Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Civitavecchia hotel says they're overbooked and we must move

Orator

By Orator,
in Celebrity Cruises

 Share

Recommended Posts

Cycles upside

Cycles upside

Posted
Posted

We just got back from a transatlantic cruise and had the same thing happen to us 2 days before the cruise so we took their offer to be moved to their suggestion.  It was the Mercure Sunbay and without going into details it was a terrible experience.  I booked the hotel a year in advance.  My suggestion would be to try and find something on vrbo.  Good luck!  I hope you have a better experience than what we had.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Littlegov

Littlegov

Posted
Posted
On 11/2/2018 at 3:03 PM, Orator said:

Just received an email from a hotel in Civitavecchia that they will not honor our paid reservation that was made in February for our stay on November 11th.They offered to move us to an inferior hotel that costs half the price. They did not offer a price reduction. I've sent them a copy of my original reservation so they have all the details. Are there any hotels within easy distance of FCO?

We usually stay at one of the airport Hiltons instead ofCivi. Take cab in A.M and usually share with someone from cruise roll. One Hilton is walking distance, the other short ride from airport.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 3 weeks later...
BosoxI

BosoxI

Posted
Posted (edited)

I'm anxiously awaiting Orator's next posting naming the hotel, but I'm betting this is the San Georgio.  My last trip to Civitavecchia was a good one partly because I covered my bets with the SG  without paying up front by booking a second hotel and canceling the SG a month in advance.  I got cold feet when visiting Trip Advisor and seeing that some folks were put in an inferior hotel but were not allowed to pay that hotel directly.  Seemed there was a chance the SG was pocketing the difference, though, to be fair, I couldn't determine that for sure.  Forse ladri.  At least Orator got a week's notice which is more than most have gotten.

Edited by BosoxI
Link to comment
Share on other sites
BosoxI

BosoxI

Posted
Posted

Now I'm curious as to whether there is a pattern.  Some say those who booked at the lower rates have been bumped, but I wonder if it's random or based on timing.  I have seen people claim, accurately, no doubt, they paid in full a year in advance and still received the bad news.  Has anyone with an Italian surname had a problem?:classic_tongue:

1 hour ago, Tealing said:

We stayed there in October before our cruise and had no problem. Service was excellent and they even arranged a shuttle to the port.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Hlitner "Live from...." Rare

Hlitner

Posted
Posted

The San Giorgio has a long time reputation of being very unreliable regarding the honoring of reservations.  Personally we would not give this hotel the time of day.  If all cruisers boycotted the place they would quickly need to change their policy or quickly go bankrupt.    As frequent independent travelers we cannot take a chance on a hotel which apparently has no qualms about overbooking and canceling folks at the last minute.   There are plenty of other local hotels that are reliable.  That being said, we would not generally recommend spending a night in Civitavecchia since there are plenty of better locations within reasonable range of the port.  When it comes to the FCO area hotels, we will use them if we have an early morning flight but otherwise prefer locations that are more convenient to restaurants and/or shopping.  Even the nearby city of Fiumcino has its charms (it is a sea resort) with plenty of decent restaurants, hotels and Inns.  Rome is a great option for cruisers as its easy to get between FCO and Rome and between Civitavecchia and Rome.   With a rental car many other options open up such as spending a night in Orvieto.  

 

Hank 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Hlitner "Live from...." Rare

Hlitner

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, cruising teacher said:

Stayed at San Giorgio several times and did not have a problem. This happened to us in Barcelona. I was not pleased. Is this a European thing? Will stay at the Hilton by the airport on our next cruise from Rome.

Not sure it is a "European thing."  We have traveled, pretty extensively, throughout Western Europe...mostly by rental or leased car.  Over the decades we have stayed in many smaller local hotels, some Inns, Agritourismo's, and rental properties.  We have never had an issue with our reservations, although there have been a couple of times when we refused to check-in when the accommodations where not as promised.

 

Hank 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
goofysmom99

goofysmom99

Posted
Posted (edited)

Last year was the first time I stayed in Civi prior to a cruise (also use Hotel Tiber in Fiumicino).  Reserved San Giorgio and when I arrived there my single room wasn't available.  However, the hotel I was switched to had a gigantic, romantic room, with king size bed, French doors leading to a balcony (with bistro table and chairs), overlooking the sea.  The manager of the San Giorgio drove me there in his Mercedes, picked me up again to take me back for our precruise dinner gathering, and then returned me to the hotel.  Next morning, the great big bus picked up 5 or 6 of us and took us to the ship before heading to the San Giorgio to pick up everyone staying there.  Anyway, it was a mind-blowing, incredible experience.  That said, I don't think I'll chance the San Giorgio again and will stick with the Hotel Tiber in Fiumicino.

 

Finally found the name of the substitute hotel - Mercure Civitavecchia Sunbay Park Hotel

Edited by goofysmom99
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
hcat "Live from...." Rare

hcat

Posted
Posted (edited)
12 hours ago, Orator said:

It was San Giorgio. By the way, the cruise has been wonderful. Great crew on Constellation and the best behaved passengers in a long time. 

Wow...we had a great stay there..I believe we may have booked through a booking site...Good to know they are not always  to be trusted ...reluctant to  book with them again. 

 

Even Celeb has overbooked at times and caused angst to folks they tried to cancel last minute.

 

Glad the trip is going well

Edited by hcat
Link to comment
Share on other sites
♒︎ NautiX ♒︎

♒︎ NautiX ♒︎

Posted
Posted

We stayed 4 times in this hotel: first time upon arrival they told us our room was flooded, so they had to move us to another - inferior - hotel. They did offer us a free dinner at their own restaurant, but with very restricted menu and we were served as "the ones with the free dinner". Second time we were told again our room was unfortunately flooded - what a coincidence - so we told them what happened previous time and we wouldn't move until they gave us a room. They did. As they did the third and fourth time. But on each of these occasions, we could hear them telling other guests the same story about a flooded room and sending them to another hotel. So, we have decided not to book there anymore. When my wife and I talk about this hotel, we prefer to call it "San Floodio".  

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Wansbrough

Wansbrough

Posted
Posted
On 11/24/2018 at 7:57 AM, Orator said:

It was San Giorgio. By the way, the cruise has been wonderful. Great crew on Constellation and the best behaved passengers in a long time. 

1

 

We stopped there in 2014 and had read about the same thing occurring prior to our stay. It seems this thing still happens.

I made the point of contacting them to raise the issue and fortunately for us everything worked out okay. We had a really great stay there but I do admit to feeling apprehensive until we had actually checked in. 

If we sail from Civitavecchia again I will look elsewhere. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...