daveesl

I have been a pretty strong supporter of the Roma Pass, until now. Due to the recent snow and subsequent shutting down of all attractions and essentially all mass transportation for a period of 2.5 days, anyone who had the Roma Pass and had activated it just prior to the snow and shutdown got screwed.

Before anyone jumps on the "bash the messenger bandwagon", you need to realize that what I am reporting here is a problem that did not need to happen and has probably cost tourists in Rome many thousands of dollars over the past few days, with no recourse. Yes, I am one of those. Here is what happened...

The Roma Pass is a 3 day pass that combines unlimited use of the mass transit system with free access to 2 sites and discounts on all other listed sites. It can be a good deal if used properly. In the past, when you bought the Pass, it came with 2 cards, one for site access, one for travel. The 3 day clock did not start on either of these until you actually used one and each was independent of the other.

The present pass is one card, using a chip. You are supposed to write down the date on the card when you intend to use it. The transport side and site access sides are not separate anymore, so if you take a bus then the site access also starts the countdown.

This seems ok on the face, until something like this past weekend happens. On Friday by noon the snow had started and things begin being shut down. On Saturday and Sunday everything, except a very few bus routes, were down, including ALL sites and metro and trains.

So, we had purchased the Roma Pass on Thursday afternoon intending to use it for access Saturday and/or Sunday (depending on the weather). Original forecast was for heavy rain and possible snow on Friday. Friday we took a bus in the morning, but did not go to any sites due to rain and cold. Friday afternoon everything went to hell in
Rome weather-wise and stayed that way until Monday morning.

Granted, nobody could guess that the entire city would be shut down, but the thousands of tourists in the city (even at this time of year) certainly were not at fault. Where the Rome Tourism office could have easily extended any Roma Pass that was activated (but not used in its entirety) to make up for the complete city shutdown. Instead, Rome Tourism Office simply said "too bad, send us an email". I went to the Tourist Info office, explained the situation that we and thousands of others were facing and I was told I was "harassing them".

The tourists were not in control of closing all sites and transit on Friday afternoon and both Saturday and Sunday. Even today, on Monday, most outside sites are still closed and of course Museums are closed because it is Monday. Tourists were not in control of essentially shutting down all mass transit. But if you purchased the Roma Pass and either wrote in the date or actually activated it, then you got to watch you fee just vaporize, without the ABILITY to use it in any way.

So, I will NEVER recommend purchasing the Roma Pass again and consider the actions by the Rome Tourism Office to be bordering on criminal. Yes, the snow was a natural and rare event, but then what else can shut things down? Why should a purchaser of the pass be financially harmed and ignored, when it could have easily been fixed. The Pass is computer controlled, by simply changing some info in the primary database to extend all Passes, this could have been a non-issue. Instead, anyone that asks "what happened to my money" is "harrasing".

dave

annhig

well said, Dave.

trouble is that people will keep buying it so they have no incentive to behave better towards people like you.

i have a friend going to Rome for a week on wednesday, and i'm definitely tell her to avoid the roma pass.

janisj

Interesting. There was a strike during one of my trips to Paris and most of the museums were closed. We had Museum & Monument passes and everyplace honored them after the strike ended even though they had expired a day or two prior. We didn't even have to ask at most sites.

daveesl

I agree Janis, that is kind of what I thought would happen here. Instead, when checking to make sure with the tourist office, I was told that they had just heard from the superintendent's office and was told the passes would expire as normal. That is what made this idiotic, because it was not necessary. Flick a switch and add a couple of days to the database.

dave

Zerlina

Dearly as I love Rome, they simply haven`t got their act together about tourism. The city blathers on and on - and on! - about making Rome the premier destination in Europe with grandiose projects that might never get off the ground, then they drop the ball with things like this.

kybourbon

I would start complaining to multiple places starting with this one. I would also post on their Facebook page.

http://www.beniculturali.it/mibac/op...tti/index.html

[email protected]

I know the T&C state no refunds, but they should have at least extended your cards since it was their fault you couldn't visit as they closed everything.

>>>Reimbursements

Under what circumstances can I request reimbursement of the Roma Pass and/or Roma&Più Pass?

