from 2003. It comes quickly that passage of time. Sadly

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IMHO, keep the kids at home.

Travel before you have them, or after they are old enough to appreciate what you are doing.

I've seen too many parents taking care of kids instead of enjoying a vacation.

Yes, let the flaming begin.:)

I'm not going to flame you. I thought somewhat the same thing but only because this is an exhausting day. My husband and I did a bus tour and hit the high points and we both fell asleep on the bus ride back to port. We're in our forties though so maybe staying up late, getting up early and walking all over Rome was just tiring to us. I can't imagine it with a five year old and baby but they're probably a young couple and can deal with it. You only live once but I don't think I'd do it on my own. Our thinking was if we have to be concerned with how to get to where we're going, we probably aren't going to see as much. I'm sure we didn't see as much by bus as we would have if we'd taken a private tour...but I'm probably not going to remember it all anyway ;)

Some great plans here, although I would be nervous about using the train and cabs. Our port day in Rome was shortened because we were two hours late to disembark (too many ships in the port or something like that).

Our Rome in Limo driver was waiting for us, and we were able to use his knowledge to skip visiting the inside of the Coliseum and just view the Forum from an overlook, then proceed to the Vatican. We had also hired a Vatican guide through them who was absolutely great.

I booked the eight passenger van and the Vatican guide which ran something like 800 Euro, and then advertised in our roll call forum that seats were available at 100 Euro each ... knowing I would have to eat the extra if I only sold 2 other seats. But we filled up quickly with fellow travelers and absolutely loved our day in Rome.

So in the end, it cost us 200 Euro ... less than the ship's tour ... and had a local driving us and a Vatican guide who was doing her dissertation on the Sistine Chapel.

If your husband wants to see the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, and I don't blame him one bit, then you need to split up. This is really no place for a 5 year old. It's crowded, hot, and really, really boring for a 5 year old boy. There's really no easy way to escape when he gets cranky.

Take the 5 year old and 7 month old with you to the Colosseum. At least the 5 year old has some breathing, and if you're lucky, running room at the Colosseum.

If the two kids are too much for you alone, you might consider sending husband with the 7 month old, as I assume she'll be in a stroller. Husband could probably manage this at the Vatican.

Best of luck!

If your husband wants to see the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, and I don't blame him one bit, then you need to split up. This is really no place for a 5 year old. It's crowded, hot, and really, really boring for a 5 year old boy. There's really no easy way to escape when he gets cranky.

 

Take the 5 year old and 7 month old with you to the Colosseum. At least the 5 year old has some breathing, and if you're lucky, running room at the Colosseum.

 

If the two kids are too much for you alone, you might consider sending husband with the 7 month old, as I assume she'll be in a stroller. Husband could probably manage this at the Vatican.

 

Best of luck!

Seriously? Have you ever been to Rome? A family with young kids has no business splitting up in a foreign city. Especially one as hot and crowded as Rome.

Maybe they should consider bringing a babysitter with them though and leaving the kids on the ship with her.

However, A private driver is the answer for this family

And possibly forgoing the Vatican museum as it is stressful for everyone who ever visits there regardless of age but splitting up is ridiculous.

To the op please do not split up and I doubt you even gave it a thought

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Some great plans here, although I would be nervous about using the train and cabs. Our port day in Rome was shortened because we were two hours late to disembark (too many ships in the port or something like that).

 

Our Rome in Limo driver was waiting for us, and we were able to use his knowledge to skip visiting the inside of the Coliseum and just view the Forum from an overlook, then proceed to the Vatican. We had also hired a Vatican guide through them who was absolutely great.

 

I booked the eight passenger van and the Vatican guide which ran something like 800 Euro, and then advertised in our roll call forum that seats were available at 100 Euro each ... knowing I would have to eat the extra if I only sold 2 other seats. But we filled up quickly with fellow travelers and absolutely loved our day in Rome.

 

So in the end, it cost us 200 Euro ... less than the ship's tour ... and had a local driving us and a Vatican guide who was doing her dissertation on the Sistine Chapel.

This!! Except that 800e you quote includes a private Vatican guide which is very nice and we have done it but they could run thru they museum without one if need be and get into the basicilica thru the Sistine chapel back door

I say run as a joke because we all know we slither thru there like sardines

Also forget bringing others in on the tour

I for one would not share with a family with young babies/kids And if any of those share people have kids of their own it sort of defeats the ease and convenience that I think this family should be prioritizing

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If budget does not allow for RIL or such then please do yourself a favor at least for safety and sanity sake.... Take the ships tour, at least your transportation will be there and you can rest assured you will get to the sites they promise....

