Has anyone taken a TA ending in ROME?

[BarbaraB2]

Can you answer my questions regarding the procedure and make recommendations?

What is the earliest we can disembark? Do you go through customs?

How much time do we need to get to the airport? Will it be possible to get to the airport for a 12:25 flight if I have a limo drive us on a Saturday (less traffic)?

Thank you!

 

PS I have also posted this on the "PORTS" location but hope someone from a Celbrity cruise can help.

[Wine-O]

Can you answer my questions regarding the procedure and make recommendations?

What is the earliest we can disembark? Do you go through customs?

How much time do we need to get to the airport? Will it be possible to get to the airport for a 12:25 flight if I have a limo drive us on a Saturday (less traffic)?

Thank you!

 

PS I have also posted this on the "PORTS" location but hope someone from a Celbrity cruise can help.

 

We were off the ship and had out luggage at 7am. You'll have plenty of time to make that flight. Just don't take the Celebrity transfer -- book a private transfer as the Celebrity bus won't take off until it is full and costs much more than a private transfer.

[Fblack]

We had a 10:40AM Delta flight. We were off the ship and found our luggage in the terminal by about 6:30AM. Our private driver got us to the airport in about 50 minutes. Also a Saturday morning and it was raining. Then wait in a long line for boarding passes and luggage check-in. Then security and then passport control. Then a bus to the terminal. We made it with 45 minutes to spare.

[Kruzeagain]

Rome is very fast. On our last eastbound TA (Equinox) we were pre-cleared on board and whisked through disembarkation very quickly upon arrival.

 

In fact, an Equinox officer had mentioned during our Connections Party that Civitavecchia operated predictably fast. I said that I had 70+ people hopping into an large fleet of limos and I didn't want anybody to allow less than 90 minutes to disembark, grab luggage and be ready for their rides. He just shrugged and replied that it really wasn't necessary to have that much time in hand.

 

Well, he was perfectly correct; every one of our group were happily ensconced in their impeccable RomeinLimo Mercs within one hour. Everybody.

 

Now all we need to do is work on Florida disembarkation for the westbounds...:-)

 

Happy Cruising,

Alan

[Nebr.cruiser]

Thanks from me too. We're disembarking after a Med cruise on the Equinox and are sharing a ride with someone; their flight is at 11:30, so we wondered what time to have the driver meet us. (Our flight is 12:25).

 

We were thinking meeting the ride at 8. Does that sound reasonable?

[Kruzeagain]

If there are no traffic issues you will have approx 2.5 hours between arrival at FCO and flight departure.

 

I prefer 3.0 hours...but I have fun watching people at the airport...:)

 

Happy Cruising,

Alan

[diesel1973]

6 of us did a cruise from Rome in Oct. 2011.When in Rome we used Rome Limousine Plus for all our transfers. Very punctual,professional and very reasonable.Contact Pierpaolo Palla and he will satisfy any of your transportation needs. http://www.Romelimousineplus.com:D

[USVI-4-me]

Be advised, don't let Celebrity provide the transfer to the airport or arrange the air travel unless you're looking for a major headache and backstrain.

 

Maris

[RMSeadog]

Be advised, don't let Celebrity provide the transfer to the airport or arrange the air travel unless you're looking for a major headache and backstrain.

 

Maris

 

That is why we have decided to do only west bound TA's. ~ Ric

[Kruzeagain]

That is why we have decided to do only west bound TA's. ~ Ric

 

Well, that plus the 25-hour days...

 

Happy Cruising,

Alan

[kjaooo]

how can you take a cruise to rome and go straight to the airport. your not gonna sight see at all?

[dmwnc1959]

how can you take a cruise to rome and go straight to the airport. your not gonna sight see at all?

 

The cruise isn't really 'to Rome'. It ends in Civitavecchia which is about 40 miles away, but close enough. ;)

 

As for not sightseeing after doing a long two-week transatlantic some may not have the additional time, or did the cruise specifically for the long stretch of sea days. And some of us have already 'been there, done that'. You could spend a week in Rome and still not see everything. I lived in Italy for two wonderful years and did an enormous amount of sightseeing, but as much as I would love to rekindle some fond memories I personally would prefer to just fly straight back to the US.

