Ship Tour vs Self Tour for Rome (Civitavecchia Port Stop)

[TheHawk1]

I'm trying to figure out how risky it is to plan my own itinerary for a 13 hour port stop vs paying for an overpriced shore excursion.  I know cruise lines promote the fear of missing the ship's departure time and I realize you shouldn't underestimate that problem.  By the same token, is it worth paying more than double for an excursion that doesn't look as good as what I can get from a private tour group?

 

Our ship arrives in port at 7:00 am.   This will be in mid-September, so hopefully the tourist crowds are somewhat less that time of year. There is a local train that leaves Civitavecchia train stations at 7:45 and would get me to Rome Termini station at 8:50.  The one day Rome tour I'm looking at starts at 9:30 at the Colosseum.  Is that sufficient time to make the tour once getting off the train? How great is the chance the train could be late getting into Rome?

 

The Rome tour lasts 7.5 hours, so it ends at 5:00 pm at the Vatican.  There is a 5:30 train leaving S. Pietro station that arrives at the Port station at 6:15  or as backup another one that leaves 5:45 and gets to Port at 6:45. In either case, that should be plenty of time to be back on board before the ship departs at 8:00 pm?

 

I've never been to Rome, so need to factor in the time it takes to find out where I'm going or stopping and asking directions. But I am a fairly seasoned traveler in other European cities and always prefer making my own travel arrangements.  Would really appreciate feedback from others on whether this is reasonable or risky?

[euro cruiser]

Lots of us make our way into Rome by public transit, you just have to add time in your plan for things to go wrong.  Never take the last train that will get you back in time, pick one or two trains prior.

 

September is high season in Rome so expect big crowds.  Families with kids may not be travelling at that time but many of us who avoid the heat of summer are.

 

One tip, if you're going to the Colosseum first don't take the train all the way to Termini, get off at Ostiense and get the metro from there.  You'll save about twenty minutes that way.  That same 7:44 train stops at Ostiense at 8:36, if everything works in your favor (the metro shows up just as you arrive at the station) you could be at the Colosseum before the train gets into Termini.

Edited June 2, 2022 by euro cruiser

[cruisemom42]

32 minutes ago, TheHawk1 said:

I'm trying to figure out how risky it is to plan my own itinerary for a 13 hour port stop vs paying for an overpriced shore excursion.  I know cruise lines promote the fear of missing the ship's departure time and I realize you shouldn't underestimate that problem.  By the same token, is it worth paying more than double for an excursion that doesn't look as good as what I can get from a private tour group?

 

If you are talking about seeing Rome with a private tour, the risk is nearly nonexistent with the popular agencies that specialize in cruise passengers and that pick up and drop off at the port. They would quickly go out of business if they did not get you back to your ship in time in this age of reviews, social media, etc.

 

It sounds like you're looking at the tour where you are still on the line for your own transportation to Rome and back. Yes, this does SLIGHTLY increase your risk, but as long as you plan sensibly and allow enough time at the end of your day to get back, you should be fine. 

 

32 minutes ago, TheHawk1 said:

 

Our ship arrives in port at 7:00 am.   This will be in mid-September, so hopefully the tourist crowds are somewhat less that time of year. There is a local train that leaves Civitavecchia train stations at 7:45 and would get me to Rome Termini station at 8:50.  The one day Rome tour I'm looking at starts at 9:30 at the Colosseum.  Is that sufficient time to make the tour once getting off the train? How great is the chance the train could be late getting into Rome?

 

I wouldn't count on crowds being much different in Rome in September. Rome is a year-round destination for tourists, and cruise passengers only make up a small number of the total. Things don't really slow down at all until around the end of October. 

 

Regarding the train, there are several factors to consider as to whether you can get the 7:45 train. You should be fine, but keep in mind that a) it may take a few minutes after docking before the formalities are done and you can get off the ship; and b) Civitavecchia is a large port and you need to get out of the port and then to the train station, which might involve two steps.

 

Currently the picture is a little unclear. In the past, you'd have taken a free port shuttle from your ship to the port entrance, and then taken a public bus (dedicated to this route) to the train station for a small charge. You could also walk to the train station.

 

Now, the port entrance has been (temporarily we hope) located a bit less conveniently. See other posts on this forum about the issue. Some have said that due to the inconvenience they are also offering a shuttle that goes directly to the train station -- which would be ideal for you.  If I were you I would try to keep an eye on the situation throughout the summer as more cruise passengers call in Civi and report back.

 

It's possible that the train could be a few minutes late but unlikely that it would be significantly delayed. There are a couple of different options for getting yourselves to the Colosseum on time. You could go to Termini station and then get on the Metro (Blue line, located at the front of the station) to the Colosseo stop. 

