Celebrity cruises city stay in Rome

[jman101]

Had anyone ever booked this city stay at the end of a cruise in Rome Italy? We have booked it, but it's very pricey for two nights, three day city stay. Just wondered if anyone has used it and think its good or bad

Edited March 13 by jman101

[Jeremiah1212]

I've never really understood why anyone would buy this to be honest. For example:

 

Day 1 is as Vatican tour that is simple to book yourself. 

 

Day 2 is a walking tour of the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon (no entry) and Piazza Navona. All of this is essentially free and the timing suggests the tour is finished before lunch. 

 

Day 3 is nothing. 

 

On the next cruise I have it available two nights plus hotel breakfast is approximately $840 dollars to book on your own.  Figure another $250 for tours if necessary. Celebrity's price is $2,500. 

[jman101]

1 hour ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

I've never really understood why anyone would buy this to be honest. For example:

 

Day 1 is as Vatican tour that is simple to book yourself. 

 

Day 2 is a walking tour of the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon (no entry) and Piazza Navona. All of this is essentially free and the timing suggests the tour is finished before lunch. 

 

Day 3 is nothing. 

 

On the next cruise I have it available two nights plus hotel breakfast is approximately $840 dollars to book on your own.  Figure another $250 for tours if necessary. Celebrity's price is $2,500. 

Thanks for the honest review Jeremiah. We have had the same conversation here. Booked with our $1200 cabin credit and CC. Both easily refundable. I am online gathering our own package to see how we feel about it. Using Viator App and Italytours.eu.  I have used Vator many times. Italytours.eu was recommended by a travel agent friend.

 

It seems like with Celebrity we grab excursions and such just so we don't get locked out.

 

On another side with this City Stay does offer the security of knowing we get the transfers and make times.

 

Judd

[wanderlust58]

Jeremiah is absolutely correct.  Paying Celebrity this kind of money for an easily arranged few days in Rome is nuts. Their Day 2 is particularly scary.  Powering through a  1/2 day to accomplish all those sites would require rockets on your tennis shoes for what essentially would be a drive-by visits.  I'd eat, drink or massage your way through all that OBC. Here are a few websites that may help you with planning.  

 

www.booking.com  for easy comparison of hotels. Be careful to book rooms that can be cancelled if that is a concern.  Cheaper rates are usually tied to no-refund cancellations.

 

www.toursbylocals.com  for private or small group tour guides.  What may seem pricey can be a real bargain if you have limited time and specific interests.  

 

www.ricksteves.com  will help you with general planning.  A quick trip the library for his Rome guide will give you everything you need for a short visit--names of hotels, restaurants and guides, walking tours, maps, safety tips, and a travel forum to ask fellow travelers questions (or just to read for their comments)

 

https://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en.html for all things Vatican.  I can heartily recommend the after-hours tours, either the early morning or late afternoon tour and cocktails. As many times as we've been there, the museum is a mob-scene.  Unless you have specific goals there, I'd be tempted to skip it.  However, on the flipside, the Vatican-run tours take you to parts of the museum that many people don't see.  If you're on one of their tours, you can see the Sistine Chapel with 30 people instead of hundreds.  It's wonderful to sit on the sidelines and take your time to focus on it rather than looking straight up from standing and being jostled by the mob. Not nearly as expensive as you might expect. 

 

Wherever you are planning to go, give yourself some time cushion as lines are long (even with advance-purchase tickets) and crowds are big.  Always buy tickets in advance, never wait in line to buy tickets. This will save you hours.  Many places have timed entrances.  Some museums/sites only have online ticket sales. 

 

Sites like  rome.net give good general information.  So does www.lonelyplanet.com.  Google is your friend here. 

