Docking in Ravenna rather than Venice.

[Eveanphil2]

As we wish to go to Venice City centre after the cruise  disappointed to see Celebrity Constellation don't do an embarkation trip there only to the airport.  Any ideas as it is about 3 hours away and to do it via rail is 2 different lines.

Surely we don't need to book to the airport and then bus down to the city centre

[WestLakeGirl]

That is not difficult and is probably your best option.

[long time lurker]

Actually, there are 2 Celebrity transfer options. One to the airport and the other to the city, which is what we have booked. 

[mahdnc]

Perhaps this is still available through Celebrity:

https://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/CEL_Venice_to_Ravenna_Transfers_Flyer.pdf

[MeHeartCruising]

Celebrity and Royal Caribbean sell a post cruise transfer service to either Venice Marco Polo Airport OR Venice “City Center”.  The city center drop off is at the Tronchetto parking area/People Mover station.  From there, you can take the People Mover train to Venice Piazzale Roma, the main transport center of Venice.  From there you figure out how to get to your hotel. 
 

You can buy these transfers in advance by calling. Or buy it on the ship. If you call, you may find that not all agents know what you are talking about.  Hang up and call again.  I had to call a couple times before getting a knowledge agent who knew what they were doing. 

Edited May 25, 2023 by MeHeartCruising

[Mick B]

Hi,

After doing my research for getting to Ravenna, I can tell you getting to Venice by yourself will include having to get either a bus or taxi from the port to Ravenna Train station which could take up to 50 mins then a train from Ravenna to Bologna which is just over an hour and then a train to Venice which is approx an hour and a half, so not really an option if you just want to go there for the day.

 

However, if your only option other than the cruise companies drop off at Venice city centre is the cruise companies drop off at Marco Polo airport, then as someone who has flown into it many times, I can tell you that you have the expensive option of water taxi to the main island or the local taxi/bus service. The bus service goes 2 ways, one via Mestre which takes about an hour and gets very busy at times, or the other which skirts around the south east side of the town and gets you into Venice in about 25 minutes.

 

The only problem you have if you are not staying in an hotel is what to do with your cases. You won't want to take them with you onto the island as there are many many steps and bridges and you may not be able to leave them at the airport. If your airline will allow you to drop them off early this may still leave you without enough time to get to the island and enjoy it unless you pay for a two way water taxi. I don't have the price but it will be a lot. Not bad if say 8 of you are going and all contribute.

 

I have to say this, but this is the sad result of cruise ships over a certain size no longer being able to leave from Venice as I have done it many times and you got such a great view unless it was foggy or you got delayed due to the regatta stopping cruise ships leaving, which may also have played a part in the changing of port to Ravenna.

Please, please, please remember Ravenna is approx 80 miles south west of Venice as the train(s) go and anyone wanting to spend any quality time in Venice needs to book a few nights in a Hotel either on the island (if you have the money) or in nearby Mestre if you are on a budget. 

Trust me, you cannot see or do all Venice has to offer in just a day yet alone a few hours. It is a magical place that never changes that much no matter how many times you visit and I have been there almost every year for either a few days stay or for several cruises before Covid stopped us.

 

Hope this helps someone in the future who wants to cruise and also see Venice.

 

Mick.

Edited May 25, 2023 by Mick B

[little britain]

3 hours ago, Eveanphil2 said:

As we wish to go to Venice City centre after the cruise  disappointed to see Celebrity Constellation don't do an embarkation trip there only to the airport.  Any ideas as it is about 3 hours away and to do it via rail is 2 different lines.

Surely we don't need to book to the airport and then bus down to the city centre

Where is your hotel in Venice and we will advise best way to get there. 

[Eveanphil2]

1 hour ago, little britain said:

Where is your hotel in Venice and we will advise best way to get there. 

We  haven't booked anywhere yet but was more that Celebrity are not providing transfers to the  city 

 

[Eveanphil2]

4 hours ago, long time lurker said:

Actually, there are 2 Celebrity transfer options. One to the airport and the other to the city, which is what we have booked. 

The one which states city centre does not go into the city.  It also goes to the airport if you read the bumf.  We confirmed this by phone to celebrity today 

[Eveanphil2]

2 hours ago, Mick B said:

Hi,

After doing my research for getting to Ravenna, I can tell you getting to Venice by yourself will include having to get either a bus or taxi from the port to Ravenna Train station which could take up to 50 mins then a train from Ravenna to Bologna which is just over an hour and then a train to Venice which is approx an hour and a half, so not really an option if you just want to go there for the day.

 

However, if your only option other than the cruise companies drop off at Venice city centre is the cruise companies drop off at Marco Polo airport, then as someone who has flown into it many times, I can tell you that you have the expensive option of water taxi to the main island or the local taxi/bus service. The bus service goes 2 ways, one via Mestre which takes about an hour and gets very busy at times, or the other which skirts around the south east side of the town and gets you into Venice in about 25 minutes.

