Royal Caribbean International has reached out to guests booked for a May 21, 2023 cruise Sea Explorer informing them of the emergency changes due to flooding which has raised security concerns at the port of origin.
Instead of Ravenna, guests on this cruise will be arriving from Trieste, but Royal Caribbean is helping with the transfer.
Embarkation Port Changed This Week
Sunday, May 21, 2023 departure from Sea Explorer will not leave Ravenna as originally planned, due to flooding in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region, which includes a port in northeastern Italy. Royal Caribbean has reached out to reserved guests via email to inform them of the change.
“Due to the flooding, Ravenna will not be ready to welcome guests safely on May 21, 2023 and instead, we will now check in at the Venezia Terminal Passegrei and depart for Trieste, Italy at 9:30 PM.” email explained.
All guests are requested to arrive at the Venezia Terminal Passegrei during the check-in window, and no later than 4:30 pm The last transfer to Trieste will depart at 5:15 pm.
Venezia Terminal Passegrei is a passenger terminal in Venice, which visitors can reach via shuttle (water or land) from Venice airport. If many tourists plan to come early from Ravenna and usually spend a day or two in Venice before leaving, this can be a good option.
Trieste is about 100 kilometers (160 miles) from Venice, or 75 miles (120 kilometers) by boat from the Venetian sea to the Gulf of Trieste. While both modes of transportation may be possible, it is unlikely that tourists will carry them on a boat due to luggage and other safety concerns.
The email to tourists notes that a cargo van will be used to transport luggage from Venice to Trieste, but travelers must keep their luggage or belongings in order to take valuables, medicine, travel documents, and a change of clothes for dinner if necessary.
“We are very sorry for the unexpected change,” the email reads. “Your safety is always our top priority.”
The trip in question is a 7-night round trip from Ravenna (now Trieste) to Croatia and Greece. At this time, there is no information about whether the ship will return to Ravenna or Trieste at the end of the journey.
Flooding in Northern Italy
The Emilia-Romagna region has been flooded by heavy rains in the past few days, with more than 20 rivers overflowing. More than 280 incidents have been recorded, and at least 13 people have died.
Officials estimate that in a 36-hour period, up to 8-20 inches (20-50 centimeters) of rain fell in the area. This kind of rain is common for six months, not just in a few hours.
The storm has caused many local accidents, daring rescues, evacuations, and more. Local events, including the famous Formula 1 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix at Imola, which was due to take place on Sunday, have been cancelled.
This is not the first time that Italian ports have been affected by flooding. In November 2019, flooding in Venice forced several ships to find other ports of call.
Some Cruises May Be Affected
When Voyager-class Sea Explorer is the only ship scheduled to sail from Ravenna this week, Celebrity Cruises’. Celebrity Constellation is scheduled to make an overnight port visit with the start and stop on Thursday and Friday, May 25-26.
Sea Explorer is supposed to return to Ravenna on Sunday, May 28, where Enchantment of the Sea It is expected to arrive on Monday, May 29.
At the moment, there are no routes or ports to change for additional ships, but guests who have booked upcoming cruises visiting or boarding/disembarking from Ravenna should be in close contact with their transportation to be promptly notified of any changes.
Cruise Hive’s thoughts are with everyone affected by the flooding, including Italian officials and staff who have families in the affected area.
