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xSAILEDx Explorer of the Seas - Sep 24, 2023 - Oct 1, 2023 (7 Night Greece & Croatia Cruise)


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My wife and I are on that cruise as well, and B2B with the previous cruise on 17th September. We have just booked flights to Bologna the day before our first cruise and are staying overnight at a hotel in Bologna. We will get a taxi or Uber to the ship on the morning of the cruise. We found this option to be better than going through Venice.

Enjoy your cruise. All of the ports of call are fabulous.

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  • AshleyDillo changed the title to Explorer of the Seas - Sep 24, 2023 - Oct 1, 2023 (7 Night Greece & Croatia Cruise)
On 12/26/2022 at 5:46 PM, Jim S said:

My wife and I are on that cruise as well, and B2B with the previous cruise on 17th September. We have just booked flights to Bologna the day before our first cruise and are staying overnight at a hotel in Bologna. We will get a taxi or Uber to the ship on the morning of the cruise. We found this option to be better than going through Venice.

Enjoy your cruise. All of the ports of call are fabulous.

Hey @Jim S . I am on the same cruise and just sorting my flights with cruise.co.uk as the package we have is 2 nights in Venice prior to the cruise with transfers to and from Venice airport. 

I have said I want to fly into Venice but out of Bologna (Heathrow with BA for both instead of Gatwick with Easyjet) and hopefully today will be booking the 2pm return flight - are you on that one? 

I am waiting for the TA to find out if RCI have any transfers to Bologna that morning - but wondered what you were doing on 1st October to get back to Bologna?

Happy Hogmany!  

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Hi Bazza. Yes, we are on the 2:00pm BA0539 flight from Bologna (BLQ) to London Heathrow then travelling on to Glasgow on a connecting flight. On the way to the cruise we plan to take a taxi or Uber from our Hotel in Bologna to the ship. Similarly, on the way back on 1st October we are looking to do the same. If RCI are running a bus we would use that as a better alternative to a taxi. Please let me know if you find out that RCI are running this bus.

Happy New Year to you and your family when it comes.

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Hey Jim

Thanks -  hope you had a good one - guessing another bank holiday today for you?!

My agent hasn't got anywhere with RCI yet but I am on Grandeur this Sunday for 2 weeks so will chat to the staff and see if they can find anything out for me and will let you know.

Regards

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2 hours ago, Jim S said:

Yes, the BA0539 has disappeared from the BA timetable. We thought of staying over in Bologna until the following day but after two b2b cruises we will just want to get home.

Hope to see you on the cruise.

No place like home!!

Just had same thing confirmed so now on the later flight too. Looks like a day of sightseeing in Bologna - I best do some research!!

I will listen out for the Scottish twang! See you in September hopefully!

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Look forward to meeting you Bazza. RCI might do a local tour with airport drop-off like they have done on several other cruises that we have done in the past. Will look out for this nearer the time.

Happy New Year to you from sunny Scotland.

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  • 2 weeks later...

We got the same email adding Athens in place of Mykonos. We are also on the previous b2b 17th Sept. cruise and, thankfully, they have retained Mykonos in the itinerary but delayed the arrival into Kotor with a cruise through the bay of Kotor which will be very nice.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi @Jim S

Just back from 2 weeks on Grandeur but no luck when asking guest services & Next Cruise about Bologna, so based on your comment above hopefully there will be an option for me to book and RCI transfer as you mention. 

Until then have a great 2023, safe travels and will listen out for you on board!

 

 

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Hi Bazza

We now have our transfers included and we received an updated Booking Invoice from RCI today. Transfers from Bologna Airport (BLQ) to the ship on 17th September and return transfer from the ship to BLQ on 1st October after our second (b2b) cruise. Our TA, Cruise Kings, arranged it for us.

Best try to arrange it ASAP in case the coach fills up and they run out of seats.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 1/25/2023 at 4:39 PM, Jim S said:

Hi Bazza

We now have our transfers included and we received an updated Booking Invoice from RCI today. Transfers from Bologna Airport (BLQ) to the ship on 17th September and return transfer from the ship to BLQ on 1st October after our second (b2b) cruise. Our TA, Cruise Kings, arranged it for us.

Best try to arrange it ASAP in case the coach fills up and they run out of seats.

Hi Jim

Still no luck getting any kind of transfer to Bologna. As the booking is a 'group' booking RCI will not let me book a transfer with them. Unless a shore excursion gets added to take me to Bologna and not Venice I will need to book my own transfer! Boo!

 

 

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  • 1 month later...
On 2/8/2023 at 2:05 PM, Jim S said:

There is a chance that RCI may offer an excursion to Bologna with airport drop-off on the day of departure from your cruise, similar to that currently on offer for Venice. Keep an eye out for it in the cruise planner. You may also be able to book it onboard. Best of luck.

 

Hey @Jim S Spoke to a customer of mine who happens to be from Italy and knows the area very well - she suggested I get train from Ravenna to Bologna as very cheap and quite frequent. Looks like website only goes about 3 months in advance but definitely gives me more options! There is luggage storage close the Bologna station too.

https://www.omio.co.uk/app/search-frontend/results/LCBED9B8F9ED84A38911E4DA32E8CD599/train?locale=en-GB 

Have a good few months until Explorer!

 

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  • 3 months later...
On 3/15/2023 at 12:28 PM, Bazza said:

Hey @Jim S Spoke to a customer of mine who happens to be from Italy and knows the area very well - she suggested I get train from Ravenna to Bologna as very cheap and quite frequent. Looks like website only goes about 3 months in advance but definitely gives me more options! There is luggage storage close the Bologna station too.

https://www.omio.co.uk/app/search-frontend/results/LCBED9B8F9ED84A38911E4DA32E8CD599/train?locale=en-GB 

Have a good few months until Explorer!

 

Anybody else looking to get from Ravenna to Bologna airport then here are a couple of links for the main train line and then the direct link to the airport...

https://www.italiarail.com/

https://www.marconiexpress.it/en/

Costs are around £8/$10pp for the train (hourly) and £9/$12pp for the Marconi Express - although family tickets also available for around £18/$24 for 2 adults & 3 children. 

Hope this is of use. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...
On 9/21/2023 at 9:34 PM, CruisinTed said:

Just received en email that says this cruise departure will be moved from Ravenna to Trieste due to high winds in Ravenna. Checkin will now be done at Venezia cruise terminal, and RCCL will arrange for complimentary bus transport from there to Trieste.

If we've already checked in online and have our Set Sail boarding passes, do we still have to check in at the Venice terminal? We'd rather overnight in Trieste, and then go directly to the ship to board using our passes. Do you know if this is allowed? I've searched online and been trying to reach RC for hours and it says their office is closed. 

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  • AshleyDillo changed the title to xSAILEDx Explorer of the Seas - Sep 24, 2023 - Oct 1, 2023 (7 Night Greece & Croatia Cruise)

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