Planning ideas for first time Italy cruiser

[shelpt]

Hi,

We just booked our first cruise in Europe (Royal Caribbean)! It is not until May 2023 so I have lots of time to plan and learn. It is a 7 night from Venice (Ravenna) to Barcelona. Cheapest flight would be roundtrip from Miami to Barcelona. We would fly in a few days early to make our way over to Venice.  I would love any ideas on transportation, hotels, stops along the route from Barcelona to Venice. It looks super cheap to fly Barcelona to Venice. Is it better to spend a few days getting there, or fly and spend the time in Venice?

I will be combing the boards and asking lots of questions in the next year, so look out!

 

FYI- I have never used a travel agent. Im pretty good at planning, but would it be worth it to switch my book to a TA to help with planning everything else?

 

TIA for any comments, ideas etc!

[euro cruiser]

First note that Ravenna, where the ship will be, is not Venice so you'll need to figure how you're going to get from Venice to the ship.  If you want to see Venice you'll need to add days prior to embarkation.

 

If you can afford the time, add a few days at the beginning for Venice and a few on the end for Barcelona, which is a big and beautiful city with lots to see and do.

 

Flying from Barcelona to Venice is the way to go, by train is long (13 hours) and cumbersome (at least three changes along the way).  Driving would take a couple of days (a minimum of 14 hours on the road).  You could take a ferry from Barcelona to Genoa and a train from there, but that too would eat up a lot of time.

 

Edited to add:

 

For the heck of it I just looked at the ferry schedule, that might actually be fun.  The ferry departs Barcelona at noon and arrives to Genoa the following morning at 6 AM, so you could sleep off your jet lag while sailing across the Med.  The direct Frecce train from Genoa to Venice takes just over four hours and would have you in Venice, rested up and ready, before noon of your second day.  It's something to consider anyway.

Edited February 13, 2022 by euro cruiser

[riffatsea]

Just make sure when you check airfare that you try a multi city flight price and not 2 one way tickets

I agree that to see Venice you need several days there

On my land trips I've spent up to 10 days just in a Venice or in Barcelona

There's a lot to enjoy!

[euro cruiser]

For most of us, while money is an important factor in decision making about a cruise it's not the only one.  Time is also critical, especially if your vacation time is limited.  If that's the case, making your decision on airfare based solely on price could be shortsighted.

 

There is certainly a financial cost to get from Barcelona to Venice, that must be added to the cost of the flight when comparing the round trip to Barcelona to open-jaw options so you're looking apples to apples.  No matter what route you choose, another flight, the ferry, the train or renting a car, that extra transportation leg will add at least a couple of hundred dollars per person.  

 

There is also a time cost.  If one or both of you has a limited amount of vacation time, how much of it do you want to spend just getting to your starting point?   

 

Finally there is the aggravation cost.  Moving yourself and your luggage several extra steps sounds easy on paper but can be an uncomfortable and clumsy way to start your cruise ... your mental health and pleasure should also be a factor in your decision.  Consider that even if it means adding another stop to your flight at least you're not dealing with luggage, which you would do with all of the other options.

 

As riffatsea suggested, keep on the lookout for an acceptable open-jaw flight, into Venice and out of Barcelona.

Edited February 14, 2022 by euro cruiser

[VMax1700]

If you do decide to fly from Barcelona to venice please ensure that you are fully aware of the ticketing conditions.  There are many 'cheap' airlines in Europe, but when you add luggage etc to the base ticket price, they are not so 'cheap'.  Also be aware that some airlines (Ryanair would be the main culprit) will offer flights from Barcelona, but the airport is actually Reus or Girona.  Also check the luggage charges and weight limits, they are not as generous as trans Atlantic flights.

[mapleleaves]

Both cities are stunning and deserve a few days ! ( or more if you can)

 

Look for flights on skyscanner or a similar web site, using the Multicity option so that you can price a ticket from MIA - VCE, then BCN-MIA.   If you only have a couple of days at each end of your cruise, you want to make the most of it.  An open-jaw trip would be the most efficient way to travel. 

