Where to stay in Italy? Family of 9 our first time visit.

So the days you need hotels are June 6 and 7, and July 3 and 4?
Where are flying into and out of in Italy? I am guessing Rome but did not mention where do it could be Milan, Naples or Venice. Is the cruise starting and ending at Civitavecchia? Or elsewhere?

In keeping with our new "politeness counts" doctrine when talking to first time posters, let me attempt to gently steer you into a rewarding and reasonably priced adventure.

First, there is no such thing as a "small" group of 9. This is a big group to most of the members of this Forum. I can see that a decent amount of time will be devoted to your cruise, but that does leave a lot of unaccounted time. Find others in the group to help you plan things. There is no reason why you should do all the legwork.

You are very late to begin planning for a June 6th departure. Many of the best hotel "deals" and situations have already been snagged by people who have been planning for a year or more. Not a real problem--there are many hotel rooms in Rome and in other parts of Italy--but you will need to get creative. Your first choice (or fifth choice, for that matter) may already be booked for the time you need it.

You NEED a good travel guide. Rick Steve's new Italy 2019 guidebook is a must. Order it from Amazon tonight. You can order it from this website, but it is cheaper on Amazon.com. You might consider ordering several copies--nine people can't use just one book.

https://www.amazon.com/Rick-Steves-Italy-2019-ebook/dp/B07C1NQFQ3/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1BATMMBCWQRGX&keywords=rick+steves+italy+2019+guide+book&qid=1557348943&s=gateway&sprefix=rick+steves+italy+%2Caps%2C296&sr=8-3

Did I say to get someone else to help you?

Find out where people want to go. Get a consensus now so you aren't vilified later when it turns out that you haven't booked something that others may have wanted to see. Find out about physical limitations and food allergies. Gluten free is available in Italy, but pasta without wheat isn't really pasta.

Be realistic about time. Your departure day counts as a travel day. So does the arrival day. So does the flight home day. Using your example above, you are departing on June 6 and going home on July 3. That means you have 3 travel days (6/6, 6/7, and 7/3). This gives you 24 touring/vacation days. Subtract 10 days for the cruise, and this gives you 14 free days to fill. Taking your 2 days before and 2 days after the cruise, that leaves 10 days unaccounted for.

If you can flesh out things a little better, we can give you some suggestions to maximize fun and minimize cost.

You may want to buy a different guide book, as well, perhaps one published by Lonely Planet. Many of the sights/restaurants/hotels will be the same, but many will not. Also, get on Trip Advisor and Booking.com to see what kind of accommodations might be available. Good luck!

Let's simplify things: it's only two days at either end. You could bookend the trip with Rome if you are flying there, or do the first part in Rome and end with a relaxing stay at the coast in Fiumicino (you can see Ostia Antica, maybe train to some sites like Tarquinia).

Is it correct to assume everyone is age 20+?

Seemingly you will need 3-5 rooms, depending how the splits workout. On such, relatively, short notice your options will be somewhat limited, to find hotels with the needed number of rooms.

I do not understand the math. June 6 to July 3 is more than 14 days ( 10 day cruise plus 2 days before and after the cruise)

As noted earlier, a few more details about your trip would be helpful

I apologize, dates are from June 16 thru July 2 return to LAX on the 3rd. We fly into and out of FCO. The cruise port is the same port.
I agree, not a small group and a bit late on the planning. Please note, I have been working on this for over 8 months now.
The problem is getting all family members to agree on hotels, price point etc. The more I have tried to get them involved the longer it as taken.
I was just looking for some quick expert insight to make my life a bit easier as we go.

I have all of Rick Steve's guides, books, cd's and had them all watch NETFLIX series. To no avail.

Thanks in advance,
Timi

Hi Timi,

I think what I’d do in your shoes is to stay in Rome on both ends of your trip. Find a hotel and stay at the same place twice, and be done with it. Enjoy Rome - there’s something for all mixes of people and everyone can do what they want.

I’m planning a trip for next year for a slightly larger size of people. I am just picking what I like, and giving a couple of options. Luckily, my family has been super flexible and ....just tell us when and where.

Good luck.

Hi Timi,

Given the time you have, staying in Rome will allow you to enjoy the city before and after your cruise. We stayed in Rome for 4 nights and could have stayed another week. There is so much to see and do. In addition, while Rome is a big city, we found time to relax and people watch.

I understand the challenges of booking rooms, restaurants, tours, etc for a larger group. I was the "designated planner" for our group of 6 adults, including two college-aged girls last June. I booked a mix of flats and hotels on the trip. I considered a flat in Rome, but by the time we got to Rome, we really needed some separate time. That said a flat may be more economical.

The challenge in getting a hotel is finding one with available rooms, booking.com is a good place to start. I can enthusiastically recommend Albergo del Senato located directly across from the Pantheon. In fact, we had three rooms, all facing the Pantheon. It was magical opening our window in the evening and overlooking history in the moonlight. They have excellent service, a fantastic buffet breakfast and a roof top bar. It is not a budget hotel. Here is the link if you are interested: http://www.albergodelsenato.it/. Note I tried to book all the recommended Rick Steve's hotels in that area along with the Trastevere area and I could not find availability for my group, that is what led me to Albergo.

For the foodies in your group, I would recommend the Eating Italy Tours in Rome: https://www.eatingeurope.com/rome/. We took the Trastevere tour and it was one of the highlights of the trip. You have a large enough group, you can even contact them about private tour tailored to your group's needs.

Enjoy your cruise and your trip to Italy. It is a memorable way to celebrate your children's graduation.

The problem is getting all family members to agree on hotels, price
point etc. The more I have tried to get them involved the longer it as
taken.

Timi, at this point your family is going to need to understand that the clock started ticking on this quite some time ago so you are going to have to make the leap. Or one of them can take over this responsibility? Being the organizer for a big group can be an exercise in herding cats! :O)

I'd do as suggested and just keep your stay in Rome. Use booking.com and search by the per-night amount the most cash-strapped member of your group can swing, understanding that you'll be in your rooms just long enough to sleep and shower! You'll want an accommodation with decent reviews, that's in the historic center or not far to the edge of it, and has air conditioning: it will be very hot in July.

I might look within a several-block walk north/northwest/west of Termini. As I'm guessing you might be using that station at least 4 times (FCO>City center>Civitavecchia>City center> FCO), it would be a convenient location for short stays on either end of the trip. Being able to walk* to your hotel would also save some on transport $ for 9. Have you otherwise explored how you're going to make your transfers between airport, city and port?

(*) One caveat above: hoofing it between station and hotel means everyone being able to manage their. luggage...meaning giant, heavy bags would be a complication. They would be a complication traveling just about anywhere in Italy as it's a country where amenities like elevators, curb-less sidewalk crossings, etc. are the exception rather than the rule. Being able to nimbly manage the bags getting on and off the trains is also a must.

Whatever the case, when looking at options on booking.com, be SURE and check the actual locations of possible accommodations to make sure they're not too far from center.

Another suggestion:

Choose a reasonably priced place in the historic area in Rome you prefer and share the link/info with your family along with a deadline for letting you know they want you to book their room. If they would rather make their own arrangements for the time in Rome, share links to other hotels near your hotel so they can make their own choice, letting them know that the clock is ticking. Perhaps after the cruise, a little distance would be good . . .