Civitavecchia at 6:00 am, Riviera earleist disembark?

[farm girl]

I would like to take a Delta flight at FCO at 09:45 because it is the only direct flight that day to Atlanta.

Last year I took that same flight from Civitavecchia but the ship (Celebrity) arrived at port at 0400 and we were off the ship by 5:30. We had a taxi waiting and we were at the airport by 06:15.

Does anyone have and idea of the average time it takes the Riviera to clear customs for disembarkation?

 

Also last year after we made our flight arrangements, Delta sent a message a few months later changing the flight to 09:20. Then a month before the cruise they changed it back to 09:45. Does anyone know why they do this? I wonder if they will do this again. Do any of you work for Delta and can explain this?

 

Thank You

Sharon

[Mura]

I don't, actually, but I'm wondering if you can count on "average" times anyway.

 

If the ship is due in at 6am it could be cleared quickly, but then again it might not. It has seemed to me that the ships usually do arrive earlier than they say but you never know. Getting to the airport in time for a 9:45 flight is questionable to me. Personally, I wouldn't risk it.

 

You had a faster than usual time driving to the airport (from what I have read) because it was so early in the morning. Last September we left for the Istanbul airport at 4am and there was no traffic! We were there in no time.

 

But let's say you manage to leave the ship at 6:30 ... more people on the road at that time, I would assume. And there is the 2-3 hour check-in time to consider as well.

 

As to Delta, that's been my experience, too. Times keep changing. On one occasion we had to change our transfer plans before we were going to meet another couple at FCO and share a limo, but when the time of our flight was changed that became impossible.

 

On another occasion (or maybe it was the same one!) the time change made it impossible to make our connecting flight at CDG and we had to change flight reservations completely.

 

Mura

 

P.S. Is it possible to spend the day there and catch that flight the next morning? I've heard there are interesting sights to see in and around Civitavecchia, and then you wouldn't have to worry about getting to the airport in time.

Edited February 6, 2013 by Mura
Afterthought

[boerneDQ]

I personally would not risk it. We were on the Riveria in early July and arrived in Civvecthia (sp) on time (6 am) or a little early. BUT the port authority had a problem with how the luggage was coming off the ship (or something). They held up letting anyone off the ship until 9 am! We even have the President of O on the ship and he went ashore to try and straighten things out. Needless to say a bunch of folks either missed or barely made their morning flights out.

 

Charlotte

[billrco90278]

Our arrival time on the Riviera at Civitavecchia is 5:00 AM for the end of our cruise. We plan to get off the ship as early as possible and take a cab or shuttle to Rome Termini train station to board an 11:20 AM express train to Florence. This sounds very realistic with plenty of time to spare. Am I correct?

[StanandJim]

Our arrival time on the Riviera at Civitavecchia is 5:00 AM for the end of our cruise. We plan to get off the ship as early as possible and take a cab or shuttle to Rome Termini train station to board an 11:20 AM express train to Florence. This sounds very realistic with plenty of time to spare. Am I correct?

 

It's a doable schedule IF the ship clears Customs and Immigration quickly.

Until that happens, NOBODY is allowed off of the ship.

 

So, to make any plans in Rome before Noon, you'll have to trust that the 1248 other passengers will do the right thing and handle their affairs competently...

 

At the very least, I'd have a second, later train in the back of my mind, just in case.

[Softball20]

Our arrival time on the Riviera at Civitavecchia is 5:00 AM for the end of our cruise. We plan to get off the ship as early as possible and take a cab or shuttle to Rome Termini train station to board an 11:20 AM express train to Florence. This sounds very realistic with plenty of time to spare. Am I correct?

 

There is a train station right in Civitavecchia. You can catch a train to the Termini and then get the express to Florence. By shuttle or cab from Civitavecchia to Rome it could take at least an hour an a half - depending, of course, upon traffic - there's always traffic getting into Rome in the morning. The train between the two is just about an hour.

[Paulchili]

There is a train station right in Civitavecchia. You can catch a train to the Termini and then get the express to Florence. By shuttle or cab from Civitavecchia to Rome it could take at least an hour an a half - depending, of course, upon traffic - there's always traffic getting into Rome in the morning. The train between the two is just about an hour.

 

The problem here might be getting from the ship to the train station (with luggage). It will depend on when the port shuttle service starts and then there will be some walking to the station from the port gate.

[Softball20]

Or they could just get a cab from the port to the train station. It's not that far. We have seen lots of people just walking with their luggage between the two, but a cab would definitely be easier :)