Rome - St. Peter's Scavi Tour and timing

[bottomfeeder]

My cruise will be in Civitavecchia from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. I was lucky enough to be able to get tickets for the Scavi tour at St. Peter's at 3:00 that day. The tours last 1.5 hours. My question is, if immediately after the tour (once we stop back at the office and pick up our checked backpack) we head to the metro stop and take the first available train back to Civitavecchia, will we get back in time with no issues?

 

It will be a Monday so rush hour and all that comes into play.

 

I hate to turn down a chance to take part in this tour, but I'm a little nervous about the timing. Hopefully one of you with more Rome experience than I can reassure me (or confirm my suspicions, I suppose!)

 

Thanks!

[euro cruiser]

How much of a risk taker are you?

 

If everything works right, it can be done, so the risk assessment is about how likely it is that all will work right.

 

The tour lasts between 90 - 105 minutes and ends in the lower level of St. Peter's. From there it's actually not far to the bag check, so you should be able to get there quickly. There's really no option for leaving the tour early, so don't count on that.

 

Let's say you end the tour at 4:45, get your bag and exit the basilica at 5 PM. The closest train station is San Pietro, it would cost you time to get to Termini and there's no fast train that will help at that point, so there's no benefit to going to Termini.

 

There is a 5:29 train from Roma San Pietro that arrives at Civitavecchia at 6:20 PM, which should be enough time to get to your ship for a 7 PM sailaway, if every single thing goes right.

 

If there is a cab available at the Civitavecchia station (not a given, but a possibility), I'd spend the money in this situation to have them drive you right to the ship, vs. hoping for a shuttle bus from the port entrance.

 

Assuming that your next port is either Livorno or Naples, I'd also have a "Plan B" that includes where you're going to spend the night and how you'd get to the next port (both easy to do). In fact, why don't you consider planning to spend the night in town and catch up with your ship at the next port?

[bottomfeeder]

Thank you for responding so quickly! Eek, I don't know if I am up for that tight a schedule. Wouldn't I have to be onboard a certain amount of time prior to the sailing time also? So I couldn't just board at 6:50 p.m. for a 7 p.m. sailing time could I?

 

I see there is a 4:59 PM train from San Pietro that gets to Civ at 5:57 which seems like much better timing. Maybe if we plan to travel extremely light so that we don't need to check bags at St. Peters, and thus eliminate that stop to pick them up on the way out, we could make the 4:59? We will have BIRG tickets so won't need to stop and buy them, and I understand the train station is small so HOPEFULLY we could get there and on the train in 10 -15 minutes?

 

Do you think if I mention to the guide that we need to make that 4:59 train that we might be able to get out a bit early if things run past 4:30?

 

I know even then we are setting ourselves up for problems if the train is delayed, but I tend to think that there will be a number of folks taking those last couple trains back to the ship so hopefully they would wait for us!

[cruisemom42]

I believe there was another poster a few months ago with a quite similar dilemma as regards the Scavi tour and timing at the end of the day. Maybe they will see this and post how the situation was resolved. Or you can do a search (if it's working) to see what suggestions were made.

 

My first thought is to email the Vatican office back and see if there is an earlier time available. Given that you're there in November, it's just possible they can give you an earlier time slot, depending on how many tickets you need.

 

If that isn't an option, and you're determined to try to fit this in, here are my suggestions.

 

As regards the timing, if your tour ends at 4:30 and you must get to the ship by 6:30 (usual all aboard is 30 minutes before sailing), you really only have one possible train that will work for you and it departs Roma San Pietro station at 4:59 pm, arriving in Civitavecchia at 5:57 pm. (Note: you can't go to the Metro station, it doesn't take you to Civitavecchia...... and you won't have time to backtrack to Termini.) This gives you about half an hour to get from the Vatican to the San Pietro station, and another 30 minutes from the station to the ship.

 

Things that could go wrong with this plan:

• You don't make it to San Pietro station in time to catch this train -- the next train doesn't leave until around 4:30 and arrives Civi at about 6:20, so I wouldn't really consider it an option. Although it's technically possible you could make it back IF the ship will allow you onboard later than 6:30.
  
