FCO to Port to Rome to FCO

[douggw]

I've read so many of the very helpful posts on here regarding getting to/from the airport and port and for someone taking their first trip to Europe, this forum is invaluable!  What did we all do before the existence of forums like this????

 

Anyhow, I want to run my thinking past all you experts to see if I'm on the right track.

 

We arrive late afternoon to Rome (flying from California) on Saturday, March 30.  Ship leaves Sunday March 31 at 7pm.  We are staying at a "B&B" / "Guest House" near the airport as we don't want to try and go to Rome and to the ship on the same day.  That way, we can sleep in and take our time getting to the port.  Right now, we are planning on taking the train.  So taxi to B&B which is 3 miles from airport, then in the late morning taxi to train station or back to airport to catch the train to port.

 

Fast forward 7 days to Sunday April 7 when we get off the ship.  Flight back home isn't until 9am Tuesday April 9.  Right now, have booked a small hotel near Pantheon area.  Plan is to take the train (maybe that will change based on our first experience with the train getting to the port ha!) into Rome and then taxi to hotel.  

 

I think so far, so good.  Then I got to thinking...hmmm.......since our flight home is at 9am, we are going to have to be at the airport really early - like 2-3 hours before flight, right?  I also have read if the first leg of the flight isn't leaving Europe, you don't have to be there THAT early, which is the case.  We go from Rome to Germany and THEN to LA...so that would be the leg where we go through customs etc??  

 

Anyhow, my thinking is maybe I would want to spend Monday night closer to the airport and not have to worry about the train/taxi to the airport early Tuesday morning?  But if that's the case, then that means we would have to check out of our hotel Monday morning, do something with our luggage while spending the day in Rome, not having somewhere to go back to if we wanted to take a nap, etc....   So I am trying to decide which is best......stay in Rome Monday night..get up early to the airport.....or spend Monday night near the airport.....

 

Any thoughts??

 

Thank you!!!!

[CruiserBruce]

Your plan sounds fine. There is a Hilton right in FCO. Your hotel will very likely hold your bags until you head to the airport.

 

There isn't European Customs, just an exit passport check, which will take place at FRA. Your US Immigration and Customs will be at the first place you touch US soil, unless by some chance your fight goes to a Canadian airport...which might allow you to go through US procedures there.

[Desert Cruizers]

I am looking into a cruise for the daughter & I for Oct 2020 and thought of spending up to 3 days in Rome before going to the ship. However I am concerned on the return, what is the earliest  recommended flight out of Rome back to the states we can do and should we stay in Rome 1 night prior to our flight to be closer to the airport. Thank you. 

 

 

[CruiserBruce]

Very commonly discussed here. Flights after 11am are recommended.  The problem frequently is flights to the US are commonly scheduled between 10 and 11:30 and then get adjusted backwards, which can put pressure on your schedule.

 

What we did was take a Rome in Limo tour ending at the FCO Hilton, for our flight the next day.

[Desert Cruizers]

Thank you, the return flights I am finding back to Calif the same day the cruise ends are not ideal. Many are to early to get off the ship and make it back to FCO and if you do find a flight the return cost jumps significantly. If I were to book right now I can go from home, PSP ( Palm Springs, Ca )via DFW to FCO, Return through DFW,/PHX or Phil to PSP or Charlotte/PHX to PSP. Not looking at cost as it is much to early and depends on route.

[douggw]

The flight back to USA is actually 2 days after the cruise ends.  No way I would book a flight before 11 same day. Been there done that and way too stressful!  :-) 

[Desert Cruizers]

if I were booking for next Oct, and nothing changes with the flights, this is how I would book from Palm Springs, Ca to Rome & back. Airlines AA & BA

Depart PSP on AA 6:30 AM arrive in DFW 11:25 ( 2 hr L/O ) 

Depart DFW 1:40 PM arrive in FCO 7 AM

 

Return Depart FCO day after cruise ends 9:15 AM arrive in DFW 2:25 PM

             Depart DFW 4:55 PM arrive in PSP 5:48 PM $ 712.46 round trip. 

[CruiserBruce]

Yep...getting to the airport for a 9:15 flight is very risky...if for no other reason that the process to check in, clear security and get to your gate is very slow. So flying out the next day is an excellent idea.

[Desert Cruizers]

I was very surprised on the ease of leaving from my small city which has an INTL airport all the way to Rome and back. Going to Barcelona a few years back I needed a connection on the East coast. I don't know if I can swing this trip with the daughter right after our March 2020 b2b with the added air cost, hotel, tours, and paying off the cruise final cc payment. May have to put this off to 2021. We have this March 2019 15 day Hawaii then the b2b. I better not over do it. 

[Voelfgar]

Our flight out of FCO is at 11:15am. We will be grabbing the leonardo express from the main Rome train station around 8am and be at the airport around 8:30am

[Voelfgar]

On 11/5/2018 at 1:45 PM, CruiserBruce said:

Yep...getting to the airport for a 9:15 flight is very risky...if for no other reason that the process to check in, clear security and get to your gate is very slow. So flying out the next day is an excellent idea.

 

There's a 5:35am Leonardo Express that gets to the airport a few minutes after 6am. there's also a 6:05am that gets to airport around 6:40am.

[Desert Cruizers]

Right now even though we are a long way out and the dates haven't open up yet for 2021, I am planning on returning to Rome post cruise and spend 1 additional night. If the cruise port was in Rome, I wouldn't look at a return flight before 11 AM or later. I don't like the idea of spending an additional hotel night. Will study all the possibilities and then decide. Last night one of the grand daughters expressed an interest in going with her Mom & I along with her now 12 yr old son. 

I thought it was odd that I can find flights and back easier then trying to get to San Juan and back. Actually getting to SJ isn't the problem it is getting home. No afternoon flights, all early AM or evening. 

 

[Desert Cruizers]

There is a later flight leaving around 1:30 with 2 stops. Toronto, LAX then PSP I might look at.