Just for information - we are fully aware that this is the only port for Rome. We just want people to be aware at how far away it is. Cruise lines make no effort to inform people that ports can be absolutely miles away - and you will need to travel for hours and pay extra money. They don’t provide any form of complimentary transportation to the port that was advertised. We made the video to highlight this and how you can save an absolute fortune! Also the tour we replicated cost £171 or $208 per person and did not include admission to anything. It was purely a guided coach ride from the ship to Rome then a walking tour with a free portion of gelato.
@@lisagardner903these guys have been doing this for years they know exactly what they are talking about,just informing other people what is really happening
I know that you obviously don't share all of your life online with us and there will be bits which aren't always plain sailing ;) but you guys seem to have a really enjoyable life, working together and seeing the world, being in good humour, etc. Your videos are nice to watch for that alone.
Love you guys. You’ve made what could’ve been an unbearable two years so much easier with your videos. I’m still receiving chemotherapy. Had my 37th recently, and when I’m feeling really rubbish, I put on one of your videos. I’m in my room recovering from treatment much of the time, but with you guys I get to travel the world. This is what you are doing, so thank you. Did I tell you I love you guys😂❤❤
I just started watching them and enjoying it immensely. I, too, am receiving treatment and this is the only way to travel and still stay safe. Hope you are feeling ok today. ❤ Kathleen
@@georgebuscay8511Kathleen, they are amazing. I’ve been watching for 18 months and honestly they’ve made the post treatment horridness easier. Good luck with treatment. It is hard but we will do it 💪 xxx
Our cruise originated and finished in Rome/Civ. We were so glad that we also made sure to book a few days in Rome at the end. There are a number of reasons we always book the excursions through the cruise line. Yes, I know that they are more expensive than booking on your own, but, for us it is worth it. First, we pay in Canadian funds as opposed to the American and the exchange rate fluctuates lately anywhere from 20-30%, second it is already paid for, the knowledge that the ship will wait for us if we are delayed through no fault of our own, third we are usually in ports/places we haven’t been before and tend to get lost, also the guides are so knowledgeable. For us doing it the way we do is like another insurance.
I’ve been an independent traveler all my life who is comfortable in foreign places, I’ve never taken tours, but since I started cruising I realize lots of fellow passengers don’t feel the same, for them excursions are worth it. Also many passengers are elderly and cannot walk 20,000+ steps.
I just found this channel. I find Ben hilarious with his facial expressions and edgy jokes, he really cracks me up. I think he would be the sort of guy that could cheer anyone up if they were feeling down.
Thank you for a lovely tour ,Ben and David. I'll never be able to cruise bc of physical disability but, every time I see your videos , I feel like I'm right there with you .
I was even stressed the minute you stepped off the ship. I was so afraid it might fall apart and you'd miss the ship. But, it went so smoothly and you saw so much. 🎉 Kathleen
Rome is like that, 40 minutes away from the port is nerve wracking! Even though it's more expensive I did the ship tour (Royal Caribbean) and would pay it again (though I don't usually get the excursions for most ports). Rome is a magical city. Lots of cities have history, but Rome IS its history.
When you have 8-9hrs in port you should ignore the fear the cruiselines use to discourage private travel over their short expensive options. Most cities have decent transport options
This is a great idea! Planned our own shore excursions and saved a lot of money this summer while cruising with NCL, definitely recommend this over shore excursions. One tip is to plan your train/transport so that if you miss your train or it gets cancelled, there's at least 1 or more trains that makes it back before all aboard time!
I really loved this episode guys! Loved the honesty and the race into Rome was fun. Just goes to show with a bit of planning you can get a more affordable experience. So sorry the Haven wasn’t all you expected, I know this was a special trip, so I hope the itinerary and Rome made up for it.
Wow, you guys totally rocked that Rome `excursion`! I really don`t understand the thinking (or lack thereof) behind moving all the outdoor furniture during dinner time of what`s supposed to be a superior restaurant! Also as a mum of two and grandma of three kids ten and under I`m mindblown by how inconsiderate some parents are! Firstly, reign in your kids, and secondly, you`re not the only people on the ship!!! I hope you can enjoy the rest of the cruise and knowing you two, you`ll have a good time anyway! Love from Vancouver Island Canada.
My husband and I are independent travelers too. I research like crazy before we go anywhere and we save a ton of money. You both did a great job and after all those steps you can have a giant gelato!
I was so fortunate to take a trip to Rome in 2017. I went by myself and had a rental apartment for three weeks. It was the best vacation I ever had in my whole life!!! ❤😍👍🤩
This was very interesting, informative and entertaining, guys! As a Roman history nerd I always love going to Rome. For the time you had available you touched on all the right places. I’ll spend a week or ten days exploring Rome and never get enough.
They do that for places like London but dock in Dover or Southampton, or better still a city without a dock, Paris, a good 4 hours from the port of Le Harvre . If you don't know your geography you can be in for a BIG surprise.
What a wonderful idea...showing what a DIY tour entails...I have done Rome once on a cruise precovid...it was July and extremely hot...I have to say, it was wonderful having the bus drop you off at the site and pick you up with the AC running...I opted to do ancient Rome and the Catacombs...the drive to Rome was beautiful, fields and fields of sunflowers...In Rome, I was struck by how tightly packed everything was..the massive coliseum totally surrounded by buildings, the Forum wedged inbetween pre and post WWII structures and the graffiti...I love history and historical structures and I found the graffiti very disturbing...then we moved away from the central area out to the catacombs, space and fresh air wonderful and extremely interesting...I vaguely remember a lunch of baked chicken and then the ride back to the ship...exhausted from the heat...note to self, visit Rome in the Fall next time...another port we visited that required a long bus ride was Livorno, for Florence and for that matter Marseille for Aux en Provence...loved your video...😊
Just back from a Celebrity cruise with a Rome stop. We knew it was far away with tons we wanted to see and experience. We splurged on a private driver and tour guide. Never stood in line, got into everything we wanted to see and had an amazing sit down pasta meal. Worth every penny❤! As Canadians we are used to everything being a bit of a drive so 45 min into Rome was not a biggie but researching every port of call is a must for planning. Love your videos and still giggling over the Tom Cruise comments😂❤
OMGee.. I just madly ADORE you both! Ben, you freaking delight my soul with your funny verbal cleverness and puns 😆 And David, your personality shines so bright and it's so endearing.. ☺️ just love love love you both! 🥰🛳️💕
Hi guys, so not only did you save a huge amount of money doing it your way but you clever pair got more excursion pictures done. Another excellent vlog. I'm learning so much from you both. Thank you. ❤❤
We did a similar thing David, during a 5 hrs on your own, however instead of the sites (we were going to stay there for a few days after the cruise) we did a foodie tour. Pizza, Porchette Sandwich, pastries, you name it...we had a blast. We took the excursion from Celebrity which was a bus into Rome, 5 hrs on our own (dropped us off at Vatican) and then bus back home. Worked out perfect as far as timing.
