Good Experience Using Princess Transfers in Rome - November 2022

[Mflem1278]

I always use Princess transfers no matter where I am sailing to and from.  And have never had any problem getting picked up at the airport, or been late and almost missed a flight using their transfers.

 

I have noticed that alot of people on this forum were saying you shouldn't use them for Rome because the port is so far from the airport.  

 

We disembarked on a Monday morning.  We used Princess transfers.  We had an 11:25 flight from Rome to Copenhagen.  Princess had us in Group 1 - Walk Off Transfer to Airport.  Yes, we had to handle our own suitcases but I am in my 60s and my friend is in her 70s and we have no problem doing that.  We met  the Provence Dining Room at 6 a.m.   We were on the bus by 6:10 a.m. and on our way to the airport before 6:30.  The drive took about 50 minutes - because they had us on the road before the morning commute got busy.

We were at the airport before our airline even started checking in luggage.  They didn't open their window until 8:10. (We flew SAS).  I remember because we asked them when we could check our luggage in.  We probably stood there for 15 minutes waiting on them.  We were checked in 3 hours before our flight.

So yes, you CAN use Princess transfers and get to the airport in Rome with plenty of time to spare.  I do realize that there may be other circumstances such as fog or late arrival.  Anything can happen.  But our experience was that there was plenty of time.

 

By the way - our 14 day cruise on the Island Princess was phenomenal.  Italy, Greece, Turkey and Israel.  I would do it again in a heartbeat.

 

 

[CruiserBruce]

Its not a question of using Princess transfers. Its a number of other questions, like when is your flight? Yours was "domestic", so you only really needed to be there 2 hours ahead. A non-stop to the US is 3 hours ahead.

 

Sometimes the question is about cost. Sometimes its about "can I make this flight if we dock at XXXX". Generally the very early arrivals don't start disembarking 5 minutes after arrival, which can mess up early transfers and flights. It sounds like yours got a got early start. That is good news.

[Mflem1278]

Actually, no mine wasn't domestic but it wasn't non-stop either.  Final destination was Omaha, Nebraska.  We had stops in Copenhagen and Chicago to get home.

 

[cruisemom42]

10 minutes ago, Mflem1278 said:

Actually, no mine wasn't domestic but it wasn't non-stop either.  Final destination was Omaha, Nebraska.  We had stops in Copenhagen and Chicago to get home.

 

 

What the previous poster meant is that flights going directly to the US from FCO often require additional time to clear security.

 

I agree that the cruise line transfers are not necessarily a bad choice for some, especially for a solo. However if you have two or more people it is about the same price to get a private car transfer which is ready to go when you are and can drop you off at your specific terminal at the airport (as opposed to one central drop-off, which most cruise lines do).

 

[CruiserBruce]

51 minutes ago, Mflem1278 said:

Actually, no mine wasn't domestic but it wasn't non-stop either.  Final destination was Omaha, Nebraska.  We had stops in Copenhagen and Chicago to get home.

 

Flying to CPH from FCO is considered "domestic" and has fewer procedures than if you were going direct to the US. Instead,  you did those procedures at CPH.

[80sGal]

We will need a transfer from Odyssey OTS in May to FCO.  Can anyone recommend a reliable service?  We're doing a week in Rome pre-cruise so our flight back to US is around 1 pm.  Ship docks at 5.  I assumed off by 730 or so, travel to  FCO, still leaves 3+ hours for check-in.   Just need to figure out the right car service.  

[CruiserBruce]

8 hours ago, 80sGal said:

We will need a transfer from Odyssey OTS in May to FCO.  Can anyone recommend a reliable service?  We're doing a week in Rome pre-cruise so our flight back to US is around 1 pm.  Ship docks at 5.  I assumed off by 730 or so, travel to  FCO, still leaves 3+ hours for check-in.   Just need to figure out the right car service.  

If you look around the board, there are several recommended. We have used Rome in Limo several times...there is a huge thread just down the board on them.