Venice Port changed to Ravenna for 2022 sailings

[HalifaxYorksCruiser]

8 minutes ago, Riocca said:

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.

It’s comforting that you have been told that transfers are to be included. It would be nice if Azamara were to tell us. Not looking forward to a 2.5 hour coach journey though. 

[Riocca]

1 minute ago, HalifaxYorksCruiser said:

It’s comforting that you have been told that transfers are to be included. It would be nice if Azamara were to tell us. Not looking forward to a 2.5 hour coach journey though. 

We’re considering swapping to Bologna flights as it’s only an hour away but the flight is at 11.40 and I want to know what the transfer arrangements are first.

Fortunately we’ve been to Venice many times but feel sorry for those who haven’t.  

[laurieb]

When Venice was changed to Trieste for our cruise in October, Azamara provided complimentary transfers from Marco Polo to anyone who requested them.  Our change was made after final too as they were trying to secure docking closer in for as long as they could.  

[mappyuk]

Main itinerary has just updated to show Bologna (Ravenna) as the departure port for the 7-Night Dalmatian Springtime Voyage on April 16th. Have just cancelled Venice hotel. Any advice on where to stay in Ravenna?

[Juno1956]

I have just seen this on our account, one cruise booked in April where we included Azamaras flights and transfers, the other in June where we did our own flight and transfers. We thought a taxi from Venice to the airport would be about 35 euros. Now we’re looking at a couple of hundred euros!

Rang the travel agent who said he would contact Azamara but they could play hardball and state it was our choice to not include transfers,therefore it was our problem!

I will post here if I get any luck!

[tert333]

In the Azamara Roll Calls, one contributor said that were talking to CS and was told a letter is coming out tonight.  Will see what it says....

[150edmiston]

8 minutes ago, tert333 said:

In the Azamara Roll Calls, one contributor said that were talking to CS and was told a letter is coming out tonight.  Will see what it says....

Spoke to them today as I have convinced my son to go on his honeymoon in July!!  The CS person I spoke to said there would be comms issued this afternoon which I guess is in US time so will be tonight for us here in the UK.

[curmudgeon98]

Definitely a surprise.  I see my May 21 Onward itinerary shows the change to start in Ravenna as well.  Presumably they will send actual notifications with additional details on transfers soon.  It's too bad they didn't get their act together on making this change earlier, as it definitely throws a wrench into people's plans.  I was aware of the potential for this, and so had held off on booking flights and hotel for pre-stay until last week...

 

I know there is no magic switch to flip to make changes of this magnitude to the itinerary and notifications to passengers all in one simple process.  I'm sure it will take some time to work out the details.  

[DS]

2 hours ago, curmudgeon98 said:

Definitely a surprise.  I see my May 21 Onward itinerary shows the change to start in Ravenna as well.  Presumably they will send actual notifications with additional details on transfers soon.  It's too bad they didn't get their act together on making this change earlier, as it definitely throws a wrench into people's plans.  I was aware of the potential for this, and so had held off on booking flights and hotel for pre-stay until last week...

 

I know there is no magic switch to flip to make changes of this magnitude to the itinerary and notifications to passengers all in one simple process.  I'm sure it will take some time to work out the details.  

I just checked our October 10 ONWARD trip and it say Ravenna as well!  Clearly we should get notification!

[Riocca]

A travel agent has posted an advance copy of the Azamara email of FB, it’s due to new regulations regarding cruise ships in Venice introduced by the Italian government. 
There will be airport transfers provided and an offer of FCC, this was obviously the U.S. version there may well be different versions for other markets due to the differing regulations.

[CC71]

46 minutes ago, Riocca said:

A travel agent has posted an advance copy of the Azamara email of FB, it’s due to new regulations regarding cruise ships in Venice introduced by the Italian government. 
There will be airport transfers provided and an offer of FCC, this was obviously the U.S. version there may well be different versions for other markets due to the differing regulations.