@@paulgerrard9227 I agree, and many make the mistake that St Peter's Basilica is the Vatican, it is in Vatican City, the Vatican Museum is behind the Basilica. If you want to see Rome, you probably need a week there. I go every year ( except the Covid years) and always see and learn something new.
B & D, if you think that is bad, the port for Firenze and Pisa is further than that. However, the bus ride is quite lovely and well worth it. You can see the marble still in the ground.
Hi love Rome, on a recent trip to Norway with MSC we went to Olden took an early tender off the ship walked up the pier where we paid for a tour to the Sky lift. We boarded a bus to the lift went to the lift up the mountain and then after a quick look round walked the 3ks to the top, it just was so beautiful , we then made our way slowly down examining all the bits we had missed before descending and catching the bus back to the ship. We had far longer than the ship excursion on top at half the price also no hassle at all. In the afternoon after a picnic lunch we walked to a local waterfall did more than the ship walk again saving £40 It was a lovely day out. Yes I do book ship excursions especially for long distances our next one is to the valley of the kings in Egypt. We did a trip to Rome with MSC a few years ago, it was Rome on your own where we were dropped of by bus did our own thing then got the bus back it cost forty odd pound each, not cheap but ok.
I was in Rome in January and we had bought tickets to Naples for a day trip from our hotel in Rome. The night before when I asked the hotel concierge about timing for getting a taxi or Uber to the train station and he let us know there was a countrywide train transport strike. So we didn’t get to Naples and Pompeii. We were traveling in the winter and every wasn’t crowded at all, the weather was cool but gorgeous and prices were lower. We prefer to pick a few things in the city we’re visiting and the rest of the time we just walked around finding some of the most unique and beautiful little streets and amazing buildings, homes and sights. And it’s such a relaxing and laid back way to see new places. And Ben is right, Italy had a ton of scammers. Watch some UA-cam video about the scamming. Another great video guys. 🥰
Well that just reinforces why I travel independently instead of excurisions. I also see more and prefer the small stops along the way. You just see more and at your pace. Bernie in Sydney
I really loved this video showing how to save money, stay safe and cater the for to my own interests! The best part was you got back in time for the ship!! I would love to see more like these for different ports!
The closest port to Rome is in Civitavecchia ! Paris is 2.5 hours from the port. Dover is the closest port to London. Not all of these cities are on the coast!🥰🥰
Yeah we are fully aware of that. Cruise lines should make it much clearer that ports are far away and will require lots of travel and money. It’s not ok to call Le Harve, Paris, Southampton, London or Civitavecchia Rome because they are not. Often cruise lines don’t even label the actual port.
@@Cruisewith In all cruise i went like MSC it was clearly sad Civitavecchia and not Rome..maybe Norwegian is different ,still did not yet travel with them
Absolutely wonderful video guys! The wife and I went to Rome for thr first of four stops of our honeymoon several years ago and it was so fun to see everything again that's in our Google photos but see you two enjoy it!!! Absolutely one of the best travel channels on UA-cam hands down period end full stop.
Me and my partner went to Rome 5 years ago for our first holiday aboard and it was amazing ❤ we keep saying it was one of our favourite holidays that we have done yet! Italy has a special place in my heart ❤
I applaud your efforts to talk about how to get from the port into main cities. I would love to see more video on how folks can do their own excursions/pre& post trip-with this kind of information.
It’s great that you’re talking about this. They often label Le Havre as Paris and Southampton as London, when they’re nowhere near each other! I don’t mind visiting Le Havre, but be honest!
And sometimes the port and the city are both nowhere near the cruise excursion destination eg LaHavre and a wine district. My other issue with excusions is many are described as a day trip and its 4.5hrs or haldf day is barelt two hours. Often at high cost. Ripoff for time and valuebreally
Hello Ben and David from Ontario Canada.Absolutly love your channel and your sense of humor and that you actually take your time and show us everything from the food to the room and entertainment.Well done fellas.
You guys are just awesome... you are so friendly and funny that everyone has to fall in love with your personalities. Looking forward to your next reviews...
You guys are amazing!!! Thank you You made me feel very smart because I planned our trip to Rome to get on a Princess Cruise ship at the same port. I took a train from Rome to the port the same as you guys. I will be honest the only thing that we did wrong was we booked the tour in the Vatican but also booked the same day the tour in the tombs and thought we could do them back to back but our first tour ended 30 minutes past the other tour and we weren't able to take it. No one told us Nor warned us and so we were just out..... Thank you! 😁😁😁😁😁 Feeling smart thank you 😁😁
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with your thumbnail which is accurate for many travelers. I live near Disney and it drives me bonkers when Port Canaveral is called Orlando. I see questions on fb all the time with people asking about the easiest way to get to Disney when they have a relatively short time docked at PC. They don’t realize how far away Disney is. We love the trains in Europe but will shell out the extra money for a city as far as Rome. Btw, we thought Civitciveccia was surprisingly charming and worth spending a day exploring.
We stayed in Citavecchia overnight before a cruise and loved it there. Wonderful restaurant that fed us when everything else was closed for the night with a wonderful host. The owne.r was great and so friendly
I almost skipped this video because of the title. Content was great, better than what the title implies. I love that you showed us how you did Rome in less than 5 hours and less than $100. Wow!
