Anyone make an early flight from Rome?

[cs1]

We are sort of doing this backwards. We had planned to stay in Italy for a couple of weeks and so we have our flights, but we now are considering going on the Westerdam Med cruise. The problem is that we have already booked an early (10:30) flight for departure day and are wondering if anyone has made a flight this early from Civitavecchia to Fuimicino? Thank you

CS

[catl331]

we left on a HAL arranged flight from there and HAL had scads of buses waiting for HAL fliers to go to the airport which is a good ride away. That means you would have to leave by 8 i guess. The airport was crazy and lines were very long when we got there. Our flight was about 1 pm. Sounds awfully tight to me. Practically everybody off that boat is heading for the airport.

[mountainmare]

You're on USAir to Philly--right? I know because we are in the same situation for next March. I've decided it was just too tight, then I started looking for flights that left after 12:30 and for us it is cheaper to stay an extra day (including hotel and missed day of work) than to book a later flight. We were looking at the non-stop to Philly on USAir (warning--flying USAir coach on an international flight is really not too nice--but we have miles, its non-stop from a local airport and its cheap)

[Atomica]

It takes about an hour from Civitaveccia to FCO - and for international flights, you're required to be there at least two hours ahead of time. That means you'd need to be there by 8:30 am, plus the hour's drive, which means you'd have to leave by 7am-ish.

 

FCO's a huge airport, and it's almost always busy there, particularily in the AM. I'd strongly suggest looking at a later flight...

[jtl513]

I think it would be a minor miracle if you made a 10:30a flight. :eek: IF the ship docks on time at 7:00a and there's no problem clearing it, and IF you could get a very early debarkation slot, and IF you found a fast cab driver right away, and IF etc, etc ... I would be a nervous wreck even trying it. :eek:

 

(My TA wouldn't even let us book a 10:30a flight out of Vancouver, which is only about 12 miles from the dock.)

[cs1]

Actually we would like to be on usair rome to philly but we got a great rate on alitalia , rome to newark.

I think that if we leave at 7 with a private transfer we should be ok to get there in time for the flight. Has anybody done this???

[Jemima]

You are not going to get off the ship at 7:00. If it docks on time and if you choose express disembark (carrying all your own luggage), you might get off 7:30 or 8:00. If not, it will be 8:00, 8:30 or later.

Our cruise returned from Venice where the airport is much closer, but we barely made our late morning flight scheduled by HAL. The ship was late into port and the airport had long and confusing lines. We made it to the flight as it was boarding.

[Copper10-8]

Sorry, in San Diego and FLL not a problem, but not in FCO with a one plus hour drive from the port, check-in lines, passport control and security. Hope you can still change!

[hammybee]

I am the Queen of tight connections and this is one that I chose to not make, given most of the flights are booked solid and if you miss it, you could be in for serious rebooking problems. The 10:30 flight is the only non-stop to EWR and rebooking means you will most likely need multiple airports, Milan or LIS to get back to EWR, and not necessarily on the same day.

 

It's better to overnight at the airport Hilton, hang out by the pool and/or take the train into Rome for an early dinner.

[Jade13]

You're on USAir to Philly--right? I know because we are in the same situation for next March. I've decided it was just too tight, then I started looking for flights that left after 12:30 and for us it is cheaper to stay an extra day (including hotel and missed day of work) than to book a later flight. We were looking at the non-stop to Philly on USAir (warning--flying USAir coach on an international flight is really not too nice--but we have miles, its non-stop from a local airport and its cheap)

 

This is why we are flying USairways and using their partner Luftansia on the way back.

[bphman]

We had the same dilemma last year when we did the Carnival Liberty from Civitavecchia. We were flying Continental to EWR and had the same flight. I must say the Carnival had the entire debarkation perfectly orchestrated. The ship arrived around 3 am and debarkation began at 6 am. The lugage was lined up and the buses were ready to roll by 6:30. We arrived at FCO before 8 am. The cruise lines are well aware of the few flights back home and work hard to accommodate everyone. I will say that those with Carnivalo transfers were the first ones off. It was expensive but worth every penny. I find the car services VERY unreliable in Italy. We were left stranded at FCO when we arrived for over an hour by a reputable company so be careful.

[sail7seas]

Fuimicino is hardly the most organized airport and it is huge......

 

I don't think it a minor miracle for you to make that flight..... I think it a Major miracle for anyone to make that flight even if everything goes close to perfectly. And we know it's risky to expect anything on disembarkation morning to go perfectly. All it takes is one jerk who doesn't think the rules apply to him. One idiot who doesn't pay his/her bill. One local authority who moves at a snail's pace etc etc etc

[RuthC]

I'm having heart failure here just thinking about attempting to make that flight. It's not going to happen.

