Why Why Why Ravenna

[chucknmarilyn]

Just now, chucknmarilyn said:

 

We stayed in Bologna prior to a cruise from Ravenna. Unfortunately we didn't have time to spend in Ravenna to see the mosaics. For this year we booked from there again on Azamara. They changed ports to Choggia so I guess we'll have to try again!!!

 

A bit of research in advance can prevent a lot of issues.

[StellaTN]

45 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

Seems many are not taking the time to understand the situation. A lot of info posted here is questionable at best. (I sailed out of Ravenna last October on Connie, fyi....)

 

No ships are allowed to use the Marittima facility IN Venice currently unless they are extremely small. Not even Azamara or O small ships qualify. Azamara is currently using Fusina and Marghera, two ports that are closer than Ravenna, yes, but it's still not Venice....

 

Celebrity is only charging somewhere between 60-70 euros for a transfer between Venice and Ravenna. I took it last year and thought it was reasonable and easy solution for a longish transfer. Of course I'd rather not have a 3-hour drive, but the ships have little choice and certainly cheaper than paying 500 euro for a private transfer. I don't understand how the OP was saying there was a 600 euro charge for a bus transfer by X?

 

Another point: Transfers to Marco Polo from Ravenna ARE available, they are just not announced in advance. You have to purchase them onboard the ship. The actual daily with the info in it has been posted on this forum in the past.

 

And finally, shame on those saying there is "nothing" in Ravenna. The city boasts EIGHT UNESCO World heritage sites, most of them related to the wonderfully well-preserved and early mosaics that can be viewed in several different churches and monuments. Ravenna actually served as the capital of the Western Roman empire in the 300s and 400s AD. I did an overnight trip on the train especially from Rome one just to see the city. Oh -- and it also boasts wonderful food (along with Bologna).

 

If planning to see Venice, it still makes sense to fly into Venice. If not, Bologna is probably a better alternative.

 

 

 

 

I meant nothing is there at the port. I am sure Ravenna is lovely - but the port lacks infrastructure. I also have read taxis are very limited to get from port to city - there’s something like 30 total in the area. 

[GottaKnowWhen]

38 minutes ago, StellaTN said:

I meant nothing is there at the port. I am sure Ravenna is lovely - but the port lacks infrastructure. I also have read taxis are very limited to get from port to city - there’s something like 30 total in the area. 

I was told 10 taxis. The owner of the Ravenna B&B where we stayed for a couple of nights before our June cruise knew we would be cruising, cautioned me about the transfer problems, and offered to arrange something for us. We didn’t need it as a local friend was giving us a ride, but it is worth noting that local hoteliers can be helpful.

I mentioned to my friend the business opportunities for someone to establish decent local transportation infrastructure for cruiser like us,  but I don’t think he will follow up.

[margo2011]

14 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

Seems many are not taking the time to understand the situation. A lot of info posted here is questionable at best. (I sailed out of Ravenna last October on Connie, fyi....)

 

No ships are allowed to use the Marittima facility IN Venice currently unless they are extremely small. Not even Azamara or O small ships qualify. Azamara is currently using Fusina and Marghera, two ports that are closer than Ravenna, yes, but it's still not Venice....

 

Celebrity is only charging somewhere between 60-70 euros for a transfer between Venice and Ravenna. I took it last year and thought it was reasonable and easy solution for a longish transfer. Of course I'd rather not have a 3-hour drive, but the ships have little choice and certainly cheaper than paying 500 euro for a private transfer. I don't understand how the OP was saying there was a 600 euro charge for a bus transfer by X?

 

Another point: Transfers to Marco Polo from Ravenna ARE available, they are just not announced in advance. You have to purchase them onboard the ship. The actual daily with the info in it has been posted on this forum in the past.

 

And finally, shame on those saying there is "nothing" in Ravenna. The city boasts EIGHT UNESCO World heritage sites, most of them related to the wonderfully well-preserved and early mosaics that can be viewed in several different churches and monuments. Ravenna actually served as the capital of the Western Roman empire in the 300s and 400s AD. I did an overnight trip on the train especially from Rome one just to see the city. Oh -- and it also boasts wonderful food (along with Bologna).