 

Personally, I don't use Viatour because they are a third party vendor.  You can generally book tours directly with the company or site for less.  I'd also skip the Hop-On, Hop-Off bus, as traffic really slows down the route.   Trams, busses and the subway can get you anywhere you want to go.Rome is easily walkable too. Have fun!  Rome is a wonderful city--we have been there a dozen times, and always find new treasures and things to do.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

Good waste of OBC is to book a city stay with Celebrity 

Book a private transportation to Rome maybe 100€, taxi to Rome to airport flat fee of 40€ $150 USD 

a very good hotel 200€ a night or book a very nice Airbnb for 200€ a night , 400€ , $430 USD 

you can find tours for $100 usd each day , so $400 for tour for 2  

grand total $1000 ish USD 

we spend 4 night pre cruise with our daughter and her husband , 2 bedroom Airbnb beside the Vatican Museum for $450 USD 

I bet we didn’t spend $200 on tours for the 4 of us , transfer to port was $135 for 4 

i find the researching trip the most fun 

 

 

[Mr. Click]

Check out Albergo dela Senato.  Very nice hotel right on the Pantheon Square so it is easy walking distance to most of the other sites other than the Vatican.  We have stayed there in the past and loved it. Great staff, good included breakfast.  Rome Cabs (romecabs.com) is great for getting from the port to the city. They are always on time, always smiling and waiting. Check out your roll call and  make your own group for that transit, it saves money and time.

[jman101]

Fabulous information, everyone!
 

we definitely are going to take a different direction on this and cancel our city stay. Thanks for all the websites in the recommendations. experience is so valuable.

 

judd

[diesel1973]

I also agree to Rome on your own. Have been there 6+ times and love being on our own. Transportation is easily accessible and there are plenty of hotels. We stay at the Hotel Quirinale which is the oldest hotel in Rome and the ambiance is awesome. It has an outdoor garden area where you can dine in and listen to music provided . Also it is next to the Opera Hall and can hear the performances..Makes me wish I was back there now. Good luck with your choice.

[NMTraveller]

Way too much.  Just stay on your own and book tours and enjoy at your own pace.

[kleibo]

15 hours ago, Mr. Click said:

Check out Albergo dela Senato.  Very nice hotel right on the Pantheon Square so it is easy walking distance to most of the other sites other than the Vatican.  We have stayed there in the past and loved it. Great staff, good included breakfast.  Rome Cabs (romecabs.com) is great for getting from the port to the city. They are always on time, always smiling and waiting. Check out your roll call and  make your own group for that transit, it saves money and time.

We also stayed at the Albergo Del Senato.  It was a perfect location.  There are also cabs right next to the Pantheon that are always there to jump into.

[duchesslt]

Hi! I booked the Sina Bernini Bristol in Rome and Colloseum/Pantheon day 1 plus Vatican day 2 Viator tours for much less than Celebrity's price. 

[mahdnc]

Another vote for doing post-cruise Rome on your own and bypassing Celebrity's more expensive offering.  The Celebrity option is good for people that want to do zero planning.  My wife and I did a pre-cruise stay in Rome for 5 nights before our Oct 2022 trans-Atlantic and we LOVED it.  We stayed at the Albergo del Senato and really liked it although there are other great hotels out there at different price points.  It's nice to be able to have dinner in Rome and to explore the city in the evening.

 

Pantheon late at night when the crowds are gone.  Oct 2022.

Edited March 14 by mahdnc

[jman101]

2 hours ago, kleibo said:

We also stayed at the Albergo Del Senato.  It was a perfect location.  There are also cabs right next to the Pantheon that are always there to jump into.

Unfortunately the Albergo Del Senato is sold out .

[Folsomdoc]

Buy the Rick Steves Rome book. Get the paper version, not the e-version, so you can rip out pages as you need them when touring. Rome is chaotic but easy. Cabs are abundant and yes, the driver will take you on a roundabout ride if you don’t know where you are going. Expect it, roll with it. Try the Lancelot Hotel. A quiet neighborhood but spitting distance to the Coliseum and Roman Forum. 

Edited March 14 by Folsomdoc

[goofysmom99]

3 hours ago, jman101 said:

Unfortunately the Albergo Del Senato is sold out .

