New to a NON Caribbean Cruise Need suggestions

[wild0826]

I have taken the leap and booked a non Caribbean cruise leaving from Rome on Jewel of the Seas June of next year. Does anyone have any experience on European Cruises. I have never been to Europe and will be out of my element. If I leave from home 2 days ahead is that enough time to rest from jet-lag (traveling from New York) and then visit some sites I would like to see in Rome. I know its a year away but I am a planner. I like to make sure all my ducks are in a row. Any ideas of good hotels, ways to get to the port from hotel and then return to airport after cruise, will I need to exchange money and where to do it, are passports enough or do we need visas,etc. Thanks in advance for any tips you may have. I know I can post on the Italy board and probably will, but thought I would ask my experienced Royal travelers first. There will be 4 of us travelling.

[Clarea]

Flights to Europe are usually overnight, leaving in the evening and arriving early the next morning. So if you leave 2 days before the cruise, you get to Europe 1 day before the cruise. The first day in Europe is the most difficult to deal with the jet lag. If you can force yourself to stay up (and not take any long naps) until later in the evening, you will likely be much better for it the next day. I would leave at least 3 (more if you can swing it) days before the cruise. That way you have almost 2 full days in Europe before the cruise day.

 

 

With regard to changing money, I'd find a local source for at least 100 Euros so you have some cash with you at the start. Once you get to Europe, use an ATM to get more cash. The ATM method will give you the best exchange rates. We have a debit card from Capital One, which has no foreign transaction fees and reimburses us up to $30 per month for ATM fees. There are other cards that have similar perks.

[voyager70]

Congratulations for booking your first Med cruise. You will love it. If you're anything like me it will leave you wanting to go back every year.

[Hoopster95]

I have taken the leap and booked a non Caribbean cruise leaving from Rome on Jewel of the Seas June of next year.

 

Fabulous!!... congratulations! You will wonder why you never did this sooner, I'm willing to bet it will be one of your best cruise vacations of your life (if not the best) :D Which itinerary are you doing? I can perhaps offer a few tips/ideas depending on itinerary. I'm also on Jewel in a couple of months and I'll be posting a big review.

[Crazy planning mom]

Everyone has given you good advice. Yes, I would book my flight at least 3 days early.

I am a NYer did the same trip 2 years ago. We got there 4 days early and was glad we did. We got to see Rome and was adjusted from the jetlag and time difference when the cruise began.

You should visit the European Ports of Call Forum.

We used Rome Cabs for transportation from the airport and did a tour with them. http://www.romecabs.com/

 

We stayed at the Hotel Golden http://www.hotelgoldenrome.com/which is a small family run hotel .

It is off the beaten path from the heart of the tourist area and near the Borghese Gardens which is a lovely park that also has a wonderful museum with beautiful sculptures. http://www.galleriaborghese.it/it/info/info_galleriaborghese

If you want to be closer to the action check out this hotel which gets good reviews on Tripadvisor

http://www.albergodelsenato.it/

[reallyhooked]

We had transportation from hotel to ship, but failed to get transport from airport to hotel when we went the day before the cruise. We were able to exchange money in the airport, & got a taxi. ,

City transportation shut down, we didn't get to do anything the day before cruise as we .planned. back to normal day of cruise. Too late for us. Would love to go again.

[voyager70]

Everyone has given you good advice. Yes, I would book my flight at least 3 days early.

I am a NYer did the same trip 2 years ago. We got there 4 days early and was glad we did. We got to see Rome and was adjusted from the jetlag and time difference when the cruise began.

You should visit the European Ports of Call Forum.

We used Rome Cabs for transportation from the airport and did a tour with them. http://www.romecabs.com/

 

We stayed at the Hotel Golden http://www.hotelgoldenrome.com/which is a small family run hotel .

It is off the beaten path from the heart of the tourist area and near the Borghese Gardens which is a lovely park that also has a wonderful museum with beautiful sculptures. http://www.galleriaborghese.it/it/info/info_galleriaborghese

If you want to be closer to the action check out this hotel which gets good reviews on Tripadvisor

http://www.albergodelsenato.it/

 

We've used Rome Cabs twice. They are fabulous.

