Celebrity Med cruise in Sept: to stay or not to stay overnight in Civitavecchia?

[villauk]

Wow!!!! You guys are amazing! Thank you so much for the advice and alternate suggestions. I would LOVE to rent a car in Italy except DH and I both hate driving and can't imagine ourselves navigating the chaotic roads in Italy. I think we will most likely stick with trains, and getting to the port the night before seems to be the best bet. I had no idea there were things to do in or nearby the town so now I don't feel like it's "wasting" a night there. It wouldn't hurt to have a more low key day after 2 days of flying and 4 days of sightseeing. I know we have a hectic itinerary but we really don't know when we will be able to fly to Europe again (it is literally half way around the world for us! And the flight was so $$$.)

 

Thank you so much again!

 

I can understand not wanting to hire a car, especially if you are not confident driving in another country. We have done the opposite to you, flying to Hawaii, and it can be very tiring (NZ is even worse for us, but that's another matter :D). You'll feel so much more relaxed getting to Civitavecchia the evening before the ship sails. Have a wonderful honeymoon :).

[Flamencacha]

Wow!!!! You guys are amazing! Thank you so much for the advice and alternate suggestions. I would LOVE to rent a car in Italy except DH and I both hate driving and can't imagine ourselves navigating the chaotic roads in Italy. I think we will most likely stick with trains, and getting to the port the night before seems to be the best bet. I had no idea there were things to do in or nearby the town so now I don't feel like it's "wasting" a night there. It wouldn't hurt to have a more low key day after 2 days of flying and 4 days of sightseeing. I know we have a hectic itinerary but we really don't know when we will be able to fly to Europe again (it is literally half way around the world for us! And the flight was so $$$.)

 

 

 

Thank you so much again!

 

 

 

Good choice and don't worry about wasting the morning, board early, since your new to cruising. Get a lay of the ship. I was a newbie a few years back and realized it took me a couple days just to get used to the ship.

 

Again congratulations on your commitment to each other. Enjoy yourselves.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Miaminice]

Stay in Civitavecchia...

 

I agree that there is not much to see in Civitavecchia. Why Civitavecchia then? I can tell you why! Because it is much more relaxing!

 

Get there during the day with no hurry, stroll the promenade at night and have a Pizza or Pasta at one of the local restaurants. Have a glass of Italian Red and toast to the upcoming cruise.

 

The next morning you can have a relaxed breakfast and from the hotels we can recommend (Della Ville or San Giorgio) you can easily walk to the port shuttle bus. Not more than 5 Minutes on even roads...

 

Here are two travelogues/reviews with more infos in the first parts:

 

Holy Land on Silhouette: http://www.travelandcruise.net/travellove_en/Our-Trips/Holy-Land-Cruise-01/holy-land-cruise-01.html

 

Eastern Med on Reflection: http://www.travelandcruise.net/travellove_en/Our-Trips/Reflection-Eastern-Med-01/reflection-eastern-med-01.html

 

Enjoy your cruise!!!!

 

 

Oliver

Edited June 7, 2016 by Miaminice

[harz99]

Very simple, if the OP wishes to use the train to port, stop in Civitavecchia overnight.

Edited June 7, 2016 by harz99

[cruzers j&n]

Aloha Arsesta,

 

Firstly, congrats on your marriage and upcoming honeymoon! I totally understand your dilemma and have a similar travel style so feel like you are a younger version of me. :) So here is what I would be telling my younger self:

 

Agree with other comments about the train not being reliable. Besides the possibility of strikes, there is the cultural difference with regards to time schedules. So for example, a 3pm departure could be 3ish: more like 3 pm plus/minus 10-15 minutes. As long as it leaves in the 3 something range, this is deemed acceptable in Italy! Totally different scenario than traveling in say, Austria, Germany or Switzerland when trains are generally extremely punctual.

