D.

Disembarking at Civitavecchia Port for Rome.

More misinformation and confusion at disembarkation, mostly by Celebrity planning and staff.

    The instructions given the day before disembarkation to passengers were:

  1. Suit cases to be outside your door by 10 pm night before disembarkation with tags numbered from 1 to about 20.

  2. All passengers disembarking to be out of their rooms by 7 am and in their allocated breakfast areas ready to leave as soon as their tag number is called to disembark, then to the customs hall to collect their bags which will be in areas corresponding to their tag number.

  3. Those who have arranged private transport will have to catch the shuttle supplied by Celebrity to take them to the Port gates, a trip of about 15 minutes, as the private transport and taxis will not be allowed to enter the port.

  4. Those who have booked tours or transport through Celebrity will be collected in the waiting area outside the customs hall.

  5. No times could be guaranteed.

    6. This was the reality on the day.

  6. We as Concierge Class passengers (see more about the classes under OTHER above) were told to go to the Select Dining on Level 5. We had always eaten breakfast at the Buffet on Level 10, so thought that we could just grab some fruit and coffee and go. However, Select Dining breakfast is like other Select Dining meals which is table service. By the time our fruit arrived, at about 7:15 our number had been called and we were told to go to level 4 to disembark. Stressed, we gobbled down the fruit and a croissant, gulped down the coffee and made a run for the exit.

  7. Loaded down with clothes for the night before and the two day trip home in our carry-on bags, we hurriedly disembarked. When we got to the customs hall (about a 8 minute walk) we easily found our numbered bags in its area. When asked about immigration or customs I was told that nothing was required.

  8. By 7:40 am after turning right out of the hall, (left was for those who who were collected by private transport, which I now believe meant friend or family, not commercial carriers.) We waited for what we thought, wrongly was the group for the shuttle, but fortunately were in the group who had booked their own or had booked through Celebrity.

    9. What we wished we had known before.

  9. There was no need to rush to collect our bags urgently. We could have had a leisurely breakfast and disembarked at 8:45 am to collect our bags and meet our taxi/limo at the booked time of 9:00 am.

  10. If we had known the procedure we could have booked the limo anytime that suited us.

  11. I had booked the Taxi/Limo to our hotel on the Internet through https://airportstaxitransfers.com/ after considerable searching, for €220.00.
    Celebrity touring had quoted me over $330.00 for the same trip.
    There were about six taxis waiting outside the customs hall nearby. One of the taxi drivers came past asking if anyone wanted a ride.
    I asked him for the cost to our hotel near the City, and he said €75.00. This price possibly because he had been waiting so long and wanted any fare, although I believe that the fixed price from the city to the port is €125.00. Uber would probably been about the same.
    Damn, and I would not have had to hang around for 1 1/2 hours.
    12. If any of my understanding is wrong please let me know.

    Disembarking one group and loading a new group on the same day in Rome put Celebrity's profits before the needs their passengers.

    Celebrity staff should better know what really happens when departing passengers disembark.

    Celebrity should allowed staggered departures to suite their guests, not their profits and management.
    Probably more convenient for passengers is only boarding new passengers the day after disembarking, allowing one day for departures and another for boarding, fixing the misrepresentation in claims of a 9 day cruise. It is 9 night but 8, maybe 8.5 day cruise. Not even sure that the last night can be counted as a proper night when you have to have your bags outside your cabin by 10 pm and be at breakfast before 7 am.
    We noticed that in the buffet and Select Dining there were far less passengers.
    There will be more suggestions on improving passenger experience to follow.

    I cannot comment on disembarkation from Ravenna, except that I read on a Facebook page there are only 16 licenced taxis in Ravenna.

Waiting for Rome Transport
Waiting for Transport to Rome outside the Terminal Building

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