Good afternoon Ben and David. All great information. Huge price difference in ship tours and going on your own. We usually plan things on our own. We've never done a ship tour. Totally agree, NCL really needs to change the menu. Same things all the time. For the price you pay it should be something different at each meal, each day. As always thank you for all your hard work in making these videos for us. You both are the best and love your honesty ❤❤
I was a college kid who flew from Spain to Rome and didn't speak the language. We almost missed our flight because we couldn't figure out the train station 😂 Needless to say, it's worth it to get the safety of an excursion
This was a great video. Thank you! So looking forward to our upcoming Mediterranean cruise and you two make a very entertaining video to watch, so THANKS!
I really appreciate how you guys showed people how easy it is to just do the tour yourself and save a ton of money. It's totally the way I do things and I really don't get people that are obstinate about wasting money. A friend of mine went to Alaska over the summer with her older parents and 2 teenagers. I told her don't waste hundreds of dollars on the cruises "tour" to the Mendenhall Glacier, which is nothing more than a ride there, when you can just grab one of the private tour busses for about $40 per person (as opposed to about $150 PP). She said some nonsense about doing it because the parents are elderly. She just hates admitting she's wrong. A ride is a ride!
Great video! You're definitely not the first to comment on the lack of menu, ammenities, etc. in the Haven. I've read quite a bit in online forums that lots of people feel it's way too expensive for what you get.
Well done on cobbling together your own Rome tour. For the one's who would find it challenging, it's great you "walked us" through the planning. I guess the only "X" factor would be the trains to and from Rome. Other than that it appears to be the best way to do it on your own terms and you get your steps in. 11 miles!!!!
I love your information about you cruises. My husband and I will be cruising to Hawaii on Princess in April from San Francisco. Really looking forward to this trip. Thanks for keeping everyone updated
You guys crack me up!! Initially, your selfies were enthusiastic…..as you went along…..less enthusiasm…..you were probably just getting tired in the heat…..but wonderful tour…..very entertaining. I want to go to Rome now….❤️🤗
This video was very informative. It is true that you can save money by doing then tours on your own or with a private company. Lately I have done the excursions with the cruise line to avoid being left behind in case something happens and I cannot get to the ship in time. Rome is beautiful, but a very exhausting city if you want to see everything. Last year my Rome excursion was 9 hours! At the end I felt completely worn out. It was very hot and we walked a lot. We got to visit 11 important places with a fantastic tour guide. Planning on doing some tours on my own in my next cruise to Europe.
I just love watching you guys, honest, and really informative. You also make me chuckle with your antics, fun and puns. We have been caught on cruises were the ports were away from the real destination. It’s really annoying, funnily enough we were on the Norwegian jewel when this happened. They kept changing port times on us as well. When we arrived at Picton in New Zealand the changed time saw us off the ship at 9:30 and had to be back on at 2 o’clock which didn’t leave a whole lot of time travelling out to the wine region (it turned into the amazing race around wineries!! ) I will definitely be checking time allocated at ports in future and how long it takes to get to the sights! Can’t wait to visit Rome one day 😁😁
Hey Ben and David, thanks for all the content you put out, it is very helpful and has given us many good ideas on cruising. I know how much work is involved in producing UA-cam videos and your content is excellent. Thanks Thomas
We're doing a cruise from Rio to Rome in March and I just can't wait ... we've booked a 7-day tour for Rome (I've been, but my husband hasn't and I don't mind seeing things again) which includes hotel, transfers, transportation and semi-private tours (including advance tickets to the Vatican, which, if you're going to visit, you DEF need) ... in total we'll be gone about a month or so .. should be so much fun!!! We'll be staying a 2 minute walk from the Trevi which is a wonderful walking part of Rome.
We upgrade to free at sea plus. You get espresso drinks, bottled water, sports drinks, and premium alcohol. Plus unlimited wi-if, and extra excursion credit per port, and 2 additional specialty dining. It was really inexpensive.
This may be your best video yet! I've been to Rome about a dozen times and can say that yous absolutely nailed it! Take the train to the Vatican... Walk around Rome on your own and see the major sites. Beware of pickpockets and vendors! The only thing you didn't do was get some Roman Pizza. You have to get some Roman Pizza! LOL
On your trevi fountain bit the yellow building to the left of the fountain, you do pan round and show it.. is, the best gelato shop EVER, and it is really cheap...amazingly... Oh and we were told...If you throw a coin in the fountain, you will return..So, guys your going back for a 3rd time 🤭 remember to check out that Gelato shop ....
Your videos bring me so much joy! This brought back so many memories of the cruise my husband and I took departing from that port. We flew in a day early from the US and explored the city. It was beautiful.
Our cruise started in Roma (Civitavecchai), as we where traveling with a group of friends (5) we used a car service to take us from Roma to the port The cost shared made this a easy and comfortable commute Perhaps a option? Just book a round trip
Hi David and Ben, after my first cruise to Norway this year, I've been enjoying your youtube content, you are both brill. Thanks for the content and hints and tips 👌
You did a great job with this video. In addition to not informing their customers about the distance and expense of getting to Rome, there is the issue of time wasted in that transportation. There isn't enough time to actually see anything other than walking by. Not enough time to really experience the major cities.
Brave souls.....in 2014 we took the Coliseum tour from NCL.... we also went to the Vatican & shopped, the Trevi fountain, it was being restored & was able to get up close via a specia catl walk, stopped at the pantheon & drove by the castle. Granted we did pay much more (less than 200 pp) however for us seniors it was worth it. If I were young again like you 2 I would try it on my own. 👍🏻👍🏻 Just a side note...on tour day we order room service for breakfast so we're not rushing.
