Venice Port changed to Ravenna for 2022 sailings

[combine]

Perhaps the next paragraph from the email sent to those affected by the change, is the one that explains more.

 

…….“Unfortunately, the necessary preparations for the 2022 plan we have been working on have yet to be completed, and without confirmation of completion, Azamara has decided to relocate to Bologna (Ravenna), Italy, which is approximately two hours outside of Venice by car, in order to secure access to Venice this year.”

 

I read this as implying that they've been trying to sort something out, but now time is of the essence and with ships docking this month, they needed to get a move on !  We dont know if they've been negotiating for  a year, 6 months or 6 weeks and what hoops  they were having to jump through with the Italian port authority but there comes a time when you have to make a decision and run with it. Did the larger cruise companies get the first pickings of Marghera?  Did Trieste last year not work well enough. If so they’ve chosen the next best option.

 

This decision impacts two of our cruises this year , and of course we would have loved to have docked in San Basilio as in the past, but I am happy to know the new details sooner rather than later and plan accordingly. Ravenna it is the then! 

 

 

[KirkNC]

What I was told when onboard the Quest was that Azamara had been told by Venice authorities that they would be able to dock in Venice but then at the last minute Venetian authorities backtracked.

[norn iron]

45 minutes ago, KirkNC said:

What I was told when onboard the Quest was that Azamara had been told by Venice authorities that they would be able to dock in Venice but then at the last minute Venetian authorities backtracked.

KirkNC, I woud concur. I had a long chat last year on Quest with Captain Carl and he was very re-assuring that Azamara would be back in Venice in 2022. Alas not so, but hey ho I'm accepting Ravenna as the best option.

I've been to Venice and my sister in law who is our in house Italian expert tells me Ravenna is gorgeous, so I'll make the best of it.

[Baynanno1]

4 hours ago, combine said:

 Did the larger cruise companies get the first pickings of Marghera? 

 

 

 

 

Quite possibly that may be correct.

 

On our last call to Valletta, Malta in 2019, we were pushed to the opposite side of the harbour (with no warning prior to arrival) by two monster ships MSC Bellissima and Costa Fascinosa, that steamed in ahead of us.

 

There was no provision made by Valletta authorities to transport passengers to where they were to join tours and the drive right around the harbour was quite long.

 

Ryszard did an amazing job arranging transport across the waters of the harbour to where we should have been docked.

 

Edited April 8, 2022 by Baynanno1
additional information

[Host Jazzbeau]

I think that is also the explanation for why the Oct. 6 Journey cruise got lengthened a day [and the following cruise got shortened and pushed to Oct. 18]:  Piraeus port is chock full of large cruise ships on Oct. 17 but relatively empty on Oct. 18 so Azamara, being the little guy [and no longer under the RCG mega-umbrella?] got bumped.

 

Works for me, because we were scheduled to stay in Greece for 3 days post-cruise and could easily eliminate one day [and save some money]; not at all good for the folks on the next cruise, who now lose a day.

 

And not good for Azamara either, because they will have to give us a free day but will have to refund those on the now-shortened Oct. 18 cruise for their lost day.  IMHO Azamara is the victim here, not the bad guy.

[roberts2005]

This is the major portion of a new letter received.  Can anyone tell me where Trochetto is in Venice?

[Twiga]

Tronchetto is the parking area next to the Santa Lucia train station in Venice.  For those who plan to stay in Venice after the cruise, the transfer to Tronchetto is the one to take.

[roberts2005]

14 minutes ago, Twiga said:

Tronchetto is the parking area next to the Santa Lucia train station in Venice.  For those who plan to stay in Venice after the cruise, the transfer to Tronchetto is the one to take.

How difficult to get to San Marco from there. With luggage!

[Host Jazzbeau]

10 minutes ago, roberts2005 said:

How difficult to get to San Marco from there. With luggage!