I saw this too and would be very happy if the same offer is extended to us in the UK. This will be our first cruise with Azamara and is much anticipated and longed for holiday and a (belated by a year)50th birthday present for me, so we have decided to be flexible and roll with whatever comes our way. I do appreciate, however that if you haven’t experienced Venice before or you’re travelling independently or long haul it’s disappointing and potentially complicated to unravel and rearrange.

 

I do hope everyone impacted by the change is able to work their arrangements out. 

[Andromea]

Just got the Mail with the explanation

Dear Azamara Guest,

We would like to update you with some important information regarding your upcoming voyage scheduled to embark or debark from Venice, Italy.

The Italian government has implemented new rules around cruise ships in and around Venice, Italy, making it impossible for almost all cruise lines, including Azamara ships, to continue to dock there. Azamara has been working on an alternative solution with local authorities to stay relatively close to Venice for 2022, while the entire cruise industry is now working with the Italian authorities to review options for a permanent cruise port outside of Venice as part of a new tourism management plan.

Unfortunately, the necessary preparations for the 2022 plan we have been working on have yet to be completed, and without confirmation of completion, Azamara has decided to relocate to Bologna (Ravenna), Italy, which is approximately two hours outside of Venice by car, in order to secure access to Venice this year.

We understand how much work and attention goes into organizing your vacation, and even though there are changes, we will continue to work to make your vacation as smooth as possible. While we continue to work on final details, please take some time to review the updates below:

Airport Transfers

Guests who have booked their flights with Azamara will automatically be re-accommodated to receive complimentary transfers to and from Venice International Airport Marco Polo (VCE); these guests will not need to act on anything on their end. For any guests that booked their air independently, please take the time to share your flight information with us before April 4^th, 2022, at 11:59 PM EDT so that we can arrange complimentary transfers appropriately. To complete this form, please click here.

Azamara Shore Excursions

Any shore excursions purchased for Venice through Azamara will be automatically canceled and fully refunded to the original form of payment. If your itinerary has an overnight stay in Venice, we will be offering two new tours that will give you the opportunity to visit the city. Kindly note the travel time between Venice and Ravenna is approximately 2.5 hours. Within the next two to three days, all new shore excursions in Venice and Ravenna will be available for purchase in your Voyage Planner, and we will be sure to let you know when they are ready to book. Guests with independent arrangements should contact their tour provider as soon as possible.

Hotels, City Stays and AzAmazing Journeys

All previously booked Hotels and City Stays in Venice and AzAmazing Journeys in Lake Como will continue to run as scheduled, and guests can use our complimentary transfers between Venice and Ravenna. Be advised that Hotels and/or City Stays in Ravenna are currently not available for booking, but we are working on finding the best accommodations and experiences. Guests with independent arrangements should contact their tour provider as soon as possible.

Guest Booking Options

All guests who want to continue sailing with Bologna, (Ravenna) as their new homeport will get a Future Cruise Credit of $250 per stateroom for insides and oceanviews, $300 for verandas, and $500 for suites. This Future Cruise Credit can be redeemed on a new Azamara voyage.

If you decide to change your vacation plans, please review your booking cancellation policies. Additionally, if your cruise was booked under our Cruise With Confidence program, you may choose to cancel your booking through the related cancellation policies. 

Again, we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause; we are certain that even with these changes, we will provide you with an unforgettable experience.

Should you have any questions, please contact your Travel Advisor immediately for more details specific to your country of residence or visit https://www.azamara.com/contact-us for your local Azamara call center number.

Sincerely,

AZAMARA®

[HalifaxYorksCruiser]

Just got the same e mail and filled out the form for the complimentary transfer. The offer of FCC is pretty pathetic. 

[Fogmalkin]

Just received my email.

 

Am I reading correctly that if I have booked a hotel independently in Venice for post-cruise I may use the complementary transfer between Ravenna and Venice? I'm assuming this is the case and it's not just for those who booked hotels through Azamara (but you never know).

 

Editing to say, it might be nice to know where the complementary transfer takes you to in Venice. I suppose this will all come out in time, but enquiring minds want to know if it's better to book the transfer to the airport and then take a water taxi to hotel...