The Hotel Abruzzi (Albergo Abruzzi) is exactly next door to Albergo del Senato.  I've stayed in both and actually liked the Abruzzi better.  If you're able bodied (stairs) and it's available, their annex room was my all-time favorite.  It's one story up, not in the main hotel, and it was utterly delightful to hang out the windows and watch the goings-on at all hours.  BTW, they'll help you with your luggage.  I can't manage a flight of stairs anymore so have had to settle on the main hotel (elevator).  Late October is my favorite time to visit Rome.  Have fun!

[Oceangoer2]

21 hours ago, Mr. Click said:

Check out Albergo dela Senato.  Very nice hotel right on the Pantheon Square so it is easy walking distance to most of the other sites other than the Vatican.  We have stayed there in the past and loved it. Great staff, good included breakfast.  Rome Cabs (romecabs.com) is great for getting from the port to the city. They are always on time, always smiling and waiting. Check out your roll call and  make your own group for that transit, it saves money and time.

The hotel will also connect you with a Rome tour and driver..reasonable pricing....Rome In Limo.

info@albergodelsenato.it

Edited March 14 by Oceangoer2

[Lastdance]

22 hours ago, Mr. Click said:

Check out Albergo dela Senato.  Very nice hotel right on the Pantheon Square so it is easy walking distance to most of the other sites other than the Vatican.  We have stayed there in the past and loved it. Great staff, good included breakfast.  Rome Cabs (romecabs.com) is great for getting from the port to the city. They are always on time, always smiling and waiting. Check out your roll call and  make your own group for that transit, it saves money and time.

We always stay at Albergo Del Senato; been there four times now and have two favorite suites.  Walking into the Pantheon at the beginning of the morning before the crowds is absolutely heavenly.  It is not worth it any other time of the day!  Plus, you are so close and can see it from many different rooms/suites. Places in Italy are so crowded nowadays.  I stayed in an airbnb last year in Sorrento and it was a mad house, in early May.  Make sure you start your days very early in the mornings!  For me, Split/Croatia, Zakynthos/Greece, and Algarve area in Portugal are excellent and not quite as crowded.  Enjoy, as travel is the continuing education of a lifetime!

 

Excursions by ship are never as good as those private ones that you research and book yourself, but having OBC is a little different, especially if you have nothing better to do with it and you are not that picky!

Edited March 14 by Lastdance

[Lastdance]

On 3/13/2024 at 9:52 AM, Jeremiah1212 said:

I've never really understood why anyone would buy this to be honest. For example:

 

Day 1 is as Vatican tour that is simple to book yourself. 

 

Day 2 is a walking tour of the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon (no entry) and Piazza Navona. All of this is essentially free and the timing suggests the tour is finished before lunch. 

 

Day 3 is nothing. 

 

On the next cruise I have it available two nights plus hotel breakfast is approximately $840 dollars to book on your own.  Figure another $250 for tours if necessary. Celebrity's price is $2,500. 

I totally agree...that price is outrageous; prices from Celebrity in many cased are just huge red lights and a money-grab, IMHO!  I guess if one has lots of OBC to burn...?

[jman101]

Thanks everyone for the great info! We are in the process of canceling our city stay with Celebrity Cruises. We are long time Celebrity cruisers and this the first time we have not been able to cancel online or by phone. We were instructed to email the city stay department and request the cancellation, but so far no response. Not usual for me Celebrity.

 

we tried to book the Albego Dela Senato but it is sold out for our days. We did book the Hotel Abruzzi which is next door. Should be great. Using all your suggestions to plan the rest of the trip.

 

Judd Scott

[Torfamm]

On 3/13/2024 at 6:26 PM, jman101 said:

Fabulous information, everyone!
 

we definitely are going to take a different direction on this and cancel our city stay. Thanks for all the websites in the recommendations. experience is so valuable.

