To Visit Rome, Sail into Civitavecchia

Rome, Italy, sits on the banks of the Tiber River but depends on Civitavecchia, a small city 50 miles to the northwest, to serve as its port on the Tyrrhenian Sea, part of the Mediterranean. Civitavecchia, a commercial port since the second century, boasts a massive fort – part of it was designed by Michelangelo. Still, you won’t want to spend too much time there when all of Rome is waiting for you.

It’s a 20-minute walk from the port into Civitavecchia, but most cruise lines will have shuttles waiting to take you into town. There, you can board a bus or hire a taxi to get to Rome; the ride will take 90 minutes to two hours, depending on traffic. There is also train service, which is a bit faster, delivering you to Rome in just over an hour. A knowledgeable travel consultant will also be able to assist with private transportation options.

There’s a lot to see in Rome, and there are a variety of shore excursions to help you make the most of your time there. If you’d like to see as much of the city as possible, choose a tour that will take you to several iconic sites, such as the Colosseum, the Forum and Vatican City.

If you’d like to focus on just a few of Rome’s many treasures, you can choose an excursion that focuses on the Colosseum and its incredible history; Rome’s beautiful churches, such as the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore; or the Appian Way and the Catacombs of Domitilla, to name just a few possibilities.

You can forgo an official shore excursion and explore on your own, but remember that your cruise ship will not wait for you if you lose track of time while touring the Eternal City (it’s easy to do).

Excursions in Rome may include a significant amount of walking over cobblestones and up steps; choose one that offers the right pace and level of activity for you. Also, dress appropriately if you will visit religious sites: bare shoulders, shorts and skirts above the knee are not appropriate. Finally, if you see the beautiful Trevi Fountain, toss in a coin, which is said to ensure your return to Rome.

For more information about cruises that call on Civitavecchia/Rome, talk with your Cruise Holidays personal cruise expert.

Helpful Tips for First-Time River Cruisers

Considering your first river cruise?  Here are tips to consider when planning your first river cruise:

Determine your budget and expectations.

The cost of a river cruise is comparable to some guided land tour packages and provides great value for all the inclusions that are not provided on an ocean cruise or independent tour.  There are three, four and five-star river cruise lines and aligning your budget with your expectations will help to determine which cruise line and which category stateroom will provide you with the best value and river cruise experience.

Book early.

Interest in river cruising has grown faster than river cruise ships can be built!  Unlike the large ocean cruise ships, river cruise vessels only carry up to 190 guests and offer a more intimate cruise experience.

The most desired river cruise staterooms, French balcony, balcony and suites, sell out a year in advance.  The river cruise lines offer their best promotions as soon as the itineraries become available for booking. If your dates of travel are not flexible or if your heart is set on a specific itinerary, river cruise line and category of stateroom, make your deposit early to avoid disappointment. Also be aware that most river cruise lines’ deposits are fully or partially non-refundable, so it’s important to be confident in your choice of cruise.

First choose your itinerary.

River cruising is all about destinations and should be your first consideration when planning your first river cruise.  The river cruise line and ship you ultimately sail will depend upon the particular itinerary you choose, especially if an itinerary is exclusive to one particular river cruise company.  For example, a river cruise on the Po River in Italy out of Venice is only available on Uniworld Boutique River Cruises.  In general, the river cruise lines have similar itineraries, but one may offer more in-depth exploration of a city, optional excursions or included pre- and/or post cruise options.  When choosing an itinerary that is similar to each river cruise line, The River Cruise Outlet will help you choose the best river cruise line to suit your travel style, budget and expectations.

A growing trend in river cruising is specialty and themed cruises, with a focus on music, history, gourmet cooking, wine making, brewing, etc. These cruises are an ideal choice for groups who share an affinity for classical music, fine wines, beers, and shopping the Christmas Markets.

What’s Included.

Most shore excursions are included in the price of your river cruise. River cruise lines profess to be “all-inclusive” in their pricing, but their inclusiveness is not the same among the cruise lines.