$200 just to sit on a bus and occasionally take a selfie? Unbelievable. Rome is pretty easy to get around. Your warning about pick pockets is absolutely correct. We were on the subway ( our friends that are Italian were with is and had warned us to be extra careful) my father had his hand in his pocket covering his wallet, and just as the doors were about to close this lottle kid, maybe 10, shoved his had in my dad's pocket and tried to grab it my dad held on tight while our italian friend grabbed the kid and sent him on his way ( shoved him off the subway) apparently they have little kids grab the wallet, then they immediately had it off to aomeone else and then again and again. In about 90 seconds or less your wallet is gone forever passing through about 5-6 ppl
We stayed a few short blocks from your train stop in Rome. Perfect location to start or end. Love the video. Reminder to make sure any bus tickets are purchased before getting on bus as they don’t sell on bus.
We booked a cruise for one main reason earlier this year and that was to visit Aruba. We weren’t able to go because it was too windy to dock safely. We were supposed to visit Bonaire as well and couldn’t for the same reason, yet they were able to go to Curaçao. Very strange and very disappointing. From now on, I’ll just watch you cruise. It’s a Caribbean island for us from now on. 🇨🇦
I sailed on the Norwegian Prima last year. It was my first cruise with NCL. I was quite disappointed - The Haven (which I wasn’t in) and the racetrack took so much room from space the “regular” cruisers could enjoy. Not to mention how disappointing the pool area was…small and confined on two sides by high walls. Dining areas were also smaller than they should be. Loved the Indulge Food Hall, but it was PACKED at meal times and very little space between tables. We also experienced long wait times for elevators. I’m not saying the cruise was terrible, it was nice and the ship was brand new. But I would not go on that ship again, nor would I recommend it.
The first cruise I did had the same port and excursion itinerary. I can still remember our guide and her many, many reminders of where to return for the coach back to the ship. Been on that same route since but never again did the Rome run.
I know you said it was nowhere near your destination but the colosseum you've shown at 4:10 is about 1,000KM away from the one in Rome, it's Amphitheatre of Nîmes in France!
I am staying near Rome for a few days before my next cruise. I already plan to do a hop on hop off bus "tour" of my own. This video has inspired me to make it a selfie tour, too! What a great idea, guys!!
Great video - especially the tour of Rome! We are leaving from Rome next September for a 28 day cruise. We have been to Rome several times on land trips so, even though we plan on flying in several days before the cruise, we will be doing some trips outside of Rome then taking the train to Civitavecchia. Thanks for explaining the transfer options for getting to port!
Fantastic video. In 2022, we took an NCL cruise in the Med. The cruise was Barcelona back to Barcelona, including Rome, but we actually began in Rome and went back to Rome. We stayed 3 nights in Rome before the cruise and did all the walking you did and more. It was absolutely fantastic. We did not run into the aggressive street vendors or pickpockets you mention, but Rome is known for them. The only disappointment I have is that you skipped gelato. :) Keep up the good work.
We departed in the port and stayed in Rome for 7 days. Loved it. We were on Holland America cruise lines. Did you know that cruise line allows fully deportation at ALL PORTS.
Now that I've had my first SMP treatment and starting with an airline that serves Rome, I will definitely now have the confidence to travel. Cannot wait. When I worked on ships, Civitavecchia was always a turnaround port, so never had the chance to explore. Looks as incredible as I imagined.
Another great video!! ❤. Thank you so much. Brought back some wonderful memories of a previous trip to Italy. Sitting outside at a little cafe in a beautiful Piazza enjoying suppli or fried artichokes and just people watching, taking in the atmosphere and relaxing.
First as usual, great content. Just love you two! If I were younger, I'd most definitely do what you just showed. Being unfamiliar with Europe, train lines and absolutely terrified of missing the ship (ie I think this would take some fun out of the day for me), I'd probably not do this unless it was just for one activity/map stop. Again, though, that's just me. What this really tells me, is that there are some places and this may be one of them, whereby a cruise may not be the best fit - that we should go for a few days to see it all. Thanks for sharing with us!
We just did Norway, Scotland, Faroe islands and Iceland on the Norwegian Star. I did a lot of research beforehand and managed to save money by doing a few ports on our own or with Viator,it was our first cruise but with a group of people of which we knew some of them.One friend is a travel agent and organized the trip which helped alot.
Just for information - we are fully aware that this is the only port for Rome. We just want people to be aware at how far away it is. Cruise lines make no effort to inform people that ports can be absolutely miles away - and you will need to travel for hours and pay extra money. They don’t provide any form of complimentary transportation to the port that was advertised. We made the video to highlight this and how you can save an absolute fortune! Also the tour we replicated cost £171 or $208 per person and did not include admission to anything. It was purely a guided coach ride from the ship to Rome then a walking tour with a free portion of gelato.
David and Ben, you guys are absolutely correct. We have experienced this multiple times, especially with the Norwegian cruise line.
I love it when the cruise ships call in Rotterdam only for the tourists to go to Amsterdam.
They normally have the port city in parentheses, if I'm not sure I use google maps and verify distances.
NCL, et al. They simply take advantage of a dumbed-down travel community.
@@lisagardner903these guys have been doing this for years they know exactly what they are talking about,just informing other people what is really happening
I know that you obviously don't share all of your life online with us and there will be bits which aren't always plain sailing ;) but you guys seem to have a really enjoyable life, working together and seeing the world, being in good humour, etc. Your videos are nice to watch for that alone.
Love you guys. You’ve made what could’ve been an unbearable two years so much easier with your videos. I’m still receiving chemotherapy. Had my 37th recently, and when I’m feeling really rubbish, I put on one of your videos. I’m in my room recovering from treatment much of the time, but with you guys I get to travel the world. This is what you are doing, so thank you. Did I tell you I love you guys😂❤❤
I just started watching them and enjoying it immensely. I, too, am receiving treatment and this is the only way to travel and still stay safe. Hope you are feeling ok today. ❤ Kathleen
@@georgebuscay8511Kathleen, they are amazing. I’ve been watching for 18 months and honestly they’ve made the post treatment horridness easier. Good luck with treatment. It is hard but we will do it 💪 xxx
Thank you so much for your lovely comment. Really hope you feel better soon ❤
@@georgebuscay8511thanks so much for watching, wishing you all the best ❤
@@Cruisewiththis Sunday I will be on royal caribbean oasis
Our cruise originated and finished in Rome/Civ. We were so glad that we also made sure to book a few days in Rome at the end. There are a number of reasons we always book the excursions through the cruise line. Yes, I know that they are more expensive than booking on your own, but, for us it is worth it. First, we pay in Canadian funds as opposed to the American and the exchange rate fluctuates lately anywhere from 20-30%, second it is already paid for, the knowledge that the ship will wait for us if we are delayed through no fault of our own, third we are usually in ports/places we haven’t been before and tend to get lost, also the guides are so knowledgeable. For us doing it the way we do is like another insurance.