 

I get that you want to see as much as possible, especially with the long haul flight over. So while you may not regret rushing and seeing all that you can, I am pretty confident you will feel ripped off afterwards. Trust me in that if you enjoy traveling, you will find a way to return!

 

So with 3 days precruise that you can play with, and considering you will be on your honeymoon, I would suggest you look into going to the Amalfi Coast instead. Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, and Sorrento are all beautiful areas perfect for a romantic vacation and they are all close together, so you can visit more than one town (they are similar but if you have the time, visit them all). You can also combine a trip to Capri from Positano (quickest way is ferry but you'd have to check schedule). With the jet lag, this would be a very nice intro into Italy at a very relaxing pace. FYI, I only visited Positano, Amalfi and Ravello in one single (but long) day but importantly, did not feel ripped off even though the area was immensely beautiful. I would have felt ripped off though with just one single day in either Florence, Venice or even Rome. Also, Florence in particular will likely still be very crowded at end of Aug/early Sept so you would waste a lot of time waiting in lines for the museums.

 

Not sure what you are planning to do when the ship docks in Naples, but it's likely you'll be offered a tour to Pompeii so if you do that, you will have covered off some very nice spots already and save Venice/Florence for another trip.

 

I know others enjoyed Civitavecchia but I wasn't too crazy about it. To be fair, I only saw the outskirts and did not fully immerse myself. If I weren't going to visit Rome (or another city) precruise, I'd probably just spend one night prior in Civitavecchia just to make the transfer on the ship easy peasy and not use more of my precious vacation time than is necessary. If you do decide to visit the Amalfi coast, I'd highly recommend using a transfer company to get you to the port....or take a train with a few hours of cushion time just in case!

 

Hope this helps and enjoy your trip!!

[Von & John]

I think going to stay in the port town is a great idea.

 

Even living in the uk with a 3hr drive to the airport, i stay overnight in a hotel at the airport as I know if an accident closes the motorway I might not catch the plane. ( I'm not over reacting..I've been stuck on it for 6hrs before now )

 

It's all about what important to you. If there was a transport strike, delayed trains, road closures or an accident causing traffic...would missing your boat be a deal breaker? ...It would be for me!!!!

 

The boats are fantastic, it you have had such a hectic few days you might appreciate boarding a 2pm, an afternoon rest in your cabin and a few drinks by the pool. It is a honeymoon after all not a military campaign!

 

beaveh -- I love your "It's a honeymoon after all not a military campaign." My brother-in-law used to call the trips my sister planned to Orlando (aka Land of Mickey) as "Mickey Boot Camp" - as she would have their time planned from 6:00 AM - Midnight w/out a minute to chill :) arsesta - have a Fabulous Honeymoon!!!

[arsesta]

Thank you so much for mentioning Tarquinia. I had no idea about the tombs near there and I mentioned it to my husband. He's quite excited to see these ruins the morning of the cruise (we're history nerds) so we won't feel like we're missing a day or anything in our whirlwind tour but still take it easy enough staying at the port or nearby the night before.

 

A few years ago, before leaving on the Reflection, we stayed in a lovely B & B in Tarquinia. It is only about a 15 minute short drive from the cruise ship terminal. It is a medieval walled city that great for exploring with its Etruscan museum and many ruins. Also has an abundance of very good restaurants. I can't remember but I think it was about 20 euros from the B & B to where you get the terminal shuttle.

[arsesta]

I love the Mickey Boot Camp idea!!! I'm a New Yorker and walk quite fast; my husband always complains that it's like a power walking work out for him (he grew up in Hawaii so they really take it easy here). Haha.

 

beaveh -- I love your "It's a honeymoon after all not a military campaign." My brother-in-law used to call the trips my sister planned to Orlando (aka Land of Mickey) as "Mickey Boot Camp" - as she would have their time planned from 6:00 AM - Midnight w/out a minute to chill :) arsesta - have a Fabulous Honeymoon!!!