 

Edited March 30, 2022 by Fogmalkin

[curmudgeon98]

Very helpful to have the letter posted.  I'm sure we will get ours, but it may take time to get passed through our TA.  

 

If Azamara is providing complimentary transfers, that's reasonable to me (maybe I'm in an accepting mood because our airline just rearranged our flights, and actually made them better for once).  I wouldn't necessarily mind spending a day in Ravenna, but our schedule was a little tight and having only three nights in Venice I hate to give one up.  Taking the train is not especially expensive, but it does require a change.

 

I think one positive for us is that the ship shouldn't be needing to make as much of a high-speed run to Korcula because the distance is shorter and there won't be such a long slow creep to get out of Marghera.  Many cruise ships get an annoying vibration, especially in the dining room, at top speed.  

[combine]

@curmudgeon98 we booked through a TA but the email  has just come straight to  me . Although it was in my junk box, I was looking for it. 

[tert333]

44 minutes ago, Fogmalkin said:

Just received my email.

 

Am I reading correctly that if I have booked a hotel independently in Venice for post-cruise I may use the complementary transfer between Ravenna and Venice? I'm assuming this is the case and it's not just for those who booked hotels through Azamara (but you never know).

 

Editing to say, it might be nice to know where the complementary transfer takes you to in Venice. I suppose this will all come out in time, but enquiring minds want to know if it's better to book the transfer to the airport and then take a water taxi to hotel...

 

I agree that those that have booked a hotel independently should also get the complementary transfer, which is consistent with the way they are handling Airport Transfers.   However, as it is not 100% clear, I am hoping they can clarify.  I am sure their help desk will be very busy tomorrow.  I tried to get in touch with them earlier this week on a separate issue and gave up after an hour on hold.

[suewheldon]

Just checked our cruise on Onward. June 4 and 11 now says Ravenna. 

[Host Jazzbeau]

October 6 Journey now starts with an overnight in Ravenna instead of Venice.  Then we go to Koper, then the next day back to Ravenna [both as originally scheduled].  I can actually live with that, but I am waiting for the 'other shoe' to drop and have the second stop in Ravenna changed to somewhere new in the Adriatic – which would be ok.  But there are so many interesting shore excursions offered for our 1 day in Ravenna that I would be quite happy with the current schedule...

[AJCM]

It’s apparent that all 2022 cruises with Venice have been changed. The email isn’t clear about complimentary transfers for those who have booked flight and accommodations independently but being Azamara, I’m confident transfers will be provided. I’ve emailed the Australian contact address to confirm and also to establish the Venice drop off location. I hope they reply.

 

A change has been on the card for months. It’s a bit late for those cruising soon but ours is Sep, so there’s plenty of time to bed down how we get to Venice after disembarking. We have a new destination, instead of a sea day - Rovinj, Croatia - so it’ll be good to explore a new place.

[Juno1956]

For UK passengers, complimentary transfers will be arranged and a future cruise credit applied.

Azamara did the right thing! 

[mappyuk]

Got the email too. Actually quite pleased  with the outcome. 
 

M

Edited March 31, 2022 by mappyuk
Wrong topic

[HalifaxYorksCruiser]

23 minutes ago, mappyuk said:

Got the email too. Actually quite pleased  with the outcome. 
 

M

I got the e mail last night but can’t say I’m thrilled with the 2.5 hour coach transfer and a much earlier departure from the ship. 

[oddjob16]

The cancellation of Venice as port is expected, but it was, until now, a guessing game as to what port would replace it. Best option would be Marghera, but who knows, they might get there for the later cruises this year.

[Belami]

18 hours ago, mappyuk said:

Main itinerary has just updated to show Bologna (Ravenna) as the departure port for the 7-Night Dalmatian Springtime Voyage on April 16th. Have just cancelled Venice hotel. Any advice on where to stay in Ravenna?

We've just booked the NH hotel in Ravenna and will cancel Venice hotel. Our intention is to arrive Venice as planned on 14th and go straight to Ravenna. Venice will be for another trip and longer. Look forward to meeting you both.