Timing from Genoa airport to boarding Oceana

[AndreaC]

Hi

Apologies if these are questions that have been asked before though I can't find them specifically on a search.

We fly into Genoa for our first 2 week cruise on Oceana in June(Can't wait!) and I am wondering how long it takes the coach to get from the airport to the ship?

Do we collect luggage in usual way as you would on a hotel holiday and is it then taken to your cabin?

What is the embarkation procedure in the port?

 

Thanks in advance to you helpful folk!

[sueandphil]

Hi

Apologies if these are questions that have been asked before though I can't find them specifically on a search.

We fly into Genoa for our first 2 week cruise on Oceana in June(Can't wait!) and I am wondering how long it takes the coach to get from the airport to the ship?

Do we collect luggage in usual way as you would on a hotel holiday and is it then taken to your cabin?

What is the embarkation procedure in the port?

 

Thanks in advance to you helpful folk!

 

The journey to the port from the airport takes no time at all, I think 20 mins max by memory. We had a BA scheduled flight when we did it last year and we had to collect our cases which were then placed on a separate van and taken to the ship for us and delivered to our cabin in the usual way. I believe if you are on a chartered flight that the cases are transported straight to the ship as they do for the Caribbean fly cruises so you don't see them again after checking in at the airport until they arrive outside your cabin door

Enjoy your cruise it is a lovely itinerary:)

[bracldanm]

Hi

Apologies if these are questions that have been asked before though I can't find them specifically on a search.

We fly into Genoa for our first 2 week cruise on Oceana in June(Can't wait!) and I am wondering how long it takes the coach to get from the airport to the ship?

Do we collect luggage in usual way as you would on a hotel holiday and is it then taken to your cabin?

What is the embarkation procedure in the port?

 

Thanks in advance to you helpful folk!

 

Hi Andrea. Thanks for asking that question, it was one that I was pondering over too. We are on Oceana from Genoa in June too and like you I have been unable to find answers elsewhere. What date in June are you cruising? We are boarding 10th June flying into Genoa from Gatwick although sadly due to other commitments we are only able to do the first leg of the cruise and will be leaving the ship in Venice.

Have a wonderful time. Regards Debra

[dallas16]

Genoa airport is only about 6km from the port of Genoa. I have only cruised with other cruise lines from genoa and embarkation is quite easy, drop off luggage, check in, through security and then on to the ship.

[Lottie A]

The journey from Oceana to Genoa airport only took 15 mins on Wednesday.

 

The airport is very small with limited facilities so for our debark the check in was done on the pier and then we went back on Oceana and spent the rest of the morning onboard. Our flight was mid afternoon and we left Oceana at 1:30 pm. You can use your cruise card in the morning for coffee, drinks etc and you will get a separate bill. We had lunch in the MDR before we left. Be warned though ....the queue for check in at The Pier was hideous...it took about two hours for everyone and this was for only half the ship, as many were staying on and doing 17 or 24 days. There were only two checkout desks open. Our luggage was taken to the airport from the Pier. The cruise was great but the arrangements for the debark were chaotic. Feedback was given to Senior Staff and they said they would change the arrangements so I hope the next guests have a better experience.

 

We really enjoyed the cruise though. The guitarist Pete Brew was great.

[FAB1]

The journey from Oceana to Genoa airport only took 15 mins on Wednesday.

 

The airport is very small with limited facilities so for our debark the check in was done on the pier and then we went back on Oceana and spent the rest of the morning onboard. Our flight was mid afternoon and we left Oceana at 1:30 pm. You can use your cruise card in the morning for coffee, drinks etc and you will get a separate bill. We had lunch in the MDR before we left. Be warned though ....the queue for check in at The Pier was hideous...it took about two hours for everyone and this was for only half the ship, as many were staying on and doing 17 or 24 days. There were only two checkout desks open. Our luggage was taken to the airport from the Pier. The cruise was great but the arrangements for the debark were chaotic. Feedback was given to Senior Staff and they said they would change the arrangements so I hope the next guests have a better experience.

 

We really enjoyed the cruise though. The guitarist Pete Brew was great.

 

Hello Lottie A

 

May I ask if they always do check in at the pier ? We have a flight back from Genoa at 10.30am so wondering what time they would start check in for an early flight. Also how soon before your flight did you leave for the airport ?

 

Thanks in advance.

[themanwithahat]

Yep, about 20 minutes or so. Led off the plane onto a bus, no baggage collection or anything. A gentle wander through the (not particularly attractive) backstreets of Genoa on a coach.

[Lottie A]

Hello Lottie A

 

May I ask if they always do check in at the pier ? We have a flight back from Genoa at 10.30am so wondering what time they would start check in for an early flight. Also how soon before your flight did you leave for the airport ?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Hi Fab1,

As far as I know they are planning to do all debarks with check in ar the pier. We had a discussion with the Activities Manager about it and he apologised for the queuing chaos and said they hoped to improve on it as the weeks went by and lessons were learnt. Passengers with morning charter flights were given earlier times than us but our BA Gatwick flight times were check in between 9am-11am on the pier and collection from the ship to go to the airport at 1:30 pm. Our flight was at 3:25 pm. If your flight is 10:30 am then I expect they will be collecting you about 9am ish.....it really is a matter of 15 minutes max to the airport from the cruise terminal. Hopefully they will have got there act together by your debark!

