Constellation Itinerary - Overnight in Ravenna

[samc493]

Hello-

I'm new to Celebrity - Hoping someone has experienced this type of itinerary and can explain how it works.  We just booked the June 23 sailing on the Constellation out of Venice/Ravenna.  The website advertises an extra night for Venice - but Celebrity reps are telling us that we have to board by 3:30pm on the 23rd and they haven't made any decisions about allowing passengers to then disembark on the evening of the 23rd or the morning of the 24th prior to sail away at 2pm.... so how exactly do we experience an extra night in Venice?  Our flight arrives in Venice around 10am on the 23rd but that doesn't allow any time to see Venice before heading to Ravenna for a 3:30 embarkation.  We can fly in a day early and get a hotel in Venice - I'm just not sure why they would schedule this extra night to sit in port??  Thanks in advance for any advice/insight! 

[cruisinsusin]

Pre- Covid we have been on several cruises with overnight port stays (Dublin, Istanbul, St Petersburg) and were definitely allowed/enouraged to go out and sightsee. It was great for evening events or longer tours/excurisons. You would hope that they would allow for that with Venice as well but perhaps working out logistics due to Covid.

[LGW59]

5 minutes ago, cruisinsusin said:

Pre- Covid we have been on several cruises with overnight port stays (Dublin, Istanbul, St Petersburg) and were definitely allowed/enouraged to go out and sightsee. It was great for evening events or longer tours/excurisons. You would hope that they would allow for that with Venice as well but perhaps working out logistics due to Covid.

cruise ships are no longer going into Venice and it is not because of Covid

[cruisinsusin]

Just now, LGW59 said:

cruise ships are no longer going into Venice and it is not because of Covid

Yes, I am aware of the issues with larger ships and the canals- - Ravenna is a destination all its own but is also being used as the port for those who want to visit Venice

[samc493]

1 minute ago, LGW59 said:

cruise ships are no longer going into Venice and it is not because of Covid

I get that but why the overnight if we can't get off and enjoy Ravenna?  It's not a deal breaker or anything - I'm just trying to wrap my head around the reasoning

[bEwAbG]

I'm not sure anyone will have this info specific to Ravenna as this is the first time they're using it as a home port.   Based on other reports of other cities where this has happened, you will likely be able to come and go as you please, treating the ship like a floating hotel for the first night.  I think the phone reps just don't know for sure so they're being non-committal.  Venice itself is a few hours away.  If you want to see it, I'd suggest going a couple days early to enjoy it or maybe book a post-cruise stay.

[WonderMan3]

Even if they did allow people to disembark in the evening of the 23rd or the morning of the 24th, that would not be enough time to visit Venice. It is a two hour drive each way between Ravenna and Venice. 

[PelicanLvr]

3 hours ago, samc493 said:

Hello-

I'm new to Celebrity - Hoping someone has experienced this type of itinerary and can explain how it works.  We just booked the June 23 sailing on the Constellation out of Venice/Ravenna.  The website advertises an extra night for Venice - but Celebrity reps are telling us that we have to board by 3:30pm on the 23rd and they haven't made any decisions about allowing passengers to then disembark on the evening of the 23rd or the morning of the 24th prior to sail away at 2pm.... so how exactly do we experience an extra night in Venice?  Our flight arrives in Venice around 10am on the 23rd but that doesn't allow any time to see Venice before heading to Ravenna for a 3:30 embarkation.  We can fly in a day early and get a hotel in Venice - I'm just not sure why they would schedule this extra night to sit in port??  Thanks in advance for any advice/insight! 

This could be X reaching new heights of stupidity!

 

First, as Wonderman just said - It a long way to Venice so once you are in Ravenna forget about going into Venice from 3:30 on the 23rd till sailaway.  X should not advertise conveniently seeing Venice from Ravenna in that situation.

 

In the past (including when we were overnight in Venice at the start of a cruise and other overnights in Europe) the ship functioned like your "hotel".  Gangway was fully open 24/7.  One cruise we can back after midnight in Venice having dinner and cafe time in St. Mark's.  Great experience!

 

Saying you have to stay on the ship is crazy.  Ravenna has nice restaurants and cafes to enjoy in addition to the mosaics and all the sites.   It would be a shame to hold you prisoner.    

[Arizona Wildcat]

6 hours ago, samc493 said:

Hello-

I'm new to Celebrity - Hoping someone has experienced this type of itinerary and can explain how it works.  We just booked the June 23 sailing on the Constellation out of Venice/Ravenna.  The website advertises an extra night for Venice - but Celebrity reps are telling us that we have to board by 3:30pm on the 23rd and they haven't made any decisions about allowing passengers to then disembark on the evening of the 23rd or the morning of the 24th prior to sail away at 2pm.... so how exactly do we experience an extra night in Venice?  Our flight arrives in Venice around 10am on the 23rd but that doesn't allow any time to see Venice before heading to Ravenna for a 3:30 embarkation.  We can fly in a day early and get a hotel in Venice - I'm just not sure why they would schedule this extra night to sit in port??  Thanks in advance for any advice/insight! 

Really really simple.  Fly into Venice and book a B&B there for 2 nights before your cruise.   Missing a couple days in Venice is a bit crazy.

FWIW,  the European schedules are still in a state of Flux.  Pretty hard to figure things out yet.

And yes I agree with your question.

[barneyboy]

At the moment cruise ship passengers are not allowed ashore independently in Italy - they must be on a cruise ship excursion.  Celebrity may be waiting to see if this changes and then passengers will be allowed ashore during the stay. 

[bEwAbG]

Another consideration could be timing of any required Covid tests & how they'll be handling embarkations in general.  Agree that there are a lot of unknowns for a trip that is 5 months away, especially with the pandemic still going on.  Hopefully there will be more specific info sooner rather than later but I'm guessing it will be a couple of months still before they start announcing firm plans.

Edited February 4, 2022 by bEwAbG

[Wineaux007]

On 2/3/2022 at 4:41 AM, barneyboy said:

At the moment cruise ship passengers are not allowed ashore independently in Italy - they must be on a cruise ship excursion.  Celebrity may be waiting to see if this changes and then passengers will be allowed ashore during the stay. 

That's been going on since October when we were on Harmony.   The tour guides didn't enforce the "stay in the bubble" mandate.

[sydbarrett]

Is there anything good in Ravenna that is walkable from the port? I'm staying in Venice a few days before the cruise but wouldn't mind poking around Ravenna before we embark.

[Auntiemomo]

2 hours ago, sydbarrett said:

Is there anything good in Ravenna that is walkable from the port? I'm staying in Venice a few days before the cruise but wouldn't mind poking around Ravenna before we embark.

It's probably a 20-30 minute taxi ride from the terminal to Old Town Ravenna.  It's a very nice town with some great restaurants.