[Havingfun2010]

I have taken the leap and booked a non Caribbean cruise leaving from Rome on Jewel of the Seas June of next year. Does anyone have any experience on European Cruises. I have never been to Europe and will be out of my element. If I leave from home 2 days ahead is that enough time to rest from jet-lag (traveling from New York) and then visit some sites I would like to see in Rome. I know its a year away but I am a planner. I like to make sure all my ducks are in a row. Any ideas of good hotels, ways to get to the port from hotel and then return to airport after cruise, will I need to exchange money and where to do it, are passports enough or do we need visas,etc. Thanks in advance for any tips you may have. I know I can post on the Italy board and probably will, but thought I would ask my experienced Royal travelers first. There will be 4 of us travelling.

 

Some items to consider. Jet Lag can be managed and with it only being a 5 (or 6) hour difference, I personally never had an issue other than being a little tired. Like staying up late to watch the movie you always wanted to see. By day two, it's easier. Drink lots of water, stay hydrated, change a sleep pattern the day before if possible. Plus, sleep on the plane. Even if a few hours.

 

Next, the flight is overnight. So you will arrive in the morning. Fight the urge to take a nap. It only confuses your body. Just eat your meals at local time as normal, and continue with your day, as you just had a restless night sleep (on the plane). By the time it's bedtime, you will be tired and sleep normal 8 hours. Just one day, of being tired, and very doable.

 

Than, answer yourself this question. I'm going to be in Rome, do I really only want 1.5 days to explore? I would take a few extra days, at least 3.5 or more to fully enjoy Rome.

 

Rome is a big city. Be careful where you book your hotel. I don't have a recommendation, but look at the area. Book a hotel in walking distance of major sites that you want to see. Taxi's in Rome are easy. Make sure you have addresses written out for hotels etc. Use you phone as a translator, and make sure you have google maps. Very helpful.

 

USA citizens do not need a Visa to visit Europe. All you need is your passport.

 

For airport to hotel to cruise, take a taxi. (Sorry, I have been to Rome, but not on a cruise, so I'm not sure how far away the ship is from central city. Someone else can answer this).

 

For your money....depends on your plans and how many days you decide. Many local banks in your hometown, might have an exchange service, but it can be pricey. Travelex can be used online, to order currency. It does cost money, but it's convenient. Other ways, is just to get a small amount and use ATM's, to get more, but as a warning, there are fees involved, and therefore could end up more than getting your money beforehand. I personally exchange about $100USD per day for two people. So, 3.5 days, I will exchange $350.00. I would also look at the ports, and determine if I'm going out on my own, or taking a tour. So, I might take more cash. However, for me, if I have extra cash after the trip, I just keep it for the next trip.

 

Credit cards are accepted at many places, but in Italy, some places won't accept them. It's more of a problem in Italy than other countries, but make sure you have it a back-up plan. Some banks will charge you a fee. Use a credit card that does not.

 

Remember the ship currency is USD.

 

Some tips - check your phone carrier. ATT will give you an international plan starting at $40.00. It's worth it. Have access to google translate and google maps. Check your credit card for fees internationally. Let them know you will be in Italy. Eat a pizza. No seriously, have pizza at least once. Have some gelato for dessert. You will love it. Like all large cities, protect your belongings. Keep money and passports safe, in multiple pockets. Use front pockets. Try not to use handbags. Don't flash money. etc etc etc. When eating in restaurants understand your bill. Many bigger places will have a service charge. Some small places will not. Eating outside cost more money than eating inside. Tipping is not and I repeat not 15-18%. Rounding to nearest whole Euro is customary, but big tips are not. If you want to leave something, remember, they already got you service charge! Remember, that you might have multiple taxes on your bill. VAT is common and most expensive. Your €5,00 could end up being €9,00 after a service charge, local tax, and VAT tax. Did I say, eat Pizza?

[Merly]

Than, answer yourself this question. I'm going to be in Rome, do I really only want 1.5 days to explore? I would take a few extra days, at least 3.5 or more to fully enjoy Rome.

 

For airport to hotel to cruise, take a taxi. (Sorry, I have been to Rome, but not on a cruise, so I'm not sure how far away the ship is from central city. Someone else can answer this.

 

Tipping is not and I repeat not 15-18%. Rounding to nearest whole Euro is customary, but big tips are not. If you want to leave something, remember, they already got you service charge!

 

There is a lot to see in Rome. For example you can take a whole day to see St Peters Basilica, the Vatican museum and the area around the Vatican. You can also go right to the top of the Basilica and get a fantastic view of Rome. Or you can jump on a HOHO bus and see the main sights. Check it out before you go and decide what you really want to see. It can be very tiring.