Included features of most river cruises are:

 • Choose your stateroom

 • Most land excursions

 • All on-board meals

 • Coffee, tea and soft drinks

 • Beer and wine with lunch and/or dinner

But that is where the “all-inclusive” similarities end.  Some river cruise lines also include:

 • Round-trip airport transfers

One of the many tour guides

 • Optional excursions

 • Free use of a fleet of bicycles in port

 • Beer, wine and spirits throughout the cruise

 • Free WIFI

 • Gratuities for on-board personnel and land tour guides

The price of these inclusions is reflected in the total cost of your cruise, but in any case it represents great value and a sense of ease, knowing when you embark that virtually all costs are taken care of.

Take advantage of Pre- and Post-Cruise Extension Options.

Adding on a pre- and/or post-cruise hotel stay has advantages. It can help you acclimate to a new time zone prior to sailing, or enjoy a more in-depth look at your cities of embarkation or debarkation. Depending on the cruise line, pre- and/or post-cruise extension options may be bundled into the price of your river cruise.  Some pre- and post-cruise extension options take you to another city not located directly on the river.   On Danube River cruises, a popular extension is to the beautiful city of Prague, Czech Republic. 

Cruising with children.

With the rise in popularity of multi-generational travel, some river cruise lines offer specific cruises geared towards family travel, with younger cruisers in mind.  In general, young children may be bored due to the lack of age-appropriate space and activities. Staterooms on river cruise vessels will only accommodate two guests, and there are few connecting cabins available. This may be less than ideal for families with very young kids.  For older children who are well-traveled and are happy with board games, in-room TV entertainment, WIFI and adult supervision while cruising, the river cruise lines would certainly welcome and cater to your needs. 

Be aware of navigation realities.

One of the benefits of river cruising is the ‘no seasickness’ aspect – you will perceive very little movement of the ship, and even in tidal waters, progress along a river is relatively calm. For those who may not be comfortable sailing out into the vast ocean, on a river cruise you’re usually within sight of one or both banks of dry land.

As is well-known, all rivers are prone to flooding.  River boats are built for safe passage, for cruising under numerous low-lying bridges and to fit through the locks along the way, but any measurable flooding, or the reverse low water levels, can hinder or block the passage of river vessels.  Disappointing as this may be, for passenger safety, when this happens river cruise lines always have a back-up plan to bus passengers to the next scheduled stop. You can be assured that your vacation itinerary will proceed no matter what the weather or river conditions.

 

 

Traversing a lock

 

The Enchanting Danube

Last August we sailed on the Enchanting Danube itinerary from Passau, Germany, to Budapest, Hungary, aboard the Uniworld River Beatrice. The itinerary is one of the company’s most popular, thanks to the idyllic scenery complete with castles and farmland along the way, as well as a fascinating series of locks all along the Danube. Small, historic villages; cathedrals; a most-notable abbey; the grandeur of Vienna and then Budapest rounded off this weeklong cruise.

Life Onboard

 

Uniworld makes no secret that river cruising is all about the destinations, and it makes it easy for guests to watch the world go by as they sail the Danube. We especially enjoyed the region between Passau, Germany, and Melk, Austria, acclaimed as one of the most enjoyable regions of the Danube Delta for spotting castles high up on hills and an abundance of wildlife. You’re also seeing villages that are thousands of years old, castles and wine country, with vineyards extending up into the hills, and plenty of apricot trees. The Danube is a huge part of life in these regions, you’ll often see families picnicking along the river, or friends cycling along the bike paths. You’ll see houseboats on shore with people seeming to live off the land and even the occasional native bathing in the river without the slightest sense of modesty. This area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site so it’s protected from development; there’s nary even a bridge in sight.

Dining: Breakfast is a standout with buffet stations offering fresh fruits, bakery goods of all sorts, hot and cold cereals, yogurts, cheeses, eggs, and breakfast meats and lox. There’s also an omelette station and waiter service providing menu entrée items.

 

Lunch is served buffet style with fresh salad offerings and usually a hot dish, such as pasta. Attentive waiter service is on hand to provide beer or wine or select items from a menu. A unique offering was the Austrian feast provided on the day we sailed from Melk to Vienna, including ever-flowing local beers, sausages of all sorts and pretzels, which we knew were local since we’d seen a bakery truck pull up to the ship that morning to make the delivery.

