m_s_k Posted August 1, 2013 #1 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Hi, this is our first cruise. Its a 10 day Celebrity Reflections Eastern Med from Aug. 30 to Sept. 9. Round trip from Rome. We are flying into Rome on Aug. 30th at 8:55 am. Since the ship leaves the Civitaveccia port at 5 pm we are hoping to find guided tour that will take us from the airport, provides a tour of Rome and gets us to the Port of Civitaveccia on time for our 5 pm ship. Celebrity offers their "Embark transfer to ship via Rome Panoramic" tour. The problem with that is that I am afraid to book it because it leaves the airport at 10:30 am. Our flight arrival is at 8:55 am - if the flight is late or we don't clear customs by 10:30 am we are screwed. No refunds. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SadieN Posted August 1, 2013 #2 Share Posted August 1, 2013 How much do you like to gamble?;) It might be doable. Quickest time we had in FCO was 30minutes. Got lucky no line and luggage first on the carousel. Longest was 2hours. Including having to walk off plane onto the tarmac and getting bussed to the terminal. But it's Italy and they are always going on strike. http://www.cgsse.it/web/guest/elenco-scioperi Dates are listed day, month, year Other option would go straight to port and be one of the first to board. I'd go to port. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markanddonna Posted August 1, 2013 #3 Share Posted August 1, 2013 You should go to the European ports board for Italy and will see lots of questions like yours. Personally, I would do a prearranged tour with some reputable company who can get you to something relatively quick like the Colisseum and that area. Don't even try the Vatican with all the security lines. Go to a site like romeinlimo to see what they can do for you. Don't waste a day on the ship when you can do a four hour excursion! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwr235 Posted August 1, 2013 #4 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Hi, You might want to post this on the Roll Call thread for your sailing...where your fellow passengers are discussing everything/anything related...and might have some suggestions for you as well. There may be others looking to share on a pre-cruise outing...there might even be folks on your same flight !! Here is the link: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1609063&referrerid=422315 Probably best to go to the last page, introduce yourself, and post your question there. Good luck, and have a great cruise !! Woody Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashland Posted August 1, 2013 #5 Share Posted August 1, 2013 If any one can do it RIL (RomeInLimo) can...good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navybankerteacher Posted August 1, 2013 #6 Share Posted August 1, 2013 If your flight was booked through Celebrity, there is a chance the tour would wait for delayed passengers. Of course, for a 5:00 PM sailing, you are talking about boarding the ship at 3:30 or so, which means leaving Rome by about 2:30. A tour leaving the airport at 10:30 would get to Rome between 11:00 and 11:30 --- giving you, at best, a 3 1/2 hour drive-through visit. Yes, you could say you saw Rome, but you wouldn't see much. I doubt the "Panoramic" would even stop anywhere. Booking any tour on your own would be a costly, and largely pointless hassle. You would have your luggage to worry about. If you have an option to change your flight, go a day earlier and spend a night in the city. Otherwise, just arrange a transfer direct from the airport to CV, and save Rome fo another time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donray Posted August 1, 2013 #7 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Go at least one day early and say in Rome or don't bother with Rome at all. I don't understand spending all the money for air and cruise and not arriving at least one day early and seeing Rome. Are you spending any time after the cruise in Rome? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackpool belle Posted August 1, 2013 #8 Share Posted August 1, 2013 You cannot do Rome justice in a week let alone a day. That will be one almighty whistle-stop tour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashland Posted August 1, 2013 #9 Share Posted August 1, 2013 You cannot do Rome justice in a week let alone a day. That will be one almighty whistle-stop tour. Many of us that have been there on a port stop have only had one day to do it...Amazing what can be done with a private tour company. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoHoHo Posted August 1, 2013 #10 Share Posted August 1, 2013 If your flight was booked through Celebrity, there is a chance the tour would wait for delayed passengers. Of course, for a 5:00 PM sailing, you are talking about boarding the ship at 3:30 or so, which means leaving Rome by about 2:30. A tour leaving the airport at 10:30 would get to Rome between 11:00 and 11:30 --- giving you, at best, a 3 1/2 hour drive-through visit. Yes, you could say you saw Rome, but you wouldn't see much. I doubt the "Panoramic" would even stop anywhere. Booking any tour on your own would be a costly, and largely pointless hassle. You would have your luggage to worry about. If you have an option to change your flight, go a day earlier and spend a night in the city. Otherwise, just arrange a transfer direct from the airport to CV, and save Rome fo another time. I agree. This is a good analysis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
