Venice (airport) to Ravenna transfer

[Gnoelj]

On 7/7/2022 at 10:46 PM, Scots Caz said:

did this last month, was connecting from Edinburgh via Paris. Paris flight delayed. 5 of us taken in a people carrier rather than a coach, ship was due to sail at 6pm...we got there about 10 past and were rushed through last to board (booked as package)

 

We are in Edinburgh too. When we learnt that Azamara cruises leaves from Ravenna/Porto Corsini rather then from Venice, and when we checked how awkward it is getting to Ravenna/Porto Corsini from Edinburgh, we decided not to book any cruises with Azamara which starts/ends in Ravenna/Porto Corsini. However, we checked their 2023 cruises and it appears that Azamara cruises may be going back to servicing Venice rather than Ravenna. I know this is not confirmed but I just wondered if this has something to do with their fully breaking off with Royal Caribbean early next year, so Azmara will have the independence of sailing from Venice. After all, the tonnage of their "R" class ships are small enough to qualify using the original port in Venice, aren't they?

Edited September 1, 2022 by Gnoelj

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 hour ago, Gnoelj said:

After all, the tonnage of their "R" class ships are small enough to qualify using the original port in Venice, aren't they?

No.  And there have been no announcements of new arrangements by the authorities for 2023.  So what you are seeing is either optimism or marketing.  Azamara can't know at this time that they can dock in Venice.

[Belfastman]

I have it on good authority that Azamara will not be returning to Venice next yea r but are undecided whether it will be Ravenna or Trieste.

[Gnoelj]

3 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

No.  And there have been no announcements of new arrangements by the authorities for 2023.  So what you are seeing is either optimism or marketing.  Azamara can't know at this time that they can dock in Venice.

 

They have actually shown and put the name "Venice" on their route map for the cruise on their website.  If it is just "optimism" or "marketing", isn't that somewhat MISLEADING, or worse MIS-SELLING? We hope not as we have very high regard for this company. It would be good if the marketing people at Azamara be a bit more upfront and let potential customers know the situation,so that they can make the decision themselves whether to book cruise with them or not.

Edited September 1, 2022 by Gnoelj

[Host Jazzbeau]

13 minutes ago, Gnoelj said:

 

They have actually shown and put the name "Venice" on their route map for the cruise on their website.  If it is just "optimism" or "marketing", isn't that somewhat MISLEADING, or worse MIS-SELLING? We hope not as we have very high regard for this company. It would be good if the marketing people at Azamara be a bit more upfront and let potential customers know the situation,so that they can make the decision themselves whether to book cruise with them or not.

How is it different from ROME and FLORENCE?  

[Norn Iron Man]

Azamara are aware of the situation regarding Venice for next year but are still advising passengers to fly to Venice and they will make onward transportation arrangements

[Baynanno1]

7 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

How is it different from ROME and FLORENCE?  

The difference is in identification of the ports in the itineraries :

VENICE

ROME (CIVITAVECCIA)

FLORENCE/PISA (LIVORNO)

[Host Jazzbeau]

5 minutes ago, Baynanno1 said:

The difference is in identification of the ports in the itineraries :

VENICE

ROME (CIVITAVECCIA)

FLORENCE/PISA (LIVORNO)

But they can't say if they don't know...  I think they are keeping their flexibility, because there are different airports that are closest to Ravenna vs. Trieste but Venice airport is always somewhere in the area and Venice is where people will want Azamara to offer pre-/post-cruise extensions.

[Baynanno1]

3 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

But they can't say if they don't know...  I think they are keeping their flexibility, because there are different airports that are closest to Ravenna vs. Trieste but Venice airport is always somewhere in the area and Venice is where people will want Azamara to offer pre-/post-cruise extensions.

 

Given what has been reported by many this year who have booked their own flights into Venice and subsequently had to pay for transfer to Ravenna, I guess the follow up question would be - if Azamara has said they will book flights into Venice and arrange transport to whatever the port may be - will Azamara also cover the cost of transport from Venice to wherever the ship is docked for those who have booked their own flights?

At least from the way cruises are advertised, it has always been quite clear at the time of booking that one must find their own way from Rome to Civitaveccia to board the ship, while Venice continues to remain somewhat of a mystery. I guess it will remain so until the new passenger terminal is built and fully operational in Venice.