I think Rome with two little ones is going to be exhausting for all concerned.

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We also highly recommend Romecabs. We have used them a number of times and, for the constraints you describe, they will make the best use of your time. You can get a quote on their website and compare it to r/t train fare for your family plus the costs (considerable) of taxis in Rome. The Vatican can involve hours of waiting time unless you hire a guide which Romecabs can do for you. The Guide uses doors and elevators not available to the crowds or large tour groups. For our money, it seemed to make more sense to be picked up shipside by a trained guide/driver in a spacious van and be delivered quickly directly to the sites chosen and returned at the end of the day to the ship. Romecabs has the permits so they can park literally at the front door of the venues. Probably the only way you will fit in the Vatican group and Colosseum in the same day. Best wishes, as it can be a fantastic tour day.:D

Buy them at Pallantine Hill...you use the same ticket for entering PH and the Colosseum and there is a much shorter line.

 

It's an adventurous day you've planned...the first time we went to Rome we took the NCL "Rome on your own" tour. There was so much to see we just focused on the Forum area, which included the Colosseum. But that's us.

 

Have a wonderful cruise.

I was going to suggest this about the tickets so you aren't in too deep on pre-paying for things and then feel you MUST do them to get your $$ worth. I would also highly suggest that you make the ruins your focus for the day. Plenty of room for the kids to stretch their legs rather than being confined to that horrid shuffle :eek::eek: over in the Vatican Museums. I don't think strollers are even allowed at St. Peter's at all. Save the Vatican for when you can ALL appreciate the art and treasures and not have a melt down inside a terribly over-crowded venue. There are parts where you have NO WHERE to go but forward and the crowd makes that impossible.

EDIT: I speak from experience as mine and my sister's meltdown on an otherwise fabulous 8 day trip to Rome occurred on our Vatican museum day. We were in our forties! :eek::eek:

The keys to successfully travelling with kids is to do things that are on their level. The ruins will fascinate your older child if you properly prepare him with some education and good Gladiator stories! I doubt he could relate to the Vatican Museums. I used to always try to incorporate something touristy and kitschy with kid appeal that I would not normally do as an adult. There is some sort of Back in Time attraction near the Colosseum that kids seem to like. I remember seeing it on Trip Advisor and ads on the buses in Rome.

Forgot about the stroller in the Vatican.... You might be right about that. Hot, crowded and stuffy and it was only April when we went!

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My husband is from Genoa and we've been to Rome a few times and I'm still clueless about a lot of things!! We once took an early train from Genoa to Rome which stopped in Civitavecchia. Lots of people from the cruise ships got on at that stop to head to Rome for the day. And many of them had purchased 'local' train tickets and we were on the 'express' train and so the conductor was trying to collect the ticket price difference and having lots of trouble in the process. My DH tryed to explain to a nearby elderly man in english what the conductor was saying but finally just gave up. The man kept saying, 'no way....a ticket's a ticket'!!. (Traveling is such fun, isn't it?).

One thing I want to point out. I don't think there is too much time difference in how long the trip into Rome is on either train (there is only a few stops on the local) but I think one of the stops is closer to the Vatican and so you wouldn't go all the way in to Rome and back-track. Maybe someone will see this and know or perhaps you check on this somehow.

Many years ago we spent a week in Rome and 3 of those days were spent exploring the Vatican area...and we still didn't see everything. So I think that you may not get to see all the other stuff. You will just have to go back again some day...shucks!

Everyone got so into this post! I thank all of you for your input. I'll summarize and answer some of the questions:

We are in our mid 30s and have travelled extensively with our first (multiple trips to Orlando, an RC cruise, Vancouver, PEI, California, Arizona, Nashville, Aruba...). It's not daunting to us at all.

We probably wouldn't even be contemplating this trip if our second wasn't an easygoing baby - she only cries when she wants more food (she must have a hollow leg).

As you can imagine, we have spent a significant amount on this cruise and the idea of spending another $600+ CAD just on transport is tough to swallow (RIL quoted us 450 Euros). Try explaining that to my husband when the train ticket costs $8 CAD (first class) one way.