euro cruiser Posted August 1, 2013 #11 Share Posted August 1, 2013 But it's Italy and they are always going on strike. http://www.cgsse.it/web/guest/elenco-scioperi Dates are listed day, month, year While it's always smart to check for strikes, they are not "always" happening, not even frequently, and they are announced well in advance. What the OP wants is not wise via public transit, it would make more sense to use a car service if they can afford the expense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxoocruiser Posted August 1, 2013 #12 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Deleted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navybankerteacher Posted August 1, 2013 #13 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Many of us that have been there on a port stop have only had one day to do it...Amazing what can be done with a private tour company. A port stop on which you can leave the ship at, say, 8:30 AM and can get back as late as, say, 4:30, is very different from getting out of the airport at 10:30 and having to be at the pier at 3:30 - hauling 10 days worth of luggage with you. There is no rational comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dark star Posted August 2, 2013 #14 Share Posted August 2, 2013 You cannot do Rome justice in a week let alone a day. That will be one almighty whistle-stop tour. totally agree with this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donaldsc Posted August 2, 2013 #15 Share Posted August 2, 2013 Since you live in Philadelphia, let me put it in local terms - would it make any sense to do that tour if you were visiting Phila? I think not. DON Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashland Posted August 2, 2013 #16 Share Posted August 2, 2013 A port stop on which you can leave the ship at, say, 8:30 AM and can get back as late as, say, 4:30, is very different from getting out of the airport at 10:30 and having to be at the pier at 3:30 - hauling 10 days worth of luggage with you. There is no rational comparison. My response (which you failed to note) was to Black Pool Belle in regards to "not" being able to do Rome in a day....but thanks for being the voice of rationality :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SadieN Posted August 2, 2013 #17 Share Posted August 2, 2013 While it's always smart to check for strikes, they are not "always" happening, not even frequently, and they are announced well in advance. What the OP wants is not wise via public transit, it would make more sense to use a car service if they can afford the expense. True strikes are not always happening. Speaking from experience though-DD was able to change her travel plans around an airport strike. She's starting her junior year in Rome and still hasn't seen it all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackpool belle Posted August 2, 2013 #18 Share Posted August 2, 2013 Many of us that have been there on a port stop have only had one day to do it...Amazing what can be done with a private tour company. Seeing Rome in 3 and half hours... oh come on please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NMLady Posted August 2, 2013 #19 Share Posted August 2, 2013 Seeing Rome in 3 and half hours... oh come on please. Three and a half hours is better than no hours at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackpool belle Posted August 2, 2013 #20 Share Posted August 2, 2013 Three and a half hours is better than no hours at all. Well we will just have to agree to disagree on that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiseryyc Posted August 2, 2013 #21 Share Posted August 2, 2013 If I were flying to Europe and arriving on the same day that my cruise leaves from a port almost two hours away; I would not be concerning myself about getting a tour of Rome in but would only be concerned about getting to the ship on time for sailing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navybankerteacher Posted August 2, 2013 #22 Share Posted August 2, 2013 If I were flying to Europe and arriving on the same day that my cruise leaves from a port almost two hours away; I would not be concerning myself about getting a tour of Rome in but would only be concerned about getting to the ship on time for sailing! Well put. Even if OP's plane landed on time and he cleared customs and immigration reasonably quickly, and had no delays finding transportation and didn't hit traffic delays on the way to the port, he would be able to start checking in around noon - which is the time most people shoot for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donaldsc Posted August 2, 2013 #23 Share Posted August 2, 2013 Three and a half hours is better than no hours at all. Just my opinion but I would consider a 3 1/2 hour drive by tour of Rome worse than useless and not worth my time or the cost. DON Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashland Posted August 3, 2013 #24 Share Posted August 3, 2013 Seeing Rome in 3 and half hours... oh come on please. I responded to your original post about not being able to do Rome in one day...you didn't speak to it as a 3 hour tour then. Again....many in port for one day do tours..I think you're misunderstanding completely my posted response as it was aimed at you saying "You can't do Rome justice in a week let alone one day"...I think many of us that have only had one day think we have given it as much "justice" as we could possibly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taxguy77 Posted August 3, 2013 #25 Share Posted August 3, 2013 If I were flying to Europe and arriving on the same day that my cruise leaves from a port almost two hours away; I would not be concerning myself about getting a tour of Rome in but would only be concerned about getting to the ship on time for sailing! On a cruise where we used the cruiseline's air, we arrived in Rome, they bussed us directly to the port, and the early boarders were already full so we could eat right away. I was in Rome with some friends after college for three days (Had our VW serviced there, the service manager was a Scott!) and barely saw the main attractions! That was over 55 years ago and the lines were MUCH shorter to see places. Inside St. Peter's in less than 10 minutes with no reservations. If possible, book two nights or more in Rome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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