Oosterdam Europe 2022 will sail from Trieste

[RD64]

And…. Where else can you sail directly from the city centre. Stay at the Savoia Excelsior and you can walk across the street to the ship - and Piazza Unita is right around the corner.

[terrydtx]

4 minutes ago, RD64 said:

Although I know it is not an optimal situation for those that have never been to Venice….  If you have been there - embrace Trieste - it is an Adriatic gem, the largest piazza in Italy over looking the sea. No better place to spend a summer night with an Aperol Spritz.

If this wasn't our first time in Venice, I could agree with you, we want to see Venice. However, I bet hotel rooms are much cheaper in Trieste. 

[OlsSalt]

5 hours ago, terrydtx said:

Yes of course I checked but two weeks ago it still showed Venice which is why I called to make sure. The online booking was changed this week after HAL has apparently changed ports on us.

 

My guess is HAL did not change the port; the powers that be in Venice changed the port.

 

UNESCO has been threatening to drop Venice as a World Heritage Site (which provides some funding and protections), if they did not stop cruise traffic which was rapidly threatening this unique site.  This change was supposed to be later, but now it looks like it was in fact sooner. HAL is at the mercy of each port authority's acceptance or rejection of their visits- for "covid" as well as we see for other reasons.

 

I hope you have an enjoyable cruise anyway. Perilous times for cruising all around today. 

 

 

Edited April 10, 2022 by OlsSalt

[terrydtx]

For anyone who now has to transfer to Trieste like us, I just booked a private limo van for the 4 of us from the car terminal on Venice, Piazzale Roma to the cruise port in Trieste for $433 or $108pp, which I am sure will be less than whatever HAL comes up with. 1-2 people is $377 for the same rental. The same prices if they pick you up at the airport. I would suggest you book early as 2000 people may be wanting to go to Trieste the day the cruise departs. BTW our Venice hotel recommended this company.

 

Here is who we booked with: Daniel's car service T. - Local Tour Guide in Veneto, Venice, Padua, Verona... | GoWithGuide

[Torquer]

On 4/7/2022 at 10:49 AM, VMax1700 said:

Holland America Line will be providing transfers to Trieste for all guests, although pricing & times for these transfers are pending.  We hope to have these by April 11^th.

It is now April 11.  Did anybody get any info about transfers from Venice from/to Trieste?  We never even got the original email that the OP posted to this thread so I doubt HAL will be sending us info now.

 

We need to reschedule our flights for our cruise this summer, since it is highly unlikely HAL will be able to get us to the Venice airport for a 12:40 flight, so we need to know what the options are for Trieste.  Looking at flights for return to US from Trieste, is not looking good; there are very few options and none of them are really good.  So we will probably fly home from Venice, but we need to get there from Trieste at a time that works.

 

I just pity the people that are on a cruise in early May that have to deal with these last minute changes.  At least we have more time for our August cruise.

[gailellen12]

6 minutes ago, Torquer said:

It is now April 11.  Did anybody get any info about transfers from Venice from/to Trieste?  We never even got the original email that the OP posted to this thread so I doubt HAL will be sending us info now.

 

We need to reschedule our flights for our cruise this summer, since it is highly unlikely HAL will be able to get us to the Venice airport for a 12:40 flight, so we need to know what the options are for Trieste.  Looking at flights for return to US from Trieste, is not looking good; there are very few options and none of them are really good.  So we will probably fly home from Venice, but we need to get there from Trieste at a time that works.

 

I just pity the people that are on a cruise in early May that have to deal with these last minute changes.  At least we have more time for our August cruise.

It will be interesting to see what HAL does  with those of us who booked our flights with them in terms of getting us to Venice from Trieste for early afternoon flights on departure days🤔

[bump70]

On 4/9/2022 at 2:57 PM, RD64 said:

Although I know it is not an optimal situation for those that have never been to Venice….  If you have been there - embrace Trieste - it is an Adriatic gem, the largest piazza in Italy over looking the sea. No better place to spend a summer night with an Aperol Spritz.

