Is this enough time to catch our flight?

[kcr526]

Hello!

 

We’re going on a Med cruise next summer. It’s our first time travelling internationally and I’m a bit nervous. When we cruise to the Caribbean we always drive, so I’ve never encountered this problem. I’m trying to figure out if we should try to make an 11:55am flight, or if we’d be better off catching one the next day. Our ship arrives in Civitavecchia at 7am, and we’ll most likely take the train to the airport. I’ve been getting a feel for when flights are offered and it looks like the latest (without a huge layover involved) would leave at 11:55am. Do you think this is enough time? If not, are there many inexpensive hotels near the airport in Rome?

 

Thanks for the help!

[CintiPam]

You really cannot take a train from the port to the airport without going all the way into central Rome and then catching a train from there. So there is no way you could make a morning flight.

 

The best thing to do IMO is go on our cruise's roll call and share an early private van transfer directly from the port to the airport. However, it really is even more relaxing if you make sure your flight is after 1 PM.

[kcr526]

Thanks for the reply. I guess I'll just have to see if they add any later flights. We still have time. I just wanted to have an idea in case I stumble across a good deal.

 

I have been considering getting a private transfer from the port to the airport. We're a group of 4, so it wouldn't be too terrible.

[CruiserBruce]

Two choices. Most cruise lines are saying you can catch flights after 11am. So you could take a cruise line transfer, or book a private transfer, as recommended on this board daily.

 

Or, you could book an all day private tour, which you would request to drop you at one of the airport hotels, like the Hilton. We did this, using the excellent Rome in Limo. It worked out perfectly.

 

There aren't later flights back to the US, as they would get in too late. Flights from FCO to the US depart no later than noon, Rome time.

Edited August 1, 2014 by CruiserBruce

[stipmom]

There is a flight from FCO to JFK after 2:00 p.m. It is a Delta code share. We booked the 12:15 flight. Would have preferred to go to Newark via United but there flights leave around 10 and we didn't want to stay an extra day.

[slidergirl]

If you go to itasoftware and plug in FCO to your airport (since you were in VA, I used IAD for a sample), you'll find quite a few flights that leave FCO around 1:30pm that have rational connecting times (2 hours or so). If you do a connection in Europe rather than the US, you don't have to be at FCO extra-early since you are not starting with a TATL flight, but an intra-Europe one.

 

I've stayed at the Rome Airport Hilton. Not cheap (what airport hotel is, other than the ones that let in hookers ;) ), but it is attached to the airport via the parking garage.

 

Another thing you can do is take a flight to a connecting city in Europe, get an airport hotel room there, and spend a few hours exploring a new city. It's fun!! I've done this for Paris and London. My last trip had a 23 hour layover at CDG - stayed at the Sheraton CDG, took the RER into Paris (the RER is right underneath the Sheraton!!), wandered for a few hours, had a nice little dinner, went back to the airport, went to bed, woke up, out the hotel door in T2, down to my flight in T2E, had breakfast in the Air France lounge at the M pier, and settled into my seat for the flight home.

[kcr526]

 

Another thing you can do is take a flight to a connecting city in Europe, get an airport hotel room there, and spend a few hours exploring a new city..

 

How would you go about finding a flight to do that? I'm not a very experienced flier (only flown twice ever; this will be the first international), so I'm afraid I don't know the ins and outs of finding these things. :D

[slidergirl]

How would you go about finding a flight to do that? I'm not a very experienced flier (only flown twice ever; this will be the first international), so I'm afraid I don't know the ins and outs of finding these things. :D

 

1) go to matrix.itasoftware.com This site will show you plenty of flights.

2) first, just do one-way to see flights

3) put in "FCO" as the departure and "your local airport" as the destination

4) put in your departure date

5) UNCLICK the Early Morning, Morning and Early Afternoon boxes to only get the later flights

 

 

ITA will pull up plenty of flights for you to look at.

[piratenurse09]

I asked the same question when I booked our flight from FCO. We are booked on the 11:55 flight with US Airways and all the reports I had from others said it is very doable with private transfer - I was advised to have them there at 7:30am and walk off with luggage and you will be fine. The cruise ship advised 12 and after (that's only 5 minutes before). You won't be able to take the train and get there in time for a 11:55am flight. You can search earliest flights out of FCO and see the previous threads others have posted. Hope this helps!

[Charles4515]

I asked the same question when I booked our flight from FCO. We are booked on the 11:55 flight with US Airways and all the reports I had from others said it is very doable with private transfer - I was advised to have them there at 7:30am and walk off with luggage and you will be fine. The cruise ship advised 12 and after (that's only 5 minutes before). You won't be able to take the train and get there in time for a 11:55am flight. You can search earliest flights out of FCO and see the previous threads others have posted. Hope this helps!

 

I have an 11:55 US Air flight booked too. My transfer is to pick us up at 9:00 am. You think 9:00 is too late? I understand it takes about an hour to get from the port to airport so that would be two hours in advance of the flight.

Edited August 13, 2014 by Charles4515

[piratenurse09]

I have an 11:55 US Air flight booked too. My transfer is to pick us up at 9:00 am. You think 9:00 is too late? I understand it takes about an hour to get from the port to airport so that would be two hours in advance of the flight.

 

In my opinion, I don't think you are giving yourself enough time for the unknown that could pop up. I've done a lot of research on the subject and while it only takes an hour to get to the airport, there is no telling what type of construction/mishaps could happen on your travel there. Also, US airways will be leaving out of Terminal 5, which from my research can have some pretty nasty lines to get through checking in. Most recommendations I've seen are to arrive 3 hours prior to flight. This is already supposing that the ship pulls into port on time and clears customs ok. I think you should be off with private transfer waiting by at least 8am. I like to play it safe though and plan for the crazy!

[luvtheships]

I have an 11:55 US Air flight booked too. My transfer is to pick us up at 9:00 am. You think 9:00 is too late? I understand it takes about an hour to get from the port to airport so that would be two hours in advance of the flight.

 

Yes it is too late

 

Fco is complicated to check in and to actually get to your gate

 

For an 1155 flight you should be at fco by 9 not getting picked up at 9

 

Pickup should be 730 the latest

 

 

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[luvtheships]

Yes it is too late

 

Fco is complicated to check in and to actually get to your gate

 

For an 1155 flight you should be at fco by 9 not getting picked up at 9

 

Pickup should be 730 the latest

Did you even tell your transfer what time your flight departs?

 

If you did and they suggest 9 am pickup cancel them immediately as they have no clue

 

All reputable transfer services to fco don't care what time you want to be picked up what they care about is getting you to fco in time for your flight so they tell you what time they are picking you up!

 

 

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[luvtheships]

Oops I quoted myself. Lol

 

But you get the idea

 

 

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[Host Star]

I guess we will be walking off with our luggage.. a different scenerio... have 2 of my kids flying back but should have plenty of time to get their plane.. myself and son and dil are staying over one nite and renting a car and driving to the dolomites and driving back and staying in a castle about an hour outside of the airport at a nice little medieval town ..( I may not want to leave the castle.. lol).. I figure we'lll arrange pick up at 7i:30 to get to airport for car pickup and drop other

2 off for their flights.. if things are as slow as they seem.. we would have ro leave our castle (lol) by 7 a.m. to return the car and make an 11:30 flight..barring no construction , etc. on the hiway..alll this is because my flight would have given me only a 50 minute layover in philly to get back to florida and my son is convinced I'd never make it.. so they have decided to stay over with me as the next day I would have a 3 hour layover in philly.. they will fly with me to philly and change to lax.. so we will be in the same check in lines so that should make it easier.. somewhere there is a site that tells you how many ships will be disembarking in venic.. that should give an idea of crowding...has anyone had any problem walking off with luggage early?

[Charles4515]

Yes it is too late

 

Fco is complicated to check in and to actually get to your gate

 

For an 1155 flight you should be at fco by 9 not getting picked up at 9

 

Pickup should be 730 the latest

 

 

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Does anyone know when the Celebrity transfers leave? I booked my flight thru Choice Air so would think their shuttle would leave in time as they put me on that flight.

[luvtheships]

Does anyone know when the Celebrity transfers leave? I booked my flight thru Choice Air so would think their shuttle would leave in time as they put me on that flight.

 

No doubt you will make the flight. You will be the first off the ship I would think and remember you don't have customs to think about

 

Ships always arrive earlier than the posted time anyway

 

 

Can't hurt to give the cruiseline a call and speak to someone knowledgable

 

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Edited August 14, 2014 by luvtheships

[Charles4515]

No doubt you will make the flight. You will be the first off the ship I would think and remember you don't have customs to think about

 

Ships always arrive earlier than the posted time anyway

 

 

Can't hurt to give the cruiseline a call and speak to someone knowledgable

 

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I called both Choice Air and Celebrity. They said any flight after 11 am was fine but I felt they were reading from a script. Turns out that by a fluke I booked refundable air, it was cheaper than non refundable so for $52 additional I will stay a day post cruise in Rome, which is a good thing, and not worry about it!

[AF-1]

Charles, you should be ok with your current flight; however, you need to be at the airport 2hours prior to departure; so the drive is around 45 minutes. Hope this helps. Unlike stateside airports; european airports operate at a different pace and security lines can get quite long.

Edited August 17, 2014 by AF-1
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[Charles4515]

Charles, you should be ok with your current flight; however, you need to be at the airport 2hours prior to departure; so the drive is around 45 minutes. Hope this helps. Unlike stateside airports; european airports operate at a different pace and security lines can get quite long.

 

 

Yes, but I would have been worrying about it the entire time on my cruise. I changed the flight to the next day for $52, don't have to worry, and I am looking forward to the extra day in Rome. I didn't have to be back home that Friday anyway.

[luvtheships]

Yes, but I would have been worrying about it the entire time on my cruise. I changed the flight to the next day for $52, don't have to worry, and I am looking forward to the extra day in Rome. I didn't have to be back home that Friday anyway.

 

Enjoy the extra day! Of course IMHO it should be 5 extra days! Lol

 

Rome=center of the universe to me!!!!

 

 

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[llarsen]

We used RomeCabs on 2 occasions for transfer to airport for an 11:50 flight.

 

One was on a Saturday and it only took us 45 minutes

 

This past June it was on a Friday and took about 1:20 minutes, but we still had time.

Our driver was waiting for us at 7:00am, we sailed on Oceania and requested early disembarkment.

 

I would not attempt this flight if I was taking a train...never had an Italian train that was on time ;-)

[AF-1]

Charles, good for you. You won't have to stress getting off ship.