Disembarking a day early

[cruisegal415]

Our upcoming cruise in the Riviera has us getting into Civitavecchia at 8 am on August 24th.  We stay there overnight and the next day, the cruise ends and we disembark, get a transfer to the airport and fly home.  Since there was nothing we wanted to see in or near Civitavecchia, we thought we would just disembark on the 24th, transfer to Rome, spend the day there, and return to a hotel by the airport that night so we can catch our flight early the next morning.

 

I spoke with someone at Oceania, who said, yes, we can disembark a day early, we just have to let the front desk know when we check in.  However, I didn't ask what time we would be able to disembark.  There was a tour that we really wanted to take in Rome that was booked up during the pre-cruise days that we will be in Rome, but is available on the 24th, at 11 am.  Now I'm worried that will not give us enough time to complete the disembarkation process, get to the hotel to drop our bags, and make our way in to Rome for the tour.  Does any one know, if you disembark a day early, how early in the morning they let you leave?

 

[DrHemlock]

So, the tour you want to take is not a ship's excursion departing Riviera at 11:00, but rather a local tour beginning in Rome at 11:00?  You might be able to make it if you can get off the ship early enough -- but there's the rub.  

 

Depending upon where the ship is arriving from, Italian customs/immigration authorities might want to check everybody's passport and have a look at luggage, etc.  Also, depending on whether the ship arrives on time (weather and harbor traffic permitting) and whether the longshore crew are standing by to grab and tie off the ship's lines.  

 

Safer, IMO, to head directly into Rome as early as possible, take your tour, head back to Riviera to retrieve your luggage, complete disembarkation and take taxi to Fiumicino airport hotel.  It just depends whether you want to roll the dice.

Edited June 1 by DrHemlock

[tarhoosier]

There is a discussion on the Viking board about this very thing. It is a cruise ending in Valparaiso Chile. There is an overnight in Valpo and debark scheduled the next day. Person wants to leave on arrival day to make flight home. After much discussion she decided because of immigration/customs interaction and ship protocols she needs written confirmation from Viking for this action. It is non reversible, so Viking says, which I understand. It is a recent discussion and I believe it is on the first page still of the Viking board. Numerous factors to consider. Different port/cruise line but issues are the same.

[Flatbush Flyer]

5 hours ago, DrHemlock said:

So, the tour you want to take is not a ship's excursion departing Riviera at 11:00, but rather a local tour beginning in Rome at 11:00?  You might be able to make it if you can get off the ship early enough -- but there's the rub.  

 

Depending upon where the ship is arriving from, Italian customs/immigration authorities might want to check everybody's passport and have a look at luggage, etc.  Also, depending on whether the ship arrives on time (weather and harbor traffic permitting) and whether the longshore crew are standing by to grab and tie off the ship's lines.  

 

Safer, IMO, to head directly into Rome as early as possible, take your tour, head back to Riviera to retrieve your luggage, complete disembarkation and take taxi to Fiumicino airport hotel.  It just depends whether you want to roll the dice.

Yes- this is Italy - where schedules are more a set of “guidelines.”

[grmmybtty]

We have disembarked off an Oceania cruise the day before the official disembarkation. You will have to handle your luggage yourself. You may be able to have an Oceania crew member help you, but you will have to wait until that person is available. Let’s say you were fortunate to get off the ship before 9am, will you have a car waiting for your or do you plan to take the train? Making an 11am tour will be difficult either way. Dr Hemlock’s suggestion of just taking the tour and then returning to the ship for the night sounds more workable, the airport is closer to Civitavecchia than Rome,

[DrHemlock]

16 hours ago, grmmybtty said:

Dr Hemlock’s suggestion of just taking the tour and then returning to the ship for the night sounds more workable

Actually, I meant return to the ship late afternoon after their tour, grab their luggage and disembark the ship, then taxi to airport hotel so they're already there first thing in the morning.  (And for former English majors like myself, I just used "their," "there" and "they're" correctly and all in the same sentence.  Vive la difference!  Ooo-rah!!)

[Redtravel]

On 6/1/2024 at 3:57 PM, cruisegal415 said:

Our upcoming cruise in the Riviera has us getting into Civitavecchia at 8 am on August 24th.  We stay there overnight and the next day, the cruise ends and we disembark, get a transfer to the airport and fly home.  Since there was nothing we wanted to see in or near Civitavecchia, we thought we would just disembark on the 24th, transfer to Rome, spend the day there, and return to a hotel by the airport that night so we can catch our flight early the next morning.

 

I spoke with someone at Oceania, who said, yes, we can disembark a day early, we just have to let the front desk know when we check in.  However, I didn't ask what time we would be able to disembark.  There was a tour that we really wanted to take in Rome that was booked up during the pre-cruise days that we will be in Rome, but is available on the 24th, at 11 am.  Now I'm worried that will not give us enough time to complete the disembarkation process, get to the hotel to drop our bags, and make our way in to Rome for the tour.  Does any one know, if you disembark a day early, how early in the morning they let you leave?

 

We disembarked yesterday at Civitavecchia.  No Italian authorities checking anything. We were off the ship at 7:50, collected luggage, on bus and at FCO about 9.  

[cruisegal415]

Having considered all your helpful suggestions, I think we will just stay on the ship in Civitavecchia overnight and take a train in to St. Peter's that morning.  The train only takes an hour, which would give us plenty of time to get there and find the meeting point for the tour.  

 

Another question, about the train, do we have to/should we book it in advance, or can we just buy the ticket at the station? Hard to decide in June what time we would want to return in August. 

[Jim_Iain]

4 hours ago, cruisegal415 said:

Having considered all your helpful suggestions, I think we will just stay on the ship in Civitavecchia overnight and take a train in to St. Peter's that morning.  The train only takes an hour, which would give us plenty of time to get there and find the meeting point for the tour.  

 

Another question, about the train, do we have to/should we book it in advance, or can we just buy the ticket at the station? Hard to decide in June what time we would want to return in August. 

 I need for advance booking. Just buy ticket.  
 

one warning.   The train requires walking down and up stairs.   Elevator is limited 

[roothy123]

Sorry - just ignore this post!

 

Edited June 20 by roothy123

[alcpa1]

Just keep in mind that railroad worker strikes, while not as common today, are still possible.

In Italy always have a back-up plan.

Enjoy your trip.