When to get on the ship?

[greathusky]

We are booked for the 6/30 cruise leaving from Civ. at 7PM. We are arriving in Rome the day before in the early Friday morning. When would be a good time to leave Rome for the ship on Saturday? I know it takes an hour to get there but not sure if the embarkation process or something else would delay us. I am trying to leave as much room for sightseeing. Would 3PM be a good time?

[corkpopr]

last time we were there, we checked out of the hotel at 11 and then spent over three hours at the Borgehese gardens and musuem. we then walked back to our hotel, retreived the luggage, cabbed it to rome termini station and took the train. cab to the ship (hotel to ship 1 hr 20 min) arriving late is great, no lines whatsoever we practically walked on and our luggage was up in less than 15 minutes

[MavisMarie]

It seems your ship is leaving at 7 p.m. and you will not be docked there overnight. I don't think I'd feel comfortable at all waiting until later in the afternoon before leaving for Civitavecchia. 3 p.m. would be my absolute cut-off point. Anything could happen to cause a big delay and you won't have much leeway. I'd check the train schedules, too.

[ab0si]

It seems your ship is leaving at 7 p.m. and you will not be docked there overnight. I don't think I'd feel comfortable at all waiting until later in the afternoon before leaving for Civitavecchia. 3 p.m. would be my absolute cut-off point. Anything could happen to cause a big delay and you won't have much leeway. I'd check the train schedules, too.

 

Sort of, but not quite in agreement. This is Italy. There are lots of strikes in Italy. A taxi or train strike could make the transfer intersting. The good news is that strikes are announced several months in advance. http://www.commissionegaranziasciopero.it/ is the offical repository of such inforamtion. If your Italian is a bit weak, check out http://www.whatsoninrome.com/more-strikes.php

 

Let's say the taxis decide to go on strike the day of your boarding. The hotel can arrange a private car transfer for you. A bit more expensive, but it does get you tothe ship!

 

Assuming no strike or huge demonstration, the trains are frequent and easy. IAgain, assuming no strike, I'd plan on being on the ship no latter than 5 p.m. Why 5? Well, if the ship is leaving at 7, they want you-board by 6. That gives you an hour for whatever-goes-wrong cushion.

 

Unless God is punishing you for soem sin or other, if you board late afternoon, it will usually be short/no lines. The exception would be a late arriving airplane full of fellow cruise passengers.

 

Paul