I’ve been an independent traveler all my life who is comfortable in foreign places, I’ve never taken tours, but since I started cruising I realize lots of fellow passengers don’t feel the same, for them excursions are worth it. Also many passengers are elderly and cannot walk 20,000+ steps.
A lot of people take the excursions because you won't be left behind if you're back late.
@@bookon999 On a Disney Wonder Panama Canal Cruise, the ship waited over 45 Min for my Disney Mazatlán tour's return.
5 hours seems like a ridiculously short time in a port. Especially when the city is so far away from the port.
I just found this channel. I find Ben hilarious with his facial expressions and edgy jokes, he really cracks me up. I think he would be the sort of guy that could cheer anyone up if they were feeling down.
They certainly cheered me up! Most of my souvenirs from the cruise we disembarked recently were great but a dose of Covid was most assuredly not!
A lot of the Haven looks much like most of Viking Ocean facilities, regular fare. But the very best Viking feature : no children under the age of 18!
Thank you for a lovely tour ,Ben and David. I'll never be able to cruise bc of physical disability but, every time I see your videos , I feel like I'm right there with you .
I was even stressed the minute you stepped off the ship. I was so afraid it might fall apart and you'd miss the ship. But, it went so smoothly and you saw so much. 🎉 Kathleen
Rome is like that, 40 minutes away from the port is nerve wracking! Even though it's more expensive I did the ship tour (Royal Caribbean) and would pay it again (though I don't usually get the excursions for most ports). Rome is a magical city. Lots of cities have history, but Rome IS its history.
When you have 8-9hrs in port you should ignore the fear the cruiselines use to discourage private travel over their short expensive options. Most cities have decent transport options
This is a great idea! Planned our own shore excursions and saved a lot of money this summer while cruising with NCL, definitely recommend this over shore excursions.
One tip is to plan your train/transport so that if you miss your train or it gets cancelled, there's at least 1 or more trains that makes it back before all aboard time!
Yes, great tip!
I really loved this episode guys! Loved the honesty and the race into Rome was fun. Just goes to show with a bit of planning you can get a more affordable experience. So sorry the Haven wasn’t all you expected, I know this was a special trip, so I hope the itinerary and Rome made up for it.
Wow, you guys totally rocked that Rome `excursion`! I really don`t understand the thinking (or lack thereof) behind moving all the outdoor furniture during dinner time of what`s supposed to be a superior restaurant! Also as a mum of two and grandma of three kids ten and under I`m mindblown by how inconsiderate some parents are! Firstly, reign in your kids, and secondly, you`re not the only people on the ship!!! I hope you can enjoy the rest of the cruise and knowing you two, you`ll have a good time anyway! Love from Vancouver Island Canada.
My husband and I are independent travelers too. I research like crazy before we go anywhere and we save a ton of money. You both did a great job and after all those steps you can have a giant gelato!
Your honesty is what sets you apart. Well done.
I was so fortunate to take a trip to Rome in 2017. I went by myself and had a rental apartment for three weeks. It was the best vacation I ever had in my whole life!!! ❤😍👍🤩
That is awesome! Thanks for sharing.
It is the most amazing city. I just love history
This was very interesting, informative and entertaining, guys! As a Roman history nerd I always love going to Rome. For the time you had available you touched on all the right places. I’ll spend a week or ten days exploring Rome and never get enough.
David I'm with you there's nothing worse than bad coffee.
They do that for places like London but dock in Dover or Southampton, or better still a city without a dock, Paris, a good 4 hours from the port of Le Harvre . If you don't know your geography you can be in for a BIG surprise.
What a wonderful idea...showing what a DIY tour entails...I have done Rome once on a cruise precovid...it was July and extremely hot...I have to say, it was wonderful having the bus drop you off at the site and pick you up with the AC running...I opted to do ancient Rome and the Catacombs...the drive to Rome was beautiful, fields and fields of sunflowers...In Rome, I was struck by how tightly packed everything was..the massive coliseum totally surrounded by buildings, the Forum wedged inbetween pre and post WWII structures and the graffiti...I love history and historical structures and I found the graffiti very disturbing...then we moved away from the central area out to the catacombs, space and fresh air wonderful and extremely interesting...I vaguely remember a lunch of baked chicken and then the ride back to the ship...exhausted from the heat...note to self, visit Rome in the Fall next time...another port we visited that required a long bus ride was Livorno, for Florence and for that matter Marseille for Aux en Provence...loved your video...😊
Just back from a Celebrity cruise with a Rome stop. We knew it was far away with tons we wanted to see and experience. We splurged on a private driver and tour guide. Never stood in line, got into everything we wanted to see and had an amazing sit down pasta meal. Worth every penny❤!
As Canadians we are used to everything being a bit of a drive so 45 min into Rome was not a biggie but researching every port of call is a must for planning. Love your videos and still giggling over the Tom Cruise comments😂❤
OMGee.. I just madly ADORE you both! Ben, you freaking delight my soul with your funny verbal cleverness and puns 😆 And David, your personality shines so bright and it's so endearing.. ☺️ just love love love you both! 🥰🛳️💕
Yay, thank you!
Hi guys, so not only did you save a huge amount of money doing it your way but you clever pair got more excursion pictures done. Another excellent vlog. I'm learning so much from you both. Thank you. ❤❤
I actually don' t really care if I ever cruise but your posts are really entertaining.
