teddy Posted November 7, 2022 Report Share Posted November 7, 2022 Ravenna, Split, Bari, Dubrovnik, Corfu, Messina, Naples, Civitavecchia. This will be our first trip to Europe, and we're very excited. Our current plans are to fly into Venice three days early and be tourists. We haven't decided how long we'll stay in Rome post cruise. We're waiting for flights to be available to see what our options are. WAAAYTOOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted November 24, 2022 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2022 Decided to fly into Bologna since the train from Bologna Central goes to Ravenna directly with no changes required. We just booked our flight from Boston to Bologna (via JFK and Heathrow) using AA miles. We'll get to Ravenna in the early afternoon on Thursday and have time to recover from traveling as well as some time to explore Ravenna before we board on Sunday. We haven't booked lodging yet, but we're leaning toward Airbnb. Our cruise ends in Civitavecchia, so we'll book our flight home when the availability shows up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted December 5, 2022 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2022 On 11/23/2022 at 8:46 PM, teddy said: Decided to fly into Bologna since the train from Bologna Central goes to Ravenna directly with no changes required. We just booked our flight from Boston to Bologna (via JFK and Heathrow) using AA miles. We'll get to Ravenna in the early afternoon on Thursday and have time to recover from traveling as well as some time to explore Ravenna before we board on Sunday. We haven't booked lodging yet, but we're leaning toward Airbnb. Our cruise ends in Civitavecchia, so we'll book our flight home when the availability shows up. Our lives would be boring without change. We are now flying into Venice instead of Bologna. Air2Sea had cheaper round trip tickets than our one way from Rome to Boston would have been. Our 60k AA miles were refunded so we'll use them for something else. We booked a transfer from pier at Civitavecchia to the Rome airport (FCO) through Royal for $72 pp. Kind of pricey, but we need to fly back to the States on the day we disembark. We are still spending three nights in Ravenna pre-cruise. For those who find this looking for info on getting from Venice to Ravenna, our current plan is to take a taxi from the airport to Venezia Mestre Station then take the train to Ravenna. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMG39 Posted January 20, 2023 Report Share Posted January 20, 2023 Hi Teddy. We are on the same cruise! We haven't booked anything yet and this is our first time in Europe. Keep posting because I need to see what to plan! teddy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted January 20, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2023 Our flight from Boston to Venice now has an eight hour layover in Lisbon instead of one hour. This puts us in Venice at 610 pm, much too late to get to our B&B in time (the latest to arrive is 630 pm). @FionaMGhas given us some great ideas for things to do during our layover in Lisbon. We can cancel the Ravenna B&B reservation with no penalty, but we are going to contact the owner and see if we can stay for two nights instead of three. If we can, we’ll use Marriott Bonvoy points to stay near the airport the first night then take the train to Ravenna. If we can’t change to two nights, we’ll cancel and make other lodging arrangements. I’ve been learning Italian for the past six or so months and hope to be able to talk and understand while we’re there. CMG39 and WAAAYTOOO 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaMG Posted January 20, 2023 Report Share Posted January 20, 2023 @teddy Believe it or not, I actually have my eye on this cruise as well, along with Enchantment and Symphony that same weekend. No firm plans as yet but considering doing a cheap-ish late season cruise to push me over the D+ barrier. teddy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted January 20, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2023 We did the same thing last October to get to the next level. This will be our first cruise as Diamond FionaMG and WAAAYTOOO 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted January 31, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2023 More flight fun Air2Sea emailed us this morning to let us know there was a change to our flights. Apparently the Rome to Munich leg of our flight back to the US has been cancelled. Air2Sea said they are working on a solution and will contact us with alternatives. The original itinerary was Rome to Boston with a three hour layover in Munich, both flights on Lufthansa. There is enough time that we're not concerned. WAAAYTOOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted March 7, 2023 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2023 Yay. Air2Sea worked out the cancellation and we’re back on track. Our current flight times are very similar to the original ones. We have an eight hour layover in Lisbon, so