 

However, there is a better alternative: rather than staying on the train all the way to Termini, you can save 10-15 minutes by getting off at the Ostiense stop, then walking to the adjacent Piramide metro station and getting on the metro (again, Blue line) to the Colosseo stop. 

 

Not only will you get off the train earlier, you'll avoid the LONG walk in Termini station from the adjunct tracks where the regionale trains from Civitavecchia arrive.

 

Once you get off the metro, the Colosseum is directly across the street.

 

32 minutes ago, TheHawk1 said:

 

The Rome tour lasts 7.5 hours, so it ends at 5:00 pm at the Vatican.  There is a 5:30 train leaving S. Pietro station that arrives at the Port station at 6:15  or as backup another one that leaves 5:45 and gets to Port at 6:45. In either case, that should be plenty of time to be back on board before the ship departs at 8:00 pm?

 

Sounds like you have a good plan and a backup for the end of the day. Be prepared that the trains initiate at Termini and by the time you get on in San Pietro can be quite full in peak hours. There are no assigned seats in these regionale trains, so if you can push your way on, then you're on -- but be prepared that you may need to stand part of the way until the commuters start getting off.

 

I'd certainly aim for the earlier train if possible. When you arrive back to the train station keep in mind you have to reverse what you did in the morning and it could easily take more than 30 minutes due to possible wait time involved while shuttles fill.  Taxis are not necessarily guaranteed to be waiting at the train station.

 

 

32 minutes ago, TheHawk1 said:

 

I've never been to Rome, so need to factor in the time it takes to find out where I'm going or stopping and asking directions. But I am a fairly seasoned traveler in other European cities and always prefer making my own travel arrangements.  Would really appreciate feedback from others on whether this is reasonable or risky?

 

At the end of the day, you have to decide whether you feel comfortable. On tours not geared to cruise ship passengers on a schedule, it's possible that the tour runs long. You might talk to your guide at the outset about whether it's possible to leave the tour early, if need be, to get to the station.  Where does your Vatican tour end?  The walk to the San Pietro station is about 15 minutes from the piazza in front of St. Peter's IF you have a good idea of the route. On the other hand, you'd need to add another 15 minutes if your tour is ending at the Vatican museum (entrance).

[TheHawk1]

26 minutes ago, euro cruiser said:

Lots of us make our way into Rome by public transit, you just have to add time in your plan for things to go wrong.  Never take the last train that will get you back in time, pick one or two trains prior.

 

September is high season in Rome so expect big crowds.  Families with kids may not be travelling at that time but many of us who avoid the heat of summer are.

 

One tip, if you're going to the Colosseum first don't take the train all the way to Termini, get off at Ostiense and get the metro from there.  You'll save about twenty minutes that way.  That same 7:44 train stops at Ostiense at 8:36, if everything works in your favor (the metro shows up just as you arrive at the station) you could be at the Colosseum before the train gets into Termini.

Thank your for the advice, especially the part about getting off at the Ostiense train station.  Looking at a map that makes more sense.

[TheHawk1]

27 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

Regarding the train, there are several factors to consider as to whether you can get the 7:45 train. You should be fine, but keep in mind that a) it may take a few minutes after docking before the formalities are done and you can get off the ship; and b) Civitavecchia is a large port and you need to get out of the port and then to the train station, which might involve two steps.

I really appreciate your detailed response with all the suggestions.  I'll be on Wonder of the Seas, so a large ship make take some time to get people off quickly in the morning.  I have been reading about the changes at the port and a shuttle bus to the train station, so hopefully those won't change too much (for the worse) by September.

 

 

29 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

At the end of the day, you have to decide whether you feel comfortable. On tours not geared to cruise ship passengers on a schedule, it's possible that the tour runs long. You might talk to your guide at the outset about whether it's possible to leave the tour early, if need be, to get to the station.  Where does your Vatican tour end?  The walk to the San Pietro station is about 15 minutes from the piazza in front of St. Peter's IF you have a good idea of the route. On the other hand, you'd need to add another 15 minutes if your tour is ending at the Vatican museum (entrance).

The tour (Walks of Italy) says it ends the day at the Sistine Chapel and then gives you some time to spend in the Vatican museums.  So I could skip out after the Chapel and start heading for the station to ensure I make the earlier train.

[TheHawk1]

35 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

If you are talking about seeing Rome with a private tour, the risk is nearly nonexistent with the popular agencies that specialize in cruise passengers and that pick up and drop off at the port. They would quickly go out of business if they did not get you back to your ship in time in this age of reviews, social media, etc.

