Celebrity transfer to Rome airport at the end of the cruise

[Hlitner]

Yes, the cruise line uses large coach/buses. To be very blunt, we would never consider paying the cruise line for a transfer from Civitavecchia to FCO...but that is just us! We have found that private transfers (we use Romecabs) is more convenient and usually somewhat less expensive (the best deals are for 6+ so we often find some others using the CC Roll Call). We get off the ship at the correct time, grab our luggage, and there is a driver waiting (holding a sign with our name). We load-up and are on our way...while the cruise line buses sit waiting to get all their charges.

 

Another issue is the somewhat infamous Terminal 5 (at FCO). This is a remote terminal used for the check-in of most direct flights to the USA. If you take a cruise line transfer the odds are very good that you will get to FCO, they will first stop at one of the other terminals, and you will sit and wait while they unload before they later go to Terminal 5 (if they even go to Terminal 5). If they only make a drop at the main terminals it would mean that you would have to take the free shuttle bus over to Terminal 5 (a pain in the behind if dragging luggage).

 

Hank

[DiamondSuiteCruiser]

Yes, the cruise line uses large coach/buses. To be very blunt, we would never consider paying the cruise line for a transfer from Civitavecchia to FCO...but that is just us! We have found that private transfers (we use Romecabs) is more convenient and usually somewhat less expensive (the best deals are for 6+ so we often find some others using the CC Roll Call). We get off the ship at the correct time, grab our luggage, and there is a driver waiting (holding a sign with our name). We load-up and are on our way...while the cruise line buses sit waiting to get all their charges.

 

Another issue is the somewhat infamous Terminal 5 (at FCO). This is a remote terminal used for the check-in of most direct flights to the USA. If you take a cruise line transfer the odds are very good that you will get to FCO, they will first stop at one of the other terminals, and you will sit and wait while they unload before they later go to Terminal 5 (if they even go to Terminal 5). If they only make a drop at the main terminals it would mean that you would have to take the free shuttle bus over to Terminal 5 (a pain in the behind if dragging luggage).

 

Hank

 

Thanks Hank for the info! I really wanted to book Romecabs, but I could not convince my DH and MIL (I know it is much cheaper, but they did not care). They for some reason really think if you book it through the cruise line then nothing will go wrong. :confused: The funny part is DH has no patients for the cruise line buses when we cruise from the states, and we always take a taxi or a town car. I know that he will regret doing the transfers through X.

 

We will be coming into Rome and doing the Oct TA, so we will not be flying out of Rome's terminal 5. We were told that they will pick us up at our hotel the day we go to the port.

 

I have never liked the buses, mainly because they are over crowded and that you have to wait so long for them to fill and load all the luggage. I also like to choose when I want to arrive at the port, but with the bus they will tell us when they are picking us up and we may not get to the port as early as I would like. I was really hoping that in Rome with the narrow streets that the buses would be smaller than the ones in the US, Oh well, I will just have to go with the flow.

[slidergirl]

Thanks Hank for the info! I really wanted to book Romecabs, but I could not convince my DH and MIL (I know it is much cheaper, but they did not care). They for some reason really think if you book it through the cruise line then nothing will go wrong. :confused: The funny part is DH has no patients for the cruise line buses when we cruise from the states, and we always take a taxi or a town car. I know that he will regret doing the transfers through X.

 

We will be coming into Rome and doing the Oct TA, so we will not be flying out of Rome's terminal 5. We were told that they will pick us up at our hotel the day we go to the port.

 

I have never liked the buses, mainly because they are over crowded and that you have to wait so long for them to fill and load all the luggage. I also like to choose when I want to arrive at the port, but with the bus they will tell us when they are picking us up and we may not get to the port as early as I would like. I was really hoping that in Rome with the narrow streets that the buses would be smaller than the ones in the US, Oh well, I will just have to go with the flow.

 

I'd be very wary of that promise that they will pick you up at your hotel. Unless you know that your hotel is on a street that a large bus can negotiate, you may be told to walk or take a taxi to a designated pick up location. I"m only saying this because the places I've stayed in Rome are either on pedestrian-only walkways or are far too narrow for any vehicle other than small car or moped :eek: I would ABSOLUTELY verify this with someone other than the cruise company (who are infamous for promises/guarantees they can't possibly keep)...

[Hlitner]

Our only experience with Celebrity transfers outside the USA has been horrendous. But when we run into folks that have the mindset that everything "cruiseline" is the best or safest we quickly smile and say book the excursion :).

 

Our favorite Celebrity transfer happened in Buenos Aires when we booked air/hotel/transfers as part of a X package. When we arrived at Buenos Aires (after flying all night from MIA) we were cheerfully met by the X transfer rep who told us that it would be about 1 1/2 hours until our bus would leave the airport (for the 20 min transfer) since another flight was late. Our reaction was to just grab a taxi to our hotel. Nearly 2 hours later, after we had checked-in, gone out for a nice breakfast, and walked around the hotel's neighborhood we saw our transfer bus finally arrive from the airport. That was our last X transfer :). And no, Celebrity would not refund any of the money for our missed transfer since it was our decision not to sit around the airport for nearly 2 hours.

 

Hank

Edited December 28, 2014 by Hlitner

[DiamondSuiteCruiser]

I'd be very wary of that promise that they will pick you up at your hotel. Unless you know that your hotel is on a street that a large bus can negotiate, you may be told to walk or take a taxi to a designated pick up location. I"m only saying this because the places I've stayed in Rome are either on pedestrian-only walkways or are far too narrow for any vehicle other than small car or moped :eek: I would ABSOLUTELY verify this with someone other than the cruise company (who are infamous for promises/guarantees they can't possibly keep)...

 

See this is why I asked if they were smaller buses in Rome knowing that they have narrow streets. :eek: Now I am between a rock and a hard spot with, do I piss off my DH and insist we book our own transportation/transfers or just go with it and later piss him off when I say I told you so!;):p Celebrity is dropping us off at the hotel, so I sure hope they can pick us up as well (as promised). The hotel they are putting us in looks nice enough, but FAR out from the city center (Crowne Plaza St Pete's).