In cases users change their plans, there is no refund for the price of the Card, even if it has not been used (see also FAQ 4.2 and 7.2).

daveesl

I agree completely with you Ky,

I did not want a refund, simply wanted them to extend everyone's access. Sure, if someone left town, then that brings a different set of things. I also agree with their "no refund" policy, but to essentially not allow one to use what they paid for is wrong. Yep, I'm posting all over the place on this one. Thanks for the support everyone.

dave

kybourbon

The beniculturali website has FB and Twitter links so post away on those.

As for the reimbursement policy, it's for the user changing their plans. You didn't change your plans, the city of Rome did. I wonder if it's possible to dispute the charges on your credit card?

Now that the price of the pass is 30€, you don't really get the value unless there have been admission increases that I'm not aware of. I know the transport prices are supposed to increase, but that isn't until June.

zeppole

Hmmm, let's see:

On Saturday, Feb 4, daveesl posted on Fodor's that he was in Rome and he had spent the day "just strolling around" and that "yeah it was really neat walking around in the snow, virtually alone." Later: "We hopped on the 46 bus (one of the few running) and went out to Monte Mario. Everyone was throwing snowballs, but nothing was open...By afternoon the mobs were everywhere,"

Now he's in tears, with a different story:

"So, we had purchased the Roma Pass on Thursday afternoon intending to use it for access Saturday and/or Sunday (depending on the weather). Original forecast was for heavy rain and possible snow on Friday. Friday we took a bus in the morning, but did not go to any sites due to rain and cold. Friday afternoon everything went to hell in
Rome weather-wise and stayed that way until Monday morning."

So davesl, knowing the weather forecast for Friday, bought a Roma Pass planning to begin using it on Saturday. Yet he decides to activate his card Friday morning, even though he also knows most museums in Rome are closed Monday.

Am I the only one thinking the Rome tourist office isn't the only one here making bad decisions? Forgive me, but most people, even if the sun was shining, would not have activated their Roma Pass on Friday to take one bus ride.

I have never bought a Roma Pass or anything like it, but if I ever had a problem with one, I would have no expectation that a staff worker behind a desk at the tourist office had to the power to do anything about extending the validity of my card if it had a computer chip embedded in it. And if once I was told this person had no authority to do my bidding, if I persisted in demanding she do something she couldn't do, I would not be amazed if she told me I was harassing her -- because that would be what I was doing.

I would not conclude from the worst freeze anybody in Rome can remember that the on-the-spot refusal of one office worker at the Rome tourist board is evidence that Rome is hopeless, drops the ball, yada yada -- talk about blather!

Fodor's is the premiere destination for people jumping to conclusions that really have no connection to reality or -- dare I say it -- mature thinking.

Please learn this lesson: A piece of paper that you bought is a guarantee of NOTHING. Okay? Got that? And when your plans get upset by events out of control of the Rome tourist board -- who closed sights FOR THE SAFETY OF TOURISTS -- you're not entitled to go pushing around powerless people who simply can't make your little world right for you.

Like the Rome Tourist Office said: Send an e-mail.

But if you'd rather come crying to a "community" for "support", okay. No harm done. I never thought the Roma Pass was a good deal anyway, so other tourists can make better informed decisions.

daveesl

Zeppole, as normal we look at things in a different light. In your defense, I did make a couple of errors and should correct them. It actually makes things worse.

We did buy the Pass on Thursday afternoon, considered using it on Friday but actually did not use it for the 46 bus trip until Saturday morning. We had, however, already written down the date of Friday on the pass. I made a mistake in posting, stating that we had "used" the pass on Friday, when actually we unofficially began the countdown by entering the date.

When I went to the Tourist Office, I was actually very nice and told the young MAN that I did not blame him, but that the situation needed to be remedied for all concerned and I'd like to speak with a supervisor. He is who told me they had received instructions from their supervisor to tell anyone asking that nothing would be done and to send an email. I then told him that was not a good course for public relations and if he would give me his supervisors number I would happily contact that person and explain the situation. That was when I was told I was "harassing" him. I never once threatened, raised my voice or harassed.

People need to have knowledge to make informed decisions. As I said in the beginning, up to now I pushed the use of the Roma Pass in certain situations. Now, no way.
thank you zepp for your thoughts, all sides are welcome in this discussion. It relates to traveler rights.
dave

taconictraveler

Nicely put, Dave.

flanneruk

Rarely does zeppole have much that's sensible to say.

This is the exception.

For god's sake, daveesl, grow up. You're dealing with a once in a half-century crisis. Your hysterical "me, me, me" reaction is contemptible.