We did a similar thing David, during a 5 hrs on your own, however instead of the sites (we were going to stay there for a few days after the cruise) we did a foodie tour. Pizza, Porchette Sandwich, pastries, you name it...we had a blast. We took the excursion from Celebrity which was a bus into Rome, 5 hrs on our own (dropped us off at Vatican) and then bus back home. Worked out perfect as far as timing.
Most ships if not all dock at Civitavechia. we took the train 2 blocks away from the pier, to Rome, dropped us at Vatican City.
You cant tour anything at the vatican in such a tight time. Nothing
@@paulgerrard9227 I agree, and many make the mistake that St Peter's Basilica is the Vatican, it is in Vatican City, the Vatican Museum is behind the Basilica. If you want to see Rome, you probably need a week there. I go every year ( except the Covid years) and always see and learn something new.
Fantastic job with Rome!!! When parents allow bad behavior it ruins the meal for everyone and is very rude. Love your videos!!
You two are my absolute favorite cruise channel. I just love your content ❤
You two are simply delightful, thank you for sharing your adventures, big hugs.❤😊
B & D, if you think that is bad, the port for Firenze and Pisa is further than that. However, the bus ride is quite lovely and well worth it. You can see the marble still in the ground.
Rome is a masterpiece. Everywhere you look is so beautiful your mind can’t comprehend it all. ❤
They often call my home port Orlando but it’s actually about 40 minutes to Orlando from Port Canaveral.
You guys are wizards and hit this excursion out of the ballpark. My goodness one tenth of the price for Rome. That is awesome!
Hi love Rome, on a recent trip to Norway with MSC we went to Olden took an early tender off the ship walked up the pier where we paid for a tour to the Sky lift. We boarded a bus to the lift went to the lift up the mountain and then after a quick look round walked the 3ks to the top, it just was so beautiful , we then made our way slowly down examining all the bits we had missed before descending and catching the bus back to the ship. We had far longer than the ship excursion on top at half the price also no hassle at all. In the afternoon after a picnic lunch we walked to a local waterfall did more than the ship walk again saving £40 It was a lovely day out. Yes I do book ship excursions especially for long distances our next one is to the valley of the kings in Egypt. We did a trip to Rome with MSC a few years ago, it was Rome on your own where we were dropped of by bus did our own thing then got the bus back it cost forty odd pound each, not cheap but ok.
I was in Rome in January and we had bought tickets to Naples for a day trip from our hotel in Rome. The night before when I asked the hotel concierge about timing for getting a taxi or Uber to the train station and he let us know there was a countrywide train transport strike. So we didn’t get to Naples and Pompeii. We were traveling in the winter and every wasn’t crowded at all, the weather was cool but gorgeous and prices were lower.
We prefer to pick a few things in the city we’re visiting and the rest of the time we just walked around finding some of the most unique and beautiful little streets and amazing buildings, homes and sights. And it’s such a relaxing and laid back way to see new places. And Ben is right, Italy had a ton of scammers. Watch some UA-cam video about the scamming. Another great video guys. 🥰
Well that just reinforces why I travel independently instead of excurisions. I also see more and prefer the small stops along the way. You just see more and at your pace.
Bernie in Sydney
I really loved this video showing how to save money, stay safe and cater the for to my own interests! The best part was you got back in time for the ship!! I would love to see more like these for different ports!
We were in Rome just 2 weeks ago after a Mediterranean cruise. Hope you guys enjoyed yourself. We did. Keep up the good work.
The closest port to Rome is in Civitavecchia ! Paris is 2.5 hours from the port. Dover is the closest port to London. Not all of these cities are on the coast!🥰🥰
Yeah we are fully aware of that. Cruise lines should make it much clearer that ports are far away and will require lots of travel and money. It’s not ok to call Le Harve, Paris, Southampton, London or Civitavecchia Rome because they are not. Often cruise lines don’t even label the actual port.
@@Cruisewith In all cruise i went like MSC it was clearly sad Civitavecchia and not Rome..maybe Norwegian is different ,still did not yet travel with them
Absolutely wonderful video guys! The wife and I went to Rome for thr first of four stops of our honeymoon several years ago and it was so fun to see everything again that's in our Google photos but see you two enjoy it!!! Absolutely one of the best travel channels on UA-cam hands down period end full stop.
Me and my partner went to Rome 5 years ago for our first holiday aboard and it was amazing ❤ we keep saying it was one of our favourite holidays that we have done yet! Italy has a special place in my heart ❤
I applaud your efforts to talk about how to get from the port into main cities. I would love to see more video on how folks can do their own excursions/pre& post trip-with this kind of information.
That Tom Cruise joke 17:56 had me snort laughing. 😂😂
It’s great that you’re talking about this. They often label Le Havre as Paris and Southampton as London, when they’re nowhere near each other! I don’t mind visiting Le Havre, but be honest!
Yep. Lots to do near Le Harve.
And sometimes the port and the city are both nowhere near the cruise excursion destination eg LaHavre and a wine district. My other issue with excusions is many are described as a day trip and its 4.5hrs or haldf day is barelt two hours. Often at high cost. Ripoff for time and valuebreally
Hello Ben and David from Ontario Canada.Absolutly love your channel and your sense of humor and that you actually take your time and show us everything from the food to the room and entertainment.Well done fellas.
You guys are just awesome... you are so friendly and funny that everyone has to fall in love with your personalities. Looking forward to your next reviews...
Please do more videos like this! I’m going on a European cruise next year and this was very helpful!! Love you guys!!
You guys are amazing!!! Thank you You made me feel very smart because I planned our trip to Rome to get on a Princess Cruise ship at the same port.
I took a train from Rome to the port the same as you guys. I will be honest the only thing that we did wrong was we booked the tour in the Vatican but also booked the same day the tour in the tombs and thought we could do them back to back but our first tour ended 30 minutes past the other tour and we weren't able to take it. No one told us Nor warned us and so we were just out..... Thank you! 😁😁😁😁😁
Feeling smart thank you 😁😁
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with your thumbnail which is accurate for many travelers. I live near Disney and it drives me bonkers when Port Canaveral is called Orlando. I see questions on fb all the time with people asking about the easiest way to get to Disney when they have a relatively short time docked at PC. They don’t realize how far away Disney is. We love the trains in Europe but will shell out the extra money for a city as far as Rome. Btw, we thought Civitciveccia was surprisingly charming and worth spending a day exploring.