 

The cruise port is a long way from the centre, a taxi is very expensive. I would suggest checking on the roll call and try and share a mini bus, or google shared transport. You can do it by train, which I have done, and it is fairly simple, but for your first time in Europe I wouldn't.

 

Tipping. Those from the USA seem to think all us Brits and Europeans are cheapskates when it comes to tipping. I would never just round up to the nearest Euro in a restaurant. I would leave 10 -15%. If there was a service charge that's enough. In a cab I would again give what I thought appropriate to the cost of the fare.

 

I am sure you will have a wonderful time. Europe is a great experience.

[krisko]

I'd go a few days early to see Rome. I'm going on Jewel next week, we're going early to Amalfi Coast and staying a few days in Rome after. I'll post more thoughts when I get time and may revisit after the cruise. I will say we had very good luck with http://www.choiceair.com, that Royal's airfare consolidator. I booked about 2 months ago, Delta wanted $1400 and I got the same flights on choice air for $840.

[wild0826]

Thanks. I will try to leave at least 3 days before . The cruise leaves on a sunday. I run a home based preschool, and usually close on a friday and take my vacation the last week in june. I will just close the week out on a wednesday instead to give us the extra time. I have no problem forcing myself not to take a nap if I left with less time wiggle room but my husband is a different story. He needs the extra rest lol. If its a night flight I can leave that wednesday night. Thanks again for the idea.

 

Flights to Europe are usually overnight, leaving in the evening and arriving early the next morning. So if you leave 2 days before the cruise, you get to Europe 1 day before the cruise. The first day in Europe is the most difficult to deal with the jet lag. If you can force yourself to stay up (and not take any long naps) until later in the evening, you will likely be much better for it the next day. I would leave at least 3 (more if you can swing it) days before the cruise. That way you have almost 2 full days in Europe before the cruise day.

 

 

With regard to changing money, I'd find a local source for at least 100 Euros so you have some cash with you at the start. Once you get to Europe, use an ATM to get more cash. The ATM method will give you the best exchange rates. We have a debit card from Capital One, which has no foreign transaction fees and reimburses us up to $30 per month for ATM fees. There are other cards that have similar perks.

[wild0826]

Fabulous!!... congratulations! You will wonder why you never did this sooner, I'm willing to bet it will be one of your best cruise vacations of your life (if not the best) :D Which itinerary are you doing? I can perhaps offer a few tips/ideas depending on itinerary. I'm also on Jewel in a couple of months and I'll be posting a big review.

Thanks . For our itinerary we leave from Rome and visit monte carlo, corsica, barcelona, another part of italy which slips my mind at the moment and then back to rome. If you've visited any of these places i would appreciate any tips you may have or best excursions to do.

[shipgeeks]

I second the suggestion to look into ChoiceAir for your flights. We have had very good service with them, and have saved thousands of dollars. You can do a mock booking to see what is available, think about the choices, then call to lock it in.

[Hoopster95]

Thanks . For our itinerary we leave from Rome and visit monte carlo, corsica, barcelona, another part of italy which slips my mind at the moment and then back to rome. If you've visited any of these places i would appreciate any tips you may have or best excursions to do.

 

Ah... Palma De Mallorca (Spain) and Cagliari (Sardenia, Italy) are your other two ports.

I have not done this itinerary before.... super interesting bucket list sailing for me coming up as well :D

I've done a lot of planning but no experience so I can't offer any advice/tips to you from experience.

 

However I've been to Rome several times, as have many others here on CC. There's a ton of great blogs on line, let alone here on CC about Rome. I did one a couple of years ago when sailing on Serenade.... 1 day in Rome, how to get from the airport to Rome, and how to get to the Civitavecchia cruise port here if you're interested:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=44291362&highlight=Here+we+go+CC+family#post44291362

 

 

Further to some of your questions:

 

I have never been to Europe and will be out of my element. If I leave from home 2 days ahead is that enough time to rest from jet-lag (traveling from New York) and then visit some sites I would like to see in Rome.

If you've been to Rome before, if you can travel/walk quickly, if you have travel savvy.... then yes in one day you can see a ton! But for you being first time, I truly feel you will absolutely regret having only one day in Rome. Book a couple of tours as the lines could be very long for walk up tourists (ie. Colosseum and St Peter's). Some of the more well known tour companies are awesome (DarkRome, WalksofItaly) have special entrance passage into the Sistine Chapel for example before or after public hours. You can google them for various tours.