 

If planning to see Venice, it still makes sense to fly into Venice. If not, Bologna is probably a better alternative.

 

 

 

 

Thank for that, but my comment about a $600 charge from celebrity is correct I called my relative last night  in Canada to ensure I wasn’t miss quoting her .Apparently this must be a private transfer as they are flying at 11-45am and celebrity said they have no buses leaving for flights prior to 12-05 but we were on our bus at 6-30 and there wasn’t any toilet stops and we were at the airport by 9-25 giving plenty of time for the 2hr window to arrive prior to a 12-15 flight .They aren’t flying direct home .

I continue to be amused by the tone of some comments on CC .

[cruisemom42]

2 hours ago, margo2011 said:

Thank for that, but my comment about a $600 charge from celebrity is correct I called my relative last night  in Canada to ensure I wasn’t miss quoting her .Apparently this must be a private transfer as they are flying at 11-45am and celebrity said they have no buses leaving for flights prior to 12-05 but we were on our bus at 6-30 and there wasn’t any toilet stops and we were at the airport by 9-25 giving plenty of time for the 2hr window to arrive prior to a 12-15 flight .They aren’t flying direct home .

I continue to be amused by the tone of some comments on CC .

 

Sorry but you made it sound as if Celebrity was charging everyone that amount for a transfer to the airport.

 

Apparently they didn't book their air through the cruise line?  Celebrity has clear info on how early you can book a flight if you want to use their regular transfer.  Sounds like they just booked something that was too early....

 

If Celebrity DID book their air and charged them $600 for a transfer then yes, I can see being upset. 

[cruizingOmi]

On 7/23/2023 at 1:11 PM, margo2011 said:

Hopefully celebrity will take note as the passengers on the ship were quite vocal upon arrival to customer services .

It is the City of Venice which banned large cruise ships, not a choice made by Celebrity. 

This has been discussed over and over, There are other options to get to Ravenna, People have to do a bit more research and decide what is best for them.

To the poster who said Celebrity chose their flights, never ever let a third party choose your flights, do the research and tell them which flights you want.

 

[sasset]

On choosing air: Flights By Celebrity only displays a few options available and usually not optional nearby airports. Example: If you're flying to a cruise staring in Ravenna, Celebrity will only display flights to Venice. We've always been able to get the scheduling and routing we wanted at the Celebrity price. We are flying Delta One, one way from Orange County (CA) to Bologna for $2706. Delta wanted $3788. Just have exactly what you want when you call.

[wrk2cruise]

When we disembarked in May the earliest flight supported by Celebrity transfers to VCE was 12:15 pm.

[crazyank]

On 7/23/2023 at 4:02 PM, margo2011 said:

If they are going to use a new port they should ensure it has the facilities and resources to ensure their customers can get to the port without any hassle.

Getting to and from Ravenna is easy if you do a little research.

On 7/23/2023 at 4:02 PM, margo2011 said:

Ravenna taxis don’t go into the centre on Sundays all 20 yes 20 of them .

Simply not true.  Radio Taxi Ravenna runs 24/7,  all it takes is one phone call. and,  just for info, there are approximately 80 taxis in Ravenna.

[Wineaux007]

3 hours ago, crazyank said:

Getting to and from Ravenna is easy if you do a little research.

Simply not true.  Radio Taxi Ravenna runs 24/7,  all it takes is one phone call. and,  just for info, there are approximately 80 taxis in Ravenna.

We couldn't get a taxi in Ravenna to go to a restaurant.  Called, and none available.  I wouldn't depend on it.  We had our B&B pre-arrange transport to the port in 8-pax vans.

[NBliving]

On 7/23/2023 at 12:57 PM, cruisinsusin said:

We cruised Rome to Ravenna on Constellation earlier this month. We had been to Venice previously so decided to stay in Ravenna and were amazed at the sites, so glad we took the time to visit!  We had an excellent private guide who arranged transfer from the ship to Ravenna hotel and then we toured with her in Ravenna. The mosiacs are gorgeous- not to be missed. This was actually one of our favorite cities. She also arranged transfer to Bologna and we toured there as well before flying home. An excellent way to conclude the cruise!