Suggestion where to stay for our Trieste visit?  

[terrydtx]

3 hours ago, Torquer said:

It is now April 11.  Did anybody get any info about transfers from Venice from/to Trieste?  We never even got the original email that the OP posted to this thread so I doubt HAL will be sending us info now.

 

We need to reschedule our flights for our cruise this summer, since it is highly unlikely HAL will be able to get us to the Venice airport for a 12:40 flight, so we need to know what the options are for Trieste.  Looking at flights for return to US from Trieste, is not looking good; there are very few options and none of them are really good.  So we will probably fly home from Venice, but we need to get there from Trieste at a time that works.

 

I just pity the people that are on a cruise in early May that have to deal with these last minute changes.  At least we have more time for our August cruise.

Its now end of business on April 11th and only crickets from HAL. The new itinerary online show we are actually returning to Venice, so it is now just more confusing. I found a private car service that will take all 4 of us to the Trieste cruise port from the Piazzale Roma on Venice for $433 total, or $108pp. They will also run from the airport to Trieste and from the cruise ship to the Airport for the same rates. It takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes each way for the trip. I have them booked for the trip to the cruise terminal, we are waiting to hear from HAL about the return to Venice or Trieste. The owner told me he has multiple cars available on Aug 21.

[kirbymuxloe]

Just received email now from HAL for 8 may venice return cruise. Complimentary return coach transfers from Marco polo airport to trieste port  times not assigned as yet.   Disembark on return my boarding pass states 08.30 am although ship docks 06.00.   Maggie

 

[ski ww]

I got the same email this morning, complimentary coach from/to Venice air port. If booked using FlightEase times changed.

[VMax1700]

I also received the email which does appear to have been sent late evening Seattle time on 11th April.   Complimentary transfers from VCE is a good compromise IMHO.

I am sure there are some who will still bristle and complain, but this cruiser is relatively happy, provided that the buses are spacious and not overfilled.

[Oldies123]

We had an email today from HAL, our cruise is on May 20 (originally from Venice now from Trieste) we booked our flights through HAL.... A complimentary motor coach is being provided by HAL for the transfer from Venice to Trieste, it will all be a bit of a rush I guess as we don't get into Venice until late afternoon then it's 90 miles by motorcoach.  And it's assuming all flights will be on time, I am having a few jitters as we are flying originally from Manchester where the reports are horrendous of queues and people missing their flights .. not enough staff apparently .... with connecting flights as well to contend with and needing assistance for hubby through the airports I'm really not looking forwards to this journey.

[VMax1700]

6 minutes ago, Oldies123 said:

we booked our flights through HAL

Could you ask HAL to move your flights forward by a day?  Would give you a little more comfort.  Or fly to your transfer airport the day previous?

[terrydtx]

2 hours ago, ski ww said:

I got the same email this morning, complimentary coach from/to Venice air port. If booked using FlightEase times changed.

We got the email this morning but nothing about free transportation for people like us who will be in Venice 3 days before departure and not at the airport on departure day. So we, like many others will be on our own to get to Trieste. The other thing that makes no sense, our cruise returns to Venice, Marghera port on Sept 4th, why can we return to Venice but have to depart from Trieste?

 

Also no explanation for dropping Santorini and adding the second stop in Mykonos and dropping the Crete port for another sea day. We are still not happy about all of this.

[VMax1700]

4 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

nothing about free transportation for people like us who will be in Venice 3 days before departure and not at the airport on departure day

Em hello, can you not travel to the airport?  You would have had to travel to the cruise port anyway.

We will be in Venice for a few days pre cruise and will have no problem in going to the airport to pick up the transfer.

[terrydtx]

3 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

Em hello, can you not travel to the airport?  You would have had to travel to the cruise port anyway.

We will be in Venice for a few days pre cruise and will have no problem in going to the airport to pick up the transfer.

