Ticket collection - costa cruise from venice

[Ironman56]

We are booked on the Costa Favolosa departing Venice on 23 September.

I booked online and the travel agency tells me that, because we reside in Australia, we have to collect our cruise tickets and baggage labels from the pier on the day we board the ship.

It seems odd to me that they would be issuing the actual tickets on the pier and I worry that if things go wrong, it will be too late to sort things out.

Can anyone advise whether this is normal practice?

Apparently it is different for USA or Canadian citizens who are issued with electronic tickets.

Thanks.

[dizzy1948]

You should get your tickets online. I think you need to have a word with your TA - you usually get them around 4 weeks before you go. I certainly wouldn't take someone's word that I had to pick tickets up at the cruise terminal.

Have a word with your TA asap - otherwise you will stress.
There are other cruisers from AUS who have cruised Europe - and got their tickets online.
make that contact asap

[seanpboles]

What confirmation did you receive from your travel agent? I am in the USA and have always received a confirmation with a booking number. I enter the booking number into Costa's website and get all the information there. You can enter in all the data on the website and then you won't have to do it at the port for embarkation (passport, emergency contact, etc). We did forget our tickets once but they just hand wrote some when we arrived.

Regarding the luggage tags, that also should come with your confirmation. You can print them out, fold the paper and staple them to your bags. Also, they have blanks at the cruise port. So no big deal there.

I would check your confirmation paperwork and then go from there.

Cheers.

[Ironman56]

We do have a booking number and I can use that to get online and everything is in our name so that seems okay.

It appears there is a specific distinction for USA and Canadian citizens. There are some website where the cruises can only be booked by USA or Canadian citizens - and at a much cheaper rate I might add - 50% of what it would cost through a travel agent in Australia.

Are they any Australian cruisers out there who may have sailed with Costa and can explain whether they got their tickets online or on the pier?

Thanks.

[dizzy1948]

We got ours on line - see my post above.

[Ironman56]

Thanks Dizzy1948,

Can you recall whether you had to wait until a certain time before departure date before you got the electronic tickets eg 30 days??

Also, were they just emailed to you or did you just access tem on the website and download them?

As a matter of interest, did you book the cruise through an Australian website or through a USA website?

Thanks again.

David

[dizzy1948]

Hi Ironman - The documents are usually emailed about 3 weeks before you go - can be sooner. I have booked on line - Costa Shanghi -for one cruise (with a bit of help from Costa Aus - when you could book through them direct). Haven't had any major problem with Costa overseas (Shanghi). I wouldn't book a holiday through an Overseas agent on line - you have no redress if things go wrong. I have used Aussie Agents as well to book cruises. When you book a cruise in Aus - all fees are up front. If you book on line overseas - you will find your onboard charges are added at the END of the cruise. Gives some people a nasty shock. In Aus - these charges are up front - you literally get everything up front - no hidden extras.
You haven't said whether you have booked through an Aussie agent or on line overseas?
If it's an Aussie agent - get back on to them for clarification of when you get your tickets. Personally, I would be more than worried if I was told I would pick my tickets up at Port of departure. Alarm bells would more than ring!!!!!!!!!!!!!