[Eve]

We did this cruise a few years ago and after much thought, decided to stay in Rome the night before the cruise and take a private shuttle to the ship. The morning our ship was scheduled to depart, a transportation strike was announced at 0600. There were no trains or buses entering or leaving Rome for the day. Everyone was on strike!! Had we not opted for a private shuttle, we would have missed the ship.

 

All the cabs were snapped up as fast as they hit the street. It was a nightmare. We had booked a private shuttle for 6 of us, but after speaking to the driver we offered another couple staying at our hotel a ride to the ship with us. The driver did not charge us extra, and the other couple picked up the very generous tip. Bottom line is this...you're on your honeymoon. Do what you can to make it a stress-free one. Congratulations to you both!

[andrea2609]

I'm Italian and I also will be sailing from Civitavecchia in August. I can't trust public transport especially in Rome, a city that is suffering major political and administrative troubles in this period. Even if not for a strike, delays may occur easily.

I would spend the night in Rome or Civitavecchia (cheaper hotels, for sure).

To reach Civitavecchia, also consider to book an Uber car: 20% cheaper than taxi and MUCH better.

 

 

Italian Cruiser

 

Inviato dal mio iPad utilizzando Tapatalk

Edited June 8, 2016 by andrea2609

[Bruin Steve]

I'm going to second the Tarquinia suggestion...

I have actually been mulling over doing that exact thing...

 

We have been all over Italy--extensively--by cruise ship, by car, by train...and have visited all the major tourist cities and even some smaller, out of the way places...and we've spent a lot of time in Rome over the years...

 

Next summer (June/July 2017), we are doing back-to-back cruises on RCCL Jewel of the Seas--both starting and ending in Rome...So, we have Rome for not only pre- and post-cruise, but also a day in Civitavecchia in the middle...

 

So, I've been researching possibilities for a day or two prior to the cruise...and came up with Tarquinia at the top of my list...It is close enough to Civitavecchia (about 13 miles) that you can even take a taxi to the port the morning of the cruise...

 

I, like many others, don't trust getting there from Florence the day of the cruise...I have run into train strikes and off-schedule trains in Italy before...or have misread the train schedules and ended up being delayed considerably.

 

Wherever you cruise, it is always the least stressful to arrive somewhere near the port by the night before...The do NOT let you board within that last hour before sailaway--especially in the post-911 world...They want to know exactly who is onboard before they set sail. In fact, in every port, they will give you an "all-aboard" time that is about 30-60 minutes BEFORE the scheduled sail time...Say the ship is scheduled to be in a port from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, you will find they will require you to be back on the ship by 5:00 pm, not 6:00...

 

Have fun...

 

...A few years ago, before leaving on the Reflection, we stayed in a lovely B & B in Tarquinia...

 

Oh, and Banjo, do you remember the name of your B&B? Thanks...

[surebeatssailing]

We have always stayed in Rome the night before a cruise from Civitavecchia. There is so much to see in Rome that you won't regret spending an extra day there. Instead of using public transportation to get to the port why don't you go on the Roll Call for your cruise and see if there is a group that is using private transportation. Some of the vans hold up to ten people and we spent less per person than if we had used public transportation.

 

Agree...we used Bob's Limosine shared shuttle serve. They pick up people staying in the central part of Rome & transported us to the cruise port. I believe it was 75E per couple. The company tells you when to be ready for pickup as they arrange the schedule of pickups. I think there were 4 couples on our shared shuttle. Really easy & convenient.

[LabGuy64]

I would not risk it.......

 

Stay in Civitavecchia, the last time we were in Italy we took the train from Florence to Sienna...on the way back we were delayed for hours. It is not worth missing the ship for an extra few hours. You will find that thous few hours will not make that much difference in what you can see. And, you will want to come back anyhow as you could spend months in and around just Rome ad not really see it all.

 

 

Aloha everyone!