I have looked at a couple of those options as well.  It does reduce the stress of worrying about being back on time and making your own train connections.  But I'm not sure if their guides would be as knowledgeable as some of the other tour companies that focus just on Rome day tours?  But they are still a better price than the cruise line option.

[euro cruiser]

You probably won't believe this but it takes most people between 20 - 30 minutes to walk from the Sistine Chapel to the exit of the museums.  From the exit of the museums to the S. Pietro station is one and a quarter miles.  After a long, hot day on your feet I would not count on making this walk in less than half an hour.

[cruisemom42]

2 hours ago, TheHawk1 said:

I have looked at a couple of those options as well.  It does reduce the stress of worrying about being back on time and making your own train connections.  But I'm not sure if their guides would be as knowledgeable as some of the other tour companies that focus just on Rome day tours?  But they are still a better price than the cruise line option.

 

I tend to agree with you; these companies are mainly providing transportation and navigation. However if your goal is mainly to see the Colosseum and the Vatican, that can be overcome by working with one of these services on logistics and then arranging for a Colosseum tour at a certain point, and one of the official Vatican tours....

 

In recent years, I know at least one company is discouraging about trying to do inside tours of both the Colosseum and the Vatican highlights in a single day for cruise passengers due to the crowds. But you do seem to have a longer day in port than some.

[marazul]

I was at the Vatican Museums this morning. We booked a private tour at 7:30 am on the Vatican website. It was great with very few people around. By the time we finished, the place was mobbed with people. Our guide said that over 20,000 people visited the day before.

We took a taxi to St. Peter's basilica hoping the security line was not too long. Forget it! It went all the way around the colonnade and it is 94 degrees!  So we took another taxi to the hotel. 

 

[bbqbears]

Can anyone recommend where to buy tickets to the Colosseum ?  My son and DIL want to walk around the colosseum, but because they will be meeting up with me and their aunt afterwards, only want to spend an hour or so there.  I'm noticing there are dozens (if not more) companies billed as "skip the lines," which offer tickets at what seem like vastly inflated prices.  Which "official site" is actually the colosseum's official site.  We want to walk through the Forum together.  Recommendations for sites for tickets to the Forum?  Thanks, Kathy

[euro cruiser]

The Colosseum, the Roman Forum and Palatine hill are all included in one ticket, you cannot buy them individually.  The cost is 18 euro.

 

This is the official site:  Ticket Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine_24h | CoopCulture

 

More info about the site:  The Flavian Amphitheatre (The Colosseum) | Turismo Roma

Edited June 12, 2022 by euro cruiser

[carlmm]

22 minutes ago, euro cruiser said:

The Colosseum, the Roman Forum and Palatine hill are all included in one ticket, you cannot buy them individually.  The cost is 18 euro.

 

This is the official site:  Ticket Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine_24h | CoopCulture

 

More info about the site:  The Flavian Amphitheatre (The Colosseum) | Turismo Roma

Perfect. Just like to add that you should buy the Tickets as soon as possible to get the Datei and time you want.

There is no need to pay more with a third party vendor.

[bbqbears]

This is why I think these boards are invaluable!  Thanks so much for the info.  We will start working on this.  

[letsgo39]

On 6/12/2022 at 2:27 PM, euro cruiser said:

The Colosseum, the Roman Forum and Palatine hill are all included in one ticket, you cannot buy them individually.  The cost is 18 euro.

 

This is the official site:  Ticket Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine_24h | CoopCulture

 

More info about the site:  The Flavian Amphitheatre (The Colosseum) | Turismo Roma

When will tickets be available for 9/12 to 9/14?

[euro cruiser]

I'm not sure how far out they sell them but I just looked at the site and at the moment they're only selling them for the next week.

 

I know there have been issues with re-sellers getting on line and scooping up tickets the minute they become available, but they must hold some back because if I wanted to I could buy tickets for tomorrow, and it is VERY busy in Italy right now.

[marazul]

The tickets go on sale on the coopculture.it website one month ahead of time.  Bots used by the "skip the line" resellers scoop them up in one nanosecond.  The website starts releasing extra tickets a few days ahead of the date, but it is not consistent.  If you see them, grab them.

 

We got ours on the website.  Colosseum guided tours include a hearing set for following their official guide. While waiting for the tour to start, we saw several "guides" of the "skip the line" companies bring their clients to join the group from the Colosseum.   In some cases, the "guide" provided an extra mike and hearing sets to the Colosseum official guide and his group.

[letsgo39]

I really just need a reliable tour company as it will be impossible to get official tickets while traveling. I don't mind paying extra for less stress. lol