Venice Pre and Post Cruise Land and Hotel Programs

[Irishgael]

Given the uncertainty around Venice and Cruise ships docking at Venice does anyone have any thoughts or insights on Regent offering Pre or Post cruise land and hotel programs to augment excursions from distant ports. Thank you.

[RetiredandTravel]

It looks like Regent has replaced Venice with Trieste on its 2021 cruises.  It still lists Venice for 2022.  

Your best bet is to ask your TA or Regent, not sure they will even know. 

 

Its my experience that Regent pre/post hotel programs are very expensive, so we generally make our own plans.

[Snackdaddy]

Greetings,

We are booked on the April 20, 2022 sailing of the Explorer from VCE to BCN.  Regent is using the Hilton Molino Stucky Venice for its pre-cruise program.  We also using Regent's air, non-stop, from JFK to VCE.  Wherever our port of embarkation happens to be, Regent will have to get us there.  A lot can happen in 8 months.  Stay tuned and stay safe.

[LvnCruisin]

Snackdaddy, it's great to here that is the hotel, we are booked on the same cruise and that was the hotel we were looking at. We plan on a few days ahead of time there and a few days in Barcelona after. 

[Snackdaddy]

LvnCruisin, that's great.  Looking forward to meeting you.

[Irishgael]

Thank you for your replies.  What I am trying to assess is that we our on the June 19th to July 3rd Explorer cruise Venice to Venice.  On the 13th day of the cruise we are to be in Venice docking at 1pm. If we are instead in Trieste it will make the shore excursions to Venice on that day very problematic.

I am reviewing how to best tour Venice.  If Regent offered pre or post land programs as an alternative to the Hilton Stucky in Venice it would help in my decision making.

I know it is early but it would also help to know what changes they will make to the shore excursions in Venice. (timing because of potential commute, local excursions in Trieste or other port, etc.) 

[RachelG]

We are on this cruise.  Took the credit.

[RachelG]

Just now, RachelG said:

We are on this cruise.  Took the credit.

Wrong thread— weird 

[RetiredandTravel]

3 hours ago, Irishgael said:

Thank you for your replies.  What I am trying to assess is that we our on the June 19th to July 3rd Explorer cruise Venice to Venice.  On the 13th day of the cruise we are to be in Venice docking at 1pm. If we are instead in Trieste it will make the shore excursions to Venice on that day very problematic.

I am reviewing how to best tour Venice.  If Regent offered pre or post land programs as an alternative to the Hilton Stucky in Venice it would help in my decision making.

I know it is early but it would also help to know what changes they will make to the shore excursions in Venice. (timing because of potential commute, local excursions in Trieste or other port, etc.) 

 

The issue is no one knows the answer to many of your questions given the Venice cruise situation.   

 

What we do know.

 

If the ships docks in Trieste (1PM) you won't get to go to Venice, if it docks in Venice (1PM) IMO that's not enough time to spend there if you haven't been.  So if it were me and I hadn't been to Venice I would plan on spending another 3 - 4 nights there at the end of the cruise.

 

The post cruise package from Regent offers the Hotel Molino Stucky for $1200 for 2 people  for 1 night or $2000 for 2 nights.  The Hotel Molino Stucky costs $250-400 a night.  Unless you are very uncomfortable touring on your own I'd get some books and tour Venice on my own.  Exploring is 1/2 the fun in Venice.  If you want guided tours you can get a lot of them for the cost differential.  One complexity is if the ship ends in Trieste you are going to have to figure out how to get to Venice which I gather is a 2+ hr trip. 

 

So if it were me I would spend extra time in Venice and set up my own hotel & tours.  Good Luck.

 

https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/vcehihi-hilton-molino-stucky-venice/

 

 

[Irishgael]

Thank you for your insight RetiredandTravel

 

As Venice is a major component of this itinerary I was hoping Regent would announce plans on how they will manage around a late docking time on the 13th if not in Venice.

 

I have been in correspondence with a travel guide for two as I try to identify what variables I can identify and manage  before I make our flight arrangements.  We are looking to use the tour guide for two half days and then explore on our own.

 

My current assumption is I would book air extending us at the end for three to four days at a hotel of our choice. Assume we would dock at Trieste on the 13th day and explore that port on that day .

 

Thank you for your thoughts.  I suspect we will just make the flight arrangements in October with our best guess. To date Regent is announcing or conveying any itinerary changes which defies logic. 

 

One follow-up though, I inferred you feel comfortable that three nights and two and half full days should be sufficient to see Venice for the first time.

 

Thank you in advance.

[RetiredandTravel]

I think we spent 4 nights (3 days) in Venice and that was plenty, 3 nights would probably be fine.  Not sure of your plans but the Northern Lake regions and Florence are also great to see .  Easy train rides.

 

When you combine Venice new cruise policies with Covid a lot of things are up in the air.

 

Enjoy your trip, looks like a great one.

[spindrift]

I’ve done this trip several times (& I will definitely miss sailing in and out of Venice) and have stayed at the Hilton Molina Stuckey.  Our last room was a suite on the first floor overlooking the Grand Canal. Fabulous.  Did the hotel ourselves. 

We found using the Hilton water shuttle got us to where we needed to go. 
Hilton will arrange tours if you find you need them.  
 

For the airport, we used the water taxi.   Free water taxi to Molina (to get buyers to the glass factory).   (Yes, I bought some beautiful glass pieces).

 

Get to Harry’s (not as busy when they open. Very crowded later)

 

We booked thru Regent for the hotel this time due to all the issues these days. They are staying at the San Clemente Palace Kempinski in Venice. They pick us up at the airport and deliver us to the hotel. The next day they transfer us to Trieste. (2-1/2 hours on bus). I tried to find a hotel in Trieste

since I haven’t been there, but could not. 

 

 

[Irishgael]

Enjoy your cruise. Thank you for your thoughts.

[Irishgael]

• An additional question, If Regent uses Trieste should I assume the disembarkation transfer will be to Marco Polo airport and from there I will arrange my own transportation to my hotel (or use my hotel concierge services).  With Trieste being two and half hours, I want to utilize Regent services to Venice.

[RetiredandTravel]

If you use Regent air they provide transfer, if not its unlikely.   I would check the exact details of the transfers with your TA.  You can buy transfers from Regent, they aren't usually the most economical but they will get you there.

 

 

[Irishgael]

We are using Regent air. Thank you.

[DaveFr]

I'm surprised no one has raised an issue about Regent breaching their ticket contract regarding the transfer from Venice to Trieste.  Section 4c of the Ticket Contract states:  "If the scheduled port of embarkation or final destination is changed, We will arrange transportation to the new port from the originally scheduled port."  This language is not conditional and does not require use of Regent Air.

 

Dave

[RetiredandTravel]

In normal times if you use Regent air they provide transfer and if you don't there is no transfer (except from hotel to ship).    It does say in the literature if you make your own flight arrangements you get a credit and lose the transfers.   With the situation in Venice you need to check with your TA, that's really the only way to know.  Get it in writing.

[RetiredandTravel]

43 minutes ago, Irishgael said:

We are using Regent air. Thank you.

 

 

I'd still check with my TA, funky times.  🙃

[Irishgael]

Strange times indeed. To date no one at Regent can provide an answer as they are still unsure of the port and the associated port protocols. I would expect transfers to the Venice airport for all passengers that wish to go to Venice but as you say a lot still needs to be verified. I feel confident that all things will eventually work out but I would certainly enjoy more information sooner vs later.