How on earth do you get to/from Ravenna?

[*twinkle*]

Looking at a few cruises for May/June, but wondering about the logistics of transport from airport (Venice, Bologna or somewhere else).

 

Are RCL putting on some sort of shuttle service?  Obviously I realise they will charge for this, but difficult to find out info prior to actually making a booking.

 

Anyone got any intel?

Thank you 🙂

[ajtaylor29]

We're cruising out of Ravenna this September, and only discovered after we booked the cruise that we were 2 hours away from the port when in Venice?!?

After researching myself and asking lots of questions, we figured out that RCCL DOES offer a shuttle service (via bus) from either Venice airport, Venice town center area (near train station) or Bologna airport. You cannot book this online tho - you have to call RC to reserve your seats OR let your TA do it if you're using a travel agent. I believe it's about $60 per person each way.

We decided to fly in to Venice and spend 2 days pre-cruise there, then fly home out of Bologna (it's only an hour away from the port).

Hope this helps!

[Susan2771]

You need to call to book the transfer with RCI from Venice to Ravenna and back.  Unfortunately it cannot be booked online

[Longimanus]

You can take the direct train from bologna to Ravenna. Takes about an hour. From Venice you would have to take a train to Ferrara and transfer there to Ravenna. I believe that takes about 2 hours in total.

 

cruise port in Ravenna is quite a wat from town so from there you will need a taxi or take the local bus. 

[Tin can]

7 minutes ago, Longimanus said:

You can take the direct train from bologna to Ravenna. Takes about an hour. From Venice you would have to take a train to Ferrara and transfer there to Ravenna. I believe that takes about 2 hours in total.

 

cruise port in Ravenna is quite a wat from town so from there you will need a taxi or take the local bus. 

That’s what we are doing, train from Venice and changing at Bologna rather than Ferrara for Ravenna.

 

I’m sure it will be a bit of a hassle but equally I’m  quite looking forward to it. I just couldn’t face potentially 3 hours on a coach.

Edited May 2, 2023 by Tin can

[*twinkle*]

This sounds a bit too much hassle unfortunately.  I can't get direct flights to Bologna, and don't fancy a 3.5 hour bus journey from Venice. 

 

Pisa and Florence are actually closer than Venice, but the transfers would be a nightmare. 

 

Oh well, it looked possible, but it's not going to work for us I don't think....

 

Back to the drawing board! 

[allyfree]

If you're wanting to do the Med, try Barcelona ... so much easier !

 

[Kathscof]

1 hour ago, *twinkle* said:

This sounds a bit too much hassle unfortunately.  I can't get direct flights to Bologna, and don't fancy a 3.5 hour bus journey from Venice. 

 

Pisa and Florence are actually closer than Venice, but the transfers would be a nightmare. 

 

Oh well, it looked possible, but it's not going to work for us I don't think....

 

Back to the drawing board! 

The only hassle part would be finding a taxi (and probably not even that hard at a train station that probably has a taxi stand), don't give up!  Train travel is easy!

[*twinkle*]

32 minutes ago, allyfree said:

If you're wanting to do the Med, try Barcelona ... so much easier !

 

Totally agree, although the itinerary's are a bit repetitive!  Flights and transfers easy peasy, but have been visiting the same ports of call for more than 10 years now.

[KiwiGal117]

We're booked on a cruise in September as well.  We will be in Rome for a few days first so we were planning to take the train to Ravenna (I think it goes through Bologna), my only concern is trying to get a taxi at Ravenna on a day where there is a ship turnover. Especially as we will probably need 3 taxis.  I will look into the coach transfer from Bologna as that may be easier.

[allyfree]

38 minutes ago, *twinkle* said:

Totally agree, although the itinerary's are a bit repetitive!  Flights and transfers easy peasy, but have been visiting the same ports of call for more than 10 years now.

That's our problem too .... there's no way we'll be heading across the pond these days, sadly ... the gun issue is now a huge no-no for us ... I suppose the only good thing about Europe is that there are often plenty of alternative great places to visit if you venture that little bit further - especially by train. Hope you get something sorted 😊

[Norwich Cruiser]

Ravenna really isn’t worth the effort the transfers Venice can take upwards of three hours with traffic.

 

I’d definitely look at the Barcelona departures far far easier and a great city to visit.

[sharktums]

We did this last summer on a private bus for my group and both ways it was less than two hours each way.  As long as you go early there usually isn't traffic. Meanwhile, those who had done the train fell victim to Italian train strikes and some people missed the cruise. 

[Norwich Cruiser]

Just now, sharktums said:

We did this last summer on a private bus for my group and both ways it was less than two hours each way.  As long as you go early there usually isn't traffic. Meanwhile, those who had done the train fell victim to Italian train strikes and some people missed the cruise. 

That’s what I mean not worth the effort.

[little britain]

25 minutes ago, KiwiGal117 said:

We're booked on a cruise in September as well.  We will be in Rome for a few days first so we were planning to take the train to Ravenna (I think it goes through Bologna), my only concern is trying to get a taxi at Ravenna on a day where there is a ship turnover. Especially as we will probably need 3 taxis.  I will look into the coach transfer from Bologna as that may be easier.

The coach goes from BLQ but there is a high speed rail shuttle between the train station and the airport. 
 

There are very few taxis in Ravenna 

[Norwich Cruiser]

Just now, little britain said:

The coach goes from BLQ but there is a high speed rail shuttle between the train station and the airport. 
 