 

 

 

[riffatsea]

Hav en you also priced flights on Royal Caribs Air2Sea portal?

You can book the flight and not have to pay until you pay for your cruise

I have have not used this program but I have used a similar one on Princess

Airfare for European flights can be significantly,lower priced than on the airline site

[John Bull]

On 2/13/2022 at 10:02 PM, riffatsea said:

Just make sure when you check airfare that you try a multi city flight price and not 2 one way tickets

 

7 hours ago, mapleleaves said:

 

 

Look for flights on skyscanner or a similar web site, using the Multicity option so that you can price a ticket from MIA - VCE, then BCN-MIA.   If you only have a couple of days at each end of your cruise, you want to make the most of it.  An open-jaw trip would be the most efficient way to travel. 

 

 

 

 

I'll echo the recommendations to book open jaw (aka multi-city) return air tickets.

You need to book with one airline or airline alliance (sites like Skyscanner will automatically do that if you tap the multicity button instead of the return or one-way buttons). The total fare will be the mid-point between the two return fares, way cheaper than two one-way tickets.

 

Driving across Europe would be fun if you spread it over 4 or 5 days.

But apart from the time element, one-way car rental between countries is super-expensive. 

Just a thought - if you have the time, consider car rental post cruise Ravenna to Marco Polo airport & explore the north Italian lakes & the Alps. About 14 hours driving over mebbe four days.

 

JB 🙂

 

 

[shelpt]

On 2/13/2022 at 2:14 PM, euro cruiser said:

First note that Ravenna, where the ship will be, is not Venice so you'll need to figure how you're going to get from Venice to the ship.  If you want to see Venice you'll need to add days prior to embarkation.

 

If you can afford the time, add a few days at the beginning for Venice and a few on the end for Barcelona, which is a big and beautiful city with lots to see and do.

 

Flying from Barcelona to Venice is the way to go, by train is long (13 hours) and cumbersome (at least three changes along the way).  Driving would take a couple of days (a minimum of 14 hours on the road).  You could take a ferry from Barcelona to Genoa and a train from there, but that too would eat up a lot of time.

 

Edited to add:

 

For the heck of it I just looked at the ferry schedule, that might actually be fun.  The ferry departs Barcelona at noon and arrives to Genoa the following morning at 6 AM, so you could sleep off your jet lag while sailing across the Med.  The direct Frecce train from Genoa to Venice takes just over four hours and would have you in Venice, rested up and ready, before noon of your second day.  It's something to consider anyway.

Thank you for ferry idea.  Looks like flying would be the quickest as long as the times align.

[shelpt]

On 2/14/2022 at 11:26 AM, mapleleaves said:

Both cities are stunning and deserve a few days ! ( or more if you can)

 

Look for flights on skyscanner or a similar web site, using the Multicity option so that you can price a ticket from MIA - VCE, then BCN-MIA.   If you only have a couple of days at each end of your cruise, you want to make the most of it.  An open-jaw trip would be the most efficient way to travel. 

 

 

 

Did not know about the multicity option.  I did a mock booking for this may and it does end up being even cheaper than Miami-barcelona roundtrip.

Edited February 15, 2022 by shelpt

[shelpt]

On 2/14/2022 at 4:34 PM, riffatsea said:

Hav en you also priced flights on Royal Caribs Air2Sea portal?

You can book the flight and not have to pay until you pay for your cruise

I have have not used this program but I have used a similar one on Princess

Airfare for European flights can be significantly,lower priced than on the airline site

I haven't yet because it is too early.  Once the flights open I will definitely check with Royal.  I may even be able to add transfers through them. Thanks!!

[shelpt]

21 hours ago, John Bull said:

 

 

I'll echo the recommendations to book open jaw (aka multi-city) return air tickets.

