Venice Port changed to Ravenna for 2022 sailings

[CC71]

Good morning, I just wanted to share this update as I know a number of people have cruises booked embarking/disembarking in Venice. I’ve just logged onto my cruise planner and found that Ravenna has replaced Venice for our Sailing on the Pursuit 15th and 16th of April. No communication from Azamara about this change yet but I will post an update if anything is received.

 

Claire

Edited April 1, 2022 by Host Jazzbeau
broadened title to match thread content

[combine]

Our 23 April on Quest ending with an overnight in Venice has also changed to Ravenna on cruise planner. No tour options available yet , here’s  hoping for information soon 🤞. 

[mappyuk]

We are sailing on the Pursuit from Venice and even though the itinerary on the site says Venice, in the excursion planner, you are right it says Ravenna.  This will mean we need to cancel our pre cruise arrangements and re do them.
 

Ravenna is nowhere near Venice and nearer Bologna. Is this a normal thing for cruise companies to do?

 

Michael

[Mrs Miggins]

Goodness me !  This is late news.  We are on Quest ending in Venice - at the end of April  Have just checked in for our B2B and whilst full docking locations for our first port Barcelona are given there are no details at all for our debark in Venice.  Last year Azamara used Trieste and Azamara ships were still showing in Marghera port in Venice yesterday.

Thankfully I booked flights and transfers via Azamara.  

 

[mappyuk]

5 minutes ago, combine said:

Our 23 April on Quest ending with an overnight in Venice has also changed to Ravenna on cruise planner. No tour options available yet , here’s  hoping for information soon 🤞. 

Our planner still finishes on the 23rd at Piraeus

[Mrs Miggins]

Perhaps you are not on Quest?

[combine]

4 minutes ago, mappyuk said:

Our planner still finishes on the 23rd at Piraeus

I’m on Quest 23 April - 1 May . I believe you are Pursuit. 

Edited March 30, 2022 by combine

[mappyuk]

2 minutes ago, Mrs Miggins said:

Perhaps you are not on Quest?

Oh of course. We are on Pursuit. 

[Riocca]

Looks like it might be a change on all Venice itineraries at least for a few months as our maiden cruise on Onward also now terminates in Ravenna.

Now to try to work out how to get to Venice Airport for a 12.30 flight, hopefully Azamara will provide transportation.

[combine]

1 minute ago, Riocca said:

Looks like it might be a change on all Venice itineraries at least for a few months as our maiden cruise on Onward also now terminates in Ravenna.

Now to try to work out how to get to Venice Airport for a 12.30 flight, hopefully Azamara will provide transportation.

Let the fun begin !! 

[mappyuk]

I called Azamara. The agent seems to only have the same information as us and it shows for them as still leaving Venice but they agree the diary has been updated to show leaving from Ravenna. She was pretty vague and said that she would come back to me. She made it sound like it wasn’t definite.

 

She confirmed that they are allowed to change multiple ports and even departure/arrival dates without compensation!

 

Michael

[CC71]

I was kind of expecting a change of Port for Venice because of all the issues of where to 

port after the ban by Venetian authorities on ships over a certain tonnage. We have our flights

and transfers through Azamara so we are not too concerned but feel for those who are arriving independently and now have to do a last minute rearrange of  their plans.

[Mrs Miggins]

According to Google Maps its a 2 and a half hour journey by road to the Airport - longer to Venice itself.  Feel sad for those hoping to visit Venice and not actually doing a pre - or post cruise visit.  

I am interested in seeing Ravenna having had the good fortune to stay in Venice several times.  

It looks like Azamara were hoping to dock in Marghera but havent managed to secure permission - guess we will never know.

[excitedofharpenden]

Ravenna is a nice place. It's no Venice, but it's a nice place. The mosaics there are stunning, the shopping not bad. It's not a very attractive port that you dock at and you take the shuttle into town. 

 

Phil 

[Riocca]

I looked at changing our flights to Bologna, good news was that there’s plenty of availability so in theory not a problem. However it’s still an hour away from Ravenna so still not great. Taxi from Venice to Marco Polo airport was €39, to Marco Polo from Ravenna is €256 and Ravenna to Bologna Airport €144.

I was told when I paid our balance that if the end port was changed Azamara would provide transportation, so not going to panic just wait and see what Azamara actually say.

[Riocca]

Just wondering if this is part of a bigger plan by the cruise lines to force Venice to rethink as Marella have just changed all their Venice itineraries to Trieste.

[Andromea]

https://cruisetrail.com/port-of-ravenna/

 

found this Sir with interesting Info 

[Scots Caz]

I have a package booked including flights to Venice and transfer. (June trip on Onward - B2B coming back from IST)

Currently EDI-CDG-VCE with AF and looks like there is option EDI-CDG-BLQ (or EDI-AMS-BLQ with KLM)....are Azamara likely to proactively change the flights or is this something I should query through my agent?

Not in a great rush to resolve as there will be plenty affected passengers travelling before me but wondered if anyone had experienced this previously

[HalifaxYorksCruiser]

We are booked on the 23rd April cruise with independent return flights from Marco Polo. I would really expect that Azamara will lay on complimentary buses to the airport from Ravenna. Am I cynical that the Port changes from Venice to Ravenna after final payment ? Surely Azamara should tell us before finding out by chance ?

Edited March 30, 2022 by HalifaxYorksCruiser

[Mrs Miggins]

Fortunately our return to Heathrow from Marco Polo is 17.15.  We had planned to do the transfer from the ship and visit to Padua excursion.  We await with interest what Azamara plans to do with us.  I am sure they will arrange transfers for independent travellers - hopefully at no cost.

 

 

Edited March 30, 2022 by Mrs Miggins

[LeCommandant]

Changing a departure port, especially Venice, 3 weeks before sailing is not very professional. 

[HalifaxYorksCruiser]

25 minutes ago, Mrs Miggins said:

Fortunately our return to Heathrow from Marco Polo is 17.15.  We had planned to do the transfer from the ship and visit to Padua excursion.  We await with interest what Azamara plans to do with us.  I am sure they will arrange transfers for independent travellers - hopefully at no cost.

 

 

Our return flight booked independently is at 12.20 from Marco Polo. 

[Mrs Miggins]

33 minutes ago, HalifaxYorksCruiser said:

Our return flight booked independently is at 12.20 from Marco Polo. 

 

I think based on the mileage and road travel times of 2.5 hours That would mean a fairly early departure from Ravenna around 7 possibly.  I believe there is a train option but a door to door coach, provided by Azamara, would be easier I think.  

[HalifaxYorksCruiser]

29 minutes ago, Mrs Miggins said:

 

I think based on the mileage and road travel times of 2.5 hours That would mean a fairly early departure from Ravenna around 7 possibly.  I believe there is a train option but a door to door coach, provided by Azamara, would be easier I think.  

It really is poor service to have heard nothing from Azamara. The least they can do is lay on complimentary transfers. I don’t think you can go the whole journey by train in any event as the there is no station at Marco Polo. Cannot imagine anyone wanting do do a day trip to Venice and then the following day doing more or less the same journey to the airport. 

[Riocca]

When I made the final payment I discussed this with Azamara and although they were hoping to use Marghera but it was not confirmed. I was assured that if it was Trieste or Ravenna transfers would be provided and that there would be no problem making our 12.30 flight from Marco Polo.

I have no firm knowledge but I would guess that there are problems with the proposed cruise dock in Marghera, either it’s not completed or it’s been deemed as unacceptable. We all knew there were potential problems with Venice so it’s not a surprise we’re happy to wait and see what Azamara proposes and then deal with it.