Cruises from Genoa- getting there!

[cruiser man 60]

Looking at a cruise from Genoa as the prices from that port are c £200pp cheaper than other ports. However there are very few direct flights from U.K. To Genoa and what flights there are expensive.

anyone who has sailed from here got any advice on travel to Genoa from U.K. Would be appreciated.

[Captain-John]

It's a pain. I'm going from EDI - LGW then LGW-GOA. Only £55 each (incl. bag) for the BA flight from LGW to GOA though.

[cruiser man 60]

BA flights are available but £250 each return so a bit steep,wondering if anyone has used Milan or other airport.

[CruisingFox27]

We gave up on the idea of Milan due to our concerns of doing the journey, 3 trains IIRC and struggling with luggage too. I've read quite a lot of posts on the MSC Facebook forum from people who have done it without too much of an issue though. 

There are direct flights from Stansted to Genoa with Ryanair but only certain days of the week, especially in winter. We're went in November.  We flew Dublin to Paris and then onto Genoa with Air France. I looked at where you could fly to from Genoa and worked backwards. 

Considering the amount of cruises departing Genoa the flight situation is frustrating. 

[8420PR]

I've done Milan and then train before, which when combined with an overnight hotel stay I thought was a pleasant start to a holiday.   Milan has multiple airports, so check how easy each one is (I just use using google maps to see public transport connections).

 

Next time we will fly to Pisa, stay overnight and then take the train to Genoa.   The train journey time is slightly less.

 

The travel agent I booked with offers transfers from Milan and Nice airports for approx €50 per person, so maybe Nice is an option as well.

[Preziosa]

Ryan air is flying from Stansted to Genoa

[glittergal1]

We booked cheap flights with BA Gatwick to Genoa £60ish with 23kg luggage, for our November cruise (always book as soon as become available ) many flights however do not coincide with the cruise we are arriving a day early and have booked a good value B&B near the cruise port , still cheaper than travel by train from Milan or Nice that some others do and far less stressful . I have also in the past booked a fly cruise with MSC we flew into Nice and had a bus transfer to Genoa

Edited March 30, 2019 by glittergal1
added to

[Beamafar]

15 hours ago, Captain-John said:

It's a pain. I'm going from EDI - LGW then LGW-GOA. Only £55 each (incl. bag) for the BA flight from LGW to GOA though.

 

There's a reason why MSC rarely (if ever) offer transfers from Milan for passengers to embark in Genoa for West Med cruises.  They would prefer English (and Irish) passengers to embark in Barcelona with the Spanish and German and Italians to embark in Genoa to spread the numbers across the ports of call, hence cruise prices from Barcelona are often cheaper.  In fact, when we were booking our upcoming Seaview cruise and wanted to embark in Civitavecchia ( we're meeting up with friends in Rome beforehand), we had to use a German online TA as MSC wasn't even quoting us for embarking there - only Barcelona was offered.  When they eventually did offer it, it was dearer than a cruise from Barcelona (and a lot dearer than what the German TA offered!)

 

This is a general comment and not meant to be specific to your cruise, Cap'n.

[Captain-John]

3 hours ago, glittergal1 said:

We booked cheap flights with BA Gatwick to Genoa £60ish with 23kg luggage, for our November cruise (always book as soon as become available ) many flights however do not coincide with the cruise we are arriving a day early and have booked a good value B&B near the cruise port , still cheaper than travel by train from Milan or Nice that some others do and far less stressful . I have also in the past booked a fly cruise with MSC we flew into Nice and had a bus transfer to Genoa

 

Exactly this - I booked our flights for October '19 in October '18 - although, I don't usually book so far in advance and it was all just a combination of the right circumstances that made it happen. Having spent some time on numerous cruises in Genoa before, we decided to fly to Gatwick the day before, stay down there (travel into London for the day) and then get the morning flight to Genoa to join the cruise.

 

1 hour ago, Beamafar said:

 

There's a reason why MSC rarely (if ever) offer transfers from Milan for passengers to embark in Genoa for West Med cruises.  They would prefer English (and Irish) passengers to embark in Barcelona with the Spanish and German and Italians to embark in Genoa to spread the numbers across the ports of call, hence cruise prices from Barcelona are often cheaper.  In fact, when we were booking our upcoming Seaview cruise and wanted to embark in Civitavecchia ( we're meeting up with friends in Rome beforehand), we had to use a German online TA as MSC wasn't even quoting us for embarking there - only Barcelona was offered.  When they eventually did offer it, it was dearer than a cruise from Barcelona (and a lot dearer than what the German TA offered!)

 

This is a general comment and not meant to be specific to your cruise, Cap'n.

 

That's interesting, Bea. As a rule, I never book 'packages' through cruise lines - always finding flights and transfers independently so wouldn't know the situation around transfers MSC put on (or don't put on, as the case may be!).

 

However, I would never readily choose Genoa as a departure port - Barcelona is just so much more convenient (multiple direct flights per day). Except if there was a significant pricing differential in favour of Genoa (as in this case). It's not a closed loop I'm doing - it starts in Genoa and we get off in Barcelona (much better as wouldn't fancy the stopover on the way back). MSC's price was only about £100 p.p more than what I paid through the big-box agency I use - both the UK versions of their respective sites.

 

It is irritating Genoa is so hard to get to - more choice is always welcomed. I think you're right though - my specific cruise and flight combination has bourne out good luck and everything lining up correctly at the time I booked. More generally, Barcelona would always be first choice (both mine, and MSC's it would seem!).

