Why did we dock in Marghera

[Irishcruiser46]

Just off Fantasia this morning 20th July. Will write full review over next few days, cruise great, but for some reason we docked in Marghera (on the mainland) we were then tendered in smaller boats to the cruise terminal that MSC usually use (we checked in and cruised from there last week) and our luggage was loaded on to trucks and driven to the terminal. It must have cost MSC a fortune and we nearly missed our flights home!

 

Has anyone any ideas why this occurred?

[Elmartellama]

I guess the usual Venice piers were already used by other ships. It looks like a decision from the port, not MSC. This year is the last one that MSC Fantasia class ships dock in Venice.

 

When we were in there last June it was crowded both times.

[sidari]

They have sometimes use Marghera if the main port is fog bound but other than what Ella says i personally cannot think of any other reason why the ship would dock there!

[AmoMondo]

I agree with the others, most likely reasons would be not enough room at the port or fog. Only other possibility would be demos.

 

It certainly would not be MSC's choice as it would be more difficult for them to deal with.

 

I never book a morning flight out of Venice as there are so many things that an hold you up. I fact won't book a flight before 2pm

[caitriona43]

I was also on the fantasia the reason we docked in marghera on the 20th of July there was a festival in Venice. The problem I have is we were never told. We received the daily piece of paper in the door depending on the colour tag or what floor you were on was the time you got off the ship. I'm sure the festival in Venice has been organized more than a week .we should have been informed by email before we travelled .There is one flight out of Venice on Sunday Tuesday Thursday and Saturday to Ireland unless you want to travel with Ryanair which would be more stressful than an early flight and does not fly out of Marco polo airport so we have no other choice .I was lucky I booked a transfer with msc so I was off the ship by 9 am but I was thinking to myself on the way to the airport how lucky I was that I booked the transfer .

[evitacruiser]

It is the Redentore festival I expect. A pontoon bridge is put across the canals from Guideca. it is there for 24 hours so would obviously preclude any large ship traffic on that stretch. It is the same date every year though.

 

http://www.veneziaunica.it/en/content/festa-del-redentore

[Irishcruiser46]

I agree, it should have been made more clear. The only clue was the daily planner delivered on the night before. It said we were docking at 'Venice/Marghera'. I would imagine that most of the passengers presumed that was just the name of the main venice cruise port and passed very little remark. As we had our own flights arranged, I presumed that we could just walk off with our luggage as we have done on previous cruises. To be fair MSC did get us on an early shuttle to the cruise terminal and we got a taxi to the airport. But there was a lot of confusion on board which could have resulted in us missing our flights. N.B. Bus, people mover and long walk to and from mover to terminal costs €30 for 4, taxi to airport from terminal door €45, stress free and no hogging luggage around. Also like Catriona we try to go with Aer Lingus rather than Ryanair when we can, yesterday we had pre paid for 2 bags and the lady said we could check in all our extra hand luggage in the hold for free, we got 4 front seats and no one asked to check the size or weight of the bags we did carry on. And at Dublin airport last week we were 2 kilo over weight, did they say anything...no. That's why we try to fly aer lingus!

[Beamafar]

I agree, it should have been made more clear. The only clue was the daily planner delivered on the night before. It said we were docking at 'Venice/Marghera'. I would imagine that most of the passengers presumed that was just the name of the main venice cruise port and passed very little remark. As we had our own flights arranged, I presumed that we could just walk off with our luggage as we have done on previous cruises. To be fair MSC did get us on an early shuttle to the cruise terminal and we got a taxi to the airport. But there was a lot of confusion on board which could have resulted in us missing our flights. N.B. Bus, people mover and long walk to and from mover to terminal costs €30 for 4, taxi to airport from terminal door €45, stress free and no hogging luggage around. Also like Catriona we try to go with Aer Lingus rather than Ryanair when we can, yesterday we had pre paid for 2 bags and the lady said we could check in all our extra hand luggage in the hold for free, we got 4 front seats and no one asked to check the size or weight of the bags we did carry on. And at Dublin airport last week we were 2 kilo over weight, did they say anything...no. That's why we try to fly aer lingus!

 

I've been reading your experiences with great interest as I'll be disembarking in Venice in September and, thanks to your post, I'll be extra vigilant re the daily planner's advising where the ship will dock, thanks.

 

I'm not too concerned about missing flights as I'm booked through MSC so it's their problem if I don't make the airport on time :)

 

I have to agree with you re Aer Lingus. I've never tried Ryanair but they do seem to be making an effort to up their game with the 2 hand luggage pieces allowed and also seat reserving facility. However, AL are flexible in my experience so they would be my preference.

 

From a cruise pov, I see Ryanair are now flying to Bari which would offer an alternative embarkation port to Venice for doing the East Med with MSC so I might yet be persuaded to try them.