Give it up and go to Plan B.

[FoxyTerrier]

Last summer we did the Eastern Med in and out of Civit. I recall that we did get in early about 6:15 or 6:30. We ate breakfast out on the balcony but it seem to be much later, like 7:30, that people started getting off.

 

If it is a weekday you might end up getting into morning Rush Hour traffic. I would only do this if you really like living on the edge and you would have to have a backup plan. (ie. backup hotel reservation).

 

I also think you would need a private car/limo transfer and you would need to carry your own luggage off the ship. Also you would need to be one of the first people off, as there is often a line just to get off the ship.

 

If you go for it - please report back and let us know how it worked out for you.

[Grumpy1]

We looked at all of the options for our return flight from Rome on August 29. The only one that made sense to me was the Delta flight at 12:45p, nonstop to Atlanta. All of the earlier flights were just too risky for me to feel comfotable trying it. It turns out that there is also a decent connection from Atlanta to Ft. Myers, so that was a plus too. Prices weren't much above the cheapest fares I found, either.

[cs1]

Actually, I called Hal and they said that they won't book air before 12:30pm. I guess plan B is to stay disembark in Naples the night before and head up to ROme. Thanks for all of the great advice!!!!!!

[sail7seas]

Your last day is a port call to Naples? You plan to disembark the day before the last morning? And take a train to Rome/Fuimicino?

 

[cs1]

yes, naples (for amalfi coast/capri) and yes we will perhaps disembark in the pm and train or hire a driver up to rome for the evening so we will be able to make our flight early the next morning. we are lucky that naples is very close.

[crznby]

This is the fiirst time HAL via the travel agent has made our plane reservations - leaving at 11:15 AM non-stop out of Rome. From what you'all are saying - this is cutting it really close - but if HAL booked it and we miss it - then it becomes their problem?

[Atomica]

This is the fiirst time HAL via the travel agent has made our plane reservations - leaving at 11:15 AM non-stop out of Rome. From what you'all are saying - this is cutting it really close - but if HAL booked it and we miss it - then it becomes their problem?

 

Did HAL book those flights, or did your TA do it independantly of HAL?

 

I can't imagine HAL booking flights that early, but in the event that they did, yes, it would become their problem - but you'd most likely end up stuck in FCO while the issue gets sorted, or you'd end up having to foot the bill for new flights and try to get it reimbursed at a later date.

 

Either way, if you're able to push your flights back, I would strongly recommend it!

[Denn33]

yes, naples (for amalfi coast/capri) and yes we will perhaps disembark in the pm and train or hire a driver up to rome for the evening so we will be able to make our flight early the next morning. we are lucky that naples is very close.

 

This does seem like it would be quite possible to do--you could take the train from Naples to Termini, and from there to FCO and then stay at the Hilton Airport hotel or something like that (with a flight that early, I think you should stay near the airport rather than in Rome proper). I would check with HAL first to make sure that they will allow you to disambark early, though.

Is is possible to change flights from Europe, or is there a ridiculous fee to do so?

[Copper10-8]

Does anyone of you have experience with Italian rail travel?? Specifically, what do you do with/where do you put your luggage? suitcases/garment bags. Thanks in advance!

[sail7seas]

We did the train from Rome to Florence; then from Florence to Venice and finally to Milan. We were in first class carriage so had assistance with our bags.

 

The funniest part is when we arrived, they opened the train windows and threw the bags out. We were hysterical but the bags got there with us!!

 

We were outrageously lucky that all our trains left within 15 minutes of scheduled and there were no strikes the days we were traveling.

 

They are reknowned for unannounced strikes leaving travelers stranded. Highly unreliable.

 

IF they go, the ride is fine!

 

[sail7seas]

This is the fiirst time HAL via the travel agent has made our plane reservations - leaving at 11:15 AM non-stop out of Rome. From what you'all are saying - this is cutting it really close - but if HAL booked it and we miss it - then it becomes their problem?

 

 

You may wish to confirm that HAL actually made that booking and not your TA on their own. It would be highly unusual for HAL to book a return flight for anyone from any port prior to 12 noon.

 

Just a suggestion but if it were me, I'd be verifying that booking. And yes...... you might be cutting it close. You probably/might make it but it won't be stress free.

[sail7seas]

This does seem like it would be quite possible to do--you could take the train from Naples to Termini, and from there to FCO and then stay at the Hilton Airport hotel or something like that (with a flight that early, I think you should stay near the airport rather than in Rome proper). I would check with HAL first to make sure that they will allow you to disambark early, though.

Is is possible to change flights from Europe, or is there a ridiculous fee to do so?

 

 

Good idea IMO to stay the night at the Airport Hilton. It is a fair distance from FCO to Rome and early in the morning, the traffic can be very bad.