Dis / Dreams Viking Sea Cruise around Italy 3/24 - 3/31/2018

[met19]

Keep in mind that single travelers will pay almost double the per person price for any add on.

They do bring the price down a bit because of meals not being needed, but you are looking at somewhere between $2400 and $2800 for three nights.

For example....a party of two will pay $1698 for two pre-nights in Rome. A single will pay $1498.00

Not trying to talk you out of anything. Just making sure you have the info.

probably do pre-nights on my own or with cool people but not thru viking excellent info. thanks for the share.

 

[Cousin Orville]

trying to decide pre-nights in Rome (on my own) or the Florence/Tuscany pre-nights or just Florence. Decisions decisions.

We will probably do Florence on our own. Maybe get guides for the Uffizi/Academia or see what's doable there. Amalfi Coast or Rome would be awesome to, but my boss pushing Florence.

 

[OKW Lover]

my boss pushing Florence

Listen to Kate. Florence is a beautiful city. Be sure to get a hotel in the hart of the city though. Most of the ABD trips that stop in Florence (but not the ones that @DisneyKevin organizes) stay at a hotel outside the city.

 

[khertz]

We will probably do Florence on our own. Maybe get guides for the Uffizi/Academia or see what's doable there. Amalfi Coast or Rome would be awesome to, but my boss pushing Florence.

If you do Florence, we had our favorite meal in Italy at Acqua al 2!!!

 

[DDuck4Life]

If you do Florence, we had our favorite meal in Italy at Acqua al 2!!!

Pasta Sampler and Balsamic Steak.

 

[met19]

Listen to Kate. Florence is a beautiful city. Be sure to get a hotel in the hart of the city though. Most of the ABD trips that stop in Florence (but not the ones that @DisneyKevin organizes) stay at a hotel outside the city.

Rome v Florence is so difficult. so much history, architecture, food in both. I've know done a short Rome trip. Now I'm trying to decide wether to do some more in Rome (things I haven't done) or now Florence. I figure I can't go wrong with either and have time to decide. What I really want is both

@Cousin Orville : listen to the boss.

@OKW Lover : good advice to stay in center of the city. I did that in both Milan and Rome. My Rome hotel was right next to the Pantheon

 

[khertz]

Pasta Sampler and Balsamic Steak.

I'm drooling just thinking about that meal.

 

[Enorto1]

I love Florence! If you are in the market for any leather goods Florence is the place to buy them. Seeing David is an out of body experience! That all being said I love the architecture of Rome. If you've never seen the colosseum, it just can't be missed. A visit to Vatican City is just incredible. Whether you are religious or not just being there is very unique and interesting. I also have so much nostalgia there because I visited it when I was in high school and college.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

We likely won't be able to do any of the official pre- or post- events due to when we can travel/be away but are hoping to do at least one night beforehand in Rome as we have never been and want to see what we can of the historical elements and see at least a bit of the Vatican (as we are Roman Catholic).

So any hotel recommendations would be appreciated and if anyone else is thinking of doing the same and would want to coordinate that would be cool too!

 

[khertz]

We likely won't be able to do any of the official pre- or post- events due to when we can travel/be away but are hoping to do at least one night beforehand in Rome as we have never been and want to see what we can of the historical elements and see at least a bit of the Vatican (as we are Roman Catholic).

So any hotel recommendations would be appreciated and if anyone else is thinking of doing the same and would want to coordinate that would be cool too!

We were actually looking at the hotel Bernini Bristol in Rome which is where we stayed on our ABD. It was $540 for 2 nights including breakfast each morning. I think that might be what we end up booking for our pre nights. Still not sure about Venice but we are looking at options.

 

[OKW Lover]

We likely won't be able to do any of the official pre- or post- events due to when we can travel/be away but are hoping to do at least one night beforehand in Rome

We highly recommend getting to Rome the day before. Val & I were on a Greek Isles cruise last year and didn't follow our own suggestion when flying to a cruise departure of getting there a day early. We came THIS CLOSE to missing our flight from ATL to VCE because of weather conditions in Orlando. Had we missed that flight it is likely that we would not have made it to Venice before the ship left.

