Celebrity transfer to Rome airport at the end of the cruise

What time does it leave the port for the airport?

When the bus fills up...

If you have a very early flight I would get a private transfer.

Keith

When the bus fills up...

Which is why I don't like transfers. Not sure what Princess charges but I bet for about the same cost you can get a private transfer.

Celebrity used to charge about $92 pp for a transfer after the cruise to FCO airport. For two or more, it's cheaper, faster and more convenient to hire a driver. I have done it on my last 3 Romes cruises.

When the bus fills up...

Is that true or you being funny?

I am also wondering about the time the bus would leave. If it leaves at 8:00 am then it would be worth it to me. If it leaves later then not so much. I am currently signed up for a shared transfer that leaves at 9:00 am. My flight is at 11:55 am. Some have said that I need to arrive earlier at the airport than from the 9:00 am transfer.

Is that true or you being funny?

 

I am also wondering about the time the bus would leave. If it leaves at 8:00 am then it would be worth it to me. If it leaves later then not so much. I am currently signed up for a shared transfer that leaves at 9:00 am. My flight is at 11:55 am. Some have said that I need to arrive earlier at the airport than from the 9:00 am transfer.

The cruise line buses leave when they are full. There isn't, at least in my experience, a schedule, such as one every 10 minutes, or whatever. They are trying to be efficient, so they leave when they are full, and generally they fill every bus. This means you may be one of the first ones on the bus, and then you sit and wait for the bus to fill. This can be very frustrating when you are trying to catch a too early flight.

Those that have told you a 9am departure for a 11:55 flight are correct. That is way too tight. I agree, at least 8am, perhaps 7:30, would be better. FCO is not a very easy airport, particularly if you are catching a direct to the US flight.

The cruise line buses leave when they are full. There isn't, at least in my experience, a schedule, such as one every 10 minutes, or whatever. They are trying to be efficient, so they leave when they are full, and generally they fill every bus. This means you may be one of the first ones on the bus, and then you sit and wait for the bus to fill. This can be very frustrating when you are trying to catch a too early flight.

 

 

 

Those that have told you a 9am departure for a 11:55 flight are correct. That is way too tight. I agree, at least 8am, perhaps 7:30, would be better. FCO is not a very easy airport, particularly if you are catching a direct to the US flight.

If I get off at 7:30 am will the bus leave by 8:00am ? My 11:55 flight was booked thru Celebrity, that is the flight they picked, so they must have thought that time was fine.

If I get off at 7:30 am will the bus leave by 8:00am ? My 11:55 flight was booked thru Celebrity, that is the flight they picked, so they must have thought that time was fine.

I think you're putting far too much trust in Celebrity's - or any cruise line, actually - concern for the specifics of your particular travel plans/schedule. AFAIK, Choice Air doesn't assign you a flight, you purchase one of the flights on offer. And just because they offer a flight doesn't mean they will perfectly coordinate the shuttle schedule so that you make that flight.

You very well may be fine with their transfer. However, there is no guarantee, and the time is fairly tight. Honestly, the only way to be sure to be there on time is arrange for a private transfer - which will probably be cheaper than the Celebrity bus anyways (when we cruised out of Civi 2 years ago, their bus was something like $93 per person).

You might want to consider that a shared private transfer (we normally do it with 6) is a lot less expensive then cruise line transfers and you can choose your own transfer time.

Hank

If I get off at 7:30 am will the bus leave by 8:00am ? My 11:55 flight was booked thru Celebrity, that is the flight they picked, so they must have thought that time was fine.

A little reading around the board on this topic would reveal the cruise lines are OK with flights after 11:30. However, there have been many- although not so many lately- reports of departure time changes, always to earlier flight departure times. For awhile there, a lot of 11:30 flights were changing to 10:55, or 11:55 was changing to 11:15. Things like that. Hopefully they have settled that.

Also, some reading would reveal that for people on direct flights to the US from FCO have an extra layer of security, in a separate terminal, and that takes time. Sometimes it is very slow. The old saying is you should be at any airport 3 hours in advance for an international flight...this is definitely the example of that old rule.

I can't guarantee if you walk off at 7:30, your bus will be rolling by 8. But it is likely.

You might want to consider that a shared private transfer (we normally do it with 6) is a lot less expensive then cruise line transfers and you can choose your own transfer time.

 

 

 

Hank

The shared transfers are leaving at 9:00. I don't have anyone to share an earlier transfer.

A little reading around the board on this topic would reveal the cruise lines are OK with flights after 11:30. However, there have been many- although not so many lately- reports of departure time changes, always to earlier flight departure times. For awhile there, a lot of 11:30 flights were changing to 10:55, or 11:55 was changing to 11:15. Things like that. Hopefully they have settled that.

 

 

 

Also, some reading would reveal that for people on direct flights to the US from FCO have an extra layer of security, in a separate terminal, and that takes time. Sometimes it is very slow. The old saying is you should be at any airport 3 hours in advance for an international flight...this is definitely the example of that old rule.