 

judd

I recommend Rome Cabs if you want a private transfer from the port.
 

https://www.romecabs.com/transferservice/civitavecchia/

 

You might try City Wonders for some easy city tours . As an example, I just suggested to a relative visiting pre-cruise for the first time that if they want to see the highlights in 2 days - do the Colosseum tour with arena floor access on the first afternoon, the Vatican with the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s the next morning and the Best of Rome Walking tour that afternoon.
 

They are staying at the DoubleTree by Hilton Rome Monti which is very near the Colosseum.

https://citywonders.com/rome-tours?gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw48-vBhBbEiwAzqrZVBR5ZQMXyJSzjAXk98WE0Nf-AE0irOqpFYKeWw9euE9kvyGgMP95xBoC-08QAvD_BwE

[keysey222]

We booked a pre-cruise stay to Iguazu Falls during a 50% off shore excursion promotion and that was the only way we found it remotely worth the cost. I haven't seen one of these promos in awhile, but if you really want to do their Rome tour, keep your eyes peeled for a promo. If you already booked, just rebook. At half off, it's almost worthwhile. Otherwise, I'd just do the tours on your own and book your own hotel. 

[Arizona Wildcat]

Think someone else made a comment on this.  Unless you absolutely positively want someone to do everything for you; book a hotel for 3 nights.  There are also great Airbnb choices near the Vatican and Roman ruins.  Need to get somewhere too far to walk - Uber is cheap and easy.

You can visit what you want, when you want and do it for about half the cost.  Also easy to book day tours with pickup and dropoff at your hotel.

[Bill Miller]

Hotel Ariston

https://www.hotelariston.it/en/  

From Termini Station to Hotel Ariston only 3 minutes on foot. 

FROM - Rome's "Leonardo da Vinci" airport with the "Leonardo Express" train which will take you to Termini station in 30 minutes.

FROM - Express Train to Civitavecchia leaves Termini every hour. Or from Civitavecchia to Termini Station. Very inexpensive.

We stayed at the Hotel Ariston last October during the Ryders Cup golf tournament and it was busy with Ryders Cup fans.

We enjoyed good rates, booking directly thru the hotels web site. Rooms are clean and AC worked great. Room furniture by IKEA, but that wasn't a big issue when you are enjoying magnificent Rome.

Across the street from the Ariston are several sidewalk cafes, cold beer in large mugs and simple menu choices. Taxis pile up on the street looking for fares, so travelling to swankier dining choices is easy.

It's easy to hop a taxi for the quick ride to popular tourist spots. Taxis are set up with credit card readers so you don't have to fumble with currency. 

We were there on a Friday and Saturday. On Sunday this religious city shuts down to a very slow pace, but we were off to the airport for a flight to London so it didn't matter. A quick walk around the block we were in the train station, no hassle with taxis.

We only have English as a language and yet the whole visit was very comfortable. 

Wishing you,  A Bon Voyage!

[Joanne G.]

I'm traveling solo on my cruise this summer than ends in Rome.   I ended up booking a one-night City Stay during a 50% off Black Friday flash sale, like @keysey222.   For transportation into Rome, the Vatican tour, the hotel, and transportation to the airport, it was worth it to me.  Probably I could have done better (cheaper) on my own, but sometimes, to me, convenience is worth paying a little more.  And I figured it saved me some hotel research, as I assumed (hopefully not mistakenly) that Celebrity would use a nice hotel.  But I would not have purchased the package without the 50% off.  

 

By the time I later decided I wanted a couple more nights in Rome, the sale was over, and the three-night package was way too much for me.  So I booked a couple extra nights on my own at the same hotel.   (I know I may forfeit the airport transportation if I am not going to the airport with the one-night group.  I will ask if I can join the three-night people back to the airport.   If not, that's ok). 

 

The pre-cruise City Stays in Barcelona for my cruise are ridiculously high, much higher than those in Rome, and even during the flash sale the price was unappealing.    So, I passed on any of those.  

Edited March 16 by Joanne G.