I will be on the Oct 16, 2007 Freedom cruise.  I'm travelling with a party of five.  Having visited Rome before, I do know that one of the hotels that Carnival uses is the Hotel Cicerone - My Parents and I stayed at this hotel for 11 days and were very pleased with the room, staff and service.

Since we are arriving Rome at 8:45 am day of the cruise, I have hired a private limo to take us all around Rome and the Vatican and then take us to the ship.  This way we don't have to wait for a Carnival tour to fill up prior to departure and we can meet our driver and go.  Plus are driver is flexable to do what ever we want. 

I did not know that the more people in a group on shore excursions, the less expensive??  I have six Carnival Cruises under my belt and never knew this.  We have selected all of our shore excursions and plan to purchase them on line in late August.  I've been buying shore excursions the past two cruises and find it very easy to do and gives me one less thing to do on the cruise

205 days to go and counting!

Hi Trvlady,

The problem I have is that they don't guarantee you that particular hotel and the Visconti (the other option)is not reviewed.  The cost per night is also twice what you can get these hotels for online.

My husband and I wanted to do some private touring and the options are small van or private cars.  The prices I was quoted are a flat rate depending on the number of people in the vehicle.  So if four people travel at 500 euro that breaks down to 125 pp.  If 6 people travel, its let say it cost 600 for the vehicle and that breaksdown to 100 euro pp. (you can tell I'm an accountant). If you take let say 8 trips that can come out to a good deal of money for each excursion. Besides it more fun with more people. 

 This is our fifth cruise, but our first in Europe.  We've been to Paris and London by land.  We feel most excursions from the ship are very crowded and inflexible.  We are however taking the ship tour of Pompey and Positano from Naples. Its pretty unstructured and its by van not bus.

We're coming in to Rome on Sunday the 14th. Which company are you using for your private tour and could you tell me what is cost? 

Looking forward to this trip.  We're going alone, but we always meet great people on our trips that make the traveling extra fun.

Hi Nicki,

I found Odyssey Tours - web site http://www.odyssey-tours.com/  The price of the private tour in Rome comes out to $250.00 USD per person or 940EUR for all 5 of us.  I am in the Travel business and I have found this company to be very prompt with emails and replies.  I'm having my Rome office check them out - but I have not heard anything negative about them.  So I'm guessing they are a good company!

I cruise with my parents and this will be our sixth cruise with Carnival -first to Europe.  I have been to other countries by land and my parents and I went to Rome in 1994 - so we are vary excited to go back and to cruise!  Here are the shore excursions we are going to take - I'm going to wait until August to book online:

Naples - Pompeii, Sorrento & Capri - 199.00

Venice - 1st day - I'm looking for a private tour or we will just do this on our own -                2nd day - Verona - 79.00

Dubrovnik - Classical Sightseeing - 49.00

Sicily - Messina Tour - 55.00

Barcelona - Highlights & Shopping - 51.00

Cannes - The Colors of the French Riviera - 175.00

Livorno - Florence & Pisa - 155.00

We are from Pittsburgh and my girlfried and her mother are from Houston - we are very excited!- I have been watching the webcam of the ship and today the ship was docked in Naples - got to see Mt. Etna in the background

203 days to go!  Deborah

Hi Nicki,

I work from home and in-between conference calls, client calls and putting out fires – I have been reading bloggs and watching our ship.  So I understand the excitement of planning  - sometimes the planning is half the fun…

As far as airfare – even being in the business – who knows when the right time to buy is?  I purchased our three tickets from Pittsburgh – Rome about 2 weeks ago, because the price went down.  My  girlfriend did not buy her tickets when I bought mine and now she is paying about 75.00 more because the fare went up on the 1pm flight Rome – Newark..   

I have been reading several blogs about our ship and general cruise facts and I’m surprised how many people book private tours in ports of call, rather than taking the Carnival shore excursions.  Because of what I have read. I am checking with Odyssey Tours about private tours in Naples, Livornio and a couple other ports of call.  I figure if they can match or beat the Carnival price, it just may be worth the private tour – quicker and more specialized.  I’ll let you know what I find out.

See you in 202 Days!

Hi Nicki,

Just wanted to let you know that when we dock in Naples, we have decided to do the private tour from Drive Almalfi, with Savatore.  The cost of this trip is less expensive then the Carnival Tour we were going to do.  Here is the tour:

i am sailing on the carnival freedom on may the first this will be my first cruise, i have booked  at the crown plaza in rome have read reviews on trip adviser seem like a very nice hotel and reasonable pice at at 139 euros per night but seems very strict on cancellation policy. in civitavecchia have book a nice family owned hotel after the cruise called hotel traiano at 85 euros per night, also good reviews on trip adviser.   hope this is helpfull as it starts getting confusing. i have also hired a car for 3 days in rome not sure if a good idea or not but only 140 euros when just a taxi from aiport seems to be about 80 euros and can drop car off in civitivecchia. i will be back home in june so will let you know if i have anymore info for you, here is my email address if you need any more info mcd064@hotmail.com . if anyone can give me any ideas for my trip that would be great.

Hi Nicki,

The Amalfi cost tour is paid at the end of the tour, per Drive Amalfi, I did ask Savaltore if seperate credit cards could be used, but have not head the answer yet.  We are in a balcony cabin - when we get closer to our departure - email me at drosato@nauticom.net - we can work out arrangements if you still want to join us for the Amalfi Cost Tour.  I'm still looking for a private tour in France and Sicily.

On the second day in Venice - we are going to tour Lucca with Carnival - unless I find a private tour.  In Messina we are going to take the Tindari tour to see the Black Madona.

Talk to you soon!

Deborah

Hi Nicki,

What a wonderful birthday present.  I was in Belize with Carnival Spirit Nov 01.  We went to a fabulas place to snorkel.  Ambergris Caye  http://ambergriscaye.com/pages/town/island.html  Only my parents went to Belize City, which they did not like.  But Ambergris Caye is great - had the best coleslaw.  I guess your also going to Cuzumel - very nice as well - if the market place is back to normal after the hurricane, great place for gift shopping.

I like Carnival very down to earth.  I travel with my parents who are in their late 70's.  We went on a Royal cruise out of Baltimore and they did not like it - said too many older people - they are a very young for their age and like to be around young people, which Carnival has -

We decided to travel to Lucca our second day in Venice - the first day in Venice, I printed out a walking tour, so we are going to do that day on our own.  Also in Dubrovnik - I read if you follow the wall, which is close to where the ship docks - you see most of the important sites - so we are going to do that city on our own as well.  Other than seeing some wonderful sites, I have three goals - 1) get a Hard Rock pin from Rome and 2) get a Hard Rock pin from Barcelona - funny!!  I collect the pins and have them displayed in shadow boxes in my game room.  I just got a new one last week in minneapolis, where I had to go for business.  3) See where Pope John Paul is inturned - we shook his hand in 1994 on our last visit to Rome.

Take Care,

Deborah

Hi Aussie,

Driving in Rome is not fun - too many motor bikes get in the way of traffic and they drive crazy.  Problem with a car in Rome is 1) the way they drive  2)parking - very difficult to find parking near the sites  But having a car is a great way to get out of Rome and see some of the country side.  When we were in Rome 1994, we walked everywhere - pretty easy.  Then we used their bus system - wasn't that hard to use.  Can't wait to hear how you liked the cruise - you'll be leaving soon - how exciting!

drosato@nauticom.net - here is my email address - let me know how the tours were upon your return.  Have a wonderful cruise!!

Deborah