May I ask who you booked your tour with? We are coming into Ravenna the day before our cruise and plan on seeing the sights. A guided tour would be nice!

[cruisinsusin]

4 minutes ago, NBliving said:

May I ask who you booked your tour with? We are coming into Ravenna the day before our cruise and plan on seeing the sights. A guided tour would be nice!

Absolutely! We toured with Silvia Belletti http://www.silviabelletti.com/  ( on tripadvisor as Tours by Silvia) and were so pleased! The mosaics are gorgeous and not to be missed  but having a guide to share the history of the times made them come even more alive. Silvia obviously loves Ravenna (and Bologna- she was our guide there as well) and have already recommended her to family that will be traveling next year. 

[cruisinsusin]

15 minutes ago, NBliving said:

May I ask who you booked your tour with? We are coming into Ravenna the day before our cruise and plan on seeing the sights. A guided tour would be nice!

Silvia can also helo you arrange transfers if you need that. She arranged transfers from the Ravenna port to our hotel and then from the hotel to Bologna the following day.

[terrydtx]

On 7/23/2023 at 11:47 AM, margo2011 said:

I think this was sold to many as sailing out of Venice ok you could say ignorance is no excuse ,I think celebrity should charter more flights from Bologna .Also they should have transport links in place prior to the sailing date .

 

 

Celebrity does not charter flights; they use the flights that are available through commercial carriers. Last year we used private transport from Venice to Trieste, the HAL Venice port for about $100pp for our group of 4. If going out of Ravenna you should consider the same private transport.  Ravenna is about the same distance from Venice as Trieste.

[Boycey]

Agree wholeheartedly with the OP.  Ravenna is unsuitable as a turnaround port. The main attraction in the North Adriatic is Venice, and Ravenna is 3 hours away at best, and a horrible 3 hours at that.

 

The Bologna mitigation is a bit of a sleight of hand as it may well be nearer to Ravenna, but no-one wants to go to Ravenna as a destination in the first place. It was never included in any serious itinerary before Venice closed its doors to larger ships, so we must always remember the end game has to be a sustainable facility in Venice, entered and exited other than through the ancient city.  Any development in Ravenna is short term and the shorter the better.

[chucknmarilyn]

3 hours ago, Boycey said:

Agree wholeheartedly with the OP.  Ravenna is unsuitable as a turnaround port. The main attraction in the North Adriatic is Venice, and Ravenna is 3 hours away at best, and a horrible 3 hours at that.

 

The Bologna mitigation is a bit of a sleight of hand as it may well be nearer to Ravenna, but no-one wants to go to Ravenna as a destination in the first place. It was never included in any serious itinerary before Venice closed its doors to larger ships, so we must always remember the end game has to be a sustainable facility in Venice, entered and exited other than through the ancient city.  Any development in Ravenna is short term and the shorter the better.

I understand you don't want to sail from Ravenna but I don't agree that "no-one wants to go to Ravenna". Probably not for a lengthy visit but it is very appealing to many for a shorter stay. Bologna and the nearby Ferrari sites are a bonus. Many prefer those options over Venice.

 

The main question is what would your immediate  solution be? 

[crazyank]

3 hours ago, Boycey said:

 Ravenna is unsuitable as a turnaround port. The main attraction in the North Adriatic is Venice, and Ravenna is 3 hours away at best, and a horrible 3 hours at that.

Only in your opinion

 

3 hours ago, Boycey said:

The Bologna mitigation is a bit of a sleight of hand as it may well be nearer to Ravenna, but no-one wants to go to Ravenna as a destination in the first place. It was never included in any serious itinerary before Venice closed its doors to larger ships, so we must always remember the end game has to be a sustainable facility in Venice, entered and exited other than through the ancient city.  Any development in Ravenna is short term and the shorter the better.

Short term?? hardly,  with a new cruise terminal being built and supposed to open next year Ravenna is definitely a long term solution.

 

3 hours ago, Boycey said:

The Bologna mitigation is a bit of a sleight of hand as it may well be nearer to Ravenna, but no-one wants to go to Ravenna as a destination in the first place.

ROFL,  you really need to get out more.  Ravenna is the destination of thousands of tourists every year and has been for many years. 

