Safe Time to Fly Out of Rome if Galaxy Arrives Civitavecchia at 8am?

[Claire1]

Hi, I've posted this is the Europe ports of call without much luck. We're booking our own flights back to the U.S. from Rome on the same day the Galaxy gets into Civitavecchia. What time is safe to depart Rome? I'm thinking about a 12 noon flight (only flight avail. using FF miles). That gives us 4 hours to get from Civi. to Rome and wait at the airport. Did anyone do this last year?

 

I called Celebrity to find out when their flights we departing and/or when they were offering transfers, but they haven't finalized 2005 plans yet.

 

I need to book fairly soon.

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

[TabithaP]

Hi,

 

I sailed Galaxy, Rome to Rome, this August. We booked our flight out the next day. I think anyone would hesitate to answer you b/c there are things that can delay you. You don't say how you are getting to the airport. I think the airport is probably at least an hour from the port (although, we did not make this drive so I cannot be sure) but find out for sure. I can tell you for our August disembarkation, it was a breeze. I could not believe how easy it was (b/c I have read many, many stories about how long this can take). They called us in groups (we were in the cheepo cabins on level 5). We left the ship at 7:30 and they bussed us to a site where we could pick up our bags. The night before they gave us colored tags to attach to our bags so that's how they grouped them. We found our bags EASILY. So I would say we were ready to leave port by 8:15 (maybe a bit earlier). It's hard to say what time your group will leave the ship since that seems to be dependent on where your cabin is (just an assumption). Also, you may have something else go wrong.

 

Even with the good experience I had, I personally would not book a flight that early b/c you have to be there by 10:00 for check in in International Flights and you have no room for error. It's better to save the FF miles for later and pay for a ticket that will not be stressful and that you know you will be able to use.

 

Just my opinion.

[Claire1]

I know it would be safer to fly out the next day, but it seems like such a waste to get a cab back to Rome, hang out for part of the day and get up at the crack of dawn to leave the next day and head back to the airport. I feel like I'll just want to get home.

 

I should probably play it safe and get the 1:35 flight and not use my FF miles.

[TabithaP]

OK, I was not advocating that you stay the night (although a night in Rome is great) but I think your being smart taking a later flight. Have a great cruise.

[plvogel]

The airport is at least an hour's drive from the port. Security in Rome is very tight, and it takes a while to get through it. There were at least 3 checkpoints the last time we flew out of Rome. I don't think you will make a noon flight on the same day. Better to take an evening flight, or book a flight for the next day.

[rottiblues]

HI,

 

It is probably better to take the later flight. However, we were on the Galaxy in August and had a car service pick us up at 7:30. We originally had the car scheduled for 9:30. Once on the ship we were told that the ship gets in earlier than advertised. I think the ship was ta the dock before 5:00 AM. We rescheduled via e-mail and we were in Rome by 9:00. We could have easily made a 12:00 flight if we wanted to. We spent another great day in Rome

 

Tony

[cruisingmimi]

Hi Tony,

 

I just saw your post and wondered if I may ask a question about your car service. We are looking into a Millenium cruise for next Oct. & are thinking of booking our own airfare. The quote we got from a cruise agency is extremely high. We were told it was a 2 hour trip to the port and it also included transfers. Still seems high to us.

 

Who did you use for a car service and were they reliable? Can you give me an idea of the cost?

 

Thanks so much.

[rottiblues]

This is the service is listed below. If you can fit in a car with all of your luggage it was 110 Euro each way plus a small tip. The luggage has to fit in the trunk.We stayed in Rome before and after the cruise. If you need a minivan it was 140 euro. The service was very reliable, the mini vans were new and clean. We used them 4 times. Airport to hotel, hotel to port, port to hotel, hotel to airport. On time every time. It was 45 euro each way for the airport. Only one of the four drivers spoke english. We did every thing by e-mail. It only took us about an hour to get to the port from Rome. It is probably about and hour and 15 minutes from the airport. It takes about 20 minutes to get your luggage. We went through immigratin in Germany. The italians didn't even look at us. We walked right through with out luggage.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Tony

