Fly-Cruises in 2015?

[Sailaway487]

Hi! I was just wondering, does anyone know if P&O will be doing fly-cruises for 2015, or are they already planning to drop them after this summer? I only ask because I noticed on the Gibraltar port schedules that Ventura is booked in throughout summer 2015 on various dates suggesting ex-UK cruises. I know many have commented that Azura would be better for fly-cruises, but it too is booked into Gibraltar on a number of dates, suggesting it will be ex-UK for 2015 also.

 

I know brochures aren't out for another few months, but anyone heard anything? Are they changing them to a smaller ship? Or perhaps scrapping them altogether already?

[kevinyork]

Well spotted. Yes Ventura makes regular appearances throughout summer 2015 in Gibraltar so looks like she will not be in the Med Fly cruising. However, Azura also makes several appearances too so no fly cruises for her either. Either a smaller ship will be in the Med or they are dropping that idea.

[bee-ess]

Could this be to do with larger ship not being allowed into Venice in the future.

[CCFC]

Could this be to do with larger ship not being allowed into Venice in the future.

 

They will still be allowed they will just have to dock further North, its the Giudecca canal that's being restricted afaik.

[the english lady]

Hi! I was just wondering, does anyone know if P&O will be doing fly-cruises for 2015, or are they already planning to drop them after this summer? I only ask because I noticed on the Gibraltar port schedules that Ventura is booked in throughout summer 2015 on various dates suggesting ex-UK cruises. I know many have commented that Azura would be better for fly-cruises, but it too is booked into Gibraltar on a number of dates, suggesting it will be ex-UK for 2015 also.

 

I know brochures aren't out for another few months, but anyone heard anything? Are they changing them to a smaller ship? Or perhaps scrapping them altogether already?

 

I tried thinking outside the box....or whatever.

Could it be they will do fly-cruise using Gib as the base. Is there any reason why they wouldn't do that?

[Rosefan]

Brittania will be launched in 2015, could it be based in the med attracting new families to cruising?? Is Ventura testing out the demand this year?

[tom_uk]

They will still be allowed they will just have to dock further North, its the Giudecca canal that's being restricted afaik.

 

In practice they won't be able to get any ship larger than 96,000 tons into Venice cruise terminal after November 2014, until a new channel is dredged. The most likely route for that is from the commercial channel (container & bulk ships) going into Maghera port on the mainland: the channel stays close to the mainland, i.e to the west of Venice, and the new channel would angle north-eastwards from some point towards the cruise port. There is an alternative suggestion of a new channel to the south of Giudecca island, but I think that's a long shot. And as far as I'm aware, while all the Italian authorities - national and regional - are saying that it will be done, no money has been committed to it yet. So it's unlikely to be done in time for the 2015 season.

 

Given that the 2015 brochures are published this spring, P&O has to plan for 2015 on the basis of what they know they can definitely do. That means either fly-cruises that don't go to Venice, or fly-cruises involving smaller ships, or no fly-cruises.

[MattyBarlow]

What the schedule does show is Oceana arriving in Feb but not making another appearance until November. Theres your Fly cruise ship for 2015.

 

 

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[Presto2]

What the schedule does show is Oceana arriving in Feb but not making another appearance until November. Theres your Fly cruise ship for 2015.

 

Have to smile - it sounds like OV3 to me --------- she is about the same size as OV2!

 

It will be interesting to see what the 2015 brochures bring --- must admit love Oceana and Celebrity Silhouette, so if both do a similar cruise it will be interesting to make a choice !

Edited January 31, 2014 by Presto2

[MattyBarlow]

OV3 is what went through my mind too.

 

 

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[Sailaway487]

Oceana does seem the most likely. Can't find it appearing anywhere else for the summer on any other port schedule. Just found Ventura in Amsterdam in May, and also Britannia on a couple of dates in Gibraltar at the beginning of the summer season.

[Presto2]

Oceana does seem the most likely. Can't find it appearing anywhere else for the summer on any other port schedule. Just found Ventura in Amsterdam in May, and also Britannia on a couple of dates in Gibraltar at the beginning of the summer season.

 

 

Just wondering where you all check re the schedules.

 

Thanks

[Sailaway487]

Just wondering where you all check re the schedules.

 

Thanks

 

They're on the official port authority websites. Although, not all ports have them and most only have the schedule for the year, so it is difficult to find much info, but there is some out there, Gibraltar being one of them.