Edited July 27, 2023 by crazyank

[gfkcruiser]

6 hours ago, Boycey said:

Agree wholeheartedly with the OP.  Ravenna is unsuitable as a turnaround port. The main attraction in the North Adriatic is Venice, and Ravenna is 3 hours away at best, and a horrible 3 hours at that.

 

The Bologna mitigation is a bit of a sleight of hand as it may well be nearer to Ravenna, but no-one wants to go to Ravenna as a destination in the first place. It was never included in any serious itinerary before Venice closed its doors to larger ships, so we must always remember the end game has to be a sustainable facility in Venice, entered and exited other than through the ancient city.  Any development in Ravenna is short term and the shorter the better.

A few years back, our Celebrity cruise departed Venice and first stop was Ravenna.  Hooked up with cruise critic roll call passengers and had a private tour of  mosaics.  Guide arranged transport to city for our meeting spot. Enjoyed our day in Ravenna.  
If want to see Venice and want to sail from there,  need to go on a smaller ship. Doesn’t seem that the municipality of Venice wants larger cruise ships to stop there.  Would like to see the itinerary listed as Ravenna rather than Venice.  Those not familiar with Italy, don’t know that that there is quite a distance between the two.  

[jwlane]

Wondering if OP intended for the title to be sung to the tune, "Delilah", by Tom Jones?

[terrydtx]

Using Ravenna for now is a reality and out of Celebrity's control, so blaming Celebrity is not going to do any good. Either cruise on smaller cruise ships or forget about cruises from Venice, if Ravenna and or Trieste are an inconvenience for you. Last year while in Venice I saw a Windstar ship tie up in the old Venice island terminal.

Edited July 27, 2023 by terrydtx

[JeanieC,Aston]

Porto Maghera takes large cruise ships,it’s only 10 min across the bridge to Piazzale Rome.

I think that’s where MSC docks.

Its an industrial port but beats out of the way Ravenna.

 

[Boycey]

18 hours ago, crazyank said:

Only in your opinion

 

Short term?? hardly,  with a new cruise terminal being built and supposed to open next year Ravenna is definitely a long term solution.

 

ROFL,  you really need to get out more.  Ravenna is the destination of thousands of tourists every year and has been for many years. 

I’ll ignore the ad hominem bit and simply ask how many cruises called in Ravenna before Venice closed its doors? Assuming you’re out a lot, as you imply, how many cruises did you personally take there?

[Boycey]

13 hours ago, terrydtx said:

Using Ravenna for now is a reality and out of Celebrity's control, so blaming Celebrity is not going to do any good. Either cruise on smaller cruise ships or forget about cruises from Venice, if Ravenna and or Trieste are an inconvenience for you. Last year while in Venice I saw a Windstar ship tie up in the old Venice island terminal.

Bit of a straw man argument as I can’t see who blamed Celebrity? The solution isn’t to abandon Venice as it’s unique and wonderful, but to find a way to get the mainstream ships into the area without causing damage. @JeanieC,Aston demonstrates above that its already possible so no need to ‘forget about cruises (from) Venice.’

[crazyank]

17 minutes ago, Boycey said:

I’ll ignore the ad hominem bit and simply ask how many cruises called in Ravenna before Venice closed its doors? Assuming you’re out a lot, as you imply, how many cruises did you personally take there?

I said nothing whatsoever about how many cruises went out of Ravenna. I was addressing your comment about "nobody wants to go to Ravenna in the first place"  This is simply not true, as thousands of tourists visit Ravenna every year.  Don't post sweeping generalizations if you don't want to be called out on them.

[Boycey]

32 minutes ago, crazyank said:

I said nothing whatsoever about how many cruises went out of Ravenna. I was addressing your comment about "nobody wants to go to Ravenna in the first place"  This is simply not true, as thousands of tourists visit Ravenna every year.  Don't post sweeping generalizations if you don't want to be called out on them.

Well we’re on a cruise forum, so i feel entitled to start from the assumption that cruising and cruise ports are central to the discussion, an assumption buttressed by the 45-odd posts that preceded yours, which discuss the suitability of Ravenna as a turnaround port. Not a generalisation at all, but a very specific reference.