we plan to go play tourist for a bit thanks to advice from @FionaMG We’ve decided to spend an extra night in Venice, so now we’re at two nights pre-cruise in Venice and one in Ravenna. We’re still planning on taking the train from Venice to Ravenna. Hopefully there will be minimal changes from here forward, but we’re flexible. FionaMG 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted May 4, 2023 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2023 Big head's up. There is a marathon in Venice on Sunday, 22 October. Plan ahead if you're flying in the day of, even with Air2Sea. https://www.ahotu.com/event/venice-marathon I read on the other site that this is one of the reason Royal is not offering shuttles to the port (in Ravenna) from the city center for this cruise. We got caught up in the Miami Marathon mess when disembarking Oasis in February 2022. Travel was painfully slow. WAAAYTOOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted May 10, 2023 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2023 Plans are set. In Lisbon, we will take the Metro in town and have lunch after we clear immigration. It would be a shame to have an eight hour layover and only see the inside of the airport. When we arrive in Venice, we'll spend two nights at the Marriott Courtyard Venice Airport and one night at the M Club Deluxe B&B in Ravenna. We are staying near the airport rather than in Venice proper because we get in at 1830 and know we will just want to get to a room to recover from traveling. This hotel is a five minute or so bus ride from the airport. The bus stop is across the street. Once there, we want to just stay in one place for two nights rather than schlepping our stuff to a different hotel. Our plan (if we aren't too jet lagged out) is to catch an early morning boat into Venice and wander around before it gets crowded. We may head back to the room for a nap then go back out to see Venice at night. We will take the train down to Ravenna on day three and spend the night there. This plan includes catching a morning train at Venezia Mestre station and enjoy Ravenna the day before the cruise. The B&B owner has secured transportation to the terminal for us on Sunday. Lots of plans here....how's that go? No plan survives first contact? FionaMG and WAAAYTOOO 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted May 15, 2023 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2023 I just posted this in the general forum, but I'll repost it here. The source for this is a Facebook group for this sailing that my wife belongs to. It's actually credited to someone who is sailing from Ravenna this month. Quote ABOUT YOUR UPCOMING TRAVELS Dear Guest, We’re looking forward to welcoming you onboard our sailing on Explorer of the Seas! Before we set sail, some important information to share about travelling to Ravenna, Italy. If you’ve already purchased transfers to and from your sailing, please feel free to mark this email as “Read”. Details about any Royal Caribbean transfer can be found on your booking confirmation. While our sailing will depart from Ravenna, Italy, most guests will find their flights will be routed through the airport in Venice. Due to the distance from Venice to Ravenna, guests will need to arrange transportation both to and from the ship on boarding and departure day either by purchasing a competitively priced transfer through Royal Caribbean International or by making their own private arrangements. Please note, private transportation, like taxis may be limited around port and airport areas. Guests choosing to arrange transfers through Royal Caribbean International will need to book their shuttle before their sailing either by contacting their travel partner or by reaching out to Royal Caribbean using the contact information below. Additionally, guests may purchase transfers at Venice Marco Polo Airport on boarding day. However, boarding day transfers will have limited availability and are available for purchase on a first come-first served basis. For more information, please contact your Travel Partner or call us using the contact information below. We’re looking forward to sailing with you! Sincerely, Royal Caribbean International Pre-Cruise Shuttles: Shuttle services will be available from locations in the area including Venice Marco Polo Airport and Venice City Centre (Tronchetto). Guests may select their preferred transfer based on their flights and selected check-in time for boarding the ship. When booking your shuttle, you’ll also be advised of the latest possible flight arrival time to board your shuttle. When arranging transfers on your own, flights should arrive into Venice no later than 11:35 AM to allow time to arrive to the ship. The journey to the ship from Venice, Italy can take up to 3 hours (depending on traffic conditions), so please be sure to dress comfortably and keep your travel documents, medications, or any other important items with you in your carry-on luggage. Onboard shuttles departing from Venice, guests will have the ability to charge their