Tell me about Rome/Civitavecchia

[Freya424]

For those who have cruised Med out of Civitavecchia-
Where did you stay for pre-nights?
What transportation did you use to the port?
Any tips for sightseeing/getting around Rome for a first timer who is not fluent in Italian? (I don’t mind learning some basics)
Thanks!

 

[hippiechicken]

We stayed at a perfect AirBnB in the Trajan Forum. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/23880958
We did a ride share van to the port, but next time, I'll take the train. https://sharedshuttle.it/
We did a food tour that was perfect! I definitely recommend a food tour in every city! https://doeatbetterexperience.com/xp/food-tours/rome-trastevere-food-tour/
There are several great threads about Mediterranean cruises where I learned everything.

 

[gilsan]

We love Rome and have stayed at the Armony suites a couple of times. Luca the owner is an amazing host and will help set up tours, cars and give great dining recommendations. The location is near the Vatican and only a short walk to the Spanish steps and the Trevi Fountain. I don’t speak any Italian and had no problems in Rome. I highly recommend the Pristine Sistine tour if you want to see the Sistine chapel. https://www.romearmonysuites.com/

 

[hrhdhd]

You can find a lot of information about Rome on the Ports of Call boards on Cruise Critic.

 

[pjacobi]

Check out the Rick Steves' book on Rome, and especially the European cruise book.

Be very security conscience in Rome! Pickpockets are everywhere. There is no need for fear, just know how to defeat the pickpockets. It just takes effort and pickpockets know that lazy tourist are easy targets.


-Paul

 

[whatlevelisthis]

For anyone who has embarked a Disney Magic cruise starting from Civitavecchia--- do you know if Disney uses the new terminal for embarkation at Civitavecchia, the one that was built in 2018? Or is the old "tent like" structures where they set up gangplanks to board the ship (which looks hot and crowded, plus it looks like you board at Deck 1, which means no castmembers announcing your family / clapping you aboard?)

I ask because this would be my first Disney cruise, and the clapping for each family as they enter the atrium was something I was looking forward to

 

[abdgeek]

For those who have cruised Med out of Civitavecchia-
Where did you stay for pre-nights?
What transportation did you use to the port?
Any tips for sightseeing/getting around Rome for a first timer who is not fluent in Italian? (I don’t mind learning some basics)
Thanks!

When I did the DCL Med Cruise years ago, it left from Barcelona. However, I did do the Italy ABD some years ago and we stayed at the Gran Melia Rome Hotel while in Rome. I booked my pre-nights there and really enjoyed the hotel. It was near the Vatican and Castle Sant’Angelo and also had a shuttle that dropped you off about 2 blocks from the main shopping area and the Spanish Steps. Everyone is multilingual(most speak English) and I didn’t have any problems getting around or communicating. Most of the tourist sites you will visit have someone who speaks English and they are easily accessible by metro or bus.

On my pre-days, I walked and took the metro to the different sites. I took the train to Florence to go to the Uffizi Gallery and did some other site seeing in Florence. In Rome, I walked to the Spanish Steps, the Villa Borghese, Pantheon, etc. As OP have said, definitely watch out for pick pockets. I never had a problem, but I also carry a crossbody Pac Safe bag that has lockable zippers whenever I travel overseas.

My recommendation would be to make a list of the sites you want to see on your pre-days. Not all sites require admission, but make sure to book tickets online in advance for sites that do. Ticket lines can be long and you don’t want to spend hours trying to get into a specific site. Remember that Europe puts the day before the month, so double check any arrangements you make to ensure you have the correct day. If this is your first time traveling overseas, make sure your credit card has a chip in it and know your PIN. Smaller shops and restaurants will only take cash (Euros), but larger shops and most tourist places will take credit cards. Visa is most popular. Hotels take most forms of payment, but stores vary in the credit cards they will accept. Make sure to get some euros before you leave home. Unless things have changed, most taxis only take cash and cab drivers don’t always speak English. Make sure you have the hotel business card to show to the driver when you need to return to your hotel. When you leave the hotel, the doorman can get the taxi for you and let them know where you are going.

 

[hippiechicken]

For anyone who has embarked a Disney Magic cruise starting from Civitavecchia--- do you know if Disney uses the new terminal for embarkation at Civitavecchia, the one that was built in 2018? Or is the old "tent like" structures where they set up gangplanks to board the ship (which looks hot and crowded, plus it looks like you board at Deck 1, which means no castmembers announcing your family / clapping you aboard?)

I ask because this would be my first Disney cruise, and the clapping for each family as they enter the atrium was something I was looking forward to

We were announced and clapped on board...
I don't remember tents or it being hot and crowded, but I was super excited!

 

[CastawayDonald]

We flew into Venice, spent a couple days there and then took the train to Rome where we stayed at the Navona Tower Relais Hotel. It is a nice micro-hotel with a great central location right off of Piazza Navona. We loved the location and had a two bedroom unit. The only down side for us was that there is there no elevator and lots of stairs (fine for day-to-day, but a pain with luggage).

 

[Pens Fan]

We spent 3 nights in Rome prior to our Med cruise (hint - it still wasn't enough!!) . We stayed in a hotel right next to the Pantheon and thought it was a great location. We were close to so many things but it was a lot quieter than some other areas so it seemed a perfect spot for us. We were using my husband's Marriott points so we could splurge and stayed at The Pantheon Iconic Rome Hotel which was fantastic. It's pretty pricey if you're paying cash rates, but I think any hotel in that area would be fine.

As for tours and transfers, we used Rome in Limo who I highly recommend. We did a day tour of Rome and the catacombs as well as a food tour another day. They arranged our transport to Civitavecchia by private car as well. All of our guides were wonderful and they make everything so easy.

I agree with the PP who mentioned looking on Cruise Critic. Their port specific forums are fantastic and full of great info for wherever you may be cruising.

 

[lorimay]

I am praying our 3rd attempt to get to Rome is finally going to happen in July 2022.
I looked on Trip Advisor and we had The Armetide Hotel booked twice. Also The Rome Cavalieri looks really nice.
We want to stay in The Trastevere section of Rome.

Here's hoping!

 

[ninergrl6]

For those who have cruised Med out of Civitavecchia-
Where did you stay for pre-nights?
What transportation did you use to the port?
Any tips for sightseeing/getting around Rome for a first timer who is not fluent in Italian? (I don’t mind learning some basics)
Thanks!

In June '18 my friend and I stayed at Hotel Eliseo, which is adjacent to Villa Borghese, and LOVED it. Great price and great location -- walking distance to the Spanish Steps (from the top), Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and of course the beautiful Villa Borghese grounds where we watched the sun set over the city. *chef's kiss* Our first morning we started walking leisurely and hit all of those sites (plus the Romanticism museum next to the Spanish Steps and at least one stop for gelato) on foot in a few hours. It's also just steps away from a metro station. The room rate included daily breakfast on the top floor overlooking the villa grounds.

For sightseeing, we booked a couple half-day tours through Walks of Italy: Colosseum/Forum and Vatican. They have lots of options for locations, times, and styles of tours. It was a nice way to break up our two full pre-cruise days in Rome, half a day to wander on our own and half a day be guided through the popular sites.

I booked transportation through the cruise terminal website. They picked us up at the airport, brought us to our hotel in Rome, and picked us up three days later to bring us to the cruise terminal (about an hour away). It went really smoothly *except* our first driving brought us to the wrong hotel at first, but that was quickly remedied.