Celebrity Rome on your own and Florence on your own

[cefh]

I would like to book these so that we don't have too much stress getting transportation. However, I'm not sure what time I should book tours for the Vatican/Colluseum in Rome, and the Accademia/Uffizi in Florence.

 

Basically, what time would we get to Rome and Florence?

 

Thanks!

[Susan-M]

We did Celebrity's Florence on Your Own - our bus was delayed leaving by about 20 minutes due to a problem in port, so arrival in Florence was close to 10 a.m.

 

I had booked Accademia for noon which gave us a chance to get oriented and see some sights first. We were dropped off at Santa Croce Church which, if you go directly to the Accademia, is about a 10-15 minute walk.

 

We met again at 3:45 to head back to port.

[goldenprincess53]

We did RCCL last fall and used cruise ships "on your own excursions" to Rome and Florence.

 

Florence - departed ship approx. 8:15 am and arrived in Florence around 10:00. Bus dropped us off at spot by Arno River and we walked in to the Santa Croce church square. Instructions for meeting time (3:45 pm for 4 pm departure to bus) were given and we went on our way. This area seems to be the major meeting spot for most of the cruise ships.

 

We did a very brisk half hr walk to Academia Museum (pre-booked tickets). We took a C bus from San Marco square (near Academia) to Piazza Michaelangelo (you have to transfer to another bus at the Arno River to go up to the Piazza but the views overlooking the city are not to be missed. Some of our best pictures are from this area. You can re-use your bus ticket (which must be validated on the bus) to board another bus for trip back down hill as long as you are within the 1 hr expiry timeframe. We had just enough time to visit the Ponte Vecchio, exterior of Uffezzi Gallery and the Domo, a cappuchino stop and on to Santa Croce

 

Rome: Left ship around 8:15. The bus trip to the Rome is only 1 hour but depending on traffic you could be another hr just getting to Vatican Square where the buses park in an underground parking garage. The group walks from the garage up to the entrance of St. Peter's Square. It was closer to 10:30 before we were able to get off "on our own". As it was a Wednesday, the Pope was in the Square saying Mass so we were not able to visit the Cathedral in the morning; instead we took the Touristic Bus for stops at Trevi, Spanish Steps, Forum/Colisseum, walk to Pantheon and Piazza Navona. Next time I would pass on Piazza Navona; spend the extra time in the Forum area or Vatican. Traffic was horrendous the day we were there, sat idle on the bus for 20 minutes near the Spanish Steps - we probably could have walked quicker to the Forum. But, the expected-unexpected happened - there was a random demonstration going on at various locations. I understand this is quite common in Rome to have disruptions like this. We never did see any of the demonstrators though. This is truly an amazing city and one place I want to go back again. We ate a late lunch (froccacia style sandwiches/cappuchino) standing around the counter just down from St. Peter's square (left hand side near the bridge/river) in great deli style restaurant/cafe. Group met at entrance to St. Peter's Square at 4 pm but this time our bus was able to pick up up right there. There is a really nice (expensive) leather/gift shop adjacent to our waiting area.