 

 

Rome Shuttle Limousine

Attn: Cristiano

Pza. Navona 68

Roma (00186)

P.iva 09296430581

Info +393485141804

Info +390661969084

Fax +390661969085

www.romeshuttlelimousine.com

 

Cristiano e-mail address is info@romeshuttlelimousine.com

[Claire1]

I'm having trouble finding flights that depart Rome later than 1:35PM. While I'm sure the 1:35PM will work, it is the most expensive. Most flights from Rome depart around 11-12 for London, Milan, Paris and then you catch a red eye back to the states from those two cities. I'll check with Atalia (sp?) air and see if they have better connections. Thanks for all your help.

[cruisingmimi]

Hi Tony,

 

Thanks so much for the info. I have printed it out and added it to my cruise file.

[kitty9]

I have flown out of Rome back to the US after 4 cruises and I feel the Rome Airport is one of the toughest to get through in a short amount of time. There are at least 3 security checks and long lines for each of those. Unless you're flying first class/business class, the lines for check in can get very long and can take more than 45 minutes just waiting in line. You also have to go through Immigration, and if it's a busy time, those lines can be long also. I usually fly Delta and they have flights that leave Rome in the mid-afternoon, and fly to JFK. It's about an hour to get to DaVinci Airport barring any traffic problems.

[RSteele]

I've flown out of Rome a couple of times and I would be very leary of a same day flight. I've been on cruises where you didn't get off the ship at the scheduled time.... and with the port being an hour away I'd be very nervous.

[HS2BS]

Docking Was Early Enough And Were Off The Ship By 7:00am - Did Not Have A Car Service But Took The Train To The Airport And Easily Made The 12:30pm Flight. Yes Getting Thru Security Did Take A Few Minutes And Lines Moved Quickly Plane Was Only 15 Late Taking Off

[brandwein]

I was on the June Galaxy and noticed that even though the ship docked at 7am, it arrived much earlier and people were disembarking as early as 6am. A car service will take about and hour to 1 1/2 to get to the airport directly from Civitavecchia.

[jackieN]

we were on the galaxy in august and had the same concerns about flights i called celebrity to ask if we could make an 11.00am departure and was told that would be no problem however we were to worried and decided to have a night in rome.:)

[bkgadget]

We flew out of Rome in the fall of 1999 after a cruise. (different cruise line though)

 

It is at LEAST an hour from the port to the airport and could be longer depending on traffic, construction, waiting for other passengers etc.

 

We were also amazed at the security when leaving the the country. On the way in we just waved our Canadian passports at the officer and he told us to keep going.

 

On the way home we had to show our passports and other ID at least 5 times. It was also the most disorganized airport i have ever been in from the standpoint of loading the aircraft. No boarding by row number or section, just a general cattle call and everyone stormed the gate at the same time. Not one of my favorite airports.

 

I would take a flight much later than noon if possible.

 

Inspector Gadget

[Claire1]

I just received Celebrity's Europe 2005 catalog in the mail and it has an asterisk by the 8 a.m. arrival time in Rome noting that the actual ETA is 6 a.m. Based on that, I'm going to book at noon flight back to the States. I'll be sure to post back here in June with the results of my "experience." Thanks for all your suggestions.

[SeaGams]

Hi Claire1,

I have not flown out of Rome after a cruise, but I have flown home from Rome the last three years after a land based trip. My Rome based tour/guide instructs the driver to pick us up at our hotel three hours before our scheduled departure. Although the drive from the city to the airport is shorter than from the dock, you have an additional hour in your schedule.

 

We flew on American's direct flight to Chicago at 11:30 am. They also have a direct flight to JFK departing at 10:30 am, so the lines at American are very long in the morning. Business class passengers are do not have separate lines. This past September their computer system went down, and we could not check in for almost two hours. Needless to say, both flights were delayed, but American ensured that every passenger was checked in, and on board before the flight took off. I can't speak for the other carriers, but American makes every effort to make sure every ticketed passenger is actually on the plane. Yes the airport is chaotic, and there are more security checkpoints than we have here in the states, but their system seems to work well.

