Can we make this flight?

[nancy anne]

Our ship (Celebrity) gets in to Civitavecchia at 4:30 AM on a Friday. We're looking at a flight that leaves FCO at 10:55 AM. Do you think we'll be able to make this flight assuming private transfer from port and checking in for business class?

Nancy

[CruiserBruce]

Risky at best. Getting in at 4:30 doesn't mean getting off at any early hour.

[FlyerTalker]

What does Celebrity recommend?

 

FWIW, Rome (FCO) is one of the more difficult ports for disembarking and making "early" flights. Distance to the airport is one factor. Long lead times at check-in are another. The fact that it is Italy is another.

 

What routing/cities/airline are you considering?

 

Personally, I'd never try to make a flight before noon out of FCO under the best of circumstances, but YMMV. You may very well have to "suck it up" and stay overnight after leaving your ship.

[nancy anne]

Looking at 10:55A FCO/DTW/MSP on Delta. Other choice would be FCO/AMS/MSP @ 12:55P. The connection time in AMS is 1 h/25 minutes. I want to avoid going through ORD as Delta uses Alitalia for code share.

Thanks--Nancy

[Twickenham]

Looking at 10:55A FCO/DTW/MSP on Delta. Other choice would be FCO/AMS/MSP @ 12:55P. The connection time in AMS is 1 h/25 minutes. I want to avoid going through ORD as Delta uses Alitalia for code share.

Thanks--Nancy

 

The FCO-AMS flight seems to be the vastly superior option. I wouldn't even be considering the earlier flight.

[wrp96]

Looking at 10:55A FCO/DTW/MSP on Delta. Other choice would be FCO/AMS/MSP @ 12:55P. The connection time in AMS is 1 h/25 minutes. I want to avoid going through ORD as Delta uses Alitalia for code share.

Thanks--Nancy

 

 

Definitely opt for the 12:55pm through AMS. 1hr 25min is a good connection time through AMS. PLUS by connecting in AMS you don't have to go through immigration, grab your bags, go through customs, and go back through security to get to your connecting flight like you would at DTW.

[FlyerTalker]

Though you will have a security screening at the gate at AMS.

 

Take the later flight.

[Greghouseo]

Please please please do not consider the earlier flight.

 

Despite all the obvious advantages of Private transfer etc, do not forget this is Rome. Traffic can be ghastly. So many potential problems. I would even be doubtful on the 1245 flight, but I guess considerably less so than the earlier one.

[frugaltravel]

Definitely opt for the 12:55pm through AMS. 1hr 25min is a good connection time through AMS. PLUS by connecting in AMS you don't have to go through immigration, grab your bags, go through customs, and go back through security to get to your connecting flight like you would at DTW.

 

Kind of "6 of one, half dozen of the other."

 

You still go through passport control when you connect in AMS, go through security at the gate, and go through immigration and customs in MSP. The only step that is left out is rechecking the luggage stateside, since MSP is the final airport.

 

Still, I would also not even consider the earlier flight.

[nancy anne]

Called Celebrity this am and they said the earliest recommended flight is 10:00A. I have no idea why, but the flight of FCO/AMS/MSP @ 12:55P is approx $900 p/p more than the 10:55A FCO/DTW/MSP. If we're off by 6:30 A, do you think a private driver can get us to FCO by 8A (Friday am)?

 

Nancy

[Twickenham]

Called Celebrity this am and they said the earliest recommended flight is 10:00A. I have no idea why, but the flight of FCO/AMS/MSP @ 12:55P is approx $900 p/p more than the 10:55A FCO/DTW/MSP. If we're off by 6:30 A, do you think a private driver can get us to FCO by 8A (Friday am)?

 

Nancy

 

Ouch! I can see your hesitation now... At that price, I'd stay overnight and leave the next morning.

 

ETA: I just looked up your cruise dates. I can't even get flights for your return date (I assume Sept. 30 2011). Where are you finding your pricing?

[nancy anne]

I'm putting in 9/8/11 to 9/16/11. We plan on leaving 9/15 with return on 9/30. I figure the prices are not going to change that much between 9/8 and 9/15. Can't make real reservations for another 2 weeks.

 

Nancy

[Twickenham]

I'm putting in 9/8/11 to 9/16/11. We plan on leaving 9/15 with return on 9/30. I figure the prices are not going to change that much between 9/8 and 9/15. Can't make real reservations for another 2 weeks.

 

Nancy

 

They could be virtually the same, or they could be vastly different. I would wait until you can price your actual dates.

[FlyerTalker]

I'm putting in 9/8/11 to 9/16/11. We plan on leaving 9/15 with return on 9/30. I figure the prices are not going to change that much between 9/8 and 9/15. Can't make real reservations for another 2 weeks.

Putting in "phony" dates to see what pricing is like is a fool's errand. I could put in pricing the week before the Thanksgiving rush and get FAR different numbers than what I will actually find for my own travel dates over T'giving.

 

To echo Twickenham....wait til you actually have genuine pricing numbers before you start making assumptions.

[kitty9]

The reason why the earlier flight is so much cheaper is because the airlines know that cruise passengers can't really make those flights. I'm surprised that Celebrity told you 10am, because on all our cruises on Celebrity in the Med, they told us not before noon.

[Keith1010]

Called Celebrity this am and they said the earliest recommended flight is 10:00A. I have no idea why, but the flight of FCO/AMS/MSP @ 12:55P is approx $900 p/p more than the 10:55A FCO/DTW/MSP. If we're off by 6:30 A, do you think a private driver can get us to FCO by 8A (Friday am)?

 

Nancy

 

Nancy, I would call Celebrity one more time to check on this.

 

A few related items.

 

I would go with private transfers no matter what flight you take.

 

Expect that the drive once you get in the vehicle over to FCO will take around one hour. It could be shorter but its best to plan on one hour.

 

If you are taking an international flight you need to plan on checking in 2 hours prior to the flight.

 

FCO can be a very chaotic airport and I would advise getting to the airport even earlier than the 2 hour check in. How long your line will be for check in will depend on a variiety of factors in including airline and class of seat.

 

I do know some people who have been on ships arriving at the hour you mentioned who do book flights as early as the one you are considering.

 

Again, check with the cruise line and also think through how much stress you are willing to incur.

 

Remember that even the best of plans have risks and that includes items that do not occur often but nevertheless occur and that could include a delay arriving to port due to weather, ship mechanical issues or even the need to evacuate someone from the ship, and other issues such as you can't readily located your luggage after disembarking the ship.

 

For my wife and myself we like extra pad for the unexpected. I can't say we've seen it all but between exensive traveling when I traveled for business and so many cruises we have seen a lot that has gone wrong so I prefer the extra pad and not spending part of the cruise worrying about all of this.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

Keith