If your Mediterranean cruise itinerary includes a visit to Venice (Ravenna), you might assume your ship will sail close to the city of Venice. That’s what many cruisers expect; however, Ravenna actually isn’t very close to Venice at all.
Unlike major Mediterranean cruise ports like Barcelona, Civitavecchia, or even Venice’s former cruise terminal, Ravenna is much more isolated. Transportation options do exist, but they are limited and require more planning than many travelers realize.
After recently disembarking Norwegian Pearl in Ravenna, I quickly learned an important lesson: Ravenna isn’t a cruise port where you want to make last-minute transportation plans.
During our sailing, several passengers who had not arranged transportation beforehand reportedly waited in the sun for more than two hours hoping to find one of the limited taxis serving the terminal.
As we left the cruise terminal on our Norwegian Cruise Line excursion, we saw the long line of passengers weave through the small parking lot.
Fortunately, Norwegian Cruise Line offered numerous transportation options, including airport transfers, hotel packages, train connections, excursions, and post-cruise services. Royal Caribbean also utilizes the Ravenna cruise terminal, and provides similar options for passengers.
If your cruise begins or ends in Ravenna, here’s what you should know before arriving and why it’s crucial to make plans ahead of time to ensure a smooth vacation.
Why are cruise ships using Ravenna instead of Venice?
For years, arriving in Venice by cruise ship was considered one of the highlights of Mediterranean cruising.
Ships sailed through the Venetian Lagoon and passed near St. Mark’s Square, giving passengers incredible views before arriving in port. Back in 2017 and 2018, I was lucky enough to cruise to Venice twice and experience this iconic sailaway!
Over time, concerns grew over the impact large ships were having on Venice and the surrounding lagoon. Discussions focused on the island’s environmental concerns, erosion within the lagoon, overtourism, and preserving Venice’s historic center.
Because of these concerns, Italy banned large cruise ships from entering Venice’s historic waterways in 2021. As such, cruise lines were forced to relocate many itineraries, with Ravenna becoming one of the primary alternatives alongside Marghera and Trieste.
Today, many itineraries still use “Venice (Ravenna)” because most passengers continue flying through Venice before or after their cruise. However, many cruisers are surprised to learn that Ravenna sits nearly two hours from Venice, making embarkation and disembarkation more complicated than they initially expect.
How far is Ravenna from Venice?
Ravenna sits on Italy’s Adriatic coast in the Emilia-Romagna region, roughly 90 miles from Venice.
Driving between the two cities generally takes around 2 to 2.5 hours, depending on traffic. Most cruisers will use the Venice Marco Polo Airport, which is around 2.5 hours from the port of Ravenna. Another option is the Bologna Airport, which is only an hour away from Ravenna.
After getting off Norwegian Pearl, Ravenna felt very different from what many travelers likely imagine when they hear “Venice cruise port.”
The terminal area isn’t surrounded by canals, restaurants, hotels, or major transportation hubs. Instead, it was much quieter and more industrial, with much less tourist infrastructure than many Mediterranean embarkation ports.
Ravenna cruise port has limited taxis and transportation
The Ravenna cruise terminal itself is quite small, and it was still under construction when we visited. Prior to our cruise, my research indicated that transportation directly from the cruise terminal would be limited – and that was definitely true.
Unlike ports such as Barcelona or Civitavecchia, there isn’t a long line of taxis waiting outside the terminal. The port area is somewhat removed from Ravenna’s historic center, so nearby services are very limited. In addition, shade can be minimal during the hot summer months.
This became especially noticeable after our cruise, when some passengers who had not arranged transportation beforehand reportedly waited more than two hours hoping to secure one of the limited taxis available.
That doesn’t mean transportation is unavailable. In fact, both Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean offer extensive transfer options, including airport shuttles, train station transfers, hotel transportation, excursions, and post-cruise services.
In pre-cruise information shared with guests sailing aboard Explorer of the Seas, the cruise line specifically warned passengers that, “private transportation, like taxis, may be limited around port and airport areas.”
Royal Caribbean also emphasized that guests sailing from Ravenna should arrange transportation ahead of time because of the distance between the cruise port and nearby cities. The cruise line shared:
“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 by purchasing a transfer through Royal Caribbean International or by making their own private arrangements.”
All of this to say: Ravenna is not the kind of port where you want to walk off the ship and figure things out later. It works best when you already know exactly how you’re getting to your hotel, airport, train station, or next destination.
Additionally, it’s important to remember that you shouldn’t book an early flight from Venice on disembarkation day. If you’re planning to fly from Venice Marco Polo Airport, I recommend booking an evening flight or arrange a flight for the following morning.
Norwegian Cruise Line offered several transportation options after disembarkation
I was relieved that Norwegian Cruise Line offered multiple transportation and transfer options for disembarkation day. I booked our excursion, Padua with Transfer to Venice Airport, for about $180 per person. This was one of the best decisions we made when planning the trip!
On disembarkation day, passengers were grouped by transportation type and assigned color tags with staggered departure times.
Guests flying home through Venice Marco Polo Airport were separated into multiple departure windows based on flight times. Early departures left first with flights before 1:00 PM, while travelers with later flights after 1:00PM were scheduled afterward to reduce unnecessary waiting.
Norwegian also operated transfers to Bologna Airport (BLQ), which is often overlooked despite being significantly closer to Ravenna than Venice. Although the airport is smaller, it can be a great option for those flying within Europe.
Bologna Airport offers direct access across much of Europe and beyond, including major hubs in the UK, France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Turkey, North Africa, and numerous domestic Italian destinations.