• Your train is full when it gets to San Pietro station and you cannot get aboard the 4:59 train.
  
• Your train is late departing Roma and arriving Civi.
  

What I would do to mitigate the risks:

• Make sure you already have your ticket for the return train (either your BIRG, if you're planning to get one, or the regular fare).
  
• Plan to depart the Scavi tour as expeditiously as possible. Once you get to the upper grotto where the recent Popes are buried, be prepared to dash upstairs to the basilica and out the front doors.
  
• There is a taxi stand just outside the colonnade surrounding the piazza. I cannot recall the exact location as I've not used a taxi there in a while but I know it's marked on Rick Steves' map of the Vatican.
  
• Get a taxi asap to the San Pietro station.
  
• Have a backup plan. For example, as you get to San Pietro station, if you think you may have missed the train, you could ask the taxi driver if he would wait a few minutes. If you get inside and find you've missed the train, you could ask the driver to take you to Civitavecchia. Expensive, yes, but probably your best hope of getting back to the ship on time.
  

Where does you ship go after Rome? ;)

 

 

Edited to add: Ack!! Eurocruiser beat me to it!

[cruisemom42]

Thank you for responding so quickly! Eek, I don't know if I am up for that tight a schedule. Wouldn't I have to be onboard a certain amount of time prior to the sailing time also? So I couldn't just board at 6:50 p.m. for a 7 p.m. sailing time could I?

 

I see there is a 4:59 PM train from San Pietro that gets to Civ at 5:57 which seems like much better timing. Maybe if we plan to travel extremely light so that we don't need to check bags at St. Peters, and thus eliminate that stop to pick them up on the way out, we could make the 4:59? We will have BIRG tickets so won't need to stop and buy them, and I understand the train station is small so HOPEFULLY we could get there and on the train in 10 -15 minutes?

 

Do you think if I mention to the guide that we need to make that 4:59 train that we might be able to get out a bit early if things run past 4:30?

 

I know even then we are setting ourselves up for problems if the train is delayed, but I tend to think that there will be a number of folks taking those last couple trains back to the ship so hopefully they would wait for us!

 

1. You definitely do NOT want to check bags.

 

2. Most of the Vatican tour is underground and it is tightly scheduled. You'll find there is a group in front of you and behind you, most of the time. I doubt the guide could speed it up even if he/she wanted to, and your first opportunity to leave the tour is the Popes' grotto (see my previous post.

 

3. Don't count on the ship to wait for you. That's dangerous thinking. If their own tours run late, they will make an effort to wait. But if you are on your own, then......well, you are on your own. :cool:

[bottomfeeder]

Thanks! Oh, I wouldn't count on the ship to wait for me. I just meant, I expect I would be far from the only ship passenger on that train, so if there are enough of us delayed the ship may wait. :)

 

I will check with them. They first gave me 9 a.m. and I already asked once and they changed it to 3 p.m. which makes me think there is probably nothing available in between but it is worth checking again I guess!

[NancyIL]

Assuming that your next port is either Livorno or Naples, I'd also have a "Plan B" that includes where you're going to spend the night and how you'd get to the next port (both easy to do). In fact, why don't you consider planning to spend the night in town and catch up with your ship at the next port?

 

I think Plan B makes a great Plan A, too - unless your next port isn't in Italy!

[eh2zed]

It can't do any harm at this point to explain your dilemma and see if they can give you an earlier time. If you cannot switch then do as cruisemom says; don't have any bag you need to store and leave as soon as you enter the grotto (there is no way to leave earlier). And be prepared to incur the expense of a cab to the port if things don't go like clockwork. It is a great tour and I would personally risk it.

[bottomfeeder]

The next port is Naples but I really hate to miss a night of the cruise! :) I really hate to miss the Scavi too, though...hmm..

[Zukini]

Another alternative you might consider is to have one of the well-regarded drivers (RomeCabs or RomeInLimo) arrange to meet you outside the Vatican to hustle you to Civitavecchia. You're already on the west side of the Tiber, so the drive should only be about an hour direct to the ship, giving you a little more breathing room.

 

You just have to make sure you work out a good pickup point so you don't miss each other.