You need to book with one airline or airline alliance (sites like Skyscanner will automatically do that if you tap the multicity button instead of the return or one-way buttons). The total fare will be the mid-point between the two return fares, way cheaper than two one-way tickets.

 

Driving across Europe would be fun if you spread it over 4 or 5 days.

But apart from the time element, one-way car rental between countries is super-expensive. 

Just a thought - if you have the time, consider car rental post cruise Ravenna to Marco Polo airport & explore the north Italian lakes & the Alps. About 14 hours driving over mebbe four days.

 

JB 🙂

 

 

Our cruise ends in Barcelona, starts in Ravenna. Is driving fairly easy? Thanks for any ideas!!

[riffatsea]

Driving??

Where??

No I wouldn't rent a car to drive

Trains are a popular method of travel in Europe

 

Edited February 16, 2022 by riffatsea

[caripoo]

Do not miss the opportunity to visit Venice....If you can, fly into Venice, wasting the time to go to Barcelona, and then fly to Venice is silly......Flt to Venice, stay a few days, and then get yourself to where your ship is leaving from...also if you can, stay a few days in Barcelona...Happy cruising

[shelpt]

22 hours ago, caripoo said:

Do not miss the opportunity to visit Venice....If you can, fly into Venice, wasting the time to go to Barcelona, and then fly to Venice is silly......Flt to Venice, stay a few days, and then get yourself to where your ship is leaving from...also if you can, stay a few days in Barcelona...Happy cruising

 

22 hours ago, caripoo said:

Do not miss the opportunity to visit Venice....If you can, fly into Venice, wasting the time to go to Barcelona, and then fly to Venice is silly......Flt to Venice, stay a few days, and then get yourself to where your ship is leaving from...also if you can, stay a few days in Barcelona...Happy cruising

Miami doesnt fly non-stop to Venice. Dont have much choice, but its a quick flight.  Definitely going to try for 2-3 days Venice, then 2-3 days at the end in Barcelona. This is my first trip to Europe and super excited! Thank you for any recommendations, everyone is so helpful on these boards!

[riffatsea]

I ca nt fly non stop to most of Europe

You could fly non stop to Rome and take the train to Venice

Train travel in Europe is great!

[marazul]

For a shorter transfer, check Miami-Milan and then train to Venice.

[35Grove]

On 2/15/2022 at 5:35 PM, shelpt said:

Our cruise ends in Barcelona, starts in Ravenna. Is driving fairly easy? Thanks for any ideas!!

It’s been a few years, but I’ve driven in Italy, Portugal, France, Germany, Austria, Britain.  Not a problem to drive, but it is a question of why?  Driving is good for touring on your own or renting a country house and taking day trips etc.   The question is if you have the time, and you like driving, and there are places you’d love to see enroute.   

[John Bull]

On 2/15/2022 at 10:35 PM, shelpt said:

Our cruise ends in Barcelona, starts in Ravenna. Is driving fairly easy? Thanks for any ideas!!

 

 

I'll reiterate that I advise not to drive between Barcelona and Ravenna. Altho some of it is scenic, it's a bit of a bind - and there are significant limitations and/or costs of picking up a car in Spain & returning it in Italy,.

You need to collect & return in the same country, preferably the same location.

The area around  Barcelona has limited appeal for touring, northern Italy has far more appeal but that means post-cruise, so safest to plan to arrive in Ravenna a day early.

 

The drive to the Italian lakes is simple and mainly on divided highway, about 4 hours from Venice & the same back to Ravenna.

Around the lakes the roads are mainly single carriageway, but the lakeside roads especially  - Lago di Como, Lago d Logano and Lake Maggiore - are very scenic.

 

If you wanted to extend into the Alps, a route like Verbania to Brig, Gletch, Furka Pass, Hospental, St Gotthard Pass & Bellinzona adds about 5 hours to the driving time and gives you a good taste of the Alps.

