New to Marella

[joeecco]

Hi All, 

We have just booked our first Marella cruise on Explorer May 6th for 7 nights in the Adriatic. We have sailed with other cruise lines before but have a few quesitions that you may be able to help us with.

 

1) We fly to Corfu - will our bags go from the plane to the ship automatically or do we collect them?

2) When we embark in Corfu, will we then be able to go ashore and explore before sailaway?  (we land at 11am and the ship doesn't sail until 11pm)

3) Ive seen lots about the Dress to impress nights not being too formal - I always wear a tux for formal nights on P&O etc but do not want to be in the minority so what are peoples thoughts? (It'll help with the weight limit if I dont take it, Ha!)

4) We will be visiting Venice (I presume Marella still sail through the Canal?) and would like to be up on deck for the sail in - can anyone whos been suggest how early we should go up? We dock at 8am.

5) We visit Koper, Venice, Dubrovnik, Split and Kotor if anyone has any 'must-sees' as we start thinking about what to do in port. We have late night stays in Koper and Dubrovnik. 

6) How long is the transfer from the airport to the ship and how simple is the process with TUI? 

 

Any other tips, advice and ideas would be appreciated. Thanks to anyone that can help!

[Pensioncruiser]

2 hours ago, joeecco said:

Hi All, 

We have just booked our first Marella cruise on Explorer May 6th for 7 nights in the Adriatic. We have sailed with other cruise lines before but have a few quesitions that you may be able to help us with.

 

1) We fly to Corfu - will our bags go from the plane to the ship automatically or do we collect them?

2) When we embark in Corfu, will we then be able to go ashore and explore before sailaway?  (we land at 11am and the ship doesn't sail until 11pm)

3) Ive seen lots about the Dress to impress nights not being too formal - I always wear a tux for formal nights on P&O etc but do not want to be in the minority so what are peoples thoughts? (It'll help with the weight limit if I dont take it, Ha!)

4) We will be visiting Venice (I presume Marella still sail through the Canal?) and would like to be up on deck for the sail in - can anyone whos been suggest how early we should go up? We dock at 8am.

5) We visit Koper, Venice, Dubrovnik, Split and Kotor if anyone has any 'must-sees' as we start thinking about what to do in port. We have late night stays in Koper and Dubrovnik. 

6) How long is the transfer from the airport to the ship and how simple is the process with TUI? 

 

Any other tips, advice and ideas would be appreciated. Thanks to anyone that can help!

Hi joeecco and welcome. 

You will have to collect your luggage and take it to the coach, transfer is about thirty mins, I think, booking in at the port is easy and straight forward, photos and cc registration. 

We are always up early for the cruise in at Venice about 06:00🙄 but its worth it. We just transfer in and do our own thing, for a nice coffee go over the Rialto bridge turn left and it's the first café you arrive at. 

Dress to impress everyone has different ideas I always take my tux because I feel comfortable in it, I always say the split is 50/50 but other's may have different ideas🤔. The other ports are easy and nice to do on your own. 

You can walk off the ship once you has registered just be back for your safety drill. 

Hope you have a great cruise 😎 

If I think of anything else I will post. 

[nancyneptune]

Hi Joeecco, Welcome. Great choice of itinerary.  All lovely ports and easy to do on your own.  Not sure if  some ports will be ship tours only. A lot can change before you go. I suggest you have a look at " What's in Port "  Lots of great info. 

 

I would go with the tux. It just makes the evening a bit more special.  Like Pensioncruiser said it's about 50/50 in tux. Some dress smart casual but unfortunately some people's idea of smart casual can vary quite a lot.

 Enjoy !

 

 

[ferretktf]

1) We fly to Corfu - will our bags go from the plane to the ship automatically or do we collect them?

You collect and take to your coach transfer - you then don't see them again until they turn up outside your cabin door several hours later
 

2) When we embark in Corfu, will we then be able to go ashore and explore before sailaway?  (we land at 11am and the ship doesn't sail until 11pm)
Yes - lots of people do this. Just ensure that you are back on by the latest embarkation time (often significantly earlier than sailaway time - it will be clearly displayed as you exit the ship after boarding and completing muster - do it in the App and you have complete control over "when" - alternative is to attend a mass session in the Theatre where the video is on a loop - after doing the video you then have to go to your muster station to have your pass scanned.
 

