Departing on cruise from port Civitavecchia in Rome

Yes Steve... Holland America is correct. Some vendors have permission to enter and others do not (I would imagine there are some "fees" involved for the car service). I would check with your vendor to see if they can perform this function. Otherwise, you'll have to get out of the car at the port gates and get on a Holland America Shuttle to get to your ship. We've done it both ways and also DROVE our motorino up into a couple of ferries. Good Luck!

We have taken four cruises out of Civit- 3 on Holland Am. It is really not a problem. They drop you at the gate, walk about 30 feet through the gate to a pick up point that is well marked. There probably will be more than one shuttle because often there are more than one ship in port. We always use the train but car and driver would be more convenient. If you luggage has been properly tagged it will go under the bus and you will not see it again until it shows up in your room. Check in is very easy and convenient as compared to some other ports that we have used.

Thank you to Ron and Frank as I did not know if I would be driving up to a port with mass chaos as is the case with most major airports, thanks for easing my anxiety, Steve

Don't mean to imply that there is no chaos. It will be crowded and it may be somewhat related to time of day. We tend to board during the last hour to hour and half of the boarding time and find most of the crowd is gone so I don't know what it would be like if you arrived earlier. The is a steady flow from the train (about a quarter mile away) and taxis so it is crowded. The real chaos will be when or if you return to Civit... and impossible if more than one ship is in port.

Frank we think alike re boarding ships or planes. Holland America told me they prefer we get there before 5pm for a 7pm departure because the port will close at 5pm even though we could still board by 530pm by going to gangplank and checking in on the ship, sounds like a scare tactic for their convenience not ours, your thoughts and I won't hold your responsible if they leave without us! Steve

It would depend on what they say is boarding time and not sailing time. If boarding is 12 to 5, then I would board around 4. On our last cruise we come close to missing the cruise. It was Holland Am out of Rotterdam and we thought boarding was till 5 and we showed up at exactly 4 and were the last to check in. The check in area was nearly completely broken down, and the staff actually walked on behind us and pulled in the gang plank. We had the evacuation drill at 4:30, and by 5:10 we had pulled away from the dock. We only have carry on luggage so we all made it but it was a little closer than we planned. Will check boarding times more carefully next time.

Thanks again Frank, good stuff, it always helps to know which questions to ask, which I will do today Steve