Help...it's going to be my first time!!

[poonam]

Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum and to cruising. We just booked a Princess cruise for May 2, 2008 from Rome - 12 day cruise on Grand Princess.

 

I'm soooo confused. I don't know where to start from.

 

1. we arranged our flights so now i'm looking for the cheapest way to get 4 adults from central rome to the port

 

2. I'm looking at the shore activities that Princess offers and find them quite expensive. I was wondering what's the possibility of us doing our own trips? Are their usually taxis available at most ports or should i try to arrange one beforehand?

 

Any help to a newbie would be great! We're 2 married couples that will be travelling (ages 26-27).

 

Thanks for your help,

 

Poonam

[mycruz]

Let me be the first to welcome you to the Cruise Critic!

 

Wish I could help you, haven't sailed from Rome yet, have a great time. I'm sure you're going to get some really good advice from the other CC posters!

[PescadoAmarillo]

Here is the link for the "roll call" of other Cruise Critic members who will be on your same cruise:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=523301

 

You can find also find it by going to the Cruise Critic Boards>Roll Calls>Princess Cruises>Grand Princess> and then finding your sailing date.

 

I'm sure that these folks will be able to answer a lot of your questions and may even be forming excursion groups for independent tours.

 

I'm sure you'll have a great time, and welcome to CC!

[Colo Cruiser]

Welcome you are in good hands. ;)

[Toto2Kansas]

Welcome to CC!

Last November/December we took the Princess transfers from the Rome airport since we were arriving the day the cruise sailed. But we were staying one night after we disembarked so used a private company for 6 of us. Spliting it 6 ways it was less expensive then through the cruise lines. For four, I would guess about the same.

Definitely follow that link to your roll call, sometimes you can find others willing to share a transfer with you which makes it a lot less expensive. But be prepared, the transfers in Rome are not cheap as it is quite a distance to the cruise port from the Rome Airport!

Have a great first cruise.

[spongerob]

Your best bet is to participate in the roll call thread. Honestly, none of this stuff is terribly difficult, just stay within your comfort zone and you should be okay.

[FredS]

Check the Ports of Call board here. Look at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=234

and you will find discussion on the ports you will visit and ways to get from Rome to the port.

 

some people do the train some mention private transfers and some do Princess so you can get an idea of cost.

 

There are always people waiting on the pier or near by to take you on a tour. The problem might be to find a reputable one. You can find private tour companies mentioned in the Ports of Call form on Cruise Critic. When setting up a private tour remember you have to be back on the ship 1/2 hour before it sails. There is always a clock and sign by the gangway when you get off that tells you what the current time is and what time the ship sails and when you have to be back on board.

[Pam in CA]

One thing to know when considering cost is that if you're arriving in the morning and boarding the ship the same day, Rome is quite a distance from the port and Italian traffic can be horrendous. There are frequent accidents and that pretty much shuts down highways. If you take the Princess transfer, you are paying more but as a first-time cruiser and if you're unfamiliar with Rome, you will be met and taken care of; your luggage will go on the bus and will be delivered directly to your cabin. And, the ship will wait for a Princess bus.

 

If you are booking private/independent tours, make sure you do your research about what time you need to get back on the ship. Again, as a first-time cruiser, it's easy to make a mistake or not plan properly. As newbies, even though it's more expensive, I recommend taking Princess transfers and tours until you're more familiar with how things are done. I would hate to see you left behind because you thought you had more time or you ran into problems you hadn't foreseen. :(

[caribill]

 

1. we arranged our flights so now i'm looking for the cheapest way to get 4 adults from central Rome to the port

 

Since you say from central Rome, I assume you are not going directly from the airport to the ship.

 

A quick and inexpensive way is to take the train from Rome to the port. I do not remember the web site, but one exists so you can see the schedules.

 

Of course, this means you must be able to handle your luggage to the train station, onto and off of the train.

 

Once you get to the port station, you will need a taxi for the short ride to the port.

[u2cruiser]

Hi, I'm new to these message boards too (I have been lurking for some time :cool: ) and had my first ever cruise in Feb, on the Grand. Can't help with much except to say that we didn't book any shore trips, but i did some research on the internet and decided what we wanted to see, taking one of the plentiful taxis from the port or walking.