3) Ive seen lots about the Dress to impress nights not being too formal - I always wear a tux for formal nights on P&O etc but do not want to be in the minority so what are peoples thoughts? (It'll help with the weight limit if I dont take it, Ha!)
Not really formal at all. On the two Marella cruises I have been on in the last three months, i would say around 10% of men wore tuxedos, 50% wore smart - either lounge suit with tie or blazer with tie, 25% wore smart shirt and trousers, sometimes with jacket, but no tie, and around 25% didn't bother and continued with Jeans/T-shirts.  Unlike other operators, none were denied entry to the MDR.
 

4) We will be visiting Venice (I presume Marella still sail through the Canal?) and would like to be up on deck for the sail in - can anyone whos been suggest how early we should go up? We dock at 8am.
Sorry - can't help, other than noting Cruise access to Venice Canal is highly restricted at present so it is possible you will dock just outside- however Marella are smaller ships so they may be ok
 

5) We visit Koper, Venice, Dubrovnik, Split and Kotor if anyone has any 'must-sees' as we start thinking about what to do in port. We have late night stays in Koper and Dubrovnik. 
Can only really help with Split but the main touristy areas there are close to the port - certainly DIY walkable with a map / google.
 

6) How long is the transfer from the airport to the ship and how simple is the process with TUI? 
In Corfu it was 20 mins for us in November

Edited March 2, 2022 by ferretktf

[idh2019]

This cruise was our first ever back in 2018. Had been very reluctant but was persuaded during a conversation with a cruiser while waiting for a flight at Alicante airport. My wife despaired that her previous failed efforts to persuade me were so easily overcome by someone I had met by chance.

 

Assuming the cruise schedule is similar to the one we went on, I have added some comments and also some photos to give a clue as to where the ship was docked. Photos are in the order of  Kotor, Dubrovnik, Split, Koper, Venice, Corfu.

 

Corfu: there is a bus into Corfu just outside the port gates. Bus back from same square where you get off. Plenty of time to wander around.

 

Venice: if you do go into the canal, agree that early getting up is very worthwhile. The ship does various zigzags approaching the canal so Venice gets closer and closer. It was still dark (October) as we approached so you may have a lot more light. Wonderful views since you are so high up and looking down on the city. Ship arrived early enough that a brisk walk to St Mark's Square found it almost empty! Also be on deck as you leave Venice . However Venice may have stopped all cruise liners into the port and if so you will be parked outside Venice.😬

 

Dubrovnik: anchorage was outside Dubrovnik so transfer to shore by tender. Hence you will need to catch a bus to the town - a bit too far to walk.  Obvious thing to do is walk around the walls (climb up steps just inside entrance was hell!) and then come down to explore the streets. There is/was a Dubrovnik card for buses/entrance but does involve finding the location not to far form the bust stop to collect it.

 

Split: easy walk into town and then explore Diocletian's Palace. "Crown of Thrones" (?) was a thing back then but even unaware of all that, it was still very good.

 

Kotor: Another one to get up early for as the ship travels down a fjord to the town. Ship parks in the car park (see picture)  so you can easily explore the walled town.

 

Koper: We arrived on a Sunday so everything was closed. Ship anchors close to town. I was crazy enough to figure out the Aviva bus route and timetable to the nearby town of Piran (50 minute bus ride - decided that if all else failed I would get a taxi back but it all went ok). We even had another couple who asked if they could come with us. They also made their own way back safely, We did walk back through the main square in Koper,. Not many people around.

 

Edited March 2, 2022 by idh2019

[joeecco]

Wow, lots of fantastic advice. Thank you all very much! 

[joeecco]

One more question - how many dress to impress nights are there on a 7 night cruise? 
 

[Pensioncruiser]

1 hour ago, joeecco said:

One more question - how many dress to impress nights are there on a 7 night cruise? 
 

Just the one🙄

[Riocca]

Regarding Venice, use of the Giudecca Canal has been restricted to ships with a Gross Tonnage below 25,000 Tonnes, Explorer is 3 times that so sadly there will be no sail in to Venice.

There has been a cruise ship dock set up in the industrial dock at Marghera on the mainland. It’s unclear what will happen but I’ve seen reports that passengers are being bussed across the causeway to Marittima, the old Venice Cruise Terminal.