phones and will be provided with bottled water. Then, about halfway through the journey, we’ll make a comfort stop where guests will be able to stretch their legs, use the restroom, and purchase snacks for the remainder of the trip. Please note: Depending on driving conditions, the comfort stop may be skipped to ensure all guests arrive to the ship on time. Check-in for your sailing will take place at the cruise terminal in Ravenna, Italy. Post-Cruise Shuttles: When booking your shuttle, you’ll be advised of the earliest possible flight departure time to board your shuttle. Just like on boarding day, the journey back to Venice, Italy can take up to 3 hours, so don’t forget to dress comfortably! All the same amenities listed for the pre-cruise shuttle from Venice – bottled water and the ability to charge your phone – will also be available for guests travelling on the post-cruise shuttle to Venice. If you have any questions, please reach out to your travel advisor or contact us at: 1 866-562-7625 in the U.S. 1800 754 500 in Australia / 0800 102 123 in New Zealand In the UK only, by using our webchat service or by calling 0344 493 4005 All other countries, please visit http://www.royalcaribbean.com/contactus for your local Royal Caribbean International office phone number Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaMG Posted May 19, 2023 Report Share Posted May 19, 2023 @teddy, I just wanted to share something with you regarding your layover in Lisbon. We recently flew back to Lisbon from Newark after our Anthem cruise and the additional security check that we have always had to go through in the past when arriving from the US was no more. Passport control and straight through. Now, I can't promise this is a permanent change or if, for some reason, this particular flight didn't necessitate it (this was our first time flying from NY; usually we are flying from Miami) but I wanted to give you the heads-up because it might be one less inconvenience for you during your journey. I've always thought that security check was pointless anyway, since you're coming from a sterile airside location. WAAAYTOOO and teddy 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted May 19, 2023 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2023 That great to hear. Thank you!! FionaMG 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted June 12, 2023 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2023 We decided to live a bit and changed our hotel in Venice to one that is right off Piazzale Roma instead of by the airport. It’s double the cost, but we’ll be in Venice proper rather than by the airport. We figured why not. We’ll most likely never be there again. FionaMG, FloatyBoaty and WAAAYTOOO 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cedricmr Posted June 17, 2023 Report Share Posted June 17, 2023 Arriving in Lisbon from Rome, there should be no problem of immigration control since it is a domestic flight within the European Union. teddy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted June 24, 2023 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2023 On 6/12/2023 at 12:13 PM, teddy said: We decided to live a bit and changed our hotel in Venice to one that is right off Piazzale Roma instead of by the airport. It’s double the cost, but we’ll be in Venice proper rather than by the airport. We figured why not. We’ll most likely never be there again. Lmao We are such inexperienced travelers. Thank goodness we’ve at least learned to book refundable/free cancellation things. We decided to stay in a small B&B in the middle of the city rather than a chain hotel at the entrance to the city. It’s time to get out of our comfort zone. We are now staying at Locanda Silva. We will take the Alilaguna water bus from the airport to the stop by the B&B. It’s about an hour ride and we’ll be doing it in the evening. Stay tuned…. WAAAYTOOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted June 24, 2023 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2023 I plan on sharing pics and info about our trip, but it will be once we get home rather than trying to do it while we are traveling. I learned the hard way that I can’t do both at the same time, especially if the Wi-Fi onboard is spotty. WAAAYTOOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted July 14, 2023 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2023 100 Days!!! 95 Days until our flight leaves. WAAAYTOOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted July 22, 2023 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2023 Be aware….there is a general strike all day on the 20th for air travel, and from 2100 on the 19th to 2100 on the 20th for train travel. Plan travel accordingly. Here’s a link to the information. It’s in Italian. I’m not sure if the website has an English version, but I’m sure there’s a way to translate it. http://scioperi.mit.gov.it/mit2/public/scioperi?fbclid=IwAR0K4ANJ4eP70z_q_AgJRQh5NM-SmdjeLQpBDGPlcGQSz1OX9UkvnkGrhXA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted July 22, 2023 