 

On the flip side of that I was looking at an eastbound transatlantic that ended in Amsterdam and had contemplated an additional two nights post-cruise. I have also already been there as well but personally find Amsterdam more interesting than Rome.

[BarbaraB2]

Thank you all, for your guidance. I have contacted private transfer companies and they all agree, we should have plenty of time to make our flight. And, YES, we have been to Rome a couple of times but, unfortuantely, we must return home on May 5 this time. We'll just have to return soon!

[johnb0529]

Rome is very fast. On our last eastbound TA (Equinox) we were pre-cleared on board and whisked through disembarkation very quickly upon arrival.

 

 

I have found this in general with Italy, via any arrival. Having cruised 3 times in/out of Rome and arriving by air almost a dozen times, it is one of the fastest customs i have seen. Twice at the airport they have not even looked at my passport, but just waved me past. And i don't recall more then a quick glance at the Port. Getting back into the US is more difficult.

 

Now, leaving from FCO is a whole different story! They don't make that very easy :eek:

 

And the Port is very efficient (both with Celebrity and Princess), off the ship in no time, no delays, baggage waiting and very effective traffic control for the private limos.

[USVI-4-me]

That is why we have decided to do only west bound TA's. ~ Ric

 

 

Just this morning, we recalled the times Celebrity caused difficult flights due to their bookings. We've wondered if they operate charters.

 

One Celebrity arranged flight was cancelled from San Juan, another cancelled in Rome and one had us off the airplane in a midfield area at Charles de Gaulle.

 

In all three instances we were stuck with all of our luggage or the checked bags lost or delayed somewhere.

 

Celebrity transfers are not only expensive but we had to handle our own luggage to storage or re-check. Celebrity and other cruiselines had transfer passengers wait on the bus then delays in moving the full bus transfer between ship-airport-ship in our examples, pier to FCO-Rome and Barcelona airport to pier.

 

No way will we ever again have any cruise line handle our overseas airfare.

 

We'll have to limit ourselves to cruises when it's possible for us to handle all of our own transportation arrangements.

 

Trans-Atlantic Westbound in the fall is easier to arrange air, transfers and pre-cruise holidays because we live in the states.

 

European travellers may find TA's more convenient in the spring. I don't know about them but have met many from the UK on board as they journey home from the states in the spring, not many in the fall.

 

Maris

[CathyCruises]

No way will we ever again have any cruise line handle our overseas airfare.

 

We'll have to limit ourselves to cruises when it's possible for us to handle all of our own transportation arrangements.

Trans-Atlantic Westbound in the fall is easier to arrange air, transfers and pre-cruise holidays because we live in the states.

 

European travellers may find TA's more convenient in the spring. I don't know about them but have met many from the UK on board as they journey home from the states in the spring, not many in the fall.

 

Maris

 

When is it EVER not possible to make your own arrangements? I always make all of my own flight arrangements, as well as plan for transport once I arrive at my destination. I feel that cruiseline transfers & hotels are super costly plus I love doing all of the research and finding great places.

 

We are doing an eastbound TA next month, disembarking a day early, renting a car in Le Havre, spending a week driving through Normandy and Brittany, renting an apartment in Paris for two weeks, taking the Chunnel to London, spending 4-5 days there and then flying home. No part of that has been difficult or even remotely challenging to plan.

[USVI-4-me]

When is it EVER not possible to make your own arrangements? I always make all of my own flight arrangements, as well as plan for transport once I arrive at my destination. I feel that cruiseline transfers & hotels are super costly plus I love doing all of the research and finding great places.

 

We are doing an eastbound TA next month, disembarking a day early, renting a car in Le Havre, spending a week driving through Normandy and Brittany, renting an apartment in Paris for two weeks, taking the Chunnel to London, spending 4-5 days there and then flying home. No part of that has been difficult or even remotely challenging to plan.

 

 

Cathy, thank you for asking a good question. It's most likely all about the origination points. Maybe these posts will help to solve our problem.

 

Because we are close to the Ft. Lauderdale and Miami ports for Trans=Atlantics we must book a very expensive one way flight to return one way to Florida after an east bound trans-Atlantic.

