October is usually a good month to visit Europe (France anyway). Kids are in school, the weather is decent, not much rain, hotel and airfare prices are lower ... but apparently not for Rome. We're headed there for four nights in October and hotel prices are ... stratospheric. Some Hilton places are >$700 per night. (I have some status with Hilton that usually gets a nice upgrade.)
Airport and cruise port transfers aren't cheap either. I booked one transfer from hotel to cruise port that was $264. I realize it's a bit of a drive. Two of us. I prefer to have all this locked in a head of time, it often is no more than using a taxi ad hoc.