 

 

Any ideas of good hotels,

For your very first time, I feel that a hotel close to Termini Train station is ideal. Being just a block or two from the metro is brilliant, and this location is only a 25-30min walk to the Colosseum/Forum or the Spanish Steps/Trevi. There are many rated very well on Tripadvisor that will not break the bank.

 

ways to get to the port from hotel and then return to airport after cruise,

See my review link above if you want to try the train, but with 4 people and your very first time in Rome I STRONGLY urge you to simply book a private transfer. To return to airport once cruise is over RCL offers transportation directly from the cruise ship, however for 4 people this is crazy expensive and you can do much better with private transfer, here's just two of them to consider:

http://www.movinrome.com/ or

http://www.civitavecchiacabservice.com/ (I'm booked with movinrome)

 

 

will I need to exchange money and where to do it,

at your home bank is the easiest imho. And most places take credit cards. Lots of ATMs everywhere.

 

Have a blast planning and have a great cruise! :D

[wild0826]

Everyone has given you good advice. Yes, I would book my flight at least 3 days early.

I am a NYer did the same trip 2 years ago. We got there 4 days early and was glad we did. We got to see Rome and was adjusted from the jetlag and time difference when the cruise began.

You should visit the European Ports of Call Forum.

We used Rome Cabs for transportation from the airport and did a tour with them. http://www.romecabs.com/

 

We stayed at the Hotel Golden http://www.hotelgoldenrome.com/which is a small family run hotel .

It is off the beaten path from the heart of the tourist area and near the Borghese Gardens which is a lovely park that also has a wonderful museum with beautiful sculptures. http://www.galleriaborghese.it/it/info/info_galleriaborghese

If you want to be closer to the action check out this hotel which gets good reviews on Tripadvisor

http://www.albergodelsenato.it/

 

Thank you so much. Will check out the links you provided. Im sure they will be great help.

[wild0826]

Ah... Palma De Mallorca (Spain) and Cagliari (Sardenia, Italy) are your other two ports.

I have not done this itinerary before.... super interesting bucket list sailing for me coming up as well :D

I've done a lot of planning but no experience so I can't offer any advice/tips to you from experience.

 

However I've been to Rome several times, as have many others here on CC. There's a ton of great blogs on line, let alone here on CC about Rome. I did one a couple of years ago when sailing on Serenade.... 1 day in Rome, how to get from the airport to Rome, and how to get to the Civitavecchia cruise port here if you're interested:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=44291362&highlight=Here+we+go+CC+family#post44291362

 

 

Further to some of your questions:

 

I have never been to Europe and will be out of my element. If I leave from home 2 days ahead is that enough time to rest from jet-lag (traveling from New York) and then visit some sites I would like to see in Rome.

If you've been to Rome before, if you can travel/walk quickly, if you have travel savvy.... then yes in one day you can see a ton! But for you being first time, I truly feel you will absolutely regret having only one day in Rome. Book a couple of tours as the lines could be very long for walk up tourists (ie. Colosseum and St Peter's). Some of the more well known tour companies are awesome (DarkRome, WalksofItaly) have special entrance passage into the Sistine Chapel for example before or after public hours. You can google them for various tours.

 

 

Any ideas of good hotels,

For your very first time, I feel that a hotel close to Termini Train station is ideal. Being just a block or two from the metro is brilliant, and this location is only a 25-30min walk to the Colosseum/Forum or the Spanish Steps/Trevi. There are many rated very well on Tripadvisor that will not break the bank.

 

ways to get to the port from hotel and then return to airport after cruise,

See my review link above if you want to try the train, but with 4 people and your very first time in Rome I STRONGLY urge you to simply book a private transfer. To return to airport once cruise is over RCL offers transportation directly from the cruise ship, however for 4 people this is crazy expensive and you can do much better with private transfer, here's just two of them to consider:

http://www.movinrome.com/ or

http://www.civitavecchiacabservice.com/ (I'm booked with movinrome)

 

 

will I need to exchange money and where to do it,

at your home bank is the easiest imho. And most places take credit cards. Lots of ATMs everywhere.

 

Have a blast planning and have a great cruise! :D

 

 

Thanks for all the great info. I have no problem with taking the train. I like the idea. Will see what my husband thinks . Thanks so much

[Hoopster95]

Thanks for all the great info. I have no problem with taking the train. I like the idea. Will see what my husband thinks . Thanks so much

 

Ah... get ready to haul heavy luggage on and off the train!... as long as you're nimble no worries :)

It definitely is a fun way to get to Civitavecchia and more cost effective.

