Oasis of the Seas from Rome or Barcelona?

[ARandomTraveler]

Thinking of booking a cruise on Oasis July 2024. It has routes that start/end in Barcelona, and routes that start/end in Rome. Both routes go to the same ports (Palma de Mallorca, Marseille, Pisa, Rome/Barcelona, Naples). 
 

Is there any benefit or drawback to Barcelona vs Rome as the embark/debark port? 
 

I know that it will be hard to really enjoy such a big ship when there's only 1 sea day, but do you see any other drawbacks to doing this route on such a big ship (does it have to tender?) 

[Sunshine3601]

Do you want to do a pre or post cruise stay in either of these locations?  That would be my deciding factor.

 

[A&L_Ont]

If you want to see Rome I’d recommend starting the cruise there. 

[ARandomTraveler]

10 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Do you want to do a pre or post cruise stay in either of these locations?  That would be my deciding factor.

 

 

1 minute ago, A&L_Ont said:

If you want to see Rome I’d recommend starting the cruise there. 

I'd be happy doing extra days in both places. If I do Spain, I'd also add some beach time in Portugal afterwards. If I do Rome, I'd do some days in Positano afterwards. It does seem like Portugal might be easier and less expensive than Positano. And Barcelona seems cheaper than Rome. 
 

It doesn't sound like I can go wrong either way. Do either of you know if it's easier to get to port when embarking in Rome vs Barcelona?

[Sunshine3601]

It is definitely easier to get to cruise port in Barcelona.   

Barcelona Airport is also very close to cruise terminal if you want to disembark and fly home after cruise.

The Civitavecchia cruise port is about 1 hr away from Rome.  Most travel by train.

[RobInMN]

There is a lot of support and positives/negatives for both cities. It really depends on your personal preferences.

Here is a good prior thread discussing your exact question.

My personal vote is for Rome, as you will see in the thread

 

[barb in ga]

We traveled on this itinerary a few years ago on Symphony her first season. We really wanted to spend more time in Rome, so we did 3 days in advance there and flew home the same day that we disembarked. It worked out well for us as we had spent some time previously in Barcelona and knew that we could make a better, more thorough 1 day stop there as opposed to a 1 day in Rome. I would do it the same way again.

Barb

[Another_Critic]

30 minutes ago, ARandomTraveler said:

 

I'd be happy doing extra days in both places. If I do Spain, I'd also add some beach time in Portugal afterwards. If I do Rome, I'd do some days in Positano afterwards. It does seem like Portugal might be easier and less expensive than Positano. And Barcelona seems cheaper than Rome. 
 

It doesn't sound like I can go wrong either way. Do either of you know if it's easier to get to port when embarking in Rome vs Barcelona?

I took the simple, no decision, solution.  😄

 

Booked Oasis spring TA to Barcelona.

Booked Odyssey fall TA from Rome.

 

 

[George C]

I would definitely pick Barcelona loved that city , Rome you are about 90 mins from port .

[ARandomTraveler]

2 hours ago, RobInMN said:

There is a lot of support and positives/negatives for both cities. It really depends on your personal preferences.

Here is a good prior thread discussing your exact question.

My personal vote is for Rome, as you will see in the thread

 

Very helpful reading, thank you. Seems there are good reasons for doing it either way. 

[bonsai3s]

Will this be your first trip to Europe?

[ARandomTraveler]

8 minutes ago, bonsai3s said:

Will this be your first trip to Europe?

No, I've done Italy and France, but I didn't make it down to Rome. I do think that I would really enjoy Rome and all the history to see there, but based on what other people have debated so far, it sounds like Barcelona is an easier embarkation port. If I did that one, I might even consider making the Rome stop a "stay on the ship" day, just to avoid the stress of trying to get to Rome and back. Rome might need to be a whole separate land based trip for me.

 

Then again...

[Norwich Cruiser]

1 hour ago, ARandomTraveler said:

No, I've done Italy and France, but I didn't make it down to Rome. I do think that I would really enjoy Rome and all the history to see there, but based on what other people have debated so far, it sounds like Barcelona is an easier embarkation port. If I did that one, I might even consider making the Rome stop a "stay on the ship" day, just to avoid the stress of trying to get to Rome and back. Rome might need to be a whole separate land based trip for me.