In a way it's no more difficult that if would have been if the ship had docked in Marittima, as it would in the old days.  The People Mover goes from Tronchetto to Marittima to Piazzale Roma.  Then you take whatever transportation you would have taken to your hotel.

 

If you want really easy hotel access, switch to a hotel near Piazzale Roma.

[curmudgeon98]

30 minutes ago, roberts2005 said:

How difficult to get to San Marco from there. With luggage!

Tronchetto is the parking lot island at the outskirts of Venice proper.  My memory is that the vaporetto #2 line stops there, so you should be able to just get on that vaporetto and take the scenic route down the grand canal.  The docks are generally manageable with bags, but the vaporettos can be pretty packed sometimes.  I don't know if there is a ticket office at the Tronchetto stop.  It's been a few years, but my memory was that they could charge you an extra fee for bags on the vaporetto, but rarely actually did this.  A water taxi would be another (more expensive) option, but I'm not sure if there is a taxi dock at Tronchetto.  If you have to drag your bags any distance in Venice, remember that bridges are the big nuisance, because they are arched, with steps up and down.

 

Your hotel would probably be a good reference on options to get there.  For San Marco, it might be almost as easy, though probably somewhat slower,  to take the Alilaguna boat from the airport.  

[curmudgeon98]

37 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

If you want really easy hotel access, switch to a hotel near Piazzale Roma.

I'd agree that the hotels near Pl Roma would be the easiest to access, especially if you are only staying one night.  On the other hand, I've always found the area near Pl Roma and Ferrovia to be the least attractive part of Venice; if you have the flexibility, I think it's worth staying further into the city.

[HalifaxYorksCruiser]

I got the 2nd letter from Azamara in the early hours of this morning. Fortunately our flight is after 12 noon ( 12.20) and so Azamara are saying they will get us to Airport on time. Hope the coach doesn’t break down !

[Riocca]

11 minutes ago, HalifaxYorksCruiser said:

I got the 2nd letter from Azamara in the early hours of this morning. Fortunately our flight is after 12 noon ( 12.20) and so Azamara are saying they will get us to Airport on time. Hope the coach doesn’t break down !

We had the same email, a bit worried that they requested the same information I gave last time although the survey form was less glitchy this time.

Bigger worry was that they wished us a pleasant cruise on Pursuit, we’re supposed to be on Onward!

[HalifaxYorksCruiser]

2 minutes ago, Riocca said:

We had the same email, a bit worried that they requested the same information I gave last time although the survey form was less glitchy this time.

Bigger worry was that they wished us a pleasant cruise on Pursuit, we’re supposed to be on Onward!

Yes I filled in the Survey again to be on the safe side. Shame you don’t get some sort of e mail confirmation thanking you for completing the survey. My e mail letter also referred to Pursuit when we are on Quest ( clearly someone doesn’t proof read draft letters).

[tert333]

1 hour ago, Riocca said:

We had the same email, a bit worried that they requested the same information I gave last time although the survey form was less glitchy this time.

Bigger worry was that they wished us a pleasant cruise on Pursuit, we’re supposed to be on Onward!

 We got the same note and we are on the Quest... 🙂

 

[Mrs Miggins]

3 minutes ago, tert333 said:

 We got the same note and we are on the Quest... 🙂

 

So are we and there are others on Onward I think.  Poor proof reading by Azamara.  They manage to get things wrong whilst trying to reassure everyone about how organised they are.

[suec12]

The recent email I received did not have a working link. We had an 11:20 departure - I had given that to A in the earlier email. Thankfully I was able to change our flights with Delta with relative ease  to an acceptable new itinerary. Our cruise is not until Sept. but I wonder if I need to make A aware anytime soon of our new flight times.

 

Edit / update - Oh there was a link! just not in blue this time. So I updated flights but I only put in the first leg, from VCE to CDG - it was not clear to me exactly what I should put for destination but I'm thinking the departure time from VCE is the essential info.