 

My husband and I are a couple in our 30's who will be traveling from Oahu to Europe for our honeymoon in September. We are both savvy independent travelers, having done Europe, US, and Asia solo or with family, almost never with tour groups. However, we are Celebrity and cruise newbies, so there is a lot for us to learn (very grateful to the forum and Rick Steve's cruise guide book).

 

We have a planning dilemma and would love your advice! We will be on the 10-day Italy & Greek Isles cruise on the Reflection leaving from Rome on 9/30. Our dilemma is if we should:

 

a) take an early train on the day of cruise from Florence to Civitavecchia

 

OR

 

b) leave Florence late afternoon on 9/29 and stay overnight in Civitavecchia?

 

I know the general recommendation is to get to Rome or near the port the night before the cruise to reduce the likelihood of missing the cruise. I'm aware that the port is about 90 minutes from Rome Termini station, and the train between Rome and Florence is about 1 hr 45 mins.

 

The reason for this dilemma is b/c we want to maximize our time pre-cruise in Venice, Florence, and Tuscany (we have only 4 days). There is nothing in Civitavecchia that we want to see, and we ideally don't want to stay in Rome for one night pre-cruise since we will have 3 days post-cruise to enjoy Rome.

 

However, I also worry that we will miss the cruise b/c we will not have sufficient time on the day of the cruise (a Friday) to travel from Florence to Rome, then Rome to Civitavecchia. We plan to rely on public transportation and will not use a private shuttle or taxi to minimize on costs. Total travel time on train is about 4 hours, and if I factor in buying tickets, getting lost in Station Termini, travel time from Civitavecchia train station to the actual port, I estimate that this will be a 6-hr adventure. Therefore, if we can catch an 8 AM train leaving Florence, the latest estimated time we get to Port is 2 PM. Is that accurate? Per Celebrity website, the cruise leaves at 5 PM, but I am not sure if we arrive at 4:30 or 4:45 pm, will they still let us on (our plan is to get there well before 4 but you never know with public transit)? We do not need to get on the ship as soon as it is ready for us, but we also don't want to cut it too close that it leaves w/o us!

 

Have folks done this before and made it on time for departure? What are other obstacles that I am not aware of, other than the possibility of strikes? I have never been to Italy before, and the last time DH was in Rome, his family planned everything.

 

Any advice/tips would be GREATLY appreciated!!!! I posted this question on here as opposed to the Italy forum b/c I would like to hear how other Celebrity cruisers have handled this, since there may be unique checking in and boarding procedures that I am not aware of that are unique to Celebrity.

 

Thank you!

[GottaKnowWhen]

...Venice, Florence, and Tuscany (we have only 4 days). There is nothing in Civitavecchia that we want to see, and we ideally don't want to stay in Rome for one night pre-cruise since we will have 3 days post-cruise to enjoy Rome. ...

Any advice/tips would be GREATLY appreciated!!!!...

We'll be leaving out of Civitavecchia later in the fall. Going early to Florence, a few days there, then driving to Civi the day before our cruise.

 

Yes, I know that you said that you and your soon-to-be spouse don't like driving, but in my several times in Italy I have not found driving in Italy all that different from driving anyplace else. I am totally looking forward to seeing the Tuscany countryside; my only concern is that we will be able to stop at one hill town, at most, before I start stressing about getting to Civi before the rental agency closes. Drive in Rome? No. Drive in Florence? Probably not. But drive from the outskirts of Florence through the countryside to Civi? Why not? Take a Garmin with you to alleviate the possible stresses of navigation, map reading etc.

 

And let me echo others: I would not even spend a minute in Venice if I did not have at least 4-5 days there. It deserves plenty of time to absorb the very unique sense of the city.

 

In general, I recommend you travel less, spend more in-depth time in the fewer locations you visit. Enjoy a stroll through these other wonderful locales rather than scrambling from place to place! But whatever, do enjoy!

