Rome Airport

[Jackiealu]

We are looking at a cruise that ends in Civitavecchia with HAL, Docking at 7:00 am. The last flight out of Rome that we can get is 11:30 AM. Is it possible to make an 11:30 flight. I will book a private transfer, probably Rome Cabs. How long does it take to get off of the ship and get to your pick up point and find your driver? This has me a little worried. Please help relieve my worries. Thanks, Jackie

[CruiserBruce]

If you read down the board, you will see this gets asked about every other day.

 

Docking at 7 doesn't mean getting off at 7. We docked at 4:45, nobody got off before 7:15.

 

You have a moderate chance of making it, but if you are flying on an American airline direct to the US, security can be painfully slow at Terminal 5. It is an hour drive to the airport.

 

So, if you are going to create and accept the stress on the expensive vacation you have paid for, arrange your transport, carry your baggage off, and be the first one off the ship. Meeting your transport is the least of your worries, it is pretty simple. Be prepared for a possibly stressful struggle thru security.

 

Or you could take a tour of Rome, and fly out the next day, with almost no stress.

[D4]

Docking at 7am doesn't mean getting off the ship at 7am! If you are flying to the US on a US airline, you should be at FCO 3 hours early and the port is a long way from FCO.

 

There's no way I would book that flight. Why not spend some extra nights in Rome after your cruise?

[Zukini]

We are looking at a cruise that ends in Civitavecchia with HAL, Docking at 7:00 am. The last flight out of Rome that we can get is 11:30 AM. Is it possible to make an 11:30 flight. I will book a private transfer, probably Rome Cabs. How long does it take to get off of the ship and get to your pick up point and find your driver? This has me a little worried. Please help relieve my worries. Thanks, Jackie

 

We returned a few weeks ago from a Princess cruise terminating in Civitavecchia. Our ship docked at 4am. We left the ship at 6:15 and picked up our luggage in the terminal. We had to pass through passport control, then boarded a Princess transfer. We were at the airport, Terminal 5, by about 7:30. That's where the fun begins.

 

It was a mob scene to get to the baggage check, as USAir only had 2 employees working...the lines for American Airlines were even longer. After getting boarding passes and checking luggage, we had to pass through FCO passport control, another long line. Then, we had to take a shuttle bus to the main terminal.

 

From the time we arrived at the airport to the time we got to the gate, it was a solid 2 1/2 hours, so 10:30am, and that was getting off the ship at 6:15am. I can't imagine getting off the ship at 7 and making an 11am flight without having a nervous breakdown.

[bobalink]

We are looking at a cruise that ends in Civitavecchia with HAL, Docking at 7:00 am. The last flight out of Rome that we can get is 11:30 AM. Is it possible to make an 11:30 flight. I will book a private transfer, probably Rome Cabs. How long does it take to get off of the ship and get to your pick up point and find your driver? This has me a little worried. Please help relieve my worries. Thanks, Jackie

 

Jackie, a fellow OC cruiser:)

 

You will get lots of differing advice on your question.

 

I can only speak from our experience. Last summer we faced the exact situation.

 

We used Romeinlimo for our transfer. They were waiting for us earlier than our scheduled time. I could actually see our driver from our balcony. We made sure we were off the ship the moment we were cleared to leave.

 

We made it to FCO in about 45 minutes and arrived before the Delta ticket agents. We had to wait for them to open. We waited in line for about 45 minutes, and then we noticed the HAL buses arrived with throngs of people.

 

We did not encounter any problems at the airport, and we had time to spare.

 

We are going to do the same thing this year, only we do have more of a cushion on our departure flight time.

 

Of course, if you have the time and are able to do some post-cruise touring in Rome, all the better!

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[Keith1010]

Jackie, all of this will come down to how much risk you want to take. Some people will go for this flight. Others like me won't.

 

I always plan on the ride taking one hour. As bobalink said their drive took 45 minutes but I plan for the worst.

 

I would arrive to the airport at least 2 hours before the flight but in my case I would make it three hours as that is just the way I approach this.

 

FCO can be a very chaotlic airport. If you an elite member of your airline or flying business or first class that's a plus.

 

In the end it comes down to how much stress you can deal with.

 

For me I don't want this kind of stress and I don't want to worry about it over the cruise and I don't want to feel like I have to rush off the ship the last morning of the cruise.

 

If you do this, then you should do a private transfer as you mentioned.