Alpine passes are scenic but not too difficult. More importantly,, they are quiet. Switzerland's modern road system involves a lot of high-speed autobahns using tunnels to avoid the mountain roads & passes and provide year-round routes, so those scenic roads & passes are free from trucks & long-distance drivers and are used only by locals & tourists so traffic is very light.

May is around the time that the passes are opened after being snowbound for the winter, so you need to researchthe likelihood of them being open, and double-check again when you are in the lakes. If they're not open you can revise your route to an easier year-round option which limits the sight-seeing opportunities or simply extend your time in the lakes.

https://goo.gl/maps/xciKosFpwsc7asrB9

(NOTE - because we're now in February Google won't show me the mountain pass route from Gletch to Hospental. Also note that there are two routes close together through the St Gotthard. The twisty one is the quiet and scenic one, the other is the autobahn). 

You shouldn't need to use an autobahn in Switzerland, but if you do you will need to buy a vignette (always available at the border & elsewhere. 40 Swiss Francs - lasts a year so see if the rental car still has one on the windshield).

 

So a total of about 14 hours driving, much of it scenic.

Worth considering if you have about four full days pre-cruise.

 

JB 🙂

[shelpt]

Miami doesnt have many non-stop options. Barcelona is the closest to Venice. Seems like doing a short flight from Barcelona to Venice is my best option. This information has been so helpful!

[mapleleaves]

Your trip isn't until May 2023.   Who knows what routes will have opened up by then!

Right now there aren't as many flight options because international travel is down due to covid.  But if covid cases continue to decrease, airlines will add more flights.

For instance, I hope to fly to Venice in Sept.  There aren't any nonstops to VCE so I typically fly to London, then find a lowcost regional carrier for the European leg.  Right now there aren't many options for London-Venice, but in a few months I expect more options will be available.

It's great to do your research now, but wait several months before committing to airfare. 

 

[marazul]

3 hours ago, shelpt said:

Miami doesnt have many non-stop options. Barcelona is the closest to Venice. Seems like doing a short flight from Barcelona to Venice is my best option. This information has been so helpful!

From Barcelona or Madrid, check Vueling airlines to get to Venice.  I believe it is the European, low-cost airline affiliated with Iberia.  It does have several direct fights to Venice every day.  I did a dummy search for the middle of May and there are three flights from BCN a day for 45-55 euros. 

https://www.vueling.com/en

We have flown Vueling a couple of times and it is a fine airline. 

 

It is way too early to book flights for 2023.

Edited February 19, 2022 by marazul

[shelpt]

On 2/19/2022 at 10:37 AM, mapleleaves said:

Your trip isn't until May 2023.   Who knows what routes will have opened up by then!

Right now there aren't as many flight options because international travel is down due to covid.  But if covid cases continue to decrease, airlines will add more flights.

For instance, I hope to fly to Venice in Sept.  There aren't any nonstops to VCE so I typically fly to London, then find a lowcost regional carrier for the European leg.  Right now there aren't many options for London-Venice, but in a few months I expect more options will be available.

It's great to do your research now, but wait several months before committing to airfare. 

 

Guess I didn't think about the reduction in international travel and there will probably be more routes open next year. Ill keep my eyes open for other options!

[shelpt]

On 2/19/2022 at 12:28 PM, marazul said:

From Barcelona or Madrid, check Vueling airlines to get to Venice.  I believe it is the European, low-cost airline affiliated with Iberia.  It does have several direct fights to Venice every day.  I did a dummy search for the middle of May and there are three flights from BCN a day for 45-55 euros. 

https://www.vueling.com/en

We have flown Vueling a couple of times and it is a fine airline. 

 

It is way too early to book flights for 2023.

Yes I know its early, Im a chronic over planner! I love to travel and planning trips gives me something fun to occupy my time. I will check out Vueling, thanks!!

[euro cruiser]

10 hours ago, shelpt said:

Yes I know its early, Im a chronic over planner! I love to travel and planning trips gives me something fun to occupy my time. 

I suspect that most of us here are the same, to some degree.  Planning is half of the fun.