 

Stan

[Bruin Steve]

Let me throw in one caveat about driving in Italy...

 

...and I've rented cars and driven in Italy...as well as other parts of Europe...several times...

 

Except for in Rome--with its narrow one way streets and poor signage--it is not all that bad...The Autostrada (their freeways) is very easy to drive on...

Yes, having a GPS with Italian maps loaded is great as well...

 

But, after several car rentals there, here is the one that finally got me last visit:

 

Many Italian cities have "Restricted Zones". Traffic is limited to special permit only. They have cameras that will snap a photo of your plate...and you will never know it...until much later... Yes, there are signs--but you will either not see them, not recognize them or be unable to read and understand them. Other cars will drive right through ahead of you and you will follow. Your GPS will likely take you through without warning.

 

Several months later, you will first know something is up when Hertz Italia (or whatever rental company you use) sends you an additional invoice--completely in Italian--telling you they have charged an additional charge...or two...or three...to your credit card--since they have it on file...with little more info than a code. This is NOT the fine for the citation, merely the rental car company's "fee" for assisting the authorities in looking up your identity. Some months after that you will get a really large bill from the city or cities whose restricted zone ordinance you violated...

 

You can either choose to give in and pay it...or you could fly back to Padua (or Verona...or Sienna...or Wherever) and request a trial date and fight it in their court...in Italian...or you could just ignore it...

 

If you ignore it, they will eventually send it to a collection agency in the US who will harass you in that way they do so well...

 

All lots of fun...

 

BTW, I received two of these, both in Padua...

I challenged Hertz' fee as unauthorized with my credit card (the rental agreement made no reference to such fees) and ended up negotiating a much smaller fee with Hertz. Then, the lawyer that I am, I researched Italian law via the Internet and found that, in order to be enforceable, the municipality has to notify the violator within one year by certified mail, return receipt requested. Padua failed to notify me, by any means, within the one year statute of limitations, so I refused to pay...and informed the collection agency as to the reasons, including the citations from the Italian Vehicle Code...and after some additional harassment, they finally got the point and dropped the collection efforts.

 

Of course, I still don't know if the City of Padua got the point...and when, I'm in Italy next year, I may find out that I have a warrant out there...or, perhaps, just have difficulty renting another car in Italy. OTOH, I don't think I will choose to drive in Italy anymore anyway...

Edited June 9, 2016 by Bruin Steve

[Pavovsky]

Let me throw in one caveat about driving in Italy...

 

...and I've rented cars and driven in Italy...as well as other parts of Europe...several times...

 

Except for in Rome--with its narrow one way streets and poor signage--it is not all that bad...The Autostrada (their freeways) is very easy to drive on...

Yes, having a GPS with Italian maps loaded is great as well...

 

But, after several car rentals there, here is the one that finally got me last visit:

 

Many Italian cities have "Restricted Zones". Traffic is limited to special permit only. They have cameras that will snap a photo of your plate...and you will never know it...until much later... Yes, there are signs--but you will either not see them, not recognize them or be unable to read and understand them. Other cars will drive right through ahead of you and you will follow. Your GPS will likely take you through without warning.

 

Several months later, you will first know something is up when Hertz Italia (or whatever rental company you use) sends you an additional invoice--completely in Italian--telling you they have charged an additional charge...or two...or three...to your credit card--since they have it on file...with little more info than a code. This is NOT the fine for the citation, merely the rental car company's "fee" for assisting the authorities in looking up your identity. Some months after that you will get a really large bill from the city or cities whose restricted zone ordinance you violated...

 

You can either choose to give in and pay it...or you could fly back to Padua (or Verona...or Sienna...or Wherever) and request a trial date and fight it in their court...in Italian...or you could just ignore it...

 

If you ignore it, they will eventually send it to a collection agency in the US who will harass you in that way they do so well...

 

All lots of fun...

 

BTW, I received two of these, both in Padua...