 

We have had problems booking two way flights originating in Europe because we do not have a Euro address. Thus, the airlines are on to the the fact that we're only going one way and trying to get a cheaper rate by booking for example from Rome to Florida and back to Rome.

 

Since you fly to the disembark destination in Florida, you have no problem getting a two way ticket from your US address and return from another country.

 

Perhaps some other posters close to the Florida ports will read this and help me with our dilemma. We have booked our one way return air with the cruiselines in the past but it's gotten to be too much hassle for the money.

 

I should start a thread about the topic, maybe another day.

 

Any suggestions or information would be greatly appreciated because we prefer to leave Florida in the spring and stay over in Europe but with the Cruise lines making arrangements we are limited in our choices due to them making post cruise air and hotel arrangements. We save on the air but pay too much for limited time post cruise. It's just not working.

 

We need to take charge of our own arrangements and book round trip air for the fall Trans-Atlantic cruise. That way we can stay in Europe for a long vacation precruise and forfeit the second half of our round trip tickets to just drive home when the ship gets us back to Florida.

Maris

[Hlitner]

Can you answer my questions regarding the procedure and make recommendations?

What is the earliest we can disembark? Do you go through customs?

How much time do we need to get to the airport? Will it be possible to get to the airport for a 12:25 flight if I have a limo drive us on a Saturday (less traffic)?

Thank you!

 

PS I have also posted this on the "PORTS" location but hope someone from a Celbrity cruise can help.

 

We have ended at least 8 cruises in Civitavecchia (multiple cruise lines). Italian customs and immigration has never stopped us when we left the ship and they usually clear the ship (so folks can disembark) within 20 minutes of docking. The biggest delay in getting off the ship is if you give them your luggage (you must then wait until all the luggage is off the ship, sorted, and ready for retrieval. If you can handle all of your luggage you can do express disembarktion and probably be off the ship within 45 min of docking. It takes about 1:10 min (plus of minus a few min depending on traffic) to drive from the port to FCO. A 12:25 flight will be no problem (plenty of folks will make 11 am flights). Once you are out of the port it takes only a few minutes until you are on the interstate-like autostrade and then its major highway all the way to FCO.

 

Hank

[CathyCruises]

Cathy, thank you for asking a good question. It's most likely all about the origination points. Maybe these posts will help to solve our problem.

 

Because we are close to the Ft. Lauderdale and Miami ports for Trans=Atlantics we must book a very expensive one way flight to return one way to Florida after an east bound trans-Atlantic.

 

We have had problems booking two way flights originating in Europe because we do not have a Euro address. Thus, the airlines are on to the the fact that we're only going one way and trying to get a cheaper rate by booking for example from Rome to Florida and back to Rome.

 

Since you fly to the disembark destination in Florida, you have no problem getting a two way ticket from your US address and return from another country.

 

Perhaps some other posters close to the Florida ports will read this and help me with our dilemma. We have booked our one way return air with the cruiselines in the past but it's gotten to be too much hassle for the money.

 

I should start a thread about the topic, maybe another day.

 

Any suggestions or information would be greatly appreciated because we prefer to leave Florida in the spring and stay over in Europe but with the Cruise lines making arrangements we are limited in our choices due to them making post cruise air and hotel arrangements. We save on the air but pay too much for limited time post cruise. It's just not working.

 

We need to take charge of our own arrangements and book round trip air for the fall Trans-Atlantic cruise. That way we can stay in Europe for a long vacation precruise and forfeit the second half of our round trip tickets to just drive home when the ship gets us back to Florida.

Maris

 

Have you tried Choice Air? I haven't booked yet because we haven't decided exactly when to come home, but I have found one way flights through them from Europe to San Francisco in the $500-600 range. We booked on Virgin from SFO to Fort Lauderdale, nonstop, for $165/pp--I saw it as low as $129/pp but we hadn't confirmed the cruise yet so I missed out. If you are booked on an RCCL-owned line, just go to choiceair.com and you can search with no obligation.