We stayed in Citavecchia overnight before a cruise and loved it there. Wonderful restaurant that fed us when everything else was closed for the night with a wonderful host. The owne.r was great and so friendly
“Don’t get your Popes up”. Oh my stars that’s funny! I am going on Viva on the Rome-Lisbon cruise in June 2024. So thrilled to see your reviews!
I almost skipped this video because of the title. Content was great, better than what the title implies. I love that you showed us how you did Rome in less than 5 hours and less than $100. Wow!
Good afternoon Ben and David. All great information. Huge price difference in ship tours and going on your own. We usually plan things on our own. We've never done a ship tour. Totally agree, NCL really needs to change the menu. Same things all the time. For the price you pay it should be something different at each meal, each day. As always thank you for all your hard work in making these videos for us. You both are the best and love your honesty ❤❤
I was a college kid who flew from Spain to Rome and didn't speak the language. We almost missed our flight because we couldn't figure out the train station 😂
Needless to say, it's worth it to get the safety of an excursion
This was a great video. Thank you! So looking forward to our upcoming Mediterranean cruise and you two make a very entertaining video to watch, so THANKS!
I want a video of Ben’s quips! I love how he just comes up with things. “Shut the water tight doors!” 😂❤
This is how informational videos should be done! Thank you!
I really appreciate how you guys showed people how easy it is to just do the tour yourself and save a ton of money. It's totally the way I do things and I really don't get people that are obstinate about wasting money. A friend of mine went to Alaska over the summer with her older parents and 2 teenagers. I told her don't waste hundreds of dollars on the cruises "tour" to the Mendenhall Glacier, which is nothing more than a ride there, when you can just grab one of the private tour busses for about $40 per person (as opposed to about $150 PP). She said some nonsense about doing it because the parents are elderly. She just hates admitting she's wrong. A ride is a ride!
It’s important to understand where ports are located in relationship to the destination cities
Great video! You're definitely not the first to comment on the lack of menu, ammenities, etc. in the Haven. I've read quite a bit in online forums that lots of people feel it's way too expensive for what you get.
Well done on cobbling together your own Rome tour. For the one's who would find it challenging, it's great you "walked us" through the planning. I guess the only "X" factor would be the trains to and from Rome. Other than that it appears to be the best way to do it on your own terms and you get your steps in. 11 miles!!!!
I love your information about you cruises. My husband and I will be cruising to Hawaii on Princess in April from San Francisco. Really looking forward to this trip. Thanks for keeping everyone updated
You guys crack me up!! Initially, your selfies were enthusiastic…..as you went along…..less enthusiasm…..you were probably just getting tired in the heat…..but wonderful tour…..very entertaining. I want to go to Rome now….❤️🤗
This video was very informative. It is true that you can save money by doing then tours on your own or with a private company. Lately I have done the excursions with the cruise line to avoid being left behind in case something happens and I cannot get to the ship in time. Rome is beautiful, but a very exhausting city if you want to see everything. Last year my Rome excursion was 9 hours! At the end I felt completely worn out. It was very hot and we walked a lot. We got to visit 11 important places with a fantastic tour guide. Planning on doing some tours on my own in my next cruise to Europe.
I just love watching you guys, honest, and really informative. You also make me chuckle with your antics, fun and puns. We have been caught on cruises were the ports were away from the real destination. It’s really annoying, funnily enough we were on the Norwegian jewel when this happened. They kept changing port times on us as well. When we arrived at Picton in New Zealand the changed time saw us off the ship at 9:30 and had to be back on at 2 o’clock which didn’t leave a whole lot of time travelling out to the wine region (it turned into the amazing race around wineries!! ) I will definitely be checking time allocated at ports in future and how long it takes to get to the sights! Can’t wait to visit Rome one day 😁😁
Hey Ben and David, thanks for all the content you put out, it is very helpful and has given us many good ideas on cruising. I know how much work is involved in producing UA-cam videos and your content is excellent. Thanks
Thomas
We're doing a cruise from Rio to Rome in March and I just can't wait ... we've booked a 7-day tour for Rome (I've been, but my husband hasn't and I don't mind seeing things again) which includes hotel, transfers, transportation and semi-private tours (including advance tickets to the Vatican, which, if you're going to visit, you DEF need) ... in total we'll be gone about a month or so .. should be so much fun!!!
We'll be staying a 2 minute walk from the Trevi which is a wonderful walking part of Rome.
Have a wonderful time!
This is by far, in my opinion, is the BEST video you have produced!
We upgrade to free at sea plus. You get espresso drinks, bottled water, sports drinks, and premium alcohol. Plus unlimited wi-if, and extra excursion credit per port, and 2 additional specialty dining. It was really inexpensive.
The Haven has the same menu not only everyday but on every ship for the last two years. That is the same lunch menu we had on Encore two years ago.
This may be your best video yet!
I've been to Rome about a dozen times and can say that yous absolutely nailed it! Take the train to the Vatican... Walk around Rome on your own and see the major sites. Beware of pickpockets and vendors!
The only thing you didn't do was get some Roman Pizza. You have to get some Roman Pizza! LOL
On your trevi fountain bit the yellow building to the left of the fountain, you do pan round and show it.. is, the best gelato shop EVER, and it is really cheap...amazingly... Oh and we were told...If you throw a coin in the fountain, you will return..So, guys your going back for a 3rd time 🤭 remember to check out that Gelato shop ....
We did this excursion in July while traveling on RC. After watching this we will never do it any other way. Thank you!
Your videos bring me so much joy! This brought back so many memories of the cruise my husband and I took departing from that port. We flew in a day early from the US and explored the city. It was beautiful.
We are so glad we could bring some joy!