Additionally, Norwegian additionally offered post-cruise excursions that doubled as transportation. Instead of heading directly to the airport, guests could spend additional time sightseeing before continuing their journey.
Hotel transfers were available too, including service to:
- Hotel Cube Ravenna
- AC Hotel Venezia
- Crowne Plaza Venice East Quarto d’Altino
Here’s a schedule that was provided onboard Norwegian Pearl to give you an idea of the different options provided by the cruise line.
| Time | Transport | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 6:15 AM | Venice Airport (VCE) | Transfer for guests flying from Venice with departures before 1:00 p.m. |
| 7:00 AM | Venice Airport (VCE) | Transfer for flights departing between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. |
| 8:00 AM | Bologna Airport (BLQ) | Transfer to Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport |
| 8:00 AM | Post-Cruise Excursions | Sightseeing tours that also served as transportation after disembarkation. |
| 8:15 AM | Venice Airport (VCE) | Transfer for guests with flights departing after 2:00 p.m. |
| 9:00 AM | Hotel Transfers | Service to Hotel Cube Ravenna, AC Hotel Venezia, and Crowne Plaza Venice East Quarto d’Altino. |
How to get from Ravenna cruise port to Venice: Our experience
On disembarkation morning, our group met in the theater before leaving the ship together. After getting off the ship, we collected our luggage and loaded everything onto a coach bus waiting outside the terminal.
As our bus departed, we could already see a line of passengers waiting for taxis at the port.
Our excursion included a stop in Padua (Padova), which wasn’t a city we had considered visiting before the cruise. However, it was a lovely little town to explore!
The tour included a guided walking excursion, but it was already warm outside and we decided to skip the group tour in favor of a slower morning exploring independently.
Instead, we wandered around town and stopped for a light breakfast and coffee at the historic Pedrocchi Café. I highly recommend coming here for a delightful bite to eat in a beautiful setting if you visit!
After our stop, the coach bus continued toward Venice and dropped passengers near the departure area at Venice Marco Polo Airport. From there, we had several options.
Because we had quite a bit of luggage and wanted to avoid dealing with train transfers, we opted for a taxi instead.
The ride cost about €20 and took roughly 20 minutes, bringing us closer to the Venezia Santa Lucia area where we could hail a water taxi and head to our hotel.
From the Santa Lucia area, we found a private water taxi to take us directly to the JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa. The ride cost about €80, which initially felt like a splurge, but it ended up being one of the highlights of our entire trip!
Since we had so much luggage, we didn’t want to deal with Venice’s public transportation system. Taking the vaporetto would have required riding toward San Marco Square and then coordinating another pickup with the hotel afterward.
Instead, we had the boat entirely to ourselves. It was a beautiful, sunny day and riding through the canals felt less like transportation and more like an excursion.
We loved the private experience, took plenty of photos along the way, and enjoyed seeing Venice from the water as we made our way to the hotel. The convenience was already worth the splurge, but the canal experience made it over-the-top.
The private water taxi dropped us directly at the JW Marriott dock and eliminated several transfers that would have been more difficult with luggage. It was an expensive journey from Ravenna to Venice, so keep this in mind when planning your cruise.
Can you take the train from Ravenna cruise port?
Yes, and it can be one of the more affordable ways to reach Venice. However, the train station is not located directly at the port.
Passengers still need transportation from the cruise terminal to Ravenna Railway Station, which usually takes around 10 to 15 minutes.
From there, many travelers head first to Bologna Centrale before connecting onward to Venice Santa Lucia station. The entire journey typically takes around two-and-a-half to three hours.
The train can save money compared with private transportation, but it also requires extra planning. Travelers will need to manage all of their luggage, navigate station transfers, and arrange transportation between the terminal and station.
If you’re carrying multiple bags or traveling with family, private transportation may be easier.
Private transportation options from Ravenna cruise port
For travelers wanting the simplest experience, private transportation is often the least stressful option. However, it’s usually the most expensive option due to the added convenience. Some companies, such as Shore Excursions Group, provide private tours and transportation from Ravenna to Venice.
Several companies operate transfers between Ravenna, Venice, airports, and hotels.
- Ravenna or Cruise Port to Venice + Water Taxi – Arrival Transfer ($365 per person)
- Transfer from Cruise Terminal of Ravenna to Bologna Airport ($500 per group)
- Private Transfer Explorer of the Seas Ravenna cruise port to Venice airport ($355 per person)
- Post Cruise Guided Venice Discovery from Ravenna ($615 per person)
Private transfers to Venice usually take around two hours and can work especially well for families, travelers with several suitcases, or anyone staying in Venice after their cruise.
If you have flexibility when booking flights, Bologna Airport may actually be worth considering because it’s much closer to Ravenna and usually involves a shorter transfer.
Should you stay in Ravenna or Venice before your cruise?
Most travelers automatically choose Venice, but that doesn’t mean you should rule out Ravenna entirely.
Staying in Ravenna the night before or after your cruise can simplify embarkation day and reduce transportation stress. Hotels are often less expensive in Ravenna, and the city itself is known for its incredible mosaics and UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Of course, Venice still makes the most sense for first-time visitors or anyone wanting extra sightseeing time before or after the cruise. Some cruisers choose to visit Bologna as a halfway point between Ravenna and Venice.
We opted to spend two nights at the JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa after disembarkation. For the final night, we booked a hotel at the Marco Polo airport for an easy travel morning. We wanted to avoid the water taxi situation with an international flight.
Regardless of how you choose to spend your time in Italy before cruising, it’s crucial to plan ahead for Ravenna so you can have a smooth vacation.