Dinner, Uniworld offers cuisine that accompanied the destinations we were visiting, such as a “Hungarian Farmer Plate” as an appetizer one evening, which included salami, ham, bell peppers and Körözött, a spiced-cheese dip (think paprika) with chunks of bread. Another offering that night was roasted eggplant and garlic soup. Aside from other special menu items served nightly, Uniworld provides standbys for every dinner, such as chicken, salmon and Caesar salad.

Dining Between Meals: Stations outside the lounge house neat coffee machines that serve excellent cappuccino and latte. It’s convenient for an early morning wake-up to bring back to the room; fresh-baked Danish and doughnuts are served as well. Cookies are served in the afternoon. Treats themed around destinations were offered in the lounge on certain days; German Tea Time was scheduled for the day we headed from Nuremberg to Regensburg and a traditional Austrian Tea Time that included apple strudel was included when we sailed to Vienna.

Cocktails anyone? Uniworld provides unlimited soft drinks, cocktails, wine and beer at no charge during the cruise.

In the evening, the pre-dinner cocktail scene was quite active (bar snacks were provided) and after dinner, a resident musician played the piano. On our final evening, local performers staged a fun Hungarian folkloric show.

Nice Note: Uniworld encourages guests to bring local wines back to the ship. We purchased a few bottles of Riesling in Melk, Austria.

Unique Amenities: The top deck has rows and rows of chaise lounges, all the better to watch the scenery drift by.

Technology: Wi-Fi access is included in the pricing and we had a strong signal throughout the cruise, except for the odd moment when the ship might be descending into a lock. Guest room TVs were 40-inch flat-panel Sonys for movies on-demand and cable news.

Accommodations: Our Category 2 cabin, 150 square feet in size, was cleverly designed so all of our clothes and accessories fit in closets, drawers and shelves. The French balcony provided a good view for watching the river in private. Other amenities were a safe, hair dryer, plus bottled water replenished daily, & robes and slippers. Bathrooms are intimate in size, but showers are large enough to move around in comfortably. Fresh fruits were delivered daily.

Fellow Cruisers: On our August cruise there was a mix of American and UK travelers, skewing from age 40 or so and up. Many were retired professionals who are now active travelers, always making the dinner conversation exciting. It felt like we made friends for life with some and missed them when we were home, which is always a good sign.

Crew: The ship’s hotel manager, made guests feel extremely welcome at every opportunity. The program director who was the go-to person for all things Viking, ensured shore excursions went well, provided lectures and updates on ports and even played the piano one afternoon in the lounge to introduce (or reintroduce) guests to the music of Mozart. He can also tell you where to get the best beer and sausages in any port on the itinerary.

Sailing: Most shore excursions with good local guides are included in the pricing; some with a more intense experience are provided at a nominal fee. On the Enchanting Danube itinerary, these included a Mozart & Strauss concert on the evening we sailed into Vienna, which we felt was an ideal way to be introduced to this cultural city and well worth the money.

In Budapest, we drove as a group to Lazar Equestrian Park in Hungary’s horse country for an equestrian show. This gave us the chance to meet locals and see the beautiful landscape outside of the city. An added bonus was to watch a Hungarian wedding taking place at the park. Transportation in each port was always available on clean, very modern motorcoaches provided by Uniworld. Bottled water was always offered as we disembarked for each excursion and was readily available in the lobby for those who ventured off on their own.

Top Tips While in Town

The cruise line includes a book highlighting each port along the Danube and city tours deliver a comprehensive overview for each as well. We recommend scouting out these finds during your free time.

Passau: This German medieval destination is known as the City of Three Rivers, where the Danube, the Inn and the Ilz rivers join. It’s also why the city experienced record flooding last June. When we visited in August, it was readily welcoming visitors with just some shops and restaurants right at the harbor still under repairs.