We were actually looking at the hotel Bernini Bristol in Rome which is where we stayed on our ABD. It was $540 for 2 nights including breakfast each morning.

That doesn't sound like a bad rate for the Bernini. We enjoyed that hotel (yes and the roof top bar) on that trip.

Just keep in mind the need to get from Rome to the port while wrangling all your luggage. We are waiting to see what hotels (and $) Viking offers pre-cruise just because of the transport/luggage logistics.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

We highly recommend getting to Rome the day before. Val & I were on a Greek Isles cruise last year and didn't follow our own suggestion when flying to a cruise departure of getting there a day early. We came THIS CLOSE to missing our flight from ATL to VCE because of weather conditions in Orlando. Had we missed that flight it is likely that we would not have made it to Venice before the ship left.

Thanks! Agree and we definitely plan to do all we can to get there the day before - i think still trying to figure out exactly when

My thought process now is to take an overnight flight Thursday into Friday and have Friday to explore Rome then have a hotel Friday night, do the early entry tour of the Vatican Saturday morning and then head to the port ... course with are over a year away so i am sure I will go through ~999 machinations of a plan

That doesn't sound like a bad rate for the Bernini. We enjoyed that hotel (yes and the roof top bar) on that trip.

Just keep in mind the need to get from Rome to the port while wrangling all your luggage. We are waiting to see what hotels (and $) Viking offers pre-cruise just because of the transport/luggage logistics.

I am interested in learning more about the transfers to the port from Viking or if other means are better if you don't do the official pre-cruise add-on. Is the normal transfer just from the airport or can it be from a hotel in Rome, etc.?

 

[SorcererHeidi]

Keep in mind that single travelers will pay almost double the per person price for any add on.

They do bring the price down a bit because of meals not being needed, but you are looking at somewhere between $2400 and $2800 for three nights.

For example....a party of two will pay $1698 for two pre-nights in Rome. A single will pay $1498.00

Not trying to talk you out of anything. Just making sure you have the info.

I hate single supplements. That's what used to keep me from cruising in the past, if I couldn't twist somebody's arm.....I mean convince somebody to be my travel buddy.

 

[DisneyKevin]

Thanks! Agree and we definitely plan to do all we can to get there the day before - i think still trying to figure out exactly when

My thought process now is to take an overnight flight Thursday into Friday and have Friday to explore Rome then have a hotel Friday night, do the early entry tour of the Vatican Saturday morning and then head to the port ... course with are over a year away so i am sure I will go through ~999 machinations of a plan



I am interested in learning more about the transfers to the port from Viking or if other means are better if you don't do the official pre-cruise add-on. Is the normal transfer just from the airport or can it be from a hotel in Rome, etc.?

Viking transfers are from the airport to the ship.

Viking will not pick you up at a location in Rome unless you have the Viking add on.

 

[khertz]

Viking transfers are from the airport to the ship.

Viking will not pick you up at a location in Rome unless you have the Viking add on.

If doing pre/post nights on your own and not through Viking is there another transfer company or service you know of that could be booked separately?

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Viking transfers are from the airport to the ship.

Viking will not pick you up at a location in Rome unless you have the Viking add on.

Thanks Kevin - I was looking at the website for the Caravaggio Port under Viking Ocean Cruises and had a section for transfer from hotels to the port but wasn't clear if it was the regular viking transfer or something separate

 

[DisneyKevin]

Unfortunately, I do not.

 

[Cousin Orville]

If doing pre/post nights on your own and not through Viking is there another transfer company or service you know of that could be booked separately?

We have used Romeinlimo.com a couple of times for shore excursions, but they also do transfers. They definitely know the way to Civitavecchia.

 

[DisneyKevin]

Just double checked with Viking.

They offer arrival transfers from the airport and to guests that have booked the two or three night pre-stays.

They offer no other transfers from Rome or Florence.

 

[met19]

Still deciding between Florence and Rome. making lists of to do items and dining for both. Decisions at work easy- decisions regarding travel are very very difficult. I just googled Acqua al 2. Looks good.