Go to Fiumicino. Get on the first plane back to whatever self-obsessed whinger's paradise you hail from, and insist on your "rights" there.

Then stay there. And bully some other poor sod who's just doing his job.

Peter_S_Aus

What happens in Venice if you buy a vaporetto pass, say a 24 hour pass, and the boats are stopped because of fog?

Just asking.

I don't think it is possible to just "flick a switch" to extend the validity of an electronic ticket.

daveesl

flanner, as always, I love your comments.

So, have you ever purchased a product and found out that it did not work or could not work? Did you just say "oh well, better luck next time" or did you either return the product for a refund or exchange. If you decided to not use the product, that would be a different story. But if you could not use it, then it is not your fault as a consumer.

Actually, the reaction is not "me, me, me", but is "lots, lots, lots". There has been a lot of reaction today on how the govt. has dropped the ball in almost all areas of this weather fiasco. I was here in 2010 when it snowed, not nearly as long, but it did mess things up for a few hours. So this is not a once in a half-century event. And snow isn't the only potential problem. In a worsening economic environment, things like protracted strikes can mess things up. If the consumer has no trust that the services they prepay for will be around at some point in time, then they should not prepay.

So for those that wish to go messenger bashing, I'm still here and will be. I appreciate your insights.

dave

zeppole

daveesl,

Forget about me. Focus on how you changed the story you are telling yourself.

On Feb 4, you posted:

""So, we had purchased the Roma Pass on Thursday afternoon intending to use it for access Saturday and/or Sunday (depending on the weather)"

May I point out the key words?

DEPENDING ON THE WEATHER.

That was your choice. Your thinking. You already knew that the weather might cause you to decide to forego sightseeing at places covered by the Roma Pass.

Not only that, it now emerges that you knew that Rome was under a blanket of snow when you activated the card Saturday. Had you decided on your own over the weekend it was too icy to visit the Colosseum or Forum even if they were open, would you have gone to the tourist office demanding an extension?

The fact that the Rome tourist board closed the sites for the protection of tourists gave you the prefect excuse! You could blame them! You could blame them for doing what you were already prepared to do on your own -- not visit those sites.

Do you get it now?

As for your behavior in the Rome tourist office, once someone has told you the policy his supervisors asked him to relay to you, if you then ask to speak to their supervisor, you are insulting them and demeaning them, and they are likely to feel you are also trying to threaten their job. Lesson learned.

I've yet to see any evidence that you are the representative of thousands of tourists who feel they were defrauded of thousands of dollars this weekend by the actions of the Rome tourist board. The Roma Pass is governed by computer activation. Weekend workers at the offices had no way of re-programming cards and were not authorized to hand out free ones. Most people can figure out such things on their own.

You have nobody but yourself to blame if you EVER travel anywhere and expecting refunds or special treatment if there are strikes. You are now informed. Plan accordingly.

Peter_S_Aus

An analogous situation. You buy a four day ski lift pass.

Break your leg on day three – tough, you don’t get a refund for day four.

All lifts fail because of power failure and the weather is perfect for skiing – you can ask for a refund or to have your pass extended.

All lifts are closed for a day because of high wind – and this does happen. I don’t think you get an extension, as the lift company can’t control the weather.

janisj

Peter_S_Aus: "<i>All lifts are closed for a day because of high wind – and this does happen. I don’t think you get an extension, as the lift company can’t control the weather.</i>"

Actually, most of the resorts here in Calif. would extend the passes in a situation like that.

z: Even when you do have something semi-sensible to contribute -- you still have to attack folks when you post. You could have posted a response w/ just about the same content w/o being so snide/ornery. Haven't you had enough posts nuked to get the picture???

Peter_S_Aus

Janis, thanks for that, and I was not aware.

I wonder how they do that - when I've skied at Whistler, the passes are bar coded and the lifties "shoot" the pass. Must be some fancy software in use to determine which passes are in use, which passes have been bought but not initiated, and how to get around the "ski five days out of six" etc. All that, and then to credit an extra day to the appropriate passes.

Fancy stuff indeed.

annettafly

I just began using this forum a couple of weeks ago. Is this normal banter? Is it meant to be helpful? Every time I get on there's some contibutor spewing mean-spiritedness. Maybe I'm just too thin-skinned to play with the big dogs.

janisj

Just don't post about Italy and you'll be fine