We honestly hadn’t heard the best things about Grimaldi Lines before our journey. After all, this is one of the massive cargo ships that cross the Mediterranean Sea multiple times per week! Still, we went into our Rome to Barcelona ferry ride with a completely open mind. This Grimaldi Lines review will show you exactly what to expect if you’re considering a booking. We’ll also include tips and recommendations for driving on with a car, and cover if getting a room on board is worth it.
Checking in For the Grimaldi Lines Ferry
Over the last couple of years we have made the east coast of Spain our home base. However, we always leave during the summers for a new adventure around Europe!
After spending July and August road tripping through the French and Italian alps, we planned to take the boat from Rome to Barcelona. Our decision to take the Grimaldi Lines ferry came about for a couple of different reasons.
Firstly, we had already taken the drive through France several times from Spain. We were also in Italy this past summer, and we had been looking into the ferry for awhile now.
Once we’d done some quick calculations, we figured out that the tolls and gas driving back to France would be about the same price as the boat. Really, it all just made complete sense for our route!
Rome to Barcelona Ferry Cost
- Two Passenger Tickets: €140
- Vehicle: €65
- Room: €115
- Taxes: €75
- Last Minute Summer Discount: €-69
- Total: €261
Before boarding, we spent an amazing three days in Pitigliano Italy. It’s a beautiful small town and we highly recommend it to any travelers visiting Tuscany.
It was our second visit to the area and finally made it to the famous Saturnia Thermal Spa. The town was only a little over an hour drive where the ship debarked, which made it easy to get to the Grimaldi Lines ferry.
Keep in mind that the Port of Civitavecchia is actually located 40+ miles northwest of Rome. We arrived there three hours early around 7pm, but there were others already ahead of us.
Whether you’re traveling as a foot passenger or with a car, the first thing you have to do is head to the Grimaldi Lines check-in desk. There is a small terminal with a little cafe and restrooms inside.
It’s a little bit confusing, but there are service workers that will point you in the right direction. They told us to line up in this area first before directing us to the actual ferry when it go closer to boarding time.
Boarding Our Rome to Barcelona Ferry
We were sent to the 2nd boarding area around 8:15pm and didn’t get onto the boat until 2 hours later. Even though this was our experience, Grimaldi Lines said check-in ends two hours before take off. So don’t risk coming late or you might not be allowed on!
Also, be sure to use the restrooms before coming to the final boarding area. There were a sea of cars, campervans, motorcycles and big trucks in the parking lot waiting to get on. It was crazy to think that everyone was going to fit on the boat.
We ended up being one of the first few cars to drive on because we lined up early. The cars park on the upper deck, so there was a steep ramp we needed to drive up. While parking was tight, there were plenty workers directing us where to go.
Grabbing a small overnight bag and a few personal items, we locked up our car and left it for the 20+ hour trip. We read that you can’t go back to the car lot once the ship takes off, but we’re not 100% sure as we didn’t bother trying.
Grimaldi Lines Review Room Tour
As we mentioned, we did book a room for our Rome to Barcelona ferry. At first we debated if we actually needed it.
We’ve traveled on so many ferries around the world from the Greek Islands to the rivers of Thailand. To be frank, we knew a bad night of sleep would completely ruin our trip back!
Now, the rooms are as basic as you could possibly imagine. There are two twin size beds with two additional bunks that come down from the top to sleep four people.
Know that the pull down bunkbed style room we booked is the same price, whether you have one or four guests.
The room was fine and the beds were comfortable enough. We didn’t have high expectations going into it, so it was hard for us to be too disappointed.
The floor was a little dirty in the bathroom and everything looked super dated. One thing that we highly recommend is packing a pair of flip flops to wear for the room and the shower. While the furniture was older (and could use a deep cleaning), it was great to actually be able to get some sleep.
This was obviously far better than sleeping upright in a boat seat somewhere or lying on the ground of a lobby. In the morning, we slept in and woke up somewhere out in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea.
Breakfast On Board
When it was time to venture out of room, we were in desperate need of a coffee. There are several cafes on board as well as a larger dining room and formal restaurant.
We got two coffees and croissants for 10 euros. This felt pretty expensive, but I guess you can’t complain when you’re out at sea.
The other breakfast options were yogurt, cereals, eggs, and toast. It’s nothing to get excited about, yet know that there is food available!
The Rest of the Rome to Barcelona Ferry Boat
After breakfast, we took a walk up to the top deck. There were a dozen people laid out on the sun chairs relaxing and enjoying in the sun. Several passengers had all their bags with them and looked like they might have spent the night there.
If you don’t have a room or seat booked, I’m not really sure where you would go. Our ship must have not been very full, or maybe everyone was just in their rooms. Either way, it felt quite empty for how big the Grimaldi Lines ferry is.
The main common area spaces consist of a large bar (which doubles as a disco club at night), dining areas, and the top deck. Something we didn’t realize was how pet-friendly the boat would be.
Unfortunately, this meant many people would take their dogs to the top deck to do their business. Although most travelers cleaned it up, it definitely deterred us from wanting to spend more time up there.
Once we had fully explored the ship, we headed back to our room for the final few hours. It was very ideal to have somewhere private to hang out since we didn’t dock until almost 7pm that night. We also loved that we had a place to leave our belongings while we walked around the boat.
Lunch on the Grimaldi Lines Ferry
For lunch, we split a pizza and bowl of pasta. The pizza was decent, but after traveling in Italy for a month, the pasta was nothing that we would get again! Both dishes were about 11 euros each.
We wish that we had brought more food with us so we didn’t have to eat on board. You could tell that some families came prepared with massive coolers for the trip.
Another thing to know is you do have to leave the cabin two hours before docking. Our biggest issue was that our ticket said we were arriving in Barcelona at 6pm.
After some delays, we didn’t drive off the boat until 2 hours after that. Be sure to plan for a little bit of extra time on the Rome to Barcelona ferry.
Final Grimaldi Lines Ferry Review
So would we take the Grimaldi Lines ferry again? The answer is yes if we were traveling with a car!
We live a few hours drive from Barcelona. The idea that we could drive the short distance, get on a ferry, and be in Italy the next day is amazing.
It might not be cheap compared to flights, but it’s also not that expensive if you think about what you’re getting. We actually got a deal when you consider the additional gas, tolls, and more expensive hotel on the same route. It also saved us 15 HOURS of driving!
Without a car, there would really be no reason to take the Rome to Barcelona ferry. Flights are relatively cheap between most cities in Spain and Italy, and you would basically save 24 hours of travel.
One thing to really understand is that there is no universe this is anything like a cruise. We took a Copenhagen to Oslo ferry route once that was 10x nicer than this.
Think of it more like a giant transport ship to get you from A to B that just so happens to have rooms inside. Just know that if you’re trying to get from Rome to Barcelona with a car, Grimaldi is a great option.
Have any questions about this article or want to share your own Grimaldi Lines review? Let us know in the comments below!
Safe Travels,
Brigitte & Jake
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We’re Brigitte and Jake! American travel bloggers currently based in Spain. If you can believe it, we started Nothing Familiar way back in 2015 on an Ipad in the Ecuadorian jungle. Ever since, we haven’t stopped traveling! We’ve now been to over 60 countries around the world, with our expertise being Europe and Southeast Asia. We love outdoor adventures, tasting local specialties, and island hopping through tropical destinations. Hopefully, our guides and authentic experiences will inspire you on your own travels!