HAL needs to provide transportation from the old Venice cruise terminal as well as the airport. I suspect more passengers are flying into Venice early and staying on Venice Island than flying in the day of departure. 

[VMax1700]

Just now, terrydtx said:

HAL needs to provide transportation from the old Venice cruise terminal as well as the airport.

Why?  Many cruisers stay in Mestre as it is closer to the airport, cheaper than Venice, and still has easy access to Venice.  Also a lot easier to manage luggage.

[Maryanncc]

Yes, we are staying in Mestre. The hotel has a shuttle service to the airport, which we plan on taking on embarkation day. 

[razal68]

As I am affected cruise passenger, who has made travel plans anticipating a departure from the port of Venice, and probably a majority of the passengers. It would seem logical for Holland America to make an additional departure point from Venice cruise port. The airport is a busy location  and the crush of all these passengers seeking transport, could be problematic.

[Torquer]

Has anybody who is embarking/disembarking from "Venice" been able to get into FlightEase within the last few days?  Since this news of the change to Trieste broke last week, I have not been able to get into FlightEase.  I always get the error message:

 

We are unable to process your request. Please try again later or call us at the number listed on the page for assistance.

 

It is nice that HAL is providing free transportation from Trieste back to the Venice Airport, but we need to change our flights on disembarkation day since they will be too early given the 2 hour bus ride.  What do other people think is a reasonable earliest time for a flight out of Venice?  We also want to investigate flights out of the Trieste airport; they do exist but connections in Europe back to the US are not very good from what I have found on Orbitz.

[terrydtx]

3 minutes ago, Torquer said:

Has anybody who is embarking/disembarking from "Venice" been able to get into FlightEase within the last few days?  Since this news of the change to Trieste broke last week, I have not been able to get into FlightEase.  I always get the error message

Yes I am getting the same message, HAL may have frozen Oosterdam passengers out while they try to make needed changes to air travel effected by the port change. I would not waste time trying to connect out from the Trieste airport, it is a very small regional airport.

[VMax1700]

7 minutes ago, Torquer said:

I have not been able to get into FlightEase.  I always get the error message:

I have checked Flight ease and I also get the same error message, not only for June Oosterdam cruise, but also for August Rotterdam cruise and November Oosterdam cruise.  I think that they disconnect the booking engine backend from the website when they are doing maintenance or updates to prevent the whole Flight Ease system getting out of sync.

[VMax1700]

15 minutes ago, Torquer said:

We also want to investigate flights out of the Trieste airport; they do exist

Look directly at Lufthansa who have a flight with a connection in Frankfurt.

Another option may be Air Italy (or whatever they are called this month!).

Stay away from Ryanair as they are inter Europe only and do not do connecting flights.  Some of their airports are secondary airports too. 

It also seems that Trieste airport is 50 minutes from the port area.

[gailellen12]

56 minutes ago, Torquer said:

Has anybody who is embarking/disembarking from "Venice" been able to get into FlightEase within the last few days?  Since this news of the change to Trieste broke last week, I have not been able to get into FlightEase.  I always get the error message:

 

We are unable to process your request. Please try again later or call us at the number listed on the page for assistance.

 

It is nice that HAL is providing free transportation from Trieste back to the Venice Airport, but we need to change our flights on disembarkation day since they will be too early given the 2 hour bus ride.  What do other people think is a reasonable earliest time for a flight out of Venice?  We also want to investigate flights out of the Trieste airport; they do exist but connections in Europe back to the US are not very good from what I have found on Orbitz.

What time is your departure flight?  Trying to gauge if my 12:15 flight out of Venice will be doable despite only adding in Trieste that same morning at 6 am. I guess time will tell by some of the earlier cruises. Hope those folks make out ok too

[gailellen12]

Just now, gailellen12 said:

What time is your departure flight?  Trying to gauge if my 12:15 flight out of Venice will be doable despite only adding in Trieste that same morning at 6 am. I guess time will tell by some of the earlier cruises. Hope those folks make out ok too

Adding should be docking. Typo😬