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2023 Never too old to learn….here’s a translation. Isn’t technology amazing WAAAYTOOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted August 10, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2023 We received the Royal Up offers yesterday. We bid just above minimum on the Grand Suite and the Two Bedroom Grand Suite. Based on how many people will most likely be bidding on limited quantity/nonexistent cabins, I will be absolutely floored if either bid is accepted. It’s fun to dream though. We’re very content with the aft regular balcony cabin we originally booked and quite honestly, we’d thoroughly enjoy the cruise even if we were in an Interior cabin. WAAAYTOOO and Gilley 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted September 1, 2023 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2023 We decided to book a shared water taxi to go from the airport to our hotel rather than ride the Alilaguna water bus. It should be more direct and much less walking. Our flight arrives at 1810 and we will have to get a couple bags at the baggage claim. By this point, we know we’ll be tired of traveling and just want to get to our hotel. $75.90 for two after Euro/USD conversion. It’s more expensive than the regular water bus, but like I said, we will get to our hotel quicker and have less walking from drop off point to the hotel. https://www.tiqets.com/en/venice-attractions-c71510/tickets-for-venice-water-taxi-airport-from-marco-polo-airport-to-venice-p1032292/ WAAAYTOOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted September 1, 2023 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2023 Oh….51 days till the cruise. 47 days until we fly out. WAAAYTOOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted September 9, 2023 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2023 Well. All checked in with a noon arrival time. We have transportation to the port arranged through our B&B in Ravenna. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted October 4, 2023 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2023 Two weeks till we fly to Europe and 18 days till we board. I think pre-cruise time is passing slower than it usually does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swar Posted October 11, 2023 Report Share Posted October 11, 2023 We are on the Explorer now through November 11th. Ravenna is a nice stop for a night or two. Make lunch and dinner reservations before you get in town. Restaurants are full and may not take walkins. The 10€ shuttle was quick and efficient from the hotel to the ship - book now! The ship is great and the crew is super. Windjammer is the only crowded spot. Casino has been nice. Looking forward to welcoming everyone onboard. teddy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted October 17, 2023 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2023 Well. This is slightly alarming. WAAAYTOOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted October 17, 2023 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2023 I’m assuming it’s either the apostrophe in our last name that’s fouling things up or the fact that they want our “National Identity Card” information in addition to our passport info. Whatever it is, we’re arriving at the airport early. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted October 18, 2023 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2023 Check in at the airport was easy and we’re at the gate. A head’s up…TAP Air at Boston is serious about carry on size. Quite a few people had to check their intended carry on when we checked our bags. $105 a bag. We weren’t worried about our carry on bags because we followed the dimensions listed on their website. I’m gonna do an after action report of our travel to Italy and cruise. I learned last year that I suck at trying to do a blog in the moment. Ciao PPPJJ-GCVAB and WAAAYTOOO 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaMG Posted October 18, 2023 Report Share Posted October 18, 2023 1 hour ago, teddy said: Check in at the airport was easy and we’re at the gate. A head’s up…TAP Air at Boston is serious about carry on size. Quite a few people had to check their intended carry on when we checked our bags. $105 a bag. We weren’t worried about our carry on bags because we followed the dimensions listed on their website. I’m gonna do an after action report of our travel to Italy and cruise. I learned last year that I suck at trying to do a blog in the moment. Ciao Glad to hear it. It's not just at Boston; TAP always do that with carry on bags. Just as well you stuck to their rules. Have a great trip! teddy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted October 19, 2023 Report Share Posted October 19, 2023 @teddy, you guys have a blast ! Can’t wait to hear all about your trip once you return. teddy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaMG Posted October 19, 2023 Report Share Posted October 19, 2023 @teddy I'm so sorry to see the weather is being so horrible for