2 Questions - Tickets to the Vatican Museum, Tickets to the Borghese

Brent , I am sufficiently caffeinated to help this morning . As to the Vatican , I distinctly recall paying at the time I made the reservation . I then received an email with an attachment which was the voucher . If you didn't pay I can't imagine a booking being made . I would check the email you received for an attachment just in case, and then try again . As to the Borghese , the website is somewhat screwy as you noticed , I had the same experience . I simply called them during business hours and was given a confirmation number for my date and time of entrance . You pay when you pick up the ticket ( either cash or Roma Pass , I don't remember if they take a credit card . ) One or two tips about the Borghese . Your visit is strictly limited to two hours , Be sure you are there well before your appointed time . Recommended thirty minutes , I don't feel that is enough . Once you arrive ,get your tickets , check your belongings , NOTHING is allowed inside , and IMMEDIATELY queue up for entrance . By the time they let everyone in , there is quite a line even though you have your ticket , and you could otherwise waste ten to fifteen minutes just getting in . That will come off your two hours . See the Pinacoteca upstairs first before going through the Bernini marbles on the ground floor , but pace yourself carefully. There is so much to see that two hours are barely enough .

On the Vatican tickets, when I go through the process and get to screen to confim the reservation (and probably the screen to pay) there is a message that reads "Credit Card payement temporarily unavalaible." So I'm unable to pay, meaning all I get is a reservation number, but no voucher. When I get the email that I have to click to confirm the reservation it states: "Once you have completed this procedure you will automatically receive via email the booking voucher, which you must present to the staff of the Vatican Museums, at the entrance reserved for "reserved ticket holders". The total amount stated on the voucher must be paid for in cash at the cash desks of the Vatican Museums. " Arghhh... this is frustrating.

I see your point . Whether you pay now or on site really doesn't matter. I think what does matter is a date and time for entrance . After you completed the process , does the voucher show date and time ? If it does , you are fine . You will simply surrender the voucher and pay ( bring cash - many museums in Italy do not take plastic ) and they will give you the tickets . I paid online , but they may have simply changed the process slightly . I don't think ( as with the Borghese ) that they are worried about a no show . There are so many people waiting to get in , that no slot goes unclaimed. When we arrived , voucher in hand at the the Vatican ( and the Uffizi in Firenze ) the advantage was that even though there were still waits to get in , they were nothing like the ticket buying lines . So , if you have a voucher - reservation number with date and time , you are fine .

Nope. No date, and no time. I've got reservation numbers and confirmation of reservation numbers, but no where on any of that does it show the date and time of my visit. I emailed the Vatican help line to try and get clarification. I think the problem probably has to do with the fact that they aren't accepting Credit Card payments right now, but that doesn't change the fact that I have nothing to show the front door that I have a reservation for that day other than that really long number that could mean anything.

Frustrating , I can sympathize . I would say wait a a day or so. See if you get a response before trying again . After ,say , 48 hours , perhaps try the transaction again and see if a credit card option becomes available . If so you could continue with the booking that way . When is your trip ? If you have adequate lead time , try not to let it worry you . I.m sure you will be able to get it sorted in time .

I'm trying to reserve tickets for Mrach 7th, so I'm not in trouble yet, but with the conclave coming up I don't want to take any chances.

I agree , Give it a while . Also check your junk mail folder in case anything wound up there . Also my wife tells me that if you you were making the transaction late in their business day ( nine hours ahead of you ) that business operations sometimes do system maintenance and alterations late . Certainly wait a bit. I tried running a " dummy " booking to see what would happen , and got to the payment page . Obviously I stoppped at that point or I would have had to complete the transaction. Not meaning to be a hammer , but was there an attachment to the email with the reservation number , that's where (the voucher ) the date and time is .

Mystery Solved... In my efforts I made 3 different reservations. I checked my spam folder and I found 1 voucher! I don't know where the vouchers are for the other two reservations, but it doesn't matter. 1 is all I need. Gmail says that it kicked it to the Spam folder because it was in Italian. But it didn't send the confirmation email into the spam folder even though that was also in Italian. Oh well. Live and learn. As far as the Borghese goes... I'll just wait until I'm 10 days out and then get my reservation. This isn't exactly the high season, so imagine I'll be ok.

Glad that it worked out ! Keep in mind calling the Borghese as I did , It was really easy and only took a minute .Have a great trip!!

Brent,
Have you looked into the Roma Pass? If you will be seeing another big site in addition to the Borghese in a short time span it may save you some money. I was in Rome last year with 2 other couples and we were able to see the coliseum, Borghese and use the travel pass. Have a good trip