Some cruise lines have changed to Ravenna or Trieste instead of Venice but it’s then a 2 hour transfer to Venice currently Cruisemapper shows Explorer docking in Marghera.

 

[joeecco]

That would still mean passing Venice wouldn’t it? Albeit from a distance - so is it no longer an impressive sail in? Thanks

[Riocca]

21 minutes ago, joeecco said:

That would still mean passing Venice wouldn’t it? Albeit from a distance - so is it no longer an impressive sail in? Thanks

Unfortunately not, the ship still enters the Lagoon but Venice will be a bit away on the starboard side.

We’ve never sailed in that way but having stayed on the mainland not far away from Marghera it’s quite a distant view.

[joeecco]

Sorry to be a pain but we’ve never been before so unsure of the canal names etc. do you happen to know whether the ship will follow the red line or the yellow line? Or would the path be something totally different 👍 

[Riocca]

1 hour ago, joeecco said:

Sorry to be a pain but we’ve never been before so unsure of the canal names etc. do you happen to know whether the ship will follow the red line or the yellow line? Or would the path be something totally different 👍 

Only a few ships were using Marghera last year and from the reports of others I believe it was the yellow route. Once the 2022 season gets into full swing I suppose we will find out more, we’re on a cruise that finishes in Venice mid May as yet the cruise line can’t confirm exactly what is happening as their first call into Venice is due at the end of April. 
Hopefully it all works out but it’s a bit of an unknown at the moment.

[joeecco]

Thank you very much for your help! 

[Riocca]

42 minutes ago, joeecco said:

Thank you very much for your help! 

As others have said it’s a great itinerary I appreciate Venice is iconic and a must see but we prefer some of the other ports. If you tender into Dubrovnik it’s the best way as you get right into the old town, if you dock it’s a bus ride in and the traffic can be horrendous.

Get up early for the sail into Kotor it’s stunning, Kotor itself is lovely and if you’re feeling energetic walk up to StJohn’s Fortress you have to pay a small fee but the view is stunning.

 

[joeecco]

36 minutes ago, Riocca said:

As others have said it’s a great itinerary I appreciate Venice is iconic and a must see but we prefer some of the other ports. If you tender into Dubrovnik it’s the best way as you get right into the old town, if you dock it’s a bus ride in and the traffic can be horrendous.

Get up early for the sail into Kotor it’s stunning, Kotor itself is lovely and if you’re feeling energetic walk up to StJohn’s Fortress you have to pay a small fee but the view is stunning.

 

Wow yes certainly looks worth the walk, yes we are really looking forward to Kotors sail in! Thanks for the tips 🙂 

[Manchester is blue]

I entirely agree about the walk up the hill in Kotor. Providing you have a reasonable level of fitness, the views are utterly spectacular. Kotor is indeed such a beautiful place !

[Manchester is blue]

[oscarshep]

Just so you know, the `walk` is actually 1400 steps if I remember.  It` not a meandering path going uphill to the top. Breathtaking views and a sense of achievement at the top right enough. Going back this year so I can see how my fitness compares with last time 7 years ago lol. My wife did the climb in flip flops. On the way up we passed the cruise director coming back down and when he saw her footwear he was lost for words.

Enjoy your cruise.

[Sheila49]

Just so you know things can vary slightly we have never tendered in Dubrovnik but we did in Kotor. Hope you have a fantastic cruise.

[bishop84]

On 3/5/2022 at 6:16 PM, joeecco said:

Sorry to be a pain but we’ve never been before so unsure of the canal names etc. do you happen to know whether the ship will follow the red line or the yellow line? Or would the path be something totally different 👍 

It would be similar to the yellow route which is the route for commercial ships to Porto Marghera. The red route would not possible due to lack of depth of water in that part of the lagoon. If your call is diverted to the new cruise terminal I understand that it is at the Ferry port in Fusina. Google maps: Fusina - Google Maps

Edited March 7, 2022 by bishop84

[idh2019]

My second photo in post #5 shows us anchored off the main port at Dubrovnik in 2018.

 

Location is shown as red square on map below. Old town is circled bottom right. So we were tendered and then had a bus ride! 

 

 

 

The view from on high in post #15 shows the location of a docked ship at Kotor. Puts my first photo in post #5 into context. We must have been lucky - the other ships in Kotor that day tendered.