[uktog]

7 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

But they can't say if they don't know...  I think they are keeping their flexibility, because there are different airports that are closest to Ravenna vs. Trieste but Venice airport is always somewhere in the area and Venice is where people will want Azamara to offer pre-/post-cruise extensions.

In which case there should be an indication in the marketing that the port location is to be confirmed otherwise it is misleading.  

[Mrs Miggins]

Viking are using both the industrial port in Venice (Fusina/Marghera) and the seaside town of Chioggia further down the coast.  It is also unclear to those booked which of these two options will actually be used for their particular sailing.  Possibly due to the Venice Authorities changing their minds.

 

We were due to dock in Marghera in April on Quest but ended up in Ravenna.  Azamara gave us a Future Cruise Certificate of $500 for the inconvenience.   Many thought that the recompense would have been better as OBC.  I knew that docking in Venice was likely to be a problem so unusually for us I booked flights via Azamara because I knew that transfers were included.  We thought we would end up in Trieste but in fact it was Ravenna.  We loved it there, but feel we have seen the splendid mosaics now so don't need to return.

Friends were on board on one of the first sailings on Viking to use Chioggia.   It is apparently a very pleasant, walkable small seaside town and Viking were welcomed with open arms.  Excursions to Venice were achieved by a sea transfer to Venice which took about an hour and a half.  Some loved this and others didnt.  Google maps say it is about one hour to Piazzale Roma in Venice by road depending on traffic.

Viking include air fare and transfers in their price from the UK but of course most of their clients are from the US and there is much discussion on their CC board about flights, transfers etc.  

 

I have some sympathy for all the cruise lines as this is going to be an ongoing problem.  The only real solution for first time visitors to Venice is to stay for a few days before/after their cruise.

 

[DS]

We are on a cruise from Ravenna on Oct 10.   Our travel agent arranged for Azamara transfer from Venice to ravenna on sail day.   We had nothing in writing-- and were thus concerned.   I wrote the Az Circle email address, and after 2 weeks and a initial non-informative reply, received a reply today that indeed they did have us as confirmed on the list for transfer.

     LESSON.... keep asking the question...

     INQUIRY:   Why did both Az Circle replys come from Witchia Kanas, on weekends, and one from a UK email address and one from a US email address.... but from the same person?   They need to augment their HQ staff!

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

3 minutes ago, DS said:

INQUIRY:   Why did both Az Circle replys come from Witchia Kanas, on weekends, and one from a UK email address and one from a US email address.... but from the same person?   They need to augment their HQ staff!

Let's look at this another way:  you got a good reply from an apparently knowledgeable staff member.  And you are asking them to bring on new, untrained staff to give out uninformed replies instead???

[DS]

46 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Let's look at this another way:  you got a good reply from an apparently knowledgeable staff member.  And you are asking them to bring on new, untrained staff to give out uninformed replies instead???

I'd like informed replys that don't take two weeks to get here.   The first response did not indicate that the staff member was knowledgable... they did not answer the question, but asked for information that was already included in my original email.   This together with many other posts about hours long waits on the phone tell me that the "customer support" arm of the enterprise needs some help.

[Nippy Sweetie]

We're also on this trip. Just assuming that transfer is included. 

[DS]

4 hours ago, Nippy Sweetie said:

We're also on this trip. Just assuming that transfer is included. 

It would be prudent to check.... it also depends on whether you booked before or after they announced the change to Ravenna

[Nippy Sweetie]

Booked after. Travel agent said transfers included. 

[Mrs Miggins]

Transfers will be included if you booked the flight to Venice with Azamara.  

Edited September 4, 2022 by Mrs Miggins

[ltcTN]

On 9/3/2022 at 8:50 PM, DS said:

We are on a cruise from Ravenna on Oct 10.   Our travel agent arranged for Azamara transfer from Venice to ravenna on sail day.   We had nothing in writing-- and were thus concerned.   I wrote the Az Circle email address, and after 2 weeks and a initial non-informative reply, received a reply today that indeed they did have us as confirmed on the list for transfer.

     LESSON.... keep asking the question...

     INQUIRY:   Why did both Az Circle replys come from Witchia Kanas, on weekends, and one from a UK email address and one from a US email address.... but from the same person?   They need to augment their HQ staff!

