Would you take the express train on your own to Rome or book an excursion?

[LoriLoriLori]

I know the cons of going it alone are not getting back to the ship on time.

 

For those who have taken the train on their own from Civitavecchia to Rome would you recommend it to save time and money and do you have any tips? 

[pcur]

I loved that "on your own" tour for one major reason:  you are off the crowded highway.  The train ride is roomier and relaxing.  Your guide goes with you, and walks around answering questions, helping people with the best way to get to where they want to go.

 

It takes research on your part to decide what to do, and we opted for the hop on/off bus.  I would not recommend it, as it got stuck in traffic a lot.

 

Look at a map (I liked doing this on google maps), so you know the route to get back to San Pietro station if you decide to walk back (it's uphill a ways).

 

We had a great day, and it was nice to take the train back, too.

 

You take a very short bus ride from the dock to the train station, and then back to the dock after the train arrives.

 

Regular tours will take you all over, and you can see the highlights of Rome, but nothing really in depth.  What we did was do a few concentrated things on the tour, and then went back to Rome after the cruise and stayed 2 nights to see the rest.

[PurpleTraveller]

In 2016 I got the local train from Civitavecchia to Rome and back. It was an easy flat walk (about 20 minutes I think) from the port bus drop off point to the train station. We bought BIRG tickets (I think cost €12 each now) which cover the trip to and from Rome and also the metro while in Rome. We got the 8.01am local train and got off at Roma San Pietro. From there we walked to St Peter's and then on to Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, visited various churches, went to the top of the Victor Emmanuel Monument, the Trevi Fountain and had lunch at a small pizza cafe somewhere along the way. We then got the metro from Barbieri to Termini and then got the 1.42pm train back to Civitavecchia. A very easy, relaxed and inexpensive day.

 

I would suggest to leave the ship as early as possible, don't try to fit too much into your day as you will be doing a lot of walking and it may be very hot depending on when you are going and don't leave it too late to get a train back to Civitavecchia. Also plan well before you go knowing the various train times there and back as well as where you want to go. It is better to do less and return with a good time buffer as you don't want to stress while you are in Rome. 

 

I have heard of a relatively new express train service for cruise ship passengers from Civitavecchia to Rome and back. You could also research that option. 

 

Edited February 6, 2022 by PurpleTraveller

[SeattleAl]

I've never done Rome on a cruise ship, but I have visited Rome several times, both on a tour and self-traveling. Rome can be hard to navigate, especially if/when the tourists return. IMHO if what you want is an overview of the main sites, take a tour. If you want to see 1-2 areas in depth, do it on your own. If you want to visit the Vatican, it's pretty much an all day thing to see museum and church.

[LisaLisa87]

We did a private tour with Rome in Limo when we stopped in Rome on our Brilliance cruise a few years ago. There were only 7 of us and we saw so much in one day. I wouldn’t do it any other way. 

Edited February 6, 2022 by LisaLisa87

[jacobtsf]

Private (or semi private) tour. We were part of 3 couples that met on the Roll Call here and booked a tour for both Rome and Pisa/Florence through ItalyTours.eu and it was a fantastic experience. 

[Scottee25]

I did the train almost 20 years ago when we docked in Civitavecchia and it was pretty straightforward. From what I understand, there is now a shuttle at the port that will take you to the train station. Back then we had to grab a cab to the train station. Once we arrived at Roma Termini, you can take the Metro to a number of places. We took the Metro to the Colosseum and then pretty much walked to many of the historical sites. Then took the Metro back to Roma Termini and took the train back to Civitavecchia.

 

However, the thing to keep in mind is if you stop in Rome is a port of call on a cruise, you must take a ship sponsored shore excursion if you want to get off the ship. That restriction may get lifted at some point, but as things stand right now, that is the only way to get off the ship at an Italian port of call. 

[Cigar King]

With all the craziness that is Rome, I think I would only take a ship sponsored tour.  I'd like to not worry about making it back to the ship in time.

[LoriLoriLori]

57 minutes ago, Scottee25 said:

However, the thing to keep in mind is if you stop in Rome is a port of call on a cruise, you must take a ship sponsored shore excursion if you want to get off the ship. That restriction may get lifted at some point, but as things stand right now, that is the only way to get off the ship at an Italian port of call. 

 

Thank you for this information.  I did not know this.  I hope it gets lifted.  I looked this up and a cursory search states that it's not an Italian government rule but a port authority rule.  

 

I could board a train for Rome and back for about 10 Euro,  or buy the " train on your own" excursion for 90 dollars through Royal Caribbean.  

[SeattleAl]

PS- Make sure you know the normal scams you can run into. On my first trip my friend made an unplanned $500 contribution to the Roma community while on the Metro when his wallet was lifted.

https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/theft-scams/tourist-scams 

[deepcman]

We've done the train into Rome (Roma Termini station) a number of times and believe me, you will have many other cruisers doing the same. When you exit the train station in Rome, there are a number of hop on hop off tours that you can take. Check out the schedules on  https://www.trenitalia.com. it will be twice the adventure for half the price.