In terms of crowds and lines, my kid has lined up at Disney World when he was younger so it doesn't phase us I guess. We're always prepared with activities and nothing's better than a good game of I Spy.

Thanks for the heads up re: strollers. I will look into that. We have a carrier for the little one so we don't have to push her. I'm thinking maybe we don't pre-pay for Colosseum and go to PH to purchase if we decide we have time to do it.

And we're already planning a Kids Free trip at some point in the future. Just not this one!

I'm back. I found a site that talked about the trains between Civitavecchia and Rome. The local train makes 4 stops between Civitavecchia and Termini station in Rome and one of those is San Pietro...or St. Peters Square. (The express makes makes one stop at a place I never heard of). The local train fare is about half that of the express...no wonder the conductor had his hand out that time!!

The local train IS a little slower in addition to making the stops but getting you close to where you want to go should be a big plus. I think.

There is an express train in the am and on the return (1 each way per day) that makes NO stops. That one is around 40 minutes. There are other trains that make fewer stops and then locals. All but that true express take anywhere from 55 minutes-70minutes or so. Worth it to plan for those express trains.

I don't think OP was looking for parenting advice. We have one that would have been a perfect gentlemen even if he were bored, one who would have been fidgety but very interested and excited in what she was seeing and one who would have been yelling and running and bouncing off the walls at that age. All depends on the kid and what he or she is used to. Only the OP gets to make that call.

The train and a few taxis will be just fine. Not sure about all these horror stories. It was simple and pleasant. As for weather, It is mid-October not the dead of summer, it won't be deadly hot. This family will have a nice day and see some great things. They'll rest up when they get home LOL

There is an express train in the am and on the return (1 each way per day) that makes NO stops. That one is around 40 minutes. There are other trains that make fewer stops and then locals. All but that true express take anywhere from 55 minutes-70minutes or so. Worth it to plan for those express trains.

 

I don't think OP was looking for parenting advice. We have one that would have been a perfect gentlemen even if he were bored, one who would have been fidgety but very interested and excited in what she was seeing and one who would have been yelling and running and bouncing off the walls at that age. All depends on the kid and what he or she is used to. Only the OP gets to make that call.

 

The train and a few taxis will be just fine. Not sure about all these horror stories. It was simple and pleasant. As for weather, It is mid-October not the dead of summer, it won't be deadly hot. This family will have a nice day and see some great things. They'll rest up when they get home LOL

One diapering gone wrong or a missed meal can derail the best of plans for families with small children no matter what the family is used to doing. Just trying to set realistic expectations. You are, of course, correct that it's their decision and it's a good thing that they are hearing BOTH the best case and worst cases of touring Rome in a day!

For the record, my meltdown in the Vatican museums occurred in mid- October. Heat was not a factor but the pressing crowd and endless shuffle certainly was still present!

Well, you probably should have done some homework. Of course, there was a huge, pressing crowd in the confined space of the Vatican museums and, as is reported everywhere, it is a long slow walk to the Sistine chapel. Every single time.

I am sure they will be fine like the 1000s of other families that travel the world everybday

I think I'm the one that's likely to get "hangry" - either way, we know the watch outs and will play it by ear based on crowds, kids and energy level. Our must stop was the Vatican and we've got it covered and we'll go from there. It won't be our last trip to Rome (I hope!).

Connie - your post made me smile. Now any advice on Livorno? LOL

Sure. We did Pisa from Livorno and wound up liking it much, much more than we thought. We disembarked immediately and grabbed a taxi at the port for the train. Somewhere I read it was walking distance from the port. This is absolutely NOT true. Get a cab. When we arrived, we took a local bus to the Leaning tower but if I did it over again, I'd just spend a few extra and cab it. It was a long bus ride because of lots of stops. Out reward for getting there early was an empty leaning tower area perfect for pictures. We did climb to the top which was cool but not a must do. The leaning tower and all the buildings in that square were absolutely stunning. The color of the marble changed in the light. I am glad we didn't miss it. As we were done, throngs of people were arriving and crushing into the square. We were glad to have missed that.

We walked back to the train and we were very pleasantly surprised with how nice the town was. We had the best gelato of the entire trip and enjoyed just strolling. The souvenir stands around the tower were some of the best we saw all trip so be sure to check those out.

It was a bit of a "light" day for us since all of the others were so busy. We enjoyed most of the afternoon back on the ship.