Currently on the onward

[ghstudio]

I’ll post live from thread… but if anyone has questions, just ask here.  Our cruise is Barcelona to Venice.

[blag]

Please advise if you intend to visit Future Cruise Sales/Loyalty. I have a question I'd like you to ask on my behalf.

If you're not going, I'll raise it as a topic in this forum. 

[ChucktownSteve]

I hope you have a wonderful sailing!  Will you actually be disembarking in Venice or a nearby port?

[ghstudio]

3 hours ago, ChucktownSteve said:

I hope you have a wonderful sailing!  Will you actually be disembarking in Venice or a nearby port?

No one docks in Venice any more…we dock in chioggia

 

[ChucktownSteve]

9 minutes ago, ghstudio said:

No one docks in Venice any more…we dock in chioggia

 

 

I thought they might have begun letting select smaller ships dock in Venice.  Guess not.

[beatnix]

 

8 minutes ago, ChucktownSteve said:

 

I thought they might have begun letting select smaller ships dock in Venice.  Guess not.

Azamaras ships are still too big.

[ChucktownSteve]

Just now, beatnix said:

 

Azamaras ships are still too big.

😠

[Toronto Guy]

As you will overnighting in Choggia - I will be interested in knowing if Azamara is going to provide a free shuttle into Venice.  I will be overnighting in Fusina (closer to Venice) next month, and am wondering if they are going to provide a shuttle on my cruise.  Figure they would do for both those ports if they are planning on doing so.  On my last cruise in January they were not providing the usual shuttle in several ports which was annoying as they always advertise that shuttle service is a reason to book with them over other lines.

 

Edited July 9, 2023 by Toronto Guy

[wjfan417]

1 hour ago, Toronto Guy said:

As you will overnighting in Choggia - I will be interested in knowing if Azamara is going to provide a free shuttle into Venice.  I will be overnighting in Fusina (closer to Venice) next month, and am wondering if they are going to provide a shuttle on my cruise.  Figure they would do for both those ports if they are planning on doing so.  On my last cruise in January they were not providing the usual shuttle in several ports which was annoying as they always advertise that shuttle service is a reason to book with them over other lines.

 

We’re on an Azamara cruise that overnights in Chioggia this month, and they are offering a “Venice on your own” transfer for $89 per person.

[Dr H]

Critical, make or break question for my darling wife. We will be B2B on Onward in November. Are there Maj-Jong sets on board? If yes, please advise, and we are set. If not, Sandie goes into riot mode over the next few months to secure them, which she has successfully done in the past on another ship. Next, important but not critical: Rome to Lisbon, and Lisbon on to Ft Lauderdale. Are there Maj-Jong players on board who want to play? If there are, does anyone play Chinese Maj-jong? (That was actually a difficult sentence to write, where "Chinese" was an adjective describing the game rather than a hypothetical human being.) In advance, thanks for the help.  David

 

[JaneStarr]

2 hours ago, Toronto Guy said:

As you will overnighting in Choggia - I will be interested in knowing if Azamara is going to provide a free shuttle into Venice.  I will be overnighting in Fusina (closer to Venice) next month, and am wondering if they are going to provide a shuttle on my cruise.  Figure they would do for both those ports if they are planning on doing so.  On my last cruise in January they were not providing the usual shuttle in several ports which was annoying as they always advertise that shuttle service is a reason to book with them over other lines.

 

Our Aug 22nd cruise boards and overnights in Fusina. They are offering a $59 “Venice on your own” tour which would seem to preclude a free port shuttle, even from this shorter distance into Venice than Chioggia..

Jane

Edited July 9, 2023 by JaneStarr

[lisiamc]

IMNSHO, providing a free shuttle from Fusina or Chioggia to Venice would be like providing one from Civitavecchia to Rome or Livorno to Florence. I don’t think it’s going to happen. I’m willing to be wrong, though! A paid shuttle, AKA Venice on Your Own, could be an option, though. 

[ChucktownSteve]

So what good is an overnight in Venice, which we have on our booked cruise, if it's not really Venice?

 

Edited:OK I"m confused.  All ports on the itinerary show an anchor symbol which I presumed meant anchored but apparently not. Do I need to bother my TA for more accurate info?

Edited July 9, 2023 by ChucktownSteve

[fruitmachine]

39 minutes ago, ChucktownSteve said:

I"m confused.  All ports on the itinerary show an anchor symbol which I presumed meant anchored but apparently not.

Have a look at the itinerary page for the cruise on the main website - for each port it lists if you are docked or tendered. 

[Toronto Guy]

The issue is that from my understanding, the cruise port in Fusina is in an industrial area...so you really can't walk anywhere.  Usually when they dock in this kind of port they at least give you a shuttle into town.   But, I see that there is a water transfer that you can buy from Fusina Port at a car park there for 10 Euros ....so if I can actually walk to that I'll just do that instead of paying the cruise line for a On Your Own Tour.  I'm going to be miffed though if they don't have a shuttle as it is total misrepresentation.