[LoriLoriLori]

Thank you for all replies.  I am hoping I can disembark on my own and do my thing without a cruise line excursion.  

[bonsai3s]

2 hours ago, PurpleTraveller said:

In 2016 I got the local train from Civitavecchia to Rome and back. It was an easy flat walk (about 20 minutes I think) from the port bus drop off point to the train station. We bought BIRG tickets (I think cost €12 each now) which cover the trip to and from Rome and also the metro while in Rome. We got the 8.01am local train and got off at Roma San Pietro. From there we walked to St Peter's and then on to Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, visited various churches, went to the top of the Victor Emmanuel Monument, the Trevi Fountain and had lunch at a small pizza cafe somewhere along the way. We then got the metro from Barbieri to Termini and then got the 1.42pm train back to Civitavecchia. A very easy, relaxed and inexpensive day.

 

I would suggest to leave the ship as early as possible, don't try to fit too much into your day as you will be doing a lot of walking and it may be very hot depending on when you are going and don't leave it too late to get a train back to Civitavecchia. Also plan well before you go knowing the various train times there and back as well as where you want to go. It is better to do less and return with a good time buffer as you don't want to stress while you are in Rome. 

 

I have heard of a relatively new express train service for cruise ship passengers from Civitavecchia to Rome and back. You could also research that option. 

 

Have done this exact trip DIY. Just to add to Purple Traveller...

* BIRG tickets sold at tobacco stand just outside the port terminal. You can avoid ticket lines at the train station...same price.

* At the train station, look at the train schedule and go to the designated platform.

* Validate your ticket before boarding...yellow boxes on platform post.

* When you get off at San Pietro...when you step outside the train station...simply look up until you see the dome of St. Peter's basilica...walk in that direction.

* After your visit inside this breathtaking basilica, walk towards the Tiber River. At the Tiber, look left,  walk to Castel Di Angelo...and cross the river over the Pont SantAngelo.

* As Purple Traveller said, you can walk to Piazza Navona (site of ancient Roman chariot races), Pantheon, Trevi Fountain...if you are tired or short on time, your BIRG ticket gives you access to the subway/metro.

* The platform for the train back to Civitavecchia is a bit of a walk INSIDE the main train station...give yourself plenty of time.

** Lastly, be careful of pickpockets.

Happy sailing and enjoy your day in Rome...we are sure you'll be back for a longer visit.

[Ashland]

4 hours ago, LisaLisa87 said:

We did a private tour with Rome in Limo when we stopped in Rome on our Brilliance cruise a few years ago. There were only 7 of us and we saw so much in one day. I wouldn’t do it any other way. 

We (the two of us) did a private tour with RomeInLimo also and it was just amazing at how much we saw in that one day.

[sgmn]

Though we've twice taken the train from the airport to the port at the start of a cruise, when it's a port stop we've taken a ships tour which just transports us to Rome and back.  The information given out on the outbound journey is very interesting, on the return most people were sleeping 😴 

Prebook tickets to St Peters Basilica and The Sistine Chapel, otherwise there's a huge queue. 

There may be people on your roll call that you can join up with for a private tour 

 

Edited February 6, 2022 by sgmn

[Norwich Cruiser]

We did a private tour including guide with Romeinlimo the guide was excellent and invaluable they pre booked all our tickets and by passed lines there were eight of us in total with folks we met on the meet and mingle.

 

We would never had seen and did so much on this whistle stop tour with a private tour and guide can highly recommend.

 

A couple of years earlier we tried to do it on our own using the train but we found ourselves clock watching all day and only had time to see the coliseum it in our opinions wasn’t worth the time and effort.

 

 

 

 

[RKHOOKER]

I would definitely recommend to do the train trip on your own.  If you download Rick Steves Audio Europe App it will take you on a very similar walking tour the cruise line organises (& charges $200) for free… well for the cost of the return train trip (€15).

My tip is simple for Rome, check what time the ship departs Civitavecchia port & allow 3 hours to get back onto the ship from central Rome.  So, if the ship is departing at 7PM check the train timetable for a train leaving around 4PM & plan to get on it.  Worst case scenario you take a taxi back to the ship, if there is a problem with the trains.

[nelblu]

We've done 4 12 nights Mediterranean sails.  The first couple of times we did the ships excursions and they are quite tiresome.  They last some 8-10 hours and touch most of the important sites of Rome.  The 2 tours had different aspects.  One covered the Roman Empire and all of it's glory, plus the Vatican.  The second covered the other aspects of modern Rome.  Covered the Vatican, the Popes crypt, Sistine Chapel, etc.

 

The latter 2, we did on our own.  We took the bus only excursions thru RCL and dropped us off near the Vatican.  We had some 7-8 hours exploring Rome in a leisure way.  On one of our own treks we walked from the Vatican to the Spanish steps.  Along the way I noticed this little restaurant that was advertising E 9 for a buffet lunch.  The choices were fresh and very tasty.  What surprised us was that it included a drink- Coke and something that we as Americans take for granted, a glass of ice😀 Pick up time was the same area as the drop off.  Did not have to worry about missing the train or ship.

