HAL air deviation

We are sailing on HAL out of Rome but we want to into Florence a couple of days earlier. Does HAL let you do a deviation to another city before sailing? We will drive ourselves to,port to board the ship. The cruise ends in Venice.

Thanks for you thoughts.

Hi neighbor! (PC here!)

I'd just do the flight to Rome and take the train to Florence. FLR is a regional airport - no flights from the US. I'll assume you'd be taking Delta (our fortress airline at SLC). Right now, you can fly SLC-CDG, SLC-AMS, SLC-LHR and then catch an intra-Europe flight. You could do either FCO or FLR that way. Otherwise, you're going to do most likely SLC-JFK or ATL - FCO.

Take the train from FCO to Roma Termini. Hop a train to Firenze Santa Maria Novella - takes about 90 minutes. Buy the tickets in advance on the trenitalia website…

How about that thunderstorm today? Had hail here…

I am looking at the nonstop to Paris then on to Florence on DL/AF. I want to avoid JFK at all costs. I just thought cruise air might price out cheaper but have a feeling I will be happier doing my own flights. We plan on driving from Florence to the port to visit Tuscany region before the cruise.

Weather has been crazy here I don't think we are through with snow in the mountains either. We had a bit of hail and winds here.

Thanks for the info.

If connecting via FCO, AMS or CDG look also at Pisa and Bologna rather than Florence. Both have larger airports and flights are less likely to get cancelled or diverted due to winds or weather. Both alternate airports are close enough, with train and bus service, to make the short hop to Florence a non issue. I wish I would have known this when we booked an Italy adventure.

Fly to Rome and train to Florence is about 90 min.

Fly to Rome and train to Florence is about 90 min.

I agree to fly into FCO, then train to Florence. From Termini, the high speed is 90 minutes, but from the airport add at least 20 minutes, plus transfer/connection time.

Ok so an hour and a half!

i really don't want a 1.5 hour train ride after flying 10.5 hours if I can fly directly into Florence from Paris.

Thanks.

i really don't want a 1.5 hour train ride after flying 10.5 hours if I can fly directly into Florence from Paris.

 

Thanks.

Good luck with that! You could also hire a driver to pick you you and drive you.

Not sure I understand your comment. There are flights nonstop from Paris to Florence daily. My original question was whether or not HAL would do air deviation to another city. If they won't then I will book my own air.

I am looking at the nonstop to Paris then on to Florence on DL/AF. I want to avoid JFK at all costs. I just thought cruise air might price out cheaper but have a feeling I will be happier doing my own flights. We plan on driving from Florence to the port to visit Tuscany region before the cruise.

 

Weather has been crazy here I don't think we are through with snow in the mountains either. We had a bit of hail and winds here.

 

Thanks for the info.

I've done the SLC-CDG a few times, connecting at CDG to/from FCO and once from FLR. It is soooo nice to be able to make the connections in Europe rather than in the US. Ignore any comments that CDG is a nightmare - if you stay within SkyTeam (DL/AF/AZ) you just go between T2E and T2F, which are actually just different sides of the large SkyTeam building. The intra-Europe flights I've done have used in/out of T2F and that DL flight has always been T2E when I've taken it. I had to do JKF the other week - I still hate that place. I had to take that dumb Delta Jitney from T2 to T4 and then walk for a LONG time…

Knowing that you want to drive through Tuscany to Civi - it now makes sense to look at flying into FLR. The alternative of Pisa would be good, too - check pricing. FLR does get weather issues - it's in between hills/mountains and sometimes the weather socks it in. I had a flight delayed a few hours while waiting for the weather to clear (had an overnight anyway at CDG, so it didn't matter).

If you can do this (I never use Cruise Air): price out SLC-CDG-FLR on your own. Then call HAL and see what it would price out with them. Won't hurt. I just like to be in control of my own reservations in case things go sideways. With HAL, you won't have that control - you have to go through them instead dealing directly with DL/AF...

On the Home Front: Had lightning take out power for a couple of minutes yesterday and pea-size hail. Looks like there might be some more snow up at 7000' tonight. It's 42 right now at 6400'… I remember having snow on the 4th of July back in the late 80s!

Thanks Slidergirl I think that sounds like a plan. I am waiting for flights to open as I am looking at April 2017. Any suggestion on places to eat in Florence? We were there once but for a day on a cruise stop. HAL doesn't seem as user friendly with their air program. I have always booked my own but wondered with the multi city route flying back from Venice would have a savings.

Definitely been a wet weather pattern this year. Deer Creek is the highest I have ever seen it and Jordanelle is so low. Do you ski?