 

Then again...

That’s a good idea and yes Barcelona apart from being a brilliant city is a far easier to both embark and disembark from.

[bonsai3s]

2 hours ago, ARandomTraveler said:

No, I've done Italy and France, but I didn't make it down to Rome. I do think that I would really enjoy Rome and all the history to see there, but based on what other people have debated so far, it sounds like Barcelona is an easier embarkation port. If I did that one, I might even consider making the Rome stop a "stay on the ship" day, just to avoid the stress of trying to get to Rome and back. Rome might need to be a whole separate land based trip for me.

 

Then again...

I love both Barcelona and Rome. Almost 40 years ago, I backpacked all over Europe...and every time I make it back to Rome...it is always magical and surreal.

 

If an easier embarkation port is a high priority..., yes, Barcelona airport is only about 30 minutes. Rome to Civitavecchia is at least 1 hour.

 

IMHO, starting in Rome is better and is what I would recommend.  Spend a week, a few days in Rome...visit St. Peter's Basilica, walk towards the Tiber River, cross the river by Castel D'Angelo, walk to Piazza Navona, then to the Pantheon, then to the Trevi Fountain...the Colosseum, ancient forum, the Spanish Steps. So much more.

 

With Barcelona being a port stop, you'll be close to the city and see many of the sights...Sagrada Familia, Parc Guell, walk up and down Las Ramblas...and of course everything Gaudi.

[Biker19]

7 hours ago, ARandomTraveler said:

 

Is there any benefit or drawback to Barcelona vs Rome as the embark/debark port? 

If you care at all about being able to book things in the planner and be able to use the app before the cruise, book the one from the real home port, not the alternate one. Or, have faith that RCI will fix their IT issues with an interporting itinerary. 

[gumshoe958]

Far fewer passengers board in Civitavecchia than in Barcelona, so it doesn’t feel like a total zoo on embarkation day. But, as others have said, it’s a bit of a pain to get to. 
 

And as biker says, Royal hasn’t figured out how to make the app work properly for passengers boarding in Civitavecchia - or at least it hadn’t on Wonder last year, though I did see someone claiming it now works.

 

So there are pros and cons to both - I’d just go with whichever best fits your travel plans.

[silentbob007]

I’ve boarded both places. As others have said, Barcelona is much easier logistically though we had a car service to take us from Rome to the port and that was pretty easy and check in was quite fast. The train wouldn’t have been too bad though was not feasible with my travel party. 

[ocean sounds]

We wanted to tour Italy pre-cruise for our Symphony of the Seas sailing this month, so embarked in Civitavecchia.  We finished our Rome stay with a morning tour that included a transfer to the port that afternoon.  Embarkation was a breeze!  
 

We were happily surprised that Royal’s app was fully updated sometime before check-in, to allow us to check in, see daily activities, menus, etc.  What? Royal IT got something to work ?!?  Yes !
 

 (Note: We didn’t attempt to book any activities in the app until halfway through the cruise.  We were able to book comedian on the app).

 

FYI, at embarkation we had tour tickets  for only the first two ports.  Shore excursion desk said the rest would be in our room when we reached Barcelona, and they were absolutely correct. 

I’d have no hesitation choosing the Rome option again . Worked out well for us.

 

Edited June 25, 2023 by ocean sounds

[Jimbo]

10 hours ago, ARandomTraveler said:

Thinking of booking a cruise on Oasis July 2024. It has routes that start/end in Barcelona, and routes that start/end in Rome. Both routes go to the same ports (Palma de Mallorca, Marseille, Pisa, Rome/Barcelona, Naples). 
 

Is there any benefit or drawback to Barcelona vs Rome as the embark/debark port? 
 

I know that it will be hard to really enjoy such a big ship when there's only 1 sea day, but do you see any other drawbacks to doing this route on such a big ship (does it have to tender?) 