 

In my humble opinion, I thnk four hours should be enough time to get to the airport. I would be more concerned about a cruise related delay, or a problem with your transfer to the airport. Whatever you decide, have a great trip. We did the Med cruise on Millie four years ago, and it was a most memorable trip.

[lkb125]

Hi, I've posted this is the Europe ports of call without much luck. We're booking our own flights back to the U.S. from Rome on the same day the Galaxy gets into Civitavecchia. What time is safe to depart Rome? I'm thinking about a 12 noon flight (only flight avail. using FF miles). That gives us 4 hours to get from Civi. to Rome and wait at the airport. Did anyone do this last year?

 

I called Celebrity to find out when their flights we departing and/or when they were offering transfers, but they haven't finalized 2005 plans yet.

 

I need to book fairly soon.

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

I would book a flight for the next day too much stress rushing to the airport, take a hotel room at the airport and do a little sightseeing. Lorelle

[TT]

Lorelle, We are going in Oct. 2005 and I wonder if you remember the name of the hotel at the airport?? Is it near anything that we might enjoy seeing?? This will be our first cruise in Italy and we have never been in Europe. This will be a great adventure. Thanks for all the advice.

 

TT

[BeckyR]

The morning we arrived in Rome, so did 2 or 3 other ships, one of those being the QM2. It was taking almost 2 hours to get to Rome due to traffic backups. There was a mixup and our car didn't arrive to pick us up. (2 people from different countries with the same name on the same ship using the same limo company). Theirs arrived and ours didn't. Anyway, we finally found a cab driver who was willing to take us to Rome for a set fee that was not highly overpriced. He said we didn't lose much time because the roads were so congested that most people spent the 2 hours sitting in traffic instead of sitting on the dock waiting like we did. BTW, we had confirmed our pick-up time before we left on the cruise and was assured they would be there. Also, there are no phones available at the dock and the dock workers are not helpful at all. Make sure you have your arrangements lined up or you are basically stuck until people start arriving for the next sailing. We just got lucky. We were VERY glad we had decided to fly out the next day. That took a lot of pressure off. We were only concerned about getting back to Rome in time to tour the Vatican, which we did with time to spare.

 

Becky

[Claire1]

I thought I would post back here now that we have returned. I know the flight time issue was a major concern for us.

 

Overall, an 11:50 flight gave us MORE than enough time to make it from the ship in Civi. to the airport. The Galaxy docked around 4:45AM, I think you could be off the ship by 5:45AM. We got off at 6:15 and waited around for our taxi driver unitl 8 am. (I had booked him at 7:30 thinking we couldn't get off until then). We were at the airport by 9. Air France only lets you check in 2 hours early, so we had to wait to check in. We made it to our gate two hours early.

 

If I had to do it again, I might even try to get an earlier flight. There was a lot of waiting involved leaving at noon. A 10Am flight would be perfect, but then I would worry that the ship might be late getting in.

[Cinder]

Thanks for posting. I am taking this same trip in Sept. and wondered whether to hire a driver to pick us up and take us to the airport, or just take the train. Any thoughts now that you've done it. Does anyone who has taken the train back to the airport have an opinion? The train might be better if there are traffic backups. Thanks,

[Claire1]

I never took the train so all my information is second-hand from other passengers. But the train seemed to work well for them.

 

On the Civi-FCO trip via taxi, we did not encounter any traffic. I wouldn't worry too much about traffic if you leave before 7 or 7:30 AM.

[floridakeith]

We recently returned from the June 3 10 night cruise. Galaxy docked at 4am. Some table companions of ours were booked by Celebrity on a 10.10am Delta flight and were given a 5.45am disembarkation time. We had a 6.15am time slot and left absolutely on time. The coach took less than an hour to Rome Airport. Our flight wasn't until noon and for some reason Rome Airport won't let you check in more than three hours before your flight so we had to kick our heels for an hour or so. The last disembarkation time was listed as 9.30am.