 

If you settle on the train to Civitavecchia, then I think it's imperative to stay close to the Termini station.

I purposely picked my hotel from reviews, and then price. I thought it was best of both worlds and an excellent choice for me.

 

By the way, I've mentioned in previous older threads that when my father became ill last year, I had to cancel my mostly non-refundable Jewel travel itinerary (including this Rome hotel). I negotiated with them all (ie. airlines and so forth) and this hotel was one of them that offered me a voucher to use up to the end of 2017 even though they had no obligation to do so with my non-refundable booking, so I was grateful for them to accept my situation. The hotel is in my review and link I gave you above. Google them and googlemap the location (re. Termini/Metro and the Colosseum). I thought they were perfect for me and I'll be staying there again in 2 months :)

[JMHDisney]

Your same cruise is being offered this summer so there will likely be a number of new reviews of these ports out soon. We're going and will be sure to post a review when we get back.

 

We're planning to get to Rome the Wednesday before our Sunday cruise (we're going to London first so will hopefully be over jetlag by the time we get to Italy). I'm excited to have a few days for Rome and we're also going to use one of those days to take the fast train down to Naples (1 hour) and then have a tour of Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast.

 

While there is a train to Civitavecchia, after researching it, we decided the hassle with luggage and kids wasn't worth it so we are going to get a private transfer. We're using Rome Cabs for airport and cruise transfers. I haven't used them before but appreciated that when I booked I accidentally put in the wrong date for one of my transfers (!!) and they caught it and contacted me so I feel like they are on top of things.

 

We're staying near Campo de Fiori and Piazza Navona.

 

Enjoy the planning!

[Merly]

Barcelona is also a great city with lots to see. See the Sagrada Familia.

[Mr. Click]

Wow, did I miss it or has no one suggested joining the roll call for this cruise? Join the roll call. It is a great way to get more information, to form small groups for private tours and transfers and to start getting to know your fellow travelers. Also sign up for the meet and mingle party on the ship so you can meet everyone face to face.

 

If you can manage the time and expense do get to Rome at least 3 days early. There is so much to see and do you really need 3 days just to hit the highlights. Plan on walking a lot in the city. It is a great way to see things just walking around.

 

When we have had cruises start or finish in Rome we have used Romecabs.com too. Great people, great service. Get a group together and the cost becomes pretty reasonable and you are not dragging your luggage on and off trains and around town. Our first cruise out of Rome we had 4 people in one hotel and two about a mile away. I asked Rome Cabs staff where we should plan on meeting them since we were in two different hotels. They were happy to pick up at both hotels, no extra charge. Going from the ship to the airport they were right there ready and waiting for us. Our most recent trip we had a late flight so they arranged a half day tour of the countryside around the port area before taking us to the airport and our friends to their nearby hotel.

 

Airfares, shop, shop, shop. Check airline sites, check the major online travel sites, check Choice Air. The one thing to be wary about are consolidator tickets. Yes, they are cheaper but if you run into a problem, weather delay, delays or cancellations caused by MX issues etc then you are at the bottom of the totem pole for getting re-booked. If you book far ahead you can get caught in schedule changes and then it is hard to get the airline to work with you on a consolidator ticket. Read everything and make sure you know what you are buying.

 

It is a great trip, no matter where you go around that area. It is a great way to see many places.

[LeeW]

Used RomeCabs for trips from airport to hotel, hotel to ship and ship to airport. Around 100 Euros when we went and well worth it. Stayed in a small hotel near the Vatican Best Western Spring House. Nice, but tiny elevators! This is only a block from the Vatican entrance and a metro stop. Bought the Roma Card before going to get access to transportation and two free museums, plus discounts at others. The card is good for three days once activated, and that is how long we stayed. Still didn't see anywhere near what we wanted to. Card also comes with a great pocket map. In most cases you use special entrances instead of the one with hundreds of people buying tickets. Do get your Vatican tickets in advance. Line is huge and again you bypass it with advance purchase.

 

This hotel would NOT be good if you were planning on using trains to the airport and the port, but is much cheaper than those in the area near the Termini train depot and is good if you are using metro and buses to get around. McDonalds right next to the Spanish Steps - if you stay in that area you will need it!