Hope you have a great cruise....we did! 😄

[FAB1]

Hi Fab1,

As far as I know they are planning to do all debarks with check in ar the pier. We had a discussion with the Activities Manager about it and he apologised for the queuing chaos and said they hoped to improve on it as the weeks went by and lessons were learnt. Passengers with morning charter flights were given earlier times than us but our BA Gatwick flight times were check in between 9am-11am on the pier and collection from the ship to go to the airport at 1:30 pm. Our flight was at 3:25 pm. If your flight is 10:30 am then I expect they will be collecting you about 9am ish.....it really is a matter of 15 minutes max to the airport from the cruise terminal. Hopefully they will have got there act together by your debark!

Hope you have a great cruise....we did! 😄

 

Thanks very much for the info Lottie. Was just wondering how we were going to fit in breakfast and check in early in the morning. Looks like we might have to be up pretty early :(

[FAB1]

Lottie, forgot to add glad you enjoyed your cruise. We have not been on Oceana before nor been round the Med. Really looking forward to it.

 

Thanks again.

[Lottie A]

Lottie, forgot to add glad you enjoyed your cruise. We have not been on Oceana before nor been round the Med. Really looking forward to it.

 

Thanks again.

 

You will have a great time. I thought Oceana was a lovely ship .....although our free upgrade from a Balcony to a Suite could have something to do with that!😄

 

Try to go for breakfast or lunch to Cafe Jardin....it's really calm and the service and food is very good and we found it a pleasant change from the MDR. Dinner has a small surcharge of £5.65 ish pp.....well worth it in my opinion....but breakfast and lunch is free. The food is very good and freshly cooked and the trio of desserts at dinner is to die for!

[Stephanotis.uk]

I am not sure that transfers are included in my package, does anyone know roughly how many Euros a taxi would cost?

[Lottie A]

I'm not sure of the precise cost but as the airport is so close to the port I don't think it would be much more than €15. However, I didn't see any taxi's near the ship and from previous experience in Genoa it was difficult to hail one on the main road, particularly if you have to walk there with your cases.

 

Why not buy a transfer with P&O? You can do this onboard.

[FAB1]

You will have a great time. I thought Oceana was a lovely ship .....although our free upgrade from a Balcony to a Suite could have something to do with that!😄

 

Try to go for breakfast or lunch to Cafe Jardin....it's really calm and the service and food is very good and we found it a pleasant change from the MDR. Dinner has a small surcharge of £5.65 ish pp.....well worth it in my opinion....but breakfast and lunch is free. The food is very good and freshly cooked and the trio of desserts at dinner is to die for!

 

Thank you Lottie. What a wonderful upgrade ! We were hoping for one but sadly it doesnt look like we will now as balconys are showing as sold out. Thank you for the tip about Cafe Jardin, we will definitely use for breakfast as our cabin is only a few short strides away on same deck :D

[CRUISIN LINDA]

We were on the repo cruise from Southampton to Genoa, so can't help with getting on the ship, but the return journey was chaotic. As others have said, it is not far from the ship to the airport, but it is very small and we had to sit outside in the coach for about half an hour before we could go in and then queue for ages to get through security. By the time we got through, the board was telling us that our plane was boarding, so another queue, only to be told there was a problem with our plane (a bird had flown into the engine on the way out) so we had to go back to the lounge while they checked the engine. We finally left an hour late. Luckily it is a short flight and we were back to Gatwick in under two hours.

 

The cases are bonded and leave your cabin the night before and are next seen at Gatwick.

 

Our flight was scheduled for 10.40 am. We met in the dining room at 8am and left about a quarter of an hour later, so we had to be up at 6am :eek: I guess they have to leave early due to the shambolic airport. I am surprised that P&O chose Genoa as a home port. I don't know what it was like last year with a bigger ship!

[Lottie A]

Hi Linda,

 

We were on the afternoon BA Gatwick flight on the repo cruise and luckily ours was on time.

I wouldn't like to spend much time in Genoa airport with its limited facilities and our queue for security clearance was very long too. It's clear that Genoa airport is not set up for large volumes of passengers at one time.

 

However just one thing that was different to your experience. Our cases were collected from outside our cabin the night before as usual, but we then had to identify them at the pier and take them with us in that very long queue to the checkout. We had to stand for 2 hours in that queue.....absolute chaos! The cases were then banded and put in a lorry and taken to the airport. We then collected them from the carousel at Gatwick.....must admit we were happy to see them!

[CRUISIN LINDA]

 

However just one thing that was different to your experience. Our cases were collected from outside our cabin the night before as usual, but we then had to identify them at the pier and take them with us in that very long queue to the checkout. We had to stand for 2 hours in that queue.....absolute chaos! The cases were then banded and put in a lorry and taken to the airport. We then collected them from the carousel at Gatwick.....must admit we were happy to see them!

Sounds awful Lottie :eek: I think that is because you were on a BA (scheduled)flight and ours was a Thomson (chartered)flight and the cases were bonded as on Caribbean flights. We had to fill in a form two days into the cruise about how many bags we were checking in.

 

I think they need to enlarge the airport! I noticed some building work going on as we were taxiing for take off, but not sure if that was anything to do with the airport or not.