Our cruise started in Roma (Civitavecchai), as we where traveling with a group of friends (5) we used a car service to take us from Roma to the port
The cost shared made this a easy and comfortable commute
Perhaps a option? Just book a round trip
Hi David and Ben, after my first cruise to Norway this year, I've been enjoying your youtube content, you are both brill. Thanks for the content and hints and tips 👌
You did a great job with this video. In addition to not informing their customers about the distance and expense of getting to Rome, there is the issue of time wasted in that transportation. There isn't enough time to actually see anything other than walking by. Not enough time to really experience the major cities.
And Warnemunda is called "Berlin".
Brave souls.....in 2014 we took the Coliseum tour from NCL.... we also went to the Vatican & shopped, the Trevi fountain, it was being restored & was able to get up close via a specia catl walk, stopped at the pantheon & drove by the castle. Granted we did pay much more (less than 200 pp) however for us seniors it was worth it. If I were young again like you 2 I would try it on my own. 👍🏻👍🏻
Just a side note...on tour day we order room service for breakfast so we're not rushing.
Excellent episode, really like the “plan your own adventure “ approach. Practical and useful information on how to plan an excursion for less money.
$200 just to sit on a bus and occasionally take a selfie? Unbelievable. Rome is pretty easy to get around. Your warning about pick pockets is absolutely correct. We were on the subway ( our friends that are Italian were with is and had warned us to be extra careful) my father had his hand in his pocket covering his wallet, and just as the doors were about to close this lottle kid, maybe 10, shoved his had in my dad's pocket and tried to grab it my dad held on tight while our italian friend grabbed the kid and sent him on his way ( shoved him off the subway) apparently they have little kids grab the wallet, then they immediately had it off to aomeone else and then again and again. In about 90 seconds or less your wallet is gone forever passing through about 5-6 ppl
When we cruised Yacht Club, they had a piano player and people were always hanging out there. I think the snacks and drinks helped a lot.
We stayed a few short blocks from your train stop in Rome. Perfect location to start or end. Love the video. Reminder to make sure any bus tickets are purchased before getting on bus as they don’t sell on bus.
Yall I am crying laughing at the fountain scene!!!! I must have watched that bit ten times hahaha
We booked a cruise for one main reason earlier this year and that was to visit Aruba. We weren’t able to go because it was too windy to dock safely. We were supposed to visit Bonaire as well and couldn’t for the same reason, yet they were able to go to Curaçao. Very strange and very disappointing. From now on, I’ll just watch you cruise. It’s a Caribbean island for us from now on. 🇨🇦
I sailed on the Norwegian Prima last year. It was my first cruise with NCL. I was quite disappointed - The Haven (which I wasn’t in) and the racetrack took so much room from space the “regular” cruisers could enjoy. Not to mention how disappointing the pool area was…small and confined on two sides by high walls. Dining areas were also smaller than they should be. Loved the Indulge Food Hall, but it was PACKED at meal times and very little space between tables. We also experienced long wait times for elevators. I’m not saying the cruise was terrible, it was nice and the ship was brand new. But I would not go on that ship again, nor would I recommend it.
The first cruise I did had the same port and excursion itinerary. I can still remember our guide and her many, many reminders of where to return for the coach back to the ship. Been on that same route since but never again did the Rome run.
I know you said it was nowhere near your destination but the colosseum you've shown at 4:10 is about 1,000KM away from the one in Rome, it's Amphitheatre of Nîmes in France!
I am staying near Rome for a few days before my next cruise. I already plan to do a hop on hop off bus "tour" of my own. This video has inspired me to make it a selfie tour, too! What a great idea, guys!!
If I could be so bold. Look into a small group nighttime walking tour your first night in Rome with a local guide. You’ll see and learn so much.
WOW!!! Really interesting as we did the exact walking part on our own too. What a cost hit. Loved the comparison.
Great video - especially the tour of Rome! We are leaving from Rome next September for a 28 day cruise. We have been to Rome several times on land trips so, even though we plan on flying in several days before the cruise, we will be doing some trips outside of Rome then taking the train to Civitavecchia. Thanks for explaining the transfer options for getting to port!
Fantastic video. In 2022, we took an NCL cruise in the Med. The cruise was Barcelona back to Barcelona, including Rome, but we actually began in Rome and went back to Rome. We stayed 3 nights in Rome before the cruise and did all the walking you did and more. It was absolutely fantastic. We did not run into the aggressive street vendors or pickpockets you mention, but Rome is known for them. The only disappointment I have is that you skipped gelato. :) Keep up the good work.
We departed in the port and stayed in Rome for 7 days. Loved it. We were on Holland America cruise lines. Did you know that cruise line allows fully deportation at ALL PORTS.
I’ll never look at Tom Cruise the same way again 😂 Loved every minute!!!
Now that I've had my first SMP treatment and starting with an airline that serves Rome, I will definitely now have the confidence to travel. Cannot wait. When I worked on ships, Civitavecchia was always a turnaround port, so never had the chance to explore. Looks as incredible as I imagined.
Another great video!! ❤. Thank you so much. Brought back some wonderful memories of a previous trip to Italy. Sitting outside at a little cafe in a beautiful Piazza enjoying suppli or fried artichokes and just people watching, taking in the atmosphere and relaxing.
First as usual, great content. Just love you two! If I were younger, I'd most definitely do what you just showed. Being unfamiliar with Europe, train lines and absolutely terrified of missing the ship (ie I think this would take some fun out of the day for me), I'd probably not do this unless it was just for one activity/map stop. Again, though, that's just me. What this really tells me, is that there are some places and this may be one of them, whereby a cruise may not be the best fit - that we should go for a few days to see it all. Thanks for sharing with us!
Really enjoyed your video and you both made me smile. It seemed like a fun time.
We just did Norway, Scotland, Faroe islands and Iceland on the Norwegian Star. I did a lot of research beforehand and managed to save money by doing a few ports on our own or with Viator,it was our first cruise but with a group of people of which we knew some of them.One friend is a travel agent and organized the trip which helped alot.
Rome is my favourite city ! Only 5 hours in the port is crazy! I could spend that time around the colosseum and the Vatican alone
What a wonderfully informative video. I'm amazed you stayed on time especially with doing all the informational talking to us. Thanks so much.