There are very few taxis in Ravenna 

Yes

 

Bologna is easier and nearer than Venice and as you taxis are at a premium in Ravenna.

[sowhat]

Just booked Explorer 4 days  before  sail date ,
Civitavecchia  to Ravenna  and Ravenna  to Ravenna  direct  Royal Caribbean  including  flights  and transfers from FCO to Civitavecchia  and Ravenna  to VCE

[LibertyBella]

Everything is worth the effort if one really wants to see the world.  I have been lucky enough to sail out of Venice twice in my life, the last time in 2019, and it was a fantastic experience, although I was so worried about all the little gondolas scurrying away nearby.

 

However, I respect and appreciate that Venice had to stop allowing huge cruise ships to enter, due to the damage they were rendering to this beautiful historic area.  

 

I would absolutely return to Venice again and again, because it is a remarkable city. We learned how to ride all the local canal transportation, quite fun and scenic.

 

Last month we did a Danube river cruise, so we had to fly to Frankfurt, then Munich, then bus down for a few hours to the river. This Summer I am sailing out of Rome--, excuse me, Civitavecchia, and although the train transport is also cheap and easy, we will probably take a private car just to avoid carrying the suitcases too much around central Rome. I have sailed to Southampton (drove to London in a rental car), and so many other ports (many by tender) that I have lost track.  Happily this year I have been cruising for half a century.

 

For me, travel is always an adventure, and I can't wait to go on my next cruise!

[Tin can]

Perhaps it's just me but I am not seeing Venice to Ravenna as a problem. I am really looking forward to Venice and equally looking forward to the train.

 

I am not in the first flush of youth 😀 but think it will be good for me and the family to be outside of our comfort zone a bit and see and experience something new.

[Tin can]

9 minutes ago, LibertyBella said:

Everything is worth the effort if one really wants to see the world.  I have been lucky enough to sail out of Venice twice in my life, the last time in 2019, and it was a fantastic experience, although I was so worried about all the little gondolas scurrying away nearby.

 

However, I respect and appreciate that Venice had to stop allowing huge cruise ships to enter, due to the damage they were rendering to this beautiful historic area.  

 

I would absolutely return to Venice again and again, because it is a remarkable city. We learned how to ride all the local canal transportation, quite fun and scenic.

 

Last month we did a Danube river cruise, so we had to fly to Frankfurt, then Munich, then bus down for a few hours to the river. This Summer I am sailing out of Rome--, excuse me, Civitavecchia, and although the train transport is also cheap and easy, we will probably take a private car just to avoid carrying the suitcases too much around central Rome. I have sailed to Southampton (drove to London in a rental car), and so many other ports (many by tender) that I have lost track.  Happily this year I have been cruising for half a century.

 

For me, travel is always an adventure, and I can't wait to go on my next cruise!

 

Absolutely, I think you posted this whilst I was typing my post and I couldn't have put this any better.

[KiwiGal117]

On 5/2/2023 at 4:55 PM, little britain said:

The coach goes from BLQ but there is a high speed rail shuttle between the train station and the airport. 
 

There are very few taxis in Ravenna 

Thanks for confirming.  I had a feeling that would be the case!

[KiwiGal117]

On 5/2/2023 at 1:48 PM, ajtaylor29 said:

We're cruising out of Ravenna this September, and only discovered after we booked the cruise that we were 2 hours away from the port when in Venice?!?

After researching myself and asking lots of questions, we figured out that RCCL DOES offer a shuttle service (via bus) from either Venice airport, Venice town center area (near train station) or Bologna airport. You cannot book this online tho - you have to call RC to reserve your seats OR let your TA do it if you're using a travel agent. I believe it's about $60 per person each way.

We decided to fly in to Venice and spend 2 days pre-cruise there, then fly home out of Bologna (it's only an hour away from the port).

Hope this helps!

Do you (or anyone else on this thread) know what time the shuttles leave from Bologna airport to go to the port?

[Tlbecker1]

On 5/2/2023 at 4:14 PM, Tin can said:

Perhaps it's just me but I am not seeing Venice to Ravenna as a problem. I am really looking forward to Venice and equally looking forward to the train.

 

I am not in the first flush of youth 😀 but think it will be good for me and the family to be outside of our comfort zone a bit and see and experience something new.

We did this trip May 22’.  Just keep in mind that you have to transfer trains and there are a lot of stairs, we didn’t find any elevators.  We did it fine, but if you have a lot of luggage it can make things difficult.

[TRUEBLUE66]

On 5/2/2023 at 7:16 PM, *twinkle* said:

This sounds a bit too much hassle unfortunately.  I can't get direct flights to Bologna, and don't fancy a 3.5 hour bus journey from Venice. 

 

Pisa and Florence are actually closer than Venice, but the transfers would be a nightmare. 

 

Oh well, it looked possible, but it's not going to work for us I don't think....

 

Back to the drawing board! 

We have done Barcelona several times and love the city almost as much as Venice. 

May I also suggest you look at Athens. Plenty to do and see and the port is only 10/15 minutes from the centre. Lots of direct flights from the UK.

Lots of cruise choices to Greek Islands, Turkey and Israel.

[fishiecrackers]

We are doing one in June that leaves from Rome and arrives in Athens - both easy cities for transport. We chose this itinerary because we felt for both Rome and Athens, we would want more than just one port day, and it would be easy for flights in and out.