 

Naturally, that's a more expensive option than the train, but it takes a lot of variables out of the equation.

[Susan-M]

Is this your first visit to Rome, or have you been before? If it's your first, I would consider spending your time seeing some of the other very interesting sites in Rome. Although the Scavi tour is good, if I only had one day in Rome I wouldn't want to devote two hours of it to the Scavi tour. We saved it for a 2nd visit when we had 3 days in Rome. Our port day was a fantastic one, which we did by train, and took in a number of sites that day.

[bottomfeeder]

My son and I have both been to Rome once before (on separate trips) and have both toured the Vatican Museum and St. Peters (with the exception of the Scavi tour) as well as seeing the Colosseum, Forum, etc. This visit we want to see the Pantheon which neither of us has been to, and are considering another Vatican Museum tour as well as, if possible, the Scavi tour. Since we'll be there on a Monday this time, a lot of the museums are closed that we might otherwise choose to visit. But we will definitely not be at a loss for things to do even if we can't get into a Scavi tour! :)

[bottomfeeder]

I was able to get into the 11 a.m. tour so I am all set, thanks for your help all! Lesson I learned: either be very specific about what times will work when you send your request to the Vatican, or be polite but persistent about getting a different time if the one they assign you will not work. Or both!

[CathyCruises]

Oh, that's great news--now I won't have to worry about you making the ship! I think you will be able to relax and enjoy the tour more too, instead of clock-watching. Then you can walk or cab over to the Pantheon afterward and enjoy that as well before heading back to the ship.

[kathynorth]

I was able to get into the 11 a.m. tour so I am all set, thanks for your help all! Lesson I learned: either be very specific about what times will work when you send your request to the Vatican, or be polite but persistent about getting a different time if the one they assign you will not work. Or both!

 

Good to see you made it into an earlier tour. We did this tour in July and thought it was great. A couple of suggestions, use restrooms BEFORE you go to check in for the tour. Once you go past the gate there are no public restrooms. Pack light so you won't need to check in any bags, coats, etc at the check in station. You will end the tour nowhere near the start and will lose precious time retrieving your belongings. The same goes if you decide to do the Vatican museum. The Scavi tour leaves you below St. Peters, so you may want to spend some time there too. The route to the exit brings you right into St. Peters, so you get to bypass the long entry and security lines.

[NYCruiser23]

I am going to have a similar problem, thanks for the tip about asking for a different time I just emailed them to see if they could move it up. I know I cant get a morning tour because we are there on a wednesday and the pope is there in the morning so we have to do an afternoon tour, I am arranging private transportation though to get us back to the ship.

[NYCruiser23]

Took your advice and emailed the vatican, he emailed me back this morning and moved my whole tour up 1 hour. I feel much better, we will be done by 4 so even with a delay we still have plenty of time to get back to the ship!

[TLCOhio]

Took your advice and emailed the vatican, he emailed me back this morning and moved my whole tour up 1 hour. I feel much better, we will be done by 4 so even with a delay we still have plenty of time to get back to the ship!

 

Glad to hear you have been able to adjust your timing schedule. We did the Scavi tour in June and found it to be very interesting and super fascinating. This is a close-up look at unique history that few get a chance to see so "up close and personal". Pictures are not allowed at this deep Scavi level, but here are here are three pictures of interest for these special areas in and around St. Peter's.

 

For added information on Scavi tour, check out: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1436502

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Recently back from a June 7-19 Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 44,644 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

After our private tour of the super historic Scavi under the Basilica and its lower grotto, we saw some of the crypts and this chapel below the main area.:

 

 

 

Inside St. Peters, this is a portion of the main floor area where the body of the late Pope John Paul II has been moved. On May 3, 2011, he was give this new resting place in the marble altar in Pier Paolo Cristofari's Chapel of St. Sebastian. This prominent location is next to the Chapel of the Pieta. They completed this change as he was elevated and moves towards Sainthood. Crowds were big and busy inside this huge Cathedral, the world's largest.:

 

 

 

This is the dramatic front view of St. Peters and the Square with the beautiful sky over this historic setting on June 10 during our visit and doing the Scavi tour.: