Civitavecchia port shuttle disruption

[richardukcruise]

Just to advise that there are major groundworks underway at the port. This has resulted in the free port shuttle bus picking up and dropping off in exactly the opposite end of Cicitavecchia than normal. The current drop off location is approx a further 10 - 15 mins walk from the old drop off point. They are currently dropping off north of the town as opposed to the centre. If you are like us and usually walk to the railway station, you may want to take one of the few cabs or a HAL shuttle into Rome instead. They would have been options if HAL had simply bothered to let their passengers know whilst onboard. We did this walk with our entire baggage. Thanks HAL.

 

PS. I am probably more bothered about this due to having no sleep after the emergency alarm and fire in the middle of the night on Noordam morning of 25th. But that's a whole other story.

Edited August 26, 2014 by richardukcruise

[KirkNC]

Just to advise that there are major groundworks underway at the port. This has resulted in the free port shuttle bus picking up and dropping off in exactly the opposite end of Cicitavecchia than normal. The current drop off location is approx a further 10 - 15 mins walk from the old drop off point. They are currently dropping off north of the town as opposed to the centre. If you are like us and usually walk to the railway station, you may want to take one of the few cabs or a HAL shuttle into Rome instead. They would have been options if HAL had simply bothered to let their passengers know whilst onboard. We did this walk with our entire baggage. Thanks HAL.

 

PS. I am probably more bothered about this due to having no sleep after the emergency alarm and fire in the middle of the night on Noordam morning of 25th. But that's a whole other story.

 

Thanks for the update. There is a good thread on this topic on the Italy forum as well.

[cruisemom42]

For those who want to do it on their own, there is a bus that runs from the temporary port drop off point to the train station for 80 euro cents per person.

[kazu]

Thanks for the alert. much appreciated.

[take us away]

wow - what was the Noordam incident as we sail on her very soon??

[PathfinderEss]

Thanks for the heads up on port shuttle disruption.

[sail7seas]

Hope you had a good cruise otherwise??

 

Hopefully you'll share some comments when you feel more rested.

Welcome Back.

[Stratheden]

Thanks for the warning. Any indication how long the construction will take?

[RMLincoln]

For those who want to do it on their own, there is a bus that runs from the temporary port drop off point to the train station for 80 euro cents per person.

 

Thanks for this info, didn't realize this and will look for it in November. m--

[earljr]

The area has been under construction at least since April,2014

[cruisemom42]

Thanks for the warning. Any indication how long the construction will take?

 

So far, no one's been able to get a firm answer to that.

 

There's an ongoing thread with information about the situation on the Italy ports of call board. If you look there, you should find any recent updates or news. Here's a link if you want to bookmark it:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2057798

Edited August 26, 2014 by cruisemom42

[Hlitner]

This situation has been discussed for a few months on the Italy board. The port exit they are using is actually quite convenient to anyone renting a car from Europcar or Avis, but a real pain for everyone else. Nobody seems to have a clue when things will get back to normal but it is likely to be many months if not longer. As to getting to the train station, it can be very difficult to find a taxi willing to make that short haul.

 

Hank

Edited August 26, 2014 by Hlitner

[richardukcruise]

wow - what was the Noordam incident as we sail on her very soon??

 

The general emergency woke us around 3am. The officer of the watch advised that a fire had been detected on C deck. The captain soon announced that they had discovered a fire in a technical area on that deck. We then waited a while in our cabin. Many people on our floor left their rooms wearing life jackets. We were on deck 4 with a balcony overlooking some of the promenade deck. I saw people going to the lifeboats despite being asked to stay calm and stay in their rooms. Unfortunately the staff member I met at my door already was wearing his life jacket...so?!

 

The captain updated us stating that fire was being tackled. There was one more announcement to say that the fire had been extinguished. All in all took around an hour. Needless to say we had no sleep after that.

 

What I do need to say is that there was no announcement or update etc by the ships crew before disembarking. I do think it would have been common courtesy to at least apologise for any distress, then end the situation on a positive. Instead, nothing.

[nb125]

I agree you should have had an apology. I can only imagine how terrifying it must have been. We boarded on 25th I Rome and this explajns why there was a delay in embarkation. Our muster drill was absolute chaos and we were talking about what it would be like in a real situation. Hope we never find out.

[ScriptOhio]

The general emergency woke us around 3am. The officer of the watch advised that a fire had been detected on C deck. The captain soon announced that they had discovered a fire in a technical area on that deck. We then waited a while in our cabin. Many people on our floor left their rooms wearing life jackets. We were on deck 4 with a balcony overlooking some of the promenade deck. I saw people going to the lifeboats despite being asked to stay calm and stay in their rooms. Unfortunately the staff member I met at my door already was wearing his life jacket...so?!

 

The captain updated us stating that fire was being tackled. There was one more announcement to say that the fire had been extinguished. All in all took around an hour. Needless to say we had no sleep after that.

 

What I do need to say is that there was no announcement or update etc by the ships crew before disembarking. I do think it would have been common courtesy to at least apologise for any distress, then end the situation on a positive. Instead, nothing.

 

Not an unusual occurrence on any ship. That's why they continually have those crew safety drills. See other posts/threads on (other) recent fires on the Noordam:

 

We are currently sailing on the Noordam, and had a bit of excitement two mornings ago. Shortly after 10:30am, one of the ship's alarms sounded, and I started to comment that they had forgotten to announce it was a drill. Just then the captain came on to tell us that we had just heard the fire alarm and it was NOT a drill. The fire team should report to the aft coffee machine, and all crew should stand by.

 

Shane our cruise director came on with specific information for different members of the ship's crew, and Paul and I decided this was not the time to head for Lido for breakfast. About five minutes later our captain came back on to announce the “all clear” for passengers and most staff, but the rescue crew should maintain their stations. We headed for shore.

 

When we returned, we headed up for Lido – and the entrance was blocked! We had to go down a floor at the aft elevators, walk through the hallway of passenger cabins, and go back up midship. They had managed to get “Pizza and Pasta” and “Asian” open, but everything else was blocked and they had a hot line and salad bar set up next to the pool. They had re-appropriated the Terrace Grill condiment area for fresh fruit and beverages, and desserts were tucked next to the bar on folding tables. They apparently didn't appreciate how many people wanted dessert – the line completely blocked the bar! In addition to daily plated desserts and bread pudding, there were tubs of chocolate and vanilla ice cream (and three kinds of topping) since it turns out that is the single most popular item at Lido.

 

Every chair around the pool was occupied with someone laying in the sun, or couples perched eating lunch, and strangers eating together occupied the tables. We finally got a table in Lido next to the pizza and pasta station, and I had a great time people-watching. Many people were all ready off the ship when the fire had been announced, so they didn't know why things were different. People kept walking up to the doors partitioning off the back part of Lido, reading the sign saying lunch would be served poolside, and then trying to open the doors. Or someone would walk up to the area that usually had the bread pudding, read the same sign, and then ask someone where the bread pudding was. My DHl even overheard an irate guest telling a staff member that poolside dinner after a long day was one thing, but they shouldn't close half of Lido just as people were returning from shore excursions.

 

I took my camera back upstairs after lunch, and they were just starting to open up the closed area. There was a very heavy smell of electrical smoke, and the floor was covered with glittering flakes of glass, too small to sweep up. The entire aft beverage station was completely cleared, all the access “cupboard” doors below the station were open, and the area was still barricaded with chairs. We didn't go up for dinner, but by the next morning all was clear.

 

I've attached photos of the sign redirecting us through the passenger hallway, and the emptied coffee station. Kudos to the crew for handling the situation promptly!

 

It must have been shortly after 10 we heard lots of strange tones overtaking the sound on the TV. Lights behind the pillow came on and an officer called fire in Lido midship starboard. A minute later anther voice said fire suppression system had detected smoke crews were responding and he would update quickly. Just a few minutes later came all clear and the report of I think it was an electrical outlet fire/smoke. We never had to do anything.

 

For folks like me who had always wondered in an emergency, how would I hear in my cabin since I usually can't hear other announcements in there. --- this is a completely different alert system. It's made into the bed you won't miss an emergency.