your layover. I can't remember if I already mentioned it but if you want something indoors to do I suggest you check out the Oceanarium: https://www.oceanario.pt/en teddy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted October 19, 2023 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2023 3 hours ago, FionaMG said: @teddy I'm so sorry to see the weather is being so horrible for your layover. I can't remember if I already mentioned it but if you want something indoors to do I suggest you check out the Oceanarium: https://www.oceanario.pt/en We ended up going upstairs to the lounge and sleeping. The flight from Boston was extremely rough last night and we got no sleep. Turbulence doesn’t bother me, but my wife isn’t a fan so I have some fingerprint bruises on my arm. The shrieking people near us was a bit much, too. Our flight boards in two hours so we’re kinda out of luck for going out into the city. We’ve already decided we want to come back and spend some time in Lisbon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaMG Posted October 19, 2023 Report Share Posted October 19, 2023 1 minute ago, teddy said: We ended up going upstairs to the lounge and sleeping. The flight from Boston was extremely rough last night and we got no sleep. Turbulence doesn’t bother me, but my wife isn’t a fan so I have some fingerprint bruises on my arm. The shrieking people near us was a bit much, too. Our flight boards in two hours so we’re kinda out of luck for going out into the city. We’ve already decided we want to come back and spend some time in Lisbon. I'm not surprised the flight was rough. We have a huge storm front here right now. A ship (can't remember which one) that was supposed to be calling at Lisbon yesterday had to cancel the port call. I'm like your wife and would have been terrified too. It's a shame you didn't make it into the city but hopefully you will have another chance in the future. Safe onward travels. I hope the seas will be smooth for you. teddy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted October 19, 2023 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2023 Our flight from Lisbon to Venice has been cancelled. TAP Air rebooked us on a 655 flight tomorrow morning, gave us a room voucher at the Sana Metropolitan hotel along with three meal vouchers a piece. We are also apparently due 250€ because of the cancelled flight. When the flight was cancelled, I immediately called Air2Sea while my wife got in the long line for the TAP Air desk. Air2Sea was very easy to deal with, and had us stay in the line because the flight wasn’t showing as cancelled on their end. Air2Sea wanted to be able to talk to the TAP Air representative directly. Then….all reception went away, both cellular and Wi-Fi, and Air2Sea wasn’t able to call me back. Thankfully TAP Air took care of us. I just called Air2Sea to let them know we were rebooked and taken care of. They were very appreciative that I did. The representative said that many times people rebook on their own after calling and never fill Air2Sea in with the new flight number. Now we’re headed out to a local supermarket to see what they are like in Lisbon. It’s always interesting to see a non-touristy place. WAAAYTOOO and FionaMG 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaMG Posted October 19, 2023 Report Share Posted October 19, 2023 Oh wow, what a mess! I'm not sure whether I should be commiserating with you for having your travel plans upended or congratulating you for getting to see a tiny bit of Lisbon after all. teddy and WAAAYTOOO 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted October 19, 2023 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2023 @FionaMG We’re going to enjoy our unexpected night in Lisbon fireclan, WAAAYTOOO and FionaMG 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted October 19, 2023 Report Share Posted October 19, 2023 Great attitude, @teddy. Enjoy the unexpected opportunity. Soooo glad you had the built-in flexibility and were able to get rescheduled. PPPJJ-GCVAB, teddy and fireclan 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted October 19, 2023 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2023 The plot thickens I forgot about the nationwide transportation strike in Italy all day tomorrow, October 20. We originally booked our flights to arrive ahead of it, but the cancellation today screwed that up. We may not get to Italy until Saturday. Travel insurance claim so far: One night’s lodging in Venice and a water taxi ride from Marco Polo Airport to our hotel. On the plus side, we had a nice time walking around the area of our hotel in Lisbon. We went in a bunch of small markets and shops. Smiled a lot, and used the translator app on my phone a lot. The voucher for our dinner was for the hotel restaurant. We tried some local dishes that we’ve never heard of (and can’t remember the names of now), and really enjoyed them. PPPJJ-GCVAB, FionaMG and WAAAYTOOO 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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