 

 

 

I can't guarantee if you walk off at 7:30, your bus will be rolling by 8. But it is likely.

I check my departure times every week.

I have flew out of FCO, last time about three years ago. I got to the airport from a hotel in Rome about two hours ahead of the flight. I don't recall the time being tight.

A little reading around the board on this topic would reveal the cruise lines are OK with flights after 11:30. However, there have been many- although not so many lately- reports of departure time changes, always to earlier flight departure times. For awhile there, a lot of 11:30 flights were changing to 10:55, or 11:55 was changing to 11:15. Things like that. Hopefully they have settled that.

 

 

 

Also, some reading would reveal that for people on direct flights to the US from FCO have an extra layer of security, in a separate terminal, and that takes time. Sometimes it is very slow. The old saying is you should be at any airport 3 hours in advance for an international flight...this is definitely the example of that old rule.

 

 

 

I can't guarantee if you walk off at 7:30, your bus will be rolling by 8. But it is likely.

I did my air thru the cruise line. So talking to Choice Air yesterday they said after 11:00 was fine, but while talking to them they reminded me I had refundable air so for $52 added I changed my flight to the next day and will do a day post cruise in Rome. Now I won't worry about it and I am happy about the added day in Rome. I should have booked it that way to begin with

Remember: with Choice Air, they are just assigning you to a flight you choose (hence "Choice" air) from their list of flights. They have no control over what happens with a flight. You choose the cruise line transfer - that is no guarantee that they will "hold the flight" for you like they would "hold the ship" if traffic is bad, an accident, long double security lines… They have no control over that. If there are issues clearing the ship when it docks, you may not get off that ship as quickly as you need to.

FCO isn't the easiest airport to transit; adding that additional step of having to go to T5 for any flights that are nonstop FCO-anywhere-in-the-USA. Yeah, you may "make it" and if you have a low travel-stress level, you may be OK. Just me speaking - I'd not take that flight and I'd definitely NOT do the cruise transfer. I'd have a private car at the port at 7:00am and pay to have them WAIT until I was able to disembark. I wouldn't want to arrive at FCO any later than 8:30am. That's the only way I'd even think about it. I prefer to do my connections within the Schengen Zone to shave off that extra time at FCO that is needed for US flights. I don't like to know that every step in the process must go off exactly right or I'll miss the flight. I like to have a buffer for those "what ifs" that crop up.

Rome experts,

Do you know if I can make my 10:15 flight to Ottawa Canada if my Celebrity cruise arrive at the port at 5:00 am ? (SEPT 2015)

Thanks

thechamp555

Rome experts,

 

Do you know if I can make my 10:15 flight to Ottawa Canada if my Celebrity cruise arrive at the port at 5:00 am ? (SEPT 2015)

 

Thanks

thechamp555

I would not call myself a Rome expert but from flying out of the Rome airport twice I would advise that booking a 10:15 am flight is a bad idea. Celebrity says don't book before 11:00 am. On Reflection last week we arrived at 5:00 am but Express Walk off was at 6:45. It take about an hour to get to the airport. It is pretty bad set up at that airport, you can't whiz thru it for international flights.

I would not call myself a Rome expert but from flying out of the Rome airport twice I would advise that booking a 10:15 am flight is a bad idea. Celebrity says don't book before 11:00 am. On Reflection last week we arrived at 5:00 am but Express Walk off was at 6:45. It take about an hour to get to the airport. It is pretty bad set up at that airport, you can't whiz thru it for international flights.

I agree. Not a good idea.

Check out http://www.smartcruisetours.com they offer a coach service from the port to airport / Rome for 20euros/pp. Excellent service done it a few times, highly recommended.

Check out www.smartcruisetours.com they offer a coach service from the port to airport / Rome for 20euros/pp. Excellent service done it a few times, highly recommended.

Is this a scheduled service- that is it leaves at a certain time, say 9am? For that low a price, it will need to be a pretty full bus, and thus a customer will have to have a booked departure time. Probably not good for early flights, but overall a good option.

Is this a scheduled service- that is it leaves at a certain time, say 9am? For that low a price, it will need to be a pretty full bus, and thus a customer will have to have a booked departure time. Probably not good for early flights, but overall a good option.

It must be a set time. If you look at the website given above, it clearly states: ONLY GOOD FOR FLIGHT DEPARTURES AFTER 12:30 PM. (caps are theirs, not mine.)

If I get off at 7:30 am will the bus leave by 8:00am ? My 11:55 flight was booked thru Celebrity, that is the flight they picked, so they must have thought that time was fine.

11:55AM flight is fine as long as you don't wait until 9:00am to leave for the airport.

Check out www.smartcruisetours.com they offer a coach service from the port to airport / Rome for 20euros/pp. Excellent service done it a few times, highly recommended.

Thanks for this suggestion. Looks like a great option for our flight leaving after 1 p.m.

Can anyone tell me if the Cruiseline buses are large buses like in the US or are they smaller/ less people per bus?

Usually 40+ pax buses like in the US.