Edited April 9, 2022 by suec12
new info

[Penton]

We are on the 21st May Onward sailing and will be spending 2 days in Venice before the cruise, flights and accommodation booked independently. When I received the email from Azamara this morning I rang customer services to discuss the complimentary transfer from Marco Polo (Venice) airport to Ravenna (I had filled out the survey when I received their first email). The agent advised that we should just arrive at the airport and look for the Azamara representative in the arrivals hall, 11.30 was suggested as a probably a good time to arrive. I was told that the booking was updated but it all seemed rather vague, with no written confirmation of the update or expected departure time from Venice I’m left wondering whether it will just be a scramble to get on the transfer buses and how long will we have to wait at the airport?

[B17]

I am finding it all rather confusing no matter how many times I read it.  It states Tronchetto next to Santa Lucia train station.  However google maps takes me half hour walk away more or less to the cruise passenger terminals

Surely it would make more sense to put the busses in Piazzala Roma where the express airport buses drop you in Venice to make it easier for those of us with our own pre hotel stays.

How can they state its next to the train station when its not?

[Scots Caz]

2 hours ago, B17 said:

I am finding it all rather confusing no matter how many times I read it.  It states Tronchetto next to Santa Lucia train station.  However google maps takes me half hour walk away more or less to the cruise passenger terminals

Surely it would make more sense to put the busses in Piazzala Roma where the express airport buses drop you in Venice to make it easier for those of us with our own pre hotel stays.

How can they state its next to the train station when its not?

Although I have two cruises affected by this I have still received no notifications however from reading the comms here it appears they refer to Tronchetto as VCE City Centre and it was a poster in #107 that said it was next to the train station

Maybe they meant the The People Mover ....which is a train that connects Tronchetto and Piazzala Roma

 

[B17]

3 hours ago, Scots Caz said:

Although I have two cruises affected by this I have still received no notifications however from reading the comms here it appears they refer to Tronchetto as VCE City Centre and it was a poster in #107 that said it was next to the train station

Maybe they meant the The People Mover ....which is a train that connects Tronchetto and Piazzala Roma

 

The email I had states the following:

Day of Embarkation

When and where will the transfers take place?

Transfers will be available at two locations in Venice, Italy:

• Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE)
• Venice Tronchetto (near Santa Lucia train station) in Venice

Quite how near they mean I dont know, but I dont consider a 27 min walk to be near (I know we can get the people mover but it is hassle with the cases

[AJCM]

We’re disembarking from Pursuit, for Venice  in Oct. It will be very helpful if people on earlier cruises relate their experiences of the bus arrangements to Tronchetto, then the vaporetto to stops on the Gramd Canal - we’ll exit at Rialto. The logistical arrangements off the ship, departure times offered, travel time and practical info on getting to the vaporetto stop (apparently 670 metres walking).

 

Thanks in advance.

[Host Jazzbeau]

8 minutes ago, AJCM said:

We’re disembarking from Pursuit, for Venice  in Oct. It will be very helpful if people on earlier cruises relate their experiences of the bus arrangements to Tronchetto, then the vaporetto to stops on the Gramd Canal - we’ll exit at Rialto. The logistical arrangements off the ship, departure times offered, travel time and practical info on getting to the vaporetto stop (apparently 670 metres walking).

 

Thanks in advance.

Try this link:  https://www.rome2rio.com/s/Venezia-Tronchetto/Rialto-Venice

[uktog]

When are they going to put October 6 Journey sailing back on sail?  We are onboard and it’s one we want to book but no joy. 

[Medeba]

2 hours ago, uktog said:

When are they going to put October 6 Journey sailing back on sail?  We are onboard and it’s one we want to book but no joy. 

We are on 6 October Journey cruise.  My TA contacted Azamara last week about the changes to this cruise (and the next one) and was told that changes were being 'firmed up' and that we would hear something once that was done.  Currently on my Azamara account, 6 October is showing the new itinerary but no access to the reservation and the following cruise is shown as cancelled.