If anyone has taken the ferry, with a car to Sardinia I would like to hear the exact process. We're taking the ferry from Civitavecchia to Olbia with our newly leased car. The ferry leaves at 10:30 PM but we will be there much earlier. It would be nice to know if we can park the car at the ferry - or even on the ferry early - in daylight with it in line and ready to go. Looking for knowledge about the exact procedure.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16209 posts
Are you leasing the car long term or just a regular rental car. It is cheaper to return the car and rent again in Sardinia.
Generally ferry companies recommend to be there and check in at least two hours prior to the departure time. Two and a half hours earlier is appropriate. I think 90 min check in is the minimum if you have a car (check with the company). While the car is in line on the loading dock, you can’t just lock it and leave it there unattended. The loading operations start 60 to 90 min prior to departure for a large ship, but that depends on the size of the ship and the time of the year. If it’s a 600 car ferry, they’ll need well over one hour to load all vehicles.
The loading process is managed by the deck officer. While the loading takes place you must be in the vehicle ready to follow his directions and drive into the ferry to the specific spot where they tell you. Once you park inside the ferry, you will be locking the vehicle and go up to the deck. No going back to the car while sailing, so take what you need with you.
It’s not that you can show up at 4pm, Park inside the ferry 6 hours earlier then go back to town to visit and have dinner, then come back at 10:30 before leaving. The loading operations start only at such time that when it’s done it’s time to leave.
Even if the loading dock is available for you to be in line 8 hours earlier (that may not be possible if there is another ferry departin from the same dock earlier), you can’t leave your car parked in line unattended while you go for dinner in town. If you stay in line early, and maybe be the first car to be loaded, you must stay there with the car.
Posted by
OP
8 posts
Thank you for that information - that makes sense. We'll park somewhere in town and then get to the ferry 2 hours before departure. The traghetto documentation does say 1.5 hours but we'd prefer to be early and senza stress. Grazie mille.