 

The Grand was fantastic. One of my best holidays ever!

[YoPhilly]

Welcome Poonam! We cruised the Med for the first time last November, and I can empathize with you. These boards are a HUGE source of information. Join your Roll Call since everyone there is in the same boat. (I just love saying that.:p )

 

For transfers, you're halfway to having relatively inexpensive private transfers. You already have 4 people. Try to get another 4 people from your Roll Call to join you. That's what I did, and it was very reasonable for 8 people. Our driver picked us up first, then we went to two other hotels to pick up the other couples. It was just a little more money than taking a cab from our hotel to the train station, and then the train to Civitavecchia, and a long walk (or cab) from there to the ship...well worth it, IMO. (Oops, since you're a newbie that means "in my opinion".)

 

I don't know what ports you're visiting, but yes you can go on-your-own to many. Again, check your Roll Call and the Ports CC forums.

 

Have a great time!

 

P.S. One other thing....if you DO book the Princess transfers in Rome, know that the hotel they use for pick-up is not located in central Rome. So if you use the Princess transfers, be sure to budget time and money for a cab to the pick-up point.

[sammiedawg]

Congratulations! I am on the Grand the sailing after yours.

You need to map out port days out on a calendar, then do some research for each port. The Mediterranean section of this board under ports of call is chocked full of info. Go to the bookstore and buy a guide book or two listing your ports of call. Rick STeves Italy is great

We have some private tours booked for 5 ports and we are touring the rest on our own.

We have done cruise ship tours and they are fine, agree they are not cheap. some of the ports are doable on your own

At this late date a lot of the private tour guys may be booked, keep in mind they charge in Euros and their fees do not include entrance fees.

Ship tours always include entry fees and they generally go to the must see places

Post again your itinerary and start reading as many old posts as you can on the Mediterranean boards

[sidari]

poonam...can i suggest that you search google or which ever search engine you prefer and type in the name of the airport you will land at! normally there is an English translation.. check on the site for the airport and you will normally find Trains, Taxis, Buses etc timetables and often costs to various places.

 

who did you book your flights with? and which airport are you traveling to?

[bubbadog]

definately check and read your roll call threads,also look at ports of call board,it will be very hilly and a hike to get to some of the places,i will give you this info, these guys are good and reliable, you can get a quote from them,for prices,or the ride to port too,they did a great job for us, ok look online for driverinrome.com and limoinrome.com, its worth checking into,you will have a great cruise,dont forget the camera you'll need it:));)

[green.herbs]

I don't really know much about europe cruises, but I want to tell you that the Grand Princess is an amazing ship and you are going to have and amazing time. Good luck and enjoy your cruise!

[momsturn]

Everybody is right - use the ROLL CALL threads for your cruise. We just did the 29 day Med/TransAtlantic on the Star in Nov/Dec. Boarded in Rome. If you don't have rock sure arrangements, take the Princess transfer. That way you KNOW you will be met, luggage transferred and arrive in time for departure no matter what else is going on. Transportation nightmares abound in Italy and it's worth the little extra cost to have peace of mind at the start of your journey.

I also recommend that if you haven't traveled before in a particular port do the shore excursions. Unless you can hook up with somebody who is very familiar with the area, you run the risk of not getting back before sailing. Again, peace of mind - the ship will wait for any late-comers if they are on a Princess tour. Our Cairo tour was 4 hours overdue in Port Said and it was very nice to see that lovely huge ship waiting for us after a very long day in a somewhat scary country. Hope you have a WONDERFUL voyage.

[caribill]

If you don't have rock sure arrangements, take the Princess transfer. That way you KNOW you will be met, luggage transferred and arrive in time for departure no matter what else is going on. Transportation nightmares abound in Italy and it's worth the little extra cost to have peace of mind at the start of your journey.

 

 

OP said from Central Rome which indicates to me the OP is not arriving by air that day. Getting from Central Rome to the airport to get the Princess Xfer can be more hassle than getting to the port.