[kevinyork]

Oceana does seem the most likely. Can't find it appearing anywhere else for the summer on any other port schedule. Just found Ventura in Amsterdam in May, and also Britannia on a couple of dates in Gibraltar at the beginning of the summer season.

 

Oceana it is then. People on these boards are like Hercule Poiroits......great detection

[Clodia]

Good. I like Oceana. I can think about a fly cruise next year, though I have to say I might actually miss the Bay of Biscay!

[shipfriend_max]

Brittania will be launched in 2015, could it be based in the med attracting new families to cruising?? Is Ventura testing out the demand this year?

 

Pretty unlikely!

She also appears in Gibraltar throughout the summer season (4 calls): http://www.gibraltarport.com/cruise/schedules

She will not call between mid of June and end of August, so I assume in July and August, she might sail Northern European itineraries such as Baltic and Norway...

[kevinyork]

Just as an aside. Last winter they pulled Azura from the Caribbean to the Med then reversed that decision for half the winter season. They have Ventura in the Med this summer but not next......who is making these decisions?

[Denarius]

IMO Oceana would be an excellent choice to base in the Med for fly cruises. Plenty of open deck space, small enough to get into Venice (?) and other smaller ports. Perhaps P&O will use the latter to their advantage with itineraries which omit the "done to death" ports in favour of something new.

[kevinyork]

IMO Oceana would be an excellent choice to base in the Med for fly cruises. Plenty of open deck space, small enough to get into Venice (?) and other smaller ports. Perhaps P&O will use the latter to their advantage with itineraries which omit the "done to death" ports in favour of something new.

 

They need to go East from Venice to Turkey and Greece. That would be enticing. Not the usual Rome/Livorno.

[CCFC]

It would be nice if they did keep West from Venice and do maybe Split, Dubrovnik, Corfu, Mykonos, Santorini, Piraeus, Katakolon, Crete and then back to Athens to fly home. Some great destinations there.

 

I've done them with Princess and would certainly try P&O as Princess is very thin on the ground these days in the Eastern Med.

[molecrochip]

IMO Oceana would be an excellent choice to base in the Med for fly cruises. Plenty of open deck space, small enough to get into Venice (?) and other smaller ports. Perhaps P&O will use the latter to their advantage with itineraries which omit the "done to death" ports in favour of something new.

 

 

Yes, Oceana is small enough to fit into Venice. In fact she is P&O's biggest family ship that will be able to do so after November 2014 until further works are undertaken.

 

 

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[Presto2]

They need to go East from Venice to Turkey and Greece. That would be enticing. Not the usual Rome/Livorno.

 

Couldn't agree more :D

[Sailaway487]

It would be nice if they did keep West from Venice and do maybe Split, Dubrovnik, Corfu, Mykonos, Santorini, Piraeus, Katakolon, Crete and then back to Athens to fly home. Some great destinations there.

 

I've done them with Princess and would certainly try P&O as Princess is very thin on the ground these days in the Eastern Med.

 

I agree! Much better than the western Med that is being served by ex-UK cruises anyway.

 

They could do Venice - At Sea - Dubrovnik - Corfu - At Sea - Mykonos - Kusadasi (Ephesus)- Piraeus (Athens)

 

Then, Piraeus (Athens) - Santorini - At Sea - Katakolon (Olympia) - Kotor - Split - Venice (overnight)

[Sailaway487]

As has been mentioned previously, Oceana seems to be the ship that is doing fly-cruises in 2015. However, if that is the case, perhaps the wish of the Eastern Mediterranean might actually happen! Oceana isn't appearing on Civitavecchia's cruise schedule at all. Now surely, if they were doing Western Mediterranean fly-cruises, Rome would be included. Perhaps the Eastern Mediterranean will be the new fly-cruise destination then.

[kevinyork]

As has been mentioned previously, Oceana seems to be the ship that is doing fly-cruises in 2015. However, if that is the case, perhaps the wish of the Eastern Mediterranean might actually happen! Oceana isn't appearing on Civitavecchia's cruise schedule at all. Now surely, if they were doing Western Mediterranean fly-cruises, Rome would be included. Perhaps the Eastern Mediterranean will be the new fly-cruise destination then.

 

 

Now that is interesting. Is Rome so heavily featured usually because they sell a lot of tours given the distance from port to the city?

 

 

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