 

Other than the street signs having really long names it is fairly easy to get around in Rome. And the gelato shops are everywhere.

Edited June 9, 2017 by LeeW
more

[krisko]

I've been to Rome and lots of cruises but Jewel in 2 weeks is my first Med cruise...

 

Money--I wouldn't bring a dime in Euros with you to europe. Any way that you do would require getting killed with the exchange rate at one of those 'money exchange' places in the airport. You might get 70 euro cents per dollar or worse, terrible. Go to an ATM at the airport and don't accept the exhange rate if that's a choice...the ATM will spit out Euros using your home bank's exhange rate. For example, in Germany recently 200 Euros cost me $219 US dollars. Also, make sure the credit card you plan to use has no Foreign trans fee, these are fairly common now but verify with your card company. Also, you'll want to let the card company know the dates and countries you'll be in or they may freeze your card. Let your ATM bank card you plan to use know you'll be in europe as well. Casino is US dollars, though I'm sure the service employees would gladly accept tips in euros as well.

 

Rome Hotel--I also recommend being near to Termini Station in Rome. You'll be walking distance to colosseum, trevi fountain, panthenon, Spanish Steppes, etc. You won't need a hotel night before in Civitavecchia if you're an early riser...you can easily make it to the port. Make sure the hotel includes breakfast which will be cold cuts, cheeses, and fruit. If it advertises 'English Breakfast' that will be sausages, ommelettes, and french toast, heavier fare.

 

Sights--Roma card may or may not be worth it as it includes free local transportation for the set number of days. I think you should spend the money on VIP tours to Vatican and Colosseum/Forum. A couple good resources are www.rometoolkit.com, www.darkrome.com, www.tickitaly.com. Book early and you can get a tour of Vatican before it actually opens, my daughter was in Sistine Chapel alone with her mother...that's unusual. At the colosseum a VIP tour will get you into the underground, arena floor, and highest tier of the arena which are all off limits otherwise. Most importantly, you'll avoid a 2 hour line at colosseum and vatican doing this (I've always thought this is a prime soft terror target). When I go in two weeks I'm doing a night time VIP tour of colosseum which I think will be amazing. Avoid getting a tour guide off the street near these monuments...you have no idea how good the tour will be and I think it's kind of scammy.

 

Transportation to Port--Again, no need to stay in civitavecchia unless you don't trust yourself with a train or can't get motivated in the morning. Civitavecchia is quaint town but it's definitely not Roma! You'll take two trains in the morning, Termini to the airport and (I think) airport to Civitavecchia. Google this to be sure, again I think www.rometoolkit.com is a good resource.

 

Looks at recent Jewel review threads for more advice. and signing up for the 'Roll Call' for your particular cruise is a good idea too.

[krisko]

Another important note is a lot of stuff in Rome is free to everybody (like Panthenon, Trevi, Spanish Steps) and more is free to kids under 18. This is another reason why Roma card may not be worth it.

[bobmacliberty]

I read a study that says it takes the human body one day per hour of time change to fully recover. We confirmed this many years ago on a trip to Sweden with our daughter who was 1 year old at the time. She went to sleep around 9:00pm the first night in Sweden and we thought we were in great shape. Turns out, that was her "afternoon nap", and she was wide awake again at 10:00pm. Her nap time naturally moved forward by about 1 hour every day. Since Rome is 6 hours ahead of the eastern time zone of the US, this means that you'll need to leave for Rome 7 days early. ;p

 

As others have said, definitely push yourself to switch to local time (meals and stay up as late as you can) the first day, and stay hydrated (especially on the plane). This will help a lot. Normally, that combined with more coffee (espresso) will help you make the transition quickly.

 

Whether in Rome or anywhere else in Europe (or anywhere in the world for that matter), I find that it's really helpful to embrace everything local...the food, the customs, etc. Things WILL be different from what you're used to. That can either make you nervous or you can view it as a fun adventure. I've traveled all over the world and consistently notice 2 things: Everywhere is different in many ways, and everywhere is the same in many ways. The things that are different are what make for the best stories later. Also, technology now is a tremendous help (e.g. metro maps, Google Translate).

[Rubyfisch]

I don't really suffer from jet lag, but one thing that I have learnt is to book the latest affordable flight out of the US. A 10:30 pm flight will be much easier to sleep on than a 7:00 pm flight. I use Google Flights to find tickets, but normally book through the airline directly.