[Irish4Now]

Agree it’s challenging to get to Genoa. (We’re coming from Dublin.) Finally gave up on the idea and we’re boarding in Marseille instead. Would have loved to see Genoa but not worth the hassle. Also, I divided it out per night and adding the night in Genoa was extra €150 (above average nightly rate) for us. 

[BubMunkeyBles]

When is your cruise? I found cheap airfare on British Air from London. Definitely worked out cheaper than having to fly elsewhere and grab the train or anything. 

[Beamafar]

17 minutes ago, Irish4Now said:

Agree it’s challenging to get to Genoa. (We’re coming from Dublin.) Finally gave up on the idea and we’re boarding in Marseille instead. Would have loved to see Genoa but not worth the hassle. Also, I divided it out per night and adding the night in Genoa was extra €150 (above average nightly rate) for us. 

 

A TA we did on Preziosa ended in Genoa.  We had to transfer through Paris with over 7 hours of a layover - never again!  😱  Don't know why Ryanair hasn't picked up on the fact that Aer Lingus doesn't fly direct and offer it.

[CruisingFox27]

18 minutes ago, Irish4Now said:

Agree it’s challenging to get to Genoa. (We’re coming from Dublin.) Finally gave up on the idea and we’re boarding in Marseille instead. Would have loved to see Genoa but not worth the hassle. Also, I divided it out per night and adding the night in Genoa was extra €150 (above average nightly rate) for us. 

There are flights from Dublin with Air France, that was our route last year. 

[Beamafar]

1 minute ago, CruisingFox27 said:

There are flights from Dublin with Air France, that was our route last year. 

 

I was typing when you posted, CF.  I think you may have mentioned that on here before - if you have, sorry for not remembering.  It obviously wasn't available at the time we needed it LOL.

[CruisingFox27]

Unfortunately, the airlines don't always operate flights on days which suit! On our previous Genoa sailing we went Dublin-Stansted-Genoa, the flight was on the wrong day this time. They really need to check our holiday schedules more closely 😁

Edited March 31, 2019 by CruisingFox27

[cruiser man 60]

We have to fly into U.K. From one of crown dependencies so adds extra complexity to flights to Europe or further afield! Probably try Marseille as seems more flights to there from U.K.

[CruisingFox27]

Another option would be Manchester to Genoa. I'd forgotten about that one, as it didn't suit our departure date. A lot of the UK flights depend on the time of year, if you are sailing in the summer, the options are greater.

[EllaDuChien]

I'm in the US, so not exactly up on UK air travel, but we are flying into Nice then taking the train to Genoa.  Again, not sure about UK travel, but might be an alternate to Milan.  Our train leaves Nice at 8am and gets to Genoa at 11am so plenty of time, providing you can be at the Nice train station by 8am.  We are staying in Nice a few days before, so that part is not an issue for us.

[newistcruiseaddict]

Also from US with a similar plan Rachel. We are flying from Orlando to London ($200!) and staying 6 nights then flying to Rome via British Airways. We will be in Rome for 4 days before taking the train to Genoa for a 3 night precruise stay. Our cruise stops in Rome but we knew we would never see what we wanted in one day so we just worked it into the iten.

[thetaro]

I am flying to Milan a few days before the cruise. Taking a train to Florence - Pisa - Genoa - Milan.

 

You can take a train from Milan to Genoa directly. It's pretty cheap.

Edited April 1, 2019 by thetaro

[panamapd]

Hi -  So frustrating!!  I hate flying into Rome for Civitavechhia and also Genoa as the flight times are never suitable or the cost prohibitive.  By chance, a couple of years ago, we wanted to do the Norwegian Epic for 4 nights but it was sailing from Civi.  I then thought wouldn't it be great if I could do a 3 or 4 nighter on MSC or Costa from Barcelona, that disembarked in Civi.  Lo and behold, I managed to do it and the cost was not prohibitive.  Added to that we got to do 2 cruises and a couple of more ports! How about flight to Barcelona then do a one, or 2 night sailing that disembarks you into Genoa?  I don't know when you are planning to sail.

 

For our upcoming Meraviglia cruise next week (which we have sailed on before) we are sailing from Barcelona to Genoa.  We will be in Genoa for 3 nights.  As we have been to Genoa before, we do some sightseeing around the region and hopefully make it into Milan for a daytrip.  We are then re-embarking the Meraviglia for 2 nights back to Barcelona, the flying back to the UK.

 

Further ahead - we are sailing from Barcelona in October on the Costa Fortuna for 7 nights, but we are deviating/disembarking 1 day early in  Marseille to embark the new Costa Smeralda for 4 nights for the christening and celebrations!  After that cruise we disembark in Marseilles and fly back to the UK.  We have manged to book the Fortuna for 798 euros for a basic inside (2 adults and 1 child). but it includes the service charge.  (On UK website it is £982 service charge not included).  For the Costa Smeralda, we are paying 757 euros, a lot, but it is an one off event!  

 

Could a pre-mini cruise be an option?!!

 

ps - Hi Beamafar!

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

[Beamafar]

26 minutes ago, panamapd said:

ps - Hi Beamafar!

 

Hi P!  😘

 

You sure have a great way of getting to hard-to-access ports!  👍

 

Hope you have a wonderful time on Meraviglia next week.  We're back on her, too, later this year.  😜

[Norwich Cruiser]

British Airways have excellent flight times from Gatwick to Genoa and also for the return  journey and if booked early enough pretty decent prices.

[ziggyuk]

You can also fly Easyjet Luton to Genoa.