 

Hint:  Our sails were in August and Rome gets quite hot with temps close or above 100.  My wife, ever so resourceful, took some face cloths wetted them and placed them in plastic bags.  When we were near a fountain, she re-wetted the face cloths to cool us down.  I could not believe how cold the water from the fountains was and it provided some relief.

 

 

[Scottee25]

11 hours ago, LoriLoriLori said:

 

Thank you for this information.  I did not know this.  I hope it gets lifted.  I looked this up and a cursory search states that it's not an Italian government rule but a port authority rule.  

 

I could board a train for Rome and back for about 10 Euro,  or buy the " train on your own" excursion for 90 dollars through Royal Caribbean.  

 

I would welcome you to read posts on the Italy Ports of Call forum here on Cruise Critic. There are several people there that are very knowledgeable about Italy (with a focus on Rome). There is a thread there related to visitors being required to use a ship sponsored tour if their stop is a port of call. One poster, in particular, stated that the requirement isn't posted on the Italian government's official website, but the independent tour operators they know have even told them they are not being allowed to offer shore excursions unless it is directly through the cruise line. The irony in all of this is, if Rome was your last stop and you were disembarking there, that same tour operator would be able to give you a tour outside of the cruise line.

 

I too hope they lift this restriction for your sake. However, in regards to 10 Euro vs $90, just remember, the $90 comes with the insurance that if the excursion misses the ship, it's the cruise line's responsibility to get you to your next port. When I was on my Med cruise back in 2003, there were several times the ship left late because some of their excursions were late back to the ship. Every single port there were always calls across the intercom after all aboard for guests to come to guest services because the ship was trying to determine if they had boarded but someone was not recorded since the ship was preparing to leave.

[D41]

2 hours ago, RKHOOKER said:

I would definitely recommend to do the train trip on your own.  If you download Rick Steves Audio Europe App it will take you on a very similar walking tour the cruise line organises (& charges $200) for free… well for the cost of the return train trip (€15).

My tip is simple for Rome, check what time the ship departs Civitavecchia port & allow 3 hours to get back onto the ship from central Rome.  So, if the ship is departing at 7PM check the train timetable for a train leaving around 4PM & plan to get on it.  Worst case scenario you take a taxi back to the ship, if there is a problem with the trains.

I second this recommendation to check out Rick Steves books and podcasts. The knowledge I gleaned from there and forums such as cruisecritic allowed me to take my daughter to Rome for the day, a whirlwind look at Sistine Chapel, Raphael Rooms, Roman Forum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, Colosseum from the outside, and a spot of shopping while we waited for our train back to Civitavecchia.  Note:  I would not have tried this with my other daughter or husband who cannot handle that much walking.

[jacobtsf]

I don’t know if they still are, but back in 2017 a lot of the private excursion companies had “guarantees” where they said if you missed the boat they would get you to the next port. These companies would get destroyed online if they were delivering people late. 

[sgk2000]

8 hours ago, Ashland said:

We (the two of us) did a private tour with RomeInLimo also and it was just amazing at how much we saw in that one day.

 

[sgk2000]

 We also did Rome in Limo and it was the best decision we ever made!  We had an amazing driver and guide and saw so much more than we ever could have on our own!

[LoriLoriLori]

Thank you for all of the answers and replies.  I think I am slightly bewildered/annoyed that you have to pay the cruise line to travel on a train to do "Rome On Your Own".  It makes no sense in terms of Covid safety.  What is the motivation in having this requirement other than money? There is no bubble and Italy welcomes tourists from the EU, USA, and elsewhere.  

 

I do understand that the monetary cost isn't that signifigant, especially for the assurance that the ship will not leave,  however I think I could better maximize my time if I were to go alone without depending on the excursion timetable.  I would like to exit the ship asap and not ride on a bus to the station -- I'd rather walk and get on the earliest train.

[BekkaW]

43 minutes ago, LoriLoriLori said:

Thank you for all of the answers and replies.  I think I am slightly bewildered/annoyed that you have to pay the cruise line to travel on a train to do "Rome On Your Own".  It makes no sense in terms of Covid safety.  What is the motivation in having this requirement other than money? There is no bubble and Italy welcomes tourists from the EU, USA, and elsewhere.  

 

I do understand that the monetary cost isn't that signifigant, especially for the assurance that the ship will not leave,  however I think I could better maximize my time if I were to go alone without depending on the excursion timetable.  I would like to exit the ship asap and not ride on a bus to the station -- I'd rather walk and get on the earliest train.

If the rules continue as they are you will not be able to do “Rome on your own” as a cruiseline excursion. We sailed the med last summer and the rules in Italy were very strict - all tours were fully escorted bubble tours. No moving away from your group for any reason in any location. Eg no shopping, no stopping for a coffee etc. All full day tours included lunch at a local restaurant. Take water and snacks with you! 

One one of our tours a lady did go off by herself and she was met by ship security on our return, we understand she was removed from the ship. It’s a very strict rule for cruise ships as they have been vectors of disease with covid in several places around the world.