Port of Rome to Rome Airport

[asmody]

Anyone have experience of transferring from Port of Rome to Fumicino Airport? I'm trying to fly home using air miles, however the flight out is at 11:45am. Ship docks at 7am with disembarkment starting at 8am. The cruise line told me probably not enough time to make flight, but I think it's doable. I would be interested to hear your experiences about transferring from port to airport.

[CruiserBruce]

Please follow the cruise line's advice. They know what they are talking about. Yes, you might make it. But, what happens if you don't? Is it worth the cost and the stress? What happens if they change the flight time, say 30 mins earlier? That has happened.

 

Was just in Rome. Docking at 7 doesn't mean getting off the ship at 7. We docked by 5:30. Nobody was getting off before 7:45.

 

Rome can be a crazy airport, particularly if you are going direct to the US.

[Talisker92]

I agree with Bruce. The traffic can be horrendous, plus the gates for the international flights are down a very long corridor, up an escalator and then you have to take a tram to the gates.

[KatRic]

IF your port is Civitavecchia, you will definitely not have enough time. Why not try to use your air miles for the next day and enjoy a day/night in Rome!

[Greghouseo]

Why is it that people always think they know better than the cruise line?

 

You go ahead and book it, I'm sure your expertise outweighs all their experience

[6rugrats]

The cruise line told me probably not enough time to make flight, but I think it's doable.

Why would you think this?

 

I don't know what airline this is, but many of them recommend you check in three hours before an international flight. With the flight you are considering, you'd be lucky to have two hours.

 

You have no idea what time you could actually get off the ship, and if traffic is bad, it can take a while just to reach the airport. And FCO can be an incredible zoo.

 

Highly recommend you look for seats the next day, and stay one night after your cruise.

[njhorseman]

Why is it that people always think they know better than the cruise line?

You go ahead and book it, I'm sure your expertise outweighs all their experience

 

If someone is basing their opinion on practical experience with domestic flights in many US cruise homeports, it's quite understandable why they would think they can safely book a flight that departs hours earlier than the earliest flight recommended by the cruise lines.

 

Cruise lines typically recommend flights no earlier than 12:30 or 1pm in places like Miami , Fort Lauderdale, and Bayonne where the airport is a very short taxi ride from the port, and veteran cruisers rightfully ignore the recommendations and book earlier flights, with almost no risk of missing them.

 

I'm not suggesting that ignoring the cruise line's recommendation is the right choice in Rome, but I can understand why someone might think it is.

[kitty9]

You must be at the airport about 3 hours before your flight. It takes more than an hour to get to the Rome airport. You could be in line to check in for more than an hour and then another hour for security. Then it's another line for Immigration. And, if there's heightened security, like there is now because of terrorist threats, you could be looking at more time. The Rome airport is crazy, you could find yourself going through two additional security checks, which takes a lot of time. Knowing all of that, IF they even start letting you off the ship at 8, which for the Rome port is highly unlikely (when in Italy, you operate on THEIR time, which is leisurely) you won't make that flight. Checking in for flights in European airports is absolutely nothing like US airports. And you have to be ON BOARD your plane at least 40 minutes before departure. International flights start boarding much earlier than US domestic flights.

 

Did you ever wonder why airlines say that you can only use miles for certain flights? It's because they know cruise passengers can't make those flights.

 

Don't tempt fate and ruin your vacation by booking a flight that nearly everyone, including the cruise line, knows you can't make.

[asmody]

Thank you all, even if some replies were a bit snarky. I am in fact an experienced overseas traveler, both for business and vacation. We last flew out of FCO in March, after visiting our son who did his Spring semester in Rome, so I'm well aware of the conditions there. I just wanted input from people who had made the trip between port and airport themselves, which we obviously have not, rather than rely on the input from the cruise company, which is only one source. Unfortunately, using air miles these days is very difficult and availability of seats is extremely limited. Now I have all your input, I can make an informed decision. Thank you.

[kitty9]

I have experience flying out of Rome after a cruise, three times, and every time I would never had made a flight before noon. Actually, once I barely made a flight at 1:45 because of various delays. And just because you didn't receive the answer you were hoping for, doesn't mean the responders have not experienced what you wanted information about. And as for not trusting the "one" opinion of the cruise line, might I respectfully point out that these cruise lines have the experience of handling thousands of passengers and their flight problems. Cruise lines ARE the de facto experts in situations like yours. They have no reason to be pulling numbers out of their heads without knowing what they are talking about.

[scottbee]

Anyone have experience of transferring from Port of Rome to Fumicino Airport? I'm trying to fly home using air miles, however the flight out is at 11:45am. Ship docks at 7am with disembarkment starting at 8am. The cruise line told me probably not enough time to make flight, but I think it's doable. I would be interested to hear your experiences about transferring from port to airport.

 

Rome doesn't have a port. It's a landlocked city some 30km from the coast.

 

Cruise ships typically leave from a place called Civitavecchia, about 80km NW of Rome. The main airport (FCO) is located on the coast, 30km SW of Rome. Off the ship by 8am let's say, 1hr to the airport, it's 9am; and that's the VERY VERY best case scenario. I wouldn't risk it.

[Keith1010]

Anyone have experience of transferring from Port of Rome to Fumicino Airport? I'm trying to fly home using air miles, however the flight out is at 11:45am. Ship docks at 7am with disembarkment starting at 8am. The cruise line told me probably not enough time to make flight, but I think it's doable. I would be interested to hear your experiences about transferring from port to airport.

 

I've been to this port of call often.

 

I would confirm the time with the cruise line as the earliest flight you can get.

 

You do need to check in for your flight at least two hours in advance. However, depending on airline and class of service this airport can be quite chaotic thus it is good to arrive three hours before your flight.

 

I would also allow one hour to get from the port to the airport. Actual drive time will probably be closer to 45 minutes but I just round it up to one hour.

 

If you really begin disembarkation at 8:00 AM then I would not book the 11:45 AM flight.

 

Keith