Stop the Paranoia Regarding Liberty Debarkation and Rome Airport

I was on the August 13th Liberty cruise and both the embarkation and debarkation procedures used by Carnival were very smooth and the luggage is very neatly arranged and easy to find. The bus service to the airport is smooth and each bus has a Carnival rep on it which directs you to your airline.

The airport is not confusing at all and is actually set up quite well. No long lines or craziness what so ever. The bus driver lets folks off in one spot and the carnival rep will give you percise directions and point you to your particular airline check in station. I don't see how this was any different than your average US airport. We had no problems and have talked to many since the cruise was over and they also had no problems.

Why people come on here and try to create panic among future travelers is beyond me. Trust me, relax you will find this debarkation far superiour to most on Carnival and the airport situation in Rome to be fine.

I just returned from the 9/06 Liberty sailing and was at the Rome airport on Sunday 9/18. It was mass confusion. There were lines of people everywhere and no one was there to direct you to which line you were suppose to stand in for your particular flight. We ended up having to ask many fellow travelers and finally got into our NW line, which was over a block long. It is one of the most confusing and congested airports I have ever experienced and I have been to many domestic and international airports. So the poster was not paranoid, only stating the facts that happened to us. This is no fault of Carnival. The debarkation from the ship was quick and handled well. It was problems at the airport.

Mary

Trust me, relax you will find this debarkation far superiour to most on Carnival and the airport situation in Rome to be fine.

Bottom line: Speak for yourself.

I have to disagree, Rome airport is probably the worst airport that I have ever been in. The line for security was as long as the airport, then you had to find the correct line for the airlines, thought it was very confusing.

Not only was the rome airport bad, but their flight to Paris was delayed and they ended up missing their connection and had to spend a night in a Paris. I know that sounds petty, but when you are looking forward to coming home...

Sandy

I think there are two seperate issues.

The debarkation process from the ship to get your luggage and to the bus was quick, easy, and very well organized. (I was on the 9/6 sailing).

However, I agree with the lines at the airport some people experienced. But folks, do your homework in advance. I flew US Airways and checked the FCO airport maps for gates and departure information. So when I got off the bus, I too walked into the main part of the airport and saw the line. I immediately went back outside to check if I was in the right spot, and I wasn't - the US Air ticket counter was much further down, so we pushed our trolley on the outside sidewalk past the buses to the entrance for the proper terminal. There where 4 guards standing here checking passports, and there was ONE person in front of us. We walked through the door, and to the US AIR ticket counter. (Now don't jump down my throat....but...we flew first class so there was no line for checking in). We did however, have to wait 10 minutes at check in because the luggage belt stopped working and we had to wait.

Once we had our boarding passes, we stood in a line to get through security screening and passport control, maybe 5 minutes there, and then where in the terminal.

I guess it may also have depended on what time your flight was departing, since I suspect the crowd was larger as the day got on. Total time for us to get our luggage off the bus, get into the airport, through secruity and passport control and then up to the lounge was a maximum of 45 minutes. (and I even stopped in duty free to buy a bottle of wine for someone I forgot on my souveneir list).

Best advice, be patient because you might have a wait, but check the boards outside the aiport to make sure you enter the right entrance for your airline. Don't just walk in the first door you come to....

Just goes to show everyone has their own opinion. I was also on the 8/13 cruise and I feel quite the opposite. The FCO airport was a mess on 8/25 when I was there. There were long lines. We got there at about 9 30 and found out our flight was delayed til 4:30 pm...guess what? Nowhere to go for about 2 hours waiting for the Alitalia people to show up so we could check in. I literally sat on my luggage for about 2 hours...there were lines all over the place and no one had a clue. There was a security check for passports and it took awhile to get through.

The Carnival bus to the airport was fine--no complaints here. And disembarkation was easy and well organized.

Cruzluvin - we experienced the same thing in the airport. We had a 2:00 flight and no one at the Continental Checkin, we had to wait for approximately 2 hours before someone finally came, and yes no place to sit. We sat on the floor and we were the first ones to check in, wasn't difficult but what a mess. I guess next time I'll look outside for the checkin.

We also just got off the LIberty... 9/6 cruise. The Actual Carnival portion of the debarkation was fine, although we did not see anyone from Carnival after we got to the airport. It seemed that everyone from the 5 or 6 buses that arrived at the same time went into the airport through one door, and there was a huge line to get through the first security point. Very confusing, angry people, etc. We ended up exiting the building, walking along the sidewalk to the next entrance door and found a much shorter line.

Once inside still very confusing signage, perhaps because there were hundreds of people in the way. We asked a few airport employees where British air was, they said they did not know. Finally found it (about 2/3 way to the left. They did not open until 9, so we had to wait 30 minutes for them to open. By then the line was so long, it snaked beyond the ropes into the open area, blocking other sections.

Once through there, we had to go stand in another long line, for the actual security. Total time about 1 3/4 hours.