I challenged Hertz' fee as unauthorized with my credit card (the rental agreement made no reference to such fees) and ended up negotiating a much smaller fee with Hertz. Then, the lawyer that I am, I researched Italian law via the Internet and found that, in order to be enforceable, the municipality has to notify the violator within one year by certified mail, return receipt requested. Padua failed to notify me, by any means, within the one year statute of limitations, so I refused to pay...and informed the collection agency as to the reasons, including the citations from the Italian Vehicle Code...and after some additional harassment, they finally got the point and dropped the collection efforts.

 

Of course, I still don't know if the City of Padua got the point...and when, I'm in Italy next year, I may find out that I have a warrant out there...or, perhaps, just have difficulty renting another car in Italy. OTOH, I don't think I will choose to drive in Italy anymore anyway...

 

 

 

Aside from the odd strike, the trains are good particularly inter city.

 

That also happens to many Italians.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[arsesta]

Hi everyone! Just wanted to say thank you for all of your feedback and suggestions. After much deliberation, we have decided to skip Florence altogether (just was too hectic to bounce around cities, especially after a transpacific and then a transatlantic flight!). We will stay in Venice for 3 nights, then Rome in 2 nights, and will go straight to the Port from Rome the morning of our cruise. We found a day trip to Tuscany from Rome which we will do before the cruise, and then we will have 3 more days to enjoy Rome post-cruise. This feels better for us and gives us a little more time to enjoy as opposed to travel on trains and rush through everything. Thanks again everyone!

[cruisemom42]

You'll be fine with your new plan. I do very much recommend a visit to Tarquinia -- fantastic, both the tombs and the museum (which also has two or three complete tombs inside it). But maybe another time. (Or on your way to the ship?)

 

I have to say that I sometimes feel that some of the other travelers have visited a different Italy than I have, especially regarding the trains.

 

Strikes are almost always announced in advance, they are not "wildcat" strikes. There are several key sites, easily found by Googling, that list all upcoming strikes in Italy (many of which are actually called off before they happen....)

 

It is quite misleading and untrue to suggest, as one poster did, that "no trains run" when there are strikes. There are certain trains that are guaranteed to run, even in the event of strikes, and a fair number of these are the long-distance express trains. You can read more here:http://www.italyheaven.co.uk/strikes.html

 

I am with you regarding driving -- whether it is easy or difficult, I do not enjoy it. I do enjoy public transportation, and have never personally been impacted by a train strike in Italy despite spending about 3-4 weeks there every year. That's not to say it doesn't happen -- but perhaps not with the frequency that some might suggest.

 

Enjoy your time in Italy and your cruise!

Edited July 25, 2016 by cruisemom42

[Michele Noel]

I haven't read everything but I wish you well on this beautiful voyage. You may not know but when a ship says it sails at 5Pm, they usually want you on board at 3:30PM for the boarding of the whole trip. Hope this helps you. We were in Rome for a week before a cruise from Civit. and we went to the wrong train station - there are two and I chose tickets on one that was difficult to get to - we took a subway with our big suitcases - what excitement in rush hour. There are very steep stairs for getting your luggage up and down at the platforms. Enjoy!

[harz99]

Rome Termini is the station for direct trains to Civitavecchia. Note they normally leave from the satellite platforms at the outer edge of the station which are accessed by walking the far length of the highest numbered platform in main station (23 I think). Finally, for all things train take a look at http://www.seat61.com but be warned the site can be quite addictive.

[Hapytocruise]

We took the train once from Rome to the port. The following two times had a car service arranged by our hotel, it was worth every penny. No worries about keeping an eye on luggage, pick pockets at the station, getting from train station in Civit. to the ship.

 

 

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[basil's mom]

We used BCN Limousine to take a group of us to the port from Rome. It cost 90 euros for 7 people. Maybe you could go on your roll call and see if anyone wants to share a van with you. The cost would probably be less per person than the train and a lot more convenient.