 

We will be getting off the ship in Ravenna on 10/10. Our flight , which was booked prior to port change is out of VCE at 12:15PM. Regardless or cost or arrangement, is that doable. The initial letter from AZ, they stated they would arrange transfer but the flight had to be after 12:00. Thoughts?

[Host Jazzbeau]

11 minutes ago, ltcTN said:

We will be getting off the ship in Ravenna on 10/10. Our flight , which was booked prior to port change is out of VCE at 12:15PM. Regardless or cost or arrangement, is that doable. The initial letter from AZ, they stated they would arrange transfer but the flight had to be after 12:00. Thoughts?

I assume you have to change planes on the way home to TN, so it will be a long day and 12:15 probably sounded like a reasonable compromise when disembarkation was in Venice.  From Ravenna you will need to leave the ship very early [especially if you want to honor the airlines' 3 hour check-in guidance plus the 2-3 hour drive from the port to VCE] but it sounds doable.

 

Have you looked up the later flight possibilities?  If you have good seats on the existing flights and the good seats are already gone on the later flights – I would probably stick with what I've got.  If you have to stay over until the next day, does that work with your schedule?  Not knowing where you were going to change, it's hard to search for real answers.  So many moving parts!

[combine]

7 hours ago, ltcTN said:

We will be getting off the ship in Ravenna on 10/10. Our flight , which was booked prior to port change is out of VCE at 12:15PM. Regardless or cost or arrangement, is that doable. The initial letter from AZ, they stated they would arrange transfer but the flight had to be after 12:00. Thoughts?

These were the transfer times at end of August. We were on 6A. Journey was about 2 hours 20 minutes. Our flight was at 12.50 . BA check in to London didn't open until. 2.5 hours before.

As your flight was booked before port change, I think Azamara will step up to the mark and there may be an earlier transfer available. On Quest in May the transfers started at 5am! 

Edited September 16, 2022 by combine

[FlyerTalker]

Just a tip for everyone....flying through Bologna (BLQ) is MUCH more convenient than flying through Venice (VCE) for sailings using Ravenna.  Travel time is less than half of what it takes from Venice (roughly an hour), with most of the route on 4+ lane freeways.  The road to VCE is 2 lane for most of the route.

[ltcTN]

On 9/15/2022 at 9:49 PM, Host Jazzbeau said:

I assume you have to change planes on the way home to TN, so it will be a long day and 12:15 probably sounded like a reasonable compromise when disembarkation was in Venice.  From Ravenna you will need to leave the ship very early [especially if you want to honor the airlines' 3 hour check-in guidance plus the 2-3 hour drive from the port to VCE] but it sounds doable.

 

Have you looked up the later flight possibilities?  If you have good seats on the existing flights and the good seats are already gone on the later flights – I would probably stick with what I've got.  If you have to stay over until the next day, does that work with your schedule?  Not knowing where you were going to change, it's hard to search for real answers.  So many moving parts!

We are flexible but we have great seats on the return (premium Economy) so I really don't want to change. The flight is VCE to PHL, PHL to BNA. Great flights. All on American.

 

[ltcTN]

On 9/16/2022 at 5:16 AM, combine said:

These were the transfer times at end of August. We were on 6A. Journey was about 2 hours 20 minutes. Our flight was at 12.50 . BA check in to London didn't open until. 2.5 hours before.

As your flight was booked before port change, I think Azamara will step up to the mark and there may be an earlier transfer available. On Quest in May the transfers started at 5am! 

Thank you for posting this schedule. I think we will stick with the schedule we have currently and if we have to change then we change.

 

[cruisingaussies]

On 9/2/2022 at 7:36 AM, Belfastman said:

I have it on good authority that Azamara will not be returning to Venice next yea r but are undecided whether it will be Ravenna or Trieste.

Looking at booking a 7 night itinerary on Journey in April next year, Venice to Rome, the first port next day is Ravenna.  I rang AZ today and was advised that 'things may change' for next year and Venice could still be the actual departure port.  Somehow I greatly doubt this.  I explained our problem is that we'll be dropping off a rental car so don't know which port to book for the drop off.  The staff member said make it Venice and there will be transfers to Ravenna, if docking in Venice is still not possible.  It's all sounding a bit wobbly to me, especially if you don't book flights through AZ.  It's quite a distance between those two ports, the train entails two changes (as far as I've found), which we couldn't do with luggage.  Now Trieste is being thrown in the mix!

Should I get something in writing before we book?