 

Keith

[sunsetbeachgal]

When we few home out of Rome last Fall, for our cruise Princess said no flights before 11:30. We had an 11:45 flight, and had private transportation and made it with plenty of time. As others have said, the Rome airport has LONG and very slow-moving lines, so expect this.

[danglish]

My first question would be - what time does check in close? If you think you can get to the airport before that time (maybe with 30 min or so to spare just in case) then I would say go for it.

 

In this case I think you will be fine.

 

Personally I always try to arrive as late as possible, it is just about what you are comfortable with. People always complain about huge check in lines but unless you turn up at the beginning of check in or at the end you will have to queue. My ideal situation would be to check in, do passport control and security and arrive at the gate to find boarding well underway. For some people this would be cutting it a bit fine but for me, it is perfect. I always like to board last, figure I'm going to be on the plane for long enough without adding another hour while everybody else boards.

[Keith1010]

My first question would be - what time does check in close? If you think you can get to the airport before that time (maybe with 30 min or so to spare just in case) then I would say go for it.

 

In this case I think you will be fine.

 

Personally I always try to arrive as late as possible, it is just about what you are comfortable with. People always complain about huge check in lines but unless you turn up at the beginning of check in or at the end you will have to queue. My ideal situation would be to check in, do passport control and security and arrive at the gate to find boarding well underway. For some people this would be cutting it a bit fine but for me, it is perfect. I always like to board last, figure I'm going to be on the plane for long enough without adding another hour while everybody else boards.

 

I'm glad that has worked for you but no one knows for sure how long the security line and passport control will be. You must have a great stress threshold. :D

 

Keith

[danglish]

I'm glad that has worked for you but no one knows for sure how long the security line and passport control will be. You must have a great stress threshold. :D

 

Keith

 

It wasn't a one off, I fly at least once a month for work and it has never not worked (touch wood!). Airlines do want you to catch your flight and arrange check in cut off times accordingly so you can make it through security etc.

 

As I said, it is down to what people are comfortable with.

[6rugrats]

. The last flight out of Rome that we can get is 11:30 AM.

 

Does this really mean the cheapest flight, because I can't believe the last flight out of Rome to the US is 11:30 a.m.

 

I would not be comfortable with this for reasons already stated by other posters. You'll have to decide what your comfort level is.

[Keith1010]

It wasn't a one off, I fly at least once a month for work and it has never not worked (touch wood!). Airlines do want you to catch your flight and arrange check in cut off times accordingly so you can make it through security etc.

 

As I said, it is down to what people are comfortable with.

 

I know I said the same thing. It all comes down to stress.

 

For me I would never time getting on airplanes when the airplane is already boarding because there are too many unknowns from getting to the airport, to the ticket line to security to passport control. I have been to this airport often and the pattern is not the same each and every time. That is also true of all airports.

 

Rome IMHO is one of the more chaotic airports.

 

Keith

[Jackiealu]

Okay, okay. I checked the Airline schedule again (American Airlines). If I am willing to fly to LAX instead of the closer Orange County airport, then I can get the last flight at 12:55 pm. This sounds a little safer than 11:30 to Orange County. I am trying to go on American because I have enough miles for a free ticket. Also, I would prefer not to stay one more night, because we will be staying 3 days in Rome before the cruise, and we have to get back for work.

 

Any comments on if the 12:55 flight will be pretty safe to get to?

 

Thanks for the help!

Jackie

[bobalink]

 

Any comments on if the 12:55 flight will be pretty safe to get to?

 

Thanks for the help!

Jackie

 

I would go for it!

[fllady]

We are just back from the Rome flight and I am glad to see you changed your departing time. The earlier one would be really cutting too close. We thought we'd have plenty of time but it took almost an hour just to get to the airport in Rome, this was on a week day and their morning commuter traffic is worse than ours. Better to sit and wait a little longer and know you'll be on the flight home. Good luck!!

[Keith1010]

Okay, okay. I checked the Airline schedule again (American Airlines). If I am willing to fly to LAX instead of the closer Orange County airport, then I can get the last flight at 12:55 pm. This sounds a little safer than 11:30 to Orange County. I am trying to go on American because I have enough miles for a free ticket. Also, I would prefer not to stay one more night, because we will be staying 3 days in Rome before the cruise, and we have to get back for work.

 

Any comments on if the 12:55 flight will be pretty safe to get to?

 

Thanks for the help!

Jackie

 

Perfect.

 

If this was me, that is would I would do.

 

Keith