The extremely grand St. Stephen’s Cathedral, home to the world’s largest cathedral organ, is a must-see here and is included on the city excursion. Neat Treat: At the end of our guided tour, we were all given tickets to an organ concert, the music of which resonated remarkably through the enormous cathedral. Don’t pass up this opportunity if it’s offered to you.

Note: Passau’s city center is immediately accessible from the ship. We visited its shops and cafés easily from the ship throughout the day, feeling quite like a couple of locals.

Melk: The included tour of this Austrian town visits the very notable Melk Abbey but we opted for a pleasant 20-minute walk from the ship that took us right into a village filled with charming hotels and cafés. A local festival included a farmer’s market and the chance to see locals enjoying a holiday of wine drinking and relaxing. It’s easy to purchase local wines and schnapps in Melk, where service is welcoming and friendly. That afternoon we sailed to Vienna through the Wachau Valley, one of the most scenic routes along the Danube. Be sure to watch every moment of it, this is not a time to catch up on a nap.

Vienna: Since we arrived in the morning and stayed overnight, we had a full day in Vienna before sailing to Budapest. The city tour will show off the exteriors of all the significant landmarks and ends at the very significant St. Stephen’s Cathedral. With a totally free afternoon, try out one of the city’s famous coffee houses, or sausage carts. We hear there’s live music in the evenings and can’t wait to go back.

 

Another Vienna must is a visit to Hotel Sacher; you can nab a view of its historic and charming interiors if you go for a drink at its famous Blaue Bar. You can also enjoy having some sacher torte at Café Sacher Wien, which is where the chocolate dessert delicacy is said to have been invented.

Budapest: When the city tour wraps up in the old town castle district of Buda, you’ll find yourself outside of Matthias Church looking right at the Hilton Budapest Hotel in Castle District. This is an ideal place to refresh (think bathroom break), and the Icon Restaurant is a great place to enjoy views of Budapest’s famous Parliament Building and the Danube. On the way back to where the motorcoaches wait to return you to the ship there’s a casual beer garden that also serves up Hungarian dishes buffet style, there are also shelves and shelves of Hungarian wines to sample. Note that, in Budapest, museums are closed on Mondays and be sure to have small change on you if you need to use public restrooms.

Good to know: In Hungary, the euro is accepted but is not the local currency. If you pay in euros you’ll receive change in forints.

For more information visit: www.therivercruiseoutlet.com

The Benefits of River Cruising

Tired of hopping in and out of motor coaches or checking out of hotels at 6 a.m. on traditional land tours? A river cruise offers the convenience and luxury of a deep-ocean cruise combined with the in-depth experience of a land tour and the personal freedom of a river cruise. Step aboard. Unpack once. Explore, and enjoy.

River cruising emerged to introduce an entirely new concept to Europe: that of floating hotels that journey between destinations.

For many travelers, the slow chug along the river is just the right pace for getting the lay of the land. Sitting on the top deck of a ship under brilliant blue skies, you gaze on fabled landscapes dotted with castles, villages and vineyards. A flight of stairs down, and you have all the amenities of a modern hotel — restaurants, bars, lounges, fitness facilities, spas, internet access and comfortable staterooms.

River cruises offer opportunities to step ashore in fairy tale towns and fabled cities. Immerse yourself in contemporary culture, and learn something about the history of the towns along the Continent’s greatest rivers.

The season runs March through the end of December, beginning with Tulip Time Cruises in Benelux countries and ending with Christmas Market Cruises in Hungary, Austria, and Germany.

 

The majority of itineraries are seven nights, though longer cruises are available. Book one year in advance, if possible, and consider cruising March through May or September through December, when the crowds are thinner and airfares may be more reasonably priced than during peak periods.

River cruising is perfect for those who want a relaxed grand tour of Europe and for cruisers who want to explore Europe beyond the coastline. River cruising presents the grandeur and charm of Europe as well as the indelible landscapes that inspired Europe’s great artists. Few things in life can beat the views of Europe over the ripples of Continent’s rivers.

Some river cruisers overnight in ports and cruise during the day; others cruise during the night and tie up in port during the day. Both approaches allow for dinners ashore and late-evening strolls into town.

 

*Photo courtesy of Viking River Cruises