Oh, and a small thing: when they called the passengers to board, no boarding by section, just first shove, first serve (yes, I meant shove)

Now, DH travels for business internationally and he said this is one of the worst he has ever seen.

That said, I asked the British Air agent about it and he said this is not always like this.

So, my suggetion, especially if you are spending a few days in Rome after your cruise, is to get there 3 hours ahead of your flight, and if you don't hit this, good for you, but if you do you won't have to panic.

Also, a lot of people had luggage lost at this airport, from different airlines and not all booked through Carnival either.

Still, a great cruise and well worth the last day's hastles.

I have to agree with cruisecastle. I just got home from the sept 6th cruising and we got up extra early to deal with checking in at FCO. We heard it was a very bad airport. But I honestly I have to say that it was the smoothest check in ever. We walked right up to Lufthansa and got our boarding passes within minuits! We had 3 hours to burn waiting !

I sailed on the Liberty 9/6 sailing and the airport was a total mess!!!! The Carnival piece -- debarkation, getting luggage, and bus to the airport was terrific.

But there were simply too many people for the airport to process. It seemed like one line was melding into another one -- to the point where one didn't know where one began and one ended and what the line was for anyway. Several people were told wrong information by "officials" (airport not Carnival) and were standing in the wrong line for a long time. One lady in front of me was standing in the line to go through security with all her bags BEFORE getting her boarding pass -- because she was told to do so.

CruiseCastle is both right and wrong: right about calling your airline to find out what counter number they use for check in. This will save you time and headache. Wrong in that we are not trying to cause traveler panic: just telling it like it was -- total chaos -- and what it might be like. If 9/18 was the exception rather than the rule, then great. But on Sunday 9/18, madness

CTMak.

Flying home 1 day after our sailing. Does anyone have any info on where Delta check in is???

Thanks

Not sure what counter numbers they have, but when you enter the terminal Delta is all the way down to your left.

Thanks CTMak

Anyone find a good map of the airport web link?

Just make sure you get dropped off at Terminal B. You'll be fine.

bobbi3...what time did you get to the terminal? we were there at 8:30. Maybe you beat the rush?

Also, I think that Celebrity ship docked behind us might have been sending buses there as welll at the same time.

Amy

Anyone have information on where the KLM/NW desk is?

thanks

Well, we left the following day, monday. Our flight was scheduled to leave at 10:15 but didn't leave until 11am. We got to the airport at 7:45 and were checked in by 8:15. Fortunately, we had no hassles at all. I can imagine it would be pretty bad if busloads are getting dropped off, especially if everyone is heading over to Delta. We flew Lufthansa, we made our own reservations.

Hey, we say Mushroom and her husband there !

Grin!! All the 9/6ers will know what you mean! That was really funny! I would definitely cruise on another John Heald boat.

Also, I am waiting to sign up for the Canival Freedom in '07! I liked the inaugural cruise idea.

Amy

I was also on the 8/13 liberty sailing, and the lines sure filled up. Most of that was because they didn't have people at the desks for a bit. I thought it was a little more busy than airports I had been in the US.

I'm surprised no one has posted a link to the airport website yet.

http://www.adr.it/default.asp?L=3

I remember that you can find your airline desk on a monitor in front of one of the doors in the terminal. For us with Northwest we had to take the shuttle to terminal C, but that was after the check in.

I was on Sept 6 sailing of Liberty. We stayed til yesterday and had the hotel transport us to the airport. On arriving, there were signs to international terminal, B for us going on NW. There were signs outside and the driver said which door to enter. When I went through the door on the left was a customer service desk for NW. The agent was busy and ignored me. So I looked around and there were signs pointing people to the check in counter #80 if I remember correctly. Just look around and find your airline and the number for the counter. The counters are marked so you can look down and see most easily.

Checking in was standard however once checked in, and through security. Finding the gate was very difficult. There was no Queque to stand in, just people all moving and shoving toward one passage way. I asked people in line if they were waiting for NW 65, the flight I was on. So this was the place I found to be really disorganized and irritating.

An additional surprise was how seemingly disorganized the wheel chair team was in Detroit. My mother was transferring to a different plane and it was scary leaving her in customs to catch my plane because the people were so slow we were the last to be transported from the 300 passenger plane.

Carnival had the slickest deportation and embarkation procedures I have ever seen. It was great. Now for the tours that is another email!

Frequently travelling to Rome, I can tell you , yes it is quite a horrible experience. But you can combat this if you just STAY CALM. Rome folk are lazy (speaking as one) most will not always be helpful, especially in luggage claim. They are obnoxious, and stubborn, and sorry to say , feel superior to Americans. Stay calm, take your time, if someone is rude to you, its just the way life is in Rome.

dave

We saw Mushroom and her husband at the airport also!!!! LOL

Oregongardener,

Care to elaborate on the tours?