Rome excursions

[DianeLikesToTravel]

I'll be on a September sailing, stopping in Rome. I am wondering about two of the excursions Viking is offering -- one free and one for a fee. Both go into Rome. The free tour takes passengers into/out of the city with a highlights tour and, I'm pretty sure, some narration. The paid tour takes passengers into/out of Rome with no highlights commentary. At least that's how I'm reading it. Since those of you sailing now will be stopping in Rome, I am hoping someone can elaborate on how these are different. Why offer commentary on the free tour and offer nothing but transportation on the paid tour?

 

How was it exiting the ship? How long did it take you to get from the ship to the city? Are they spacing the free tours throughout the day or are they all going out in the morning?

[sitraveler]

Funny you should ask.

 

We originally chose the Rome on your own excursion, at a price, but when we realized the Borghese museum would be closed on Monday changed to the included tour.

The included tour was as described, after a guided walk about near the Forum we left the tour which was going to the Vatican for free time. We went on our way and rejoined the group at St Peters about 4 1/2 hours later for the return to the ship.

Both tours were about the same total length of time. We found the guided walk useful, even though we had been in the Coliseum and the Forum on our own on previous visits to Rome.

The drive time is over 1 hour each way.

Because of the length of time this tour takes, all the buses left at about the same time.

You could just take the train yourself, but it's your choice.

[sitraveler]

The Rome on your own was 8:00 am-6:00 pm.

 

Highlight of Rome. 7:45-6:15

8:15-6:45

8:30-7:00

 

The end time was at the ship. The buses were extremely punctual.

We met in the theater 15 minutes before each tour.

[DianeLikesToTravel]

I still can't figure out why they offer a part-guided tour for free and charge for a non-guided tour. The departure times and length of time are about the same. People are asked to pay $69 for what?

[jlp879]

Perhaps the $69 is just the cost of the transportation from the port of Cittavechia to the center of Rome.

 

I'm guessing it's so one wouldn't have to worry about taking the train into Rome if you were going to sightsee on your own.

[DianeLikesToTravel]

I could understand $69 to cover transportation, but the free tour also includes transportation into Rome.

[sitraveler]

Why?

 

The world wonders.