[USVI-4-me]

Have you tried Choice Air? I haven't booked yet because we haven't decided exactly when to come home, but I have found one way flights through them from Europe to San Francisco in the $500-600 range. We booked on Virgin from SFO to Fort Lauderdale, nonstop, for $165/pp--I saw it as low as $129/pp but we hadn't confirmed the cruise yet so I missed out. If you are booked on an RCCL-owned line, just go to choiceair.com and you can search with no obligation.

 

 

Wow! Thank you for this post. Your information will help us with our next TA and even better than that it will help us with air to San Francisco in April for a round trip cruise to Hawaii.

 

Maris

[CathyCruises]

Well be sure to do your homework--I always check my favorite travel sites before I look at Choice Air so I know what's a bargain and what's not. When I looked at r/t fares for our cruise, it was significantly higher than booking two one-way fares. And sometimes I have found better fares using my other sites than Choice Air offers--but it is a great resource in my arsenal.

[USVI-4-me]

Well be sure to do your homework--I always check my favorite travel sites before I look at Choice Air so I know what's a bargain and what's not. When I looked at r/t fares for our cruise, it was significantly higher than booking two one-way fares. And sometimes I have found better fares using my other sites than Choice Air offers--but it is a great resource in my arsenal.

 

 

Cathy, I just checked Choice Air and it sure looks like I'd be booking through the RCCL site whether its Azamara, Celebrity or RCCL. Unfortunately, I've had more than my share of headaches when I've booked through cruiselines. I've wonder if they use Charters.

 

Choice Air does not appear to be an option for me. I'd rather pass on the risks of more mishaps.

 

But, we'll be watching the Virgin flights to SFO for April. And if we take the Reflection in the Fall we'll make our own arrangements to do more touring pre-cruise with a round trip air ticket that lets us just forfeit the final flight.

 

Again, I thank you for taking the time to post.

 

Maris

[wrk2cruise]

There is a good sticky at the top of the Celebrity board which answers a lot of questions about choice-air. I've not used it yet but after reading the sticky I'd probably consider it. It definitely says they are not consolidator tickets.

 

Last year we took both east and westbound TA and were able to book round trip air from Amsterdam (May) to NC returning to Barcelona in (Nov). Making sure we were covered with trip insurance was a bit tricky (Had to get approval from the company), they just applied 1/2 the cost to each policy. Also had to make sure it was < 180 days.

[CathyCruises]

Cathy, I just checked Choice Air and it sure looks like I'd be booking through the RCCL site whether its Azamara, Celebrity or RCCL. Unfortunately, I've had more than my share of headaches when I've booked through cruiselines. I've wonder if they use Charters.

 

Choice Air does not appear to be an option for me. I'd rather pass on the risks of more mishaps.

 

But, we'll be watching the Virgin flights to SFO for April. And if we take the Reflection in the Fall we'll make our own arrangements to do more touring pre-cruise with a round trip air ticket that lets us just forfeit the final flight.

 

Again, I thank you for taking the time to post.

 

Maris

 

Well, they are definitely not charters--when I went in to look, I had a range of prices and airlines and flight times to choose from--not like the old days when they stuck you with whatever they wanted. I remember those days well!! :eek: I had an excellent selection to choose from. Also, if you happen to be flying the day of the cruise and there is an issue, they will be responsible for getting you to your ship. I saw a good flight on KLM from London to Minneapolis with a connection to Delta into SFO--I like that routing because few people are on the London leg and last time we had loads of room to spread out!

[Kruzeagain]

With regards to Choice Air I think it is critical to understand that you can find your own flights and book them yourself through the Choice Air website (choiceair.com).

 

Allowing somebody else to book your flights potentially exposes you to all sorts of issues that detract from your travel experiences.

 

Here's how we do it.

1) Book the cruise (Celebrity, in our case).

2) Find an airline and a date and a schedule that suits our needs (normally a few days pre or post cruise).

3) Go to choiceair.com, fill out the blanks (name of reservation, ship name, departure date/beginning of cruise, and your cruise reservation number.

4) From the menu that appears next, pick and choose your dates and preferences until you get the same flight that you found in Step 2 (above).

5) If the price looks good book it.

6) When your Choice Air booking confirmation arrives, double check it with the airline and reserve your specific seats and any other extras required (extra checked luggage, dietary concerns and such).

7) Have a wonderful trip!

 

Alan