Rome: Viking Excursion Comparison

[GCBK10905]

For those who have been in Rome and done the Viking excursions, can anyone share their experience?  We have never been to Rome so I’m finding it difficult to decide which one might be better.  Main priority is to see a lot but also not be stuck inside a bus literally the whole day. So I guess a balance of seeing many things but also getting to experience them. 😊

 

I’m sure both will be great.  Just looking for anyone who has went on either of them to see what your experience was like.  Thank you!

 

 

2 options we are considering:

 

1). Highlights of Rome & the Colosseum
Upon arrival in Rome, enjoy a panoramic drive past the city’s important ancient sites. See the Aurelian Walls, Pyramid of Cestius and Circus Maximus. Stop to visit inside the Colosseum, the most important amphitheater in the Roman world. This impressive arena could hold 80,000 spectators and hosted gladiator contests and imperial ceremonies. Later, enjoy a walking tour past the famous sites of the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain. You will also have an opportunity to view the exterior of the well-preserved Pantheon, then take a stroll through the picturesque square of Piazza Navona. After lunch, continue your panoramic tour past Castel Sant’Angelo, with the picture-perfect St. Peter’s Basilica as a backdrop, before returning to your ship.

 

2).  Ancient Rome

During a panoramic drive, admire the Aurelian Walls, Pyramid of Cestius, Baths of Caracalla and the Circus Maximus. Walk to the Colosseum, the most important amphitheater in the Roman world, and the Arch of Constantine, the biggest and best-preserved ancient arch. See the Roman Forum, walk amid the ruins of the Forums of Nerva, Caesar and Trajan and admire the imposing Palatine Hill. Visit the National Roman Museum, housing one of the world’s most important collections of classical art in a beautiful 19th-century neo-Renaissance palace filled with sculptures, frescoes and mosaics, coins and jewels. Visit the grandest of the Roman public baths. Enjoy free time to explore on your own before returning to your ship.

 

 

[TayanaLorna]

I haven't been to Rome for ages and never with Viking but am very familar with their excursion descriptions.  First know that Rome and the port where ship is docked is a one hour drive in the very best of traffic conditions and could be double that time.  So you will be in a bus a lot of time.  "Panoramic"  means seen from the bus.  Sometimes panoramic excursions have photo stops but these do not say so.  Both excursions say walking to, around and inside sites.  That sounds like what you want.  Consider this - what time of year is your visit?  If it is in the heat of the summer, you may welcome visiting the inside of a museum as i would think it would be a cool break with air conditioning.

[lackcreativity]

I don't really meet your requested criteria since I didn't take either of these Viking excursions. However, we have been to Rome on two short stays by land and on a third visit with Viking during their included excursion. The first excursion you described sounds like a very good choice, seeing a good selection of highlights of Rome. The walking portion takes you through the area of Rome that most stuck with me from our first trip.

 

Of course, you will only get a glimpse of St. Peter's, but to visit the Vatican would really take up most of your day. I would recommend #1.   Enjoy!

[formernuke]

We took highlights of Rome and the Coliseum and loved it! Pretty much hits as much as you can in a single day (except for the Vatican, which really needs another full day). Highly recommend it.

[aungrl]

I don't meet your criteria,  having never done either of these excursions with Viking.  However, we've been to Rome a number of times.  Keeping in mind @TayanaLorna summary of how to interpret the Viking excursion summaries, which in our experience is spot on, you might want to research each of the sites that you will either drive by, or get to actually go in to,  on these two excursions, and then choose the one that lets you actually visit those things that are most important/appealing to you.  

 

For us, one of the highlights of every trip to Rome is a visit to the Forum, especially when we can arrange to go in the evening, but that's entirely personal preference.  Just be sure to throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain backwards over your shoulder to ensure you get to return to the city someday!

[Murt22]

On 6/10/2023 at 12:05 PM, formernuke said:

We took highlights of Rome and the Coliseum and loved it! Pretty much hits as much as you can in a single day (except for the Vatican, which really needs another full day). Highly recommend it.

The description of this says "demanding" - how demanding, what was demanding about it? 

[formernuke]

A fair amount of walking and standing, including on rough/cobblestone type surfaces. Walk between many of the sites (couple of miles total, I would estimate). Also climbing up the stairs within the coliseum.

[Murt22]

Thanks for the info - we aren't going until next fall so i am just trying to gather as much information as i can. We are doing a 3 week cruise - so there are so many decisions to make!

[mallie24]

Have not travelled yet with Viking...but have sailed on Oceania ships frequently.  Have been to Rome a number of times....we have always arranged for private tour with driver and guide.  Well worth every penny...bypassing all the lines, not sitting on a tour bus for hours.  No other way in my opinion.

[donaldsc]

Both of them have way too much "drive past", "drive through", "view the exterior of", "stroll through" and stuff like that as well as "see the interior of your bus" for me.   This is not to count where you see the entire interior of a major museum in probably less than 1 hour. 

 

There was a recent video on YouTube where the blogger took a bus trip of Paris from his cruise port - 5 hours to Paris, drive past lots of sites without stopping and which he didn't see half of because he was on the wrong side of the bus, lunch at a genuine French restaurant where the entire group sat at long tables, a short time out of the bus at the Eifel Tower and concluding with a 5 hour bus trip back to the ship.  This tour sounds to me like the YouTube video tour and is not for me.

 

If you have to see Rome and you only have 1 day then pick 1 or 2 places you really want to visit and forget the rest.

 

DON