 

The only problem you have if you are not staying in an hotel is what to do with your cases. You won't want to take them with you onto the island as there are many many steps and bridges and you may not be able to leave them at the airport. If your airline will allow you to drop them off early this may still leave you without enough time to get to the island and enjoy it unless you pay for a two way water taxi. I don't have the price but it will be a lot. Not bad if say 8 of you are going and all contribute.

 

I have to say this, but this is the sad result of cruise ships over a certain size no longer being able to leave from Venice as I have done it many times and you got such a great view unless it was foggy or you got delayed due to the regatta stopping cruise ships leaving, which may also have played a part in the changing of port to Ravenna.

Please, please, please remember Ravenna is approx 80 miles south west of Venice as the train(s) go and anyone wanting to spend any quality time in Venice needs to book a few nights in a Hotel either on the island (if you have the money) or in nearby Mestre if you are on a budget. 

Trust me, you cannot see or do all Venice has to offer in just a day yet alone a few hours. It is a magical place that never changes that much no matter how many times you visit and I have been there almost every year for either a few days stay or for several cruises before Covid stopped us.

 

Hope this helps someone in the future who wants to cruise and also see Venice.

 

Mick.

Thank you we have sailed out of Venice many times and understand why we can't now. Agree we can go to the airport then bus back.  Frustration is with Celebrity 

[Eveanphil2]

3 hours ago, MeHeartCruising said:

Celebrity and Royal Caribbean sell a post cruise transfer service to either Venice Marco Polo Airport OR Venice “City Center”.  The city center drop off is at the Tronchetto parking area/People Mover station.  From there, you can take the People Mover train to Venice Piazzale Roma, the main transport center of Venice.  From there you figure out how to get to your hotel. 
 

You can buy these transfers in advance by calling. Or buy it on the ship. If you call, you may find that not all agents know what you are talking about.  Hang up and call again.  I had to call a couple times before getting a knowledge agent who knew what they were doing. 

Thank you the bus station would be great if it DOES drop off there. 

Airport transfer via city centre would be good

[Host Anne]

I have moved this thread back to Celebrity since it is specifically talking about Celebrity ships and transfers as this is the best place for one to get information specific to Celebrity in Ravenna.

 

There are no large ships docking in Venice any longer.  From the Marco Polo airport (if that is a transfer option through Celebrity) we took a water taxi to our pre-cruise hotel in Venice. That was easy and most enjoyable.  So if you can take a Celebrity transfer, a water taxi is a great way to get to Venice.  Are you staying there overnight?  It is kind of a long way to travel if you aren't staying over.  Good luck!

[cruisemom42]

3 hours ago, Eveanphil2 said:

The one which states city centre does not go into the city.  It also goes to the airport if you read the bumf.  We confirmed this by phone to celebrity today 

 

As far as I've heard Celebrity is still offering a transfer to Tronchetto. That is about as close as one gets to Venice; no wheeled traffic is permitted farther than Piazzale Roma, so there is no such thing as a transport to the city center...

 

The bus transfer to Tronchetto drops you right next to the People Mover, an easy way to get to Piazzale Roma (and what you'd have to take from the Marittima port if you were still docking in Venice).  From Piazzale Roma you have several potential ways of reaching your hotel, assuming you're staying on the island.

[Eveanphil2]

20 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

As far as I've heard Celebrity is still offering a transfer to Tronchetto. That is about as close as one gets to Venice; no wheeled traffic is permitted farther than Piazzale Roma, so there is no such thing as a transport to the city center...

 

The bus transfer to Tronchetto drops you right next to the People Mover, an easy way to get to Piazzale Roma (and what you'd have to take from the Marittima port if you were still docking in Venice).  From Piazzale Roma you have several potential ways of reaching your hotel, assuming you're staying on the island.

Thank you, I know Venice well so would be happy to get a transfer to there.

[lorilea]

We just got off the Constellation in Ravenna on the 25th and we were able to book a transfer on the ship to Venice City Center (Tronchetto) at Guest Relations on the ship on the 23rd.  We had originally booked a car rental in Ravenna but with the recent flooding, we thought a transfer would be better if we could get it. Transfer bus was half full.

[Eveanphil2]

2 hours ago, lorilea said:

We just got off the Constellation in Ravenna on the 25th and we were able to book a transfer on the ship to Venice City Center (Tronchetto) at Guest Relations on the ship on the 23rd.  We had originally booked a car rental in Ravenna but with the recent flooding, we thought a transfer would be better if we could get it. Transfer bus was half full.

Thank you so much...that gives us relief to be able to book the transfer, its such a long way to Venice.