Massive cruise ships keep a graceful rhythm at sea: sailing through the night, docking in major ports at dawn, and letting their passengers off to frolic on land until about 6:00 p.m. and return to enjoy evenings on their floating home at sea. This video shows the view from my little deck as we arrived in Civitavecchia, the port of Rome. Rather than going into Rome, I spent today nailing down all the details of this port and figuring out good travel strategies. Rome is an important cruise port because many cruises start or end here, and many travelers just get a single day in the Eternal City during their cruise.
As is the case in so many great ports, at first it seems complicated to get into the main city (an hour away by train), but actually, it’s really easy. From the huge dockyard in Civitavecchia, you take a free shuttle bus from your ship to the cute little gateway to the port, walk ten minutes to the Civitavecchia train station, and then catch the train into Rome (1-hour ride, 2/hour, €4 ticket). My challenge in fine-tuning this book is to find the smartest plan (for example, a €9 day pass covers your round-trip train ticket into Rome — plus all your bus, tram, and Metro travel within the city). Once you reach Rome, get off at the Ostiense train station and then hop on the subway; in two stops, you’ll land on the Colosseum’s front door. After you do some frantic sightseeing for the day, walk from St. Peter’s Basilica to Rome’s San Pietro train station and catch your train back to Civitavecchia. Do it once and it’s a snap. My hope is that with my guidebook, it can be a snap for you on your very first time.
If you can’t see the video below, watch it on YouTube.
I completely understand the “ick factor” that some people feel towards cruises. However, bear in mind that there are many different kinds of cruises. Rick’s experience with thousands of passengers and a huge ship seems much different than my only cruise experience, which was on a 200-passenger ship in the Baltic Sea. Granted, even on a smaller ship, it’s still very different than an on-the-ground-back-door-style vacation, but probably also very different than a 3700-passenger-style vacation, too. I’m going on another small-ship cruise in May, starting in Civitavecchia. Can’t wait!
I can’t speak for everybody but I sense that a RIVER cruise might appeal: leisurely; friendly; uncrowded; service; low key and value oriented. A different kind of customer takes a cruise on a ship holding from 2,000 to 6,000 people than takes a river cruise with maybe a hundred.
This definately is not the way to do Rome if you really want to see Rome and have never done it before. This was our third time and the past two we were there for multiple days, and on this cruise we enjoyed our day in Rome, but had no expectations to see much. We strolled around the past things we enjoyed and enjoyed a great Roman Lunch. But I would suggest if you really want to see Rome, go on your own, or take a tour. If we pass through Rome on a cruise again, I would like to use the new RS book and find a much less expensive way into the city.
b’s comment reminded me of an ad I saw for a European River Cruise that was being done in conjunction with PBS’s Burt Wolf. I don’t know whether he still does them, but that cruise certainly looked like it would have more appeal to the kind of people who enjoy Rick Steves…smaller groups, no glitz/glamour, local musicians on board, lots of emphasis on regional good, etc.
That should say regional “food” not “good.” Excuse the typo, please.
I believe I’ll try the river cruise, if I ever cruise at all. A co-worker of mine recently did a cruise that incleded a ne day excursion into Rome. She knew I’d been to Italy before, and I helped her out best I could . That being said, I just can’t trying to visit Rome for just a few hours; indeed, the Eternal City deserves no less than four full days–really more…
A cruise allows you to experience a snapshot of a city as a taster to see if you are interested in returning at a later time. “Seeing the culture” is a relative thing. People say that cruises are not the way to experience the culture; that is true, but if you were honest, neither is simply spending a few days there either – you are still a tourist! So dont belittle the cruise because unless you live in, and not simply tour, a place, you are still just playing the tourist.
Yes it’s a snapshot of the port and people just like you – stressed; fearful; overbearing; overpaid and over there.
Was there anything in my comment suggesting I was stressed, fearful, overbearing and overpaid? Methinks you are doing some self projection W. Which is not welcome. What a silly comment. Jealous too obviously.
Rick is right about the train to Rome. Having been to Rome before, we had just one thing we wanted to visit. Took the Cruise Bus into the city. Taking the bus took most of our time, barely time to do what we wanted. The traffic is terrible. It would be a shame for that to be your only visit to Rome.