Book a cruise like this on Celebrity Equinox and do a pre and post cruise stay at both cities. We are doing this itinerary in June 2024

 

• • Day 1: Barcelona - Spain
  • Thu Jul 11 2024 | Depart 05:00 PM
• • Day 2: At Sea
  • Fri Jul 12 2024 |
• • Day 3: Florence/Pisa(Laspezia)Italy
  • Sat Jul 13 2024 | Arrive 07:00 AM
• • Day 4: Florence/Pisa(Laspezia)Italy
  • Sun Jul 14 2024 | Depart 06:00 PM
• • Day 5: Santa Margherita - Italy
  • Mon Jul 15 2024 | 08:00 AM To 06:00 PM
• • Day 6: Nice (Villefranche) - France
  • Tue Jul 16 2024 | 08:00 AM To 07:00 PM
• • Day 7: Provence(Marseille) - France
  • Wed Jul 17 2024 | 07:00 AM To 06:00 PM
• • Day 8: At Sea
  • Thu Jul 18 2024 |
• • Day 9: Naples - Italy
  • Fri Jul 19 2024 | 07:00 AM To 06:00 PM
• • Day 10: Rome (Civitavecchia) - Italy
  • Sat Jul 20 2024 | Arrive 06:00 AM

[CynBeth6]

Very soon we will hopefully be on our Med cruise. It begins in Barcelona and we are flying in a few days early. It ends at Civi port and we are spending 2 nights in Venice and 3 nights in Rome before flying home. I wish we had more time but I can only be off of work for 2 weeks and am grateful for whatever we are able to see on this trip. We were supposed to go the summer Covid hit. Some of the ports had changed but no big deal. We have a day at sea the day after we embark and then it goes to Marseille, Nice, Genoa, Portofino, and Livorno(Florence/Pisa).

Edited June 25, 2023 by CynBeth6

[topnole]

If you’ve been to Rome and Barcelona previously and don’t care about sightseeing, I’d pick Barcelona for ease of process.  But if you’ve never been to Rome or either city, I’d pick Rome and spend several days in Rome before or after.  Rome is a city unlike any other.  I like Barcelona, but it nothing like Rome and I would pick Rome over Barcelona all day long as a place to visit again.  
 

Just remember that you have long commutes to the actual city in many or some of the ports.  So if you go to Rome as a stop you will have far less time than is posted to visit the city.    You’ll probably spend at least 3 hours commuting round trip. 

[steamboats]

The main embarkation port is Barcelona. So all entertainment is geared to this port (like welcome show).

 

Barcelona airport is only 25 min from the port and easy to access. Fiumicino is about an hour and you need an expensive transfer. Rome is about 1.5 hours by train.

 

It´s the same cruise - it´s just that they do interporting in Civitavecchia.

 

steamboats

[ARandomTraveler]

I didn't catch on to the fact that these were all interporting cruises. But this makes sense now. I was wondering how they were going every other week from a different port without having a repositioning in between. I didn't even catch on that the dates of each embarkation weren't a full 7 days apart. This all makes more sense now. 
 

I wish they'd let you start in one and get off in the other. That would be the best of both worlds. I'm sure there's a legal reason for not allowing this. 
 

 

Edited June 25, 2023 by ARandomTraveler

[Jimbo]

2 minutes ago, ARandomTraveler said:

I didn't catch on the the fact that these were all interporting cruises. But this makes sense now. I was wondering how they were going every other week from a different port without having a repositioning in between. It didn't even catch on to me that the dates of each embarkation weren't a full 7 days apart. This all makes more sense now. 
 

I wish they'd let you start in one and get off in the other. That would be the best of both worlds. I'm sure there's a legal reason for not allowing this. 

They do, just use another fish in the sea.......look at other cruiselines. For instance the one I showed you above.

Don't be locked into Royal.

[ARandomTraveler]

4 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

They do, just use another fish in the sea.......look at other cruiselines. For instance the one I showed you above.

Don't be locked into Royal.

I'll take a look at the Celebrity one you posted. Even though I'm not a point chaser, I feel a little hesitant to book another line when I'll be so close to getting Diamond at that point. I guess it really shouldn't matter though, because the only perk I'm really wanting is the 4 free drinks, and those will probably disappear by the time I make Diamond anyway. 
 

I also like the Oasis class ships. But that route has so few sea days I guess it doesn't matter.

Edited June 25, 2023 by ARandomTraveler