[ChucktownSteve]

47 minutes ago, fruitmachine said:

Duplicate - website acting up!

The web site itinerary shows: Wed 14-May TO Thu 15-May 2025  Venice, Italy Docked 8:00AM (May 14) 10:00PM (May 15)   The itinerary on my booking confirmation shows: 14 May 2025 VENICE, ITALY 08:00 AM 15 May 2025 VENICE, ITALY 10:00 PM

Edited July 9, 2023 by ChucktownSteve

[Host Jazzbeau]

7 hours ago, Toronto Guy said:

they always advertise that shuttle service is a reason to book with them over other lines.

I have never seen it stated this broadly.  Always with caveats, so not a promise and therefore not 'misrepresentation' if it is not available.

[ChucktownSteve]

2 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I have never seen it stated this broadly.  Always with caveats, so not a promise and therefore not 'misrepresentation' if it is not available.

Is that like up to 75% savings? 😁

Edited July 9, 2023 by ChucktownSteve

[Toronto Guy]

47 minutes ago, ChucktownSteve said:

Is that like up to 75% savings? 😁

 

50 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I have never seen it stated this broadly.  Always with caveats, so not a promise and therefore not 'misrepresentation' if it is not available.

At least Oceania is clear:

https://oceaniacruises.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360005405034-Does-Oceania-Cruises-provide-free-shuttle-service-

 

[Jackieayz]

6 hours ago, Dr H said:

Critical, make or break question for my darling wife. We will be B2B on Onward in November. Are there Maj-Jong sets on board? If yes, please advise, and we are set. If not, Sandie goes into riot mode over the next few months to secure them, which she has successfully done in the past on another ship. Next, important but not critical: Rome to Lisbon, and Lisbon on to Ft Lauderdale. Are there Maj-Jong players on board who want to play? If there are, does anyone play Chinese Maj-jong? (That was actually a difficult sentence to write, where "Chinese" was an adjective describing the game rather than a hypothetical human being.) In advance, thanks for the help.  David

 

Hi Dr H,

 

We’re on the same sailings.  Last trip aboard Onward in March, there not only were Mah Jongg sets but a teacher/host for American Mah Jongg.  She shouldn’t have any problem finding someone to play.

[avw]

Hope all goes well on your cruise, ghstudio. Two very good friends are on your cruise and it's their first time on Azamara. I don't want them to come back thinking I am nuts when I tell everyone how much I love Azamara. Too bad they didn't tell me they booked the cruise until it was too late for me to get them some additional OBC.

[JaneStarr]

4 hours ago, ChucktownSteve said:

So what good is an overnight in Venice, which we have on our booked cruise, if it's not really Venice?

It is of very limited value to me.

We are fortunate to have experienced Venice a few times in the past.  

The remainder of the itinerary and price are the reason we booked our cruise (embarking and overnighting in Venice).

 

We aren’t even staying in Venice proper pre-cruise. We’ve chosen to stay at a hotel just over the bridge in Mestre for ease in getting us and our luggage to the Venice (Marittima) Cruise Port to check in.

Edited July 10, 2023 by JaneStarr

[tgg]

2 hours ago, Toronto Guy said:

 

At least Oceania is clear:

https://oceaniacruises.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360005405034-Does-Oceania-Cruises-provide-free-shuttle-service-

 

 

Oceania is clear?  HA!  On our Lima to Miami cruise, Oceania provided a free shuttle to an area considered dangerous. The police there advised us not to walk around that area on our own. All the ship's tours in Lima  had been cancelled and everyone who wanted to sightsee in Lima had to take a cab from the dropoff point, which was near nothing. Many people simply got back on the shuttle and spent the day on the ship, which was docked in an industrial port.

[Host Jazzbeau]

23 minutes ago, tgg said:

 

Oceania is clear?  HA!  On our Lima to Miami cruise, Oceania provided a free shuttle to an area considered dangerous. The police there advised us not to walk around that area on our own. All the ship's tours in Lima  had been cancelled and everyone who wanted to sightsee in Lima had to take a cab from the dropoff point, which was near nothing. Many people simply got back on the shuttle and spent the day on the ship, which was docked in an industrial port.

And that's if Oceania doesn't cancel the port after final payment or after the cruise has started.  [And since they don't break out port fees, they take the position that they don't owe you any rebate when the cancelled port turns into sailing donuts offshore.]

[Dr H]

Jackie, your comment was greatly appreciated, and I'm looking forward to meeting you on board. We were on Quest last Nov/Dec from Dubai to Perth, and we too had a nice Mah jong instructor on board. I'm trying to convince my wife to get the woman to retire so she can get the job, but it's a tough go. I shall relay the message, we will work on the Chinese game. AVW, you just might be nuts regarding Azamara, but that will make 3 of us. I've been telling people to put up with their IT BS, once we get on board everything will be great. Folks, thanks for the help!