Venice port - checking in luggage/porter/tip?

[Freckles_51]

What is the process for checking in luggage at Venice cruise port? Do they have porters waiting to grab your luggage as you get off the bus/out of the taxi, as they do in Miami? What is the expected tip per bag?

[aquilegia]

As far as I can recall, the bus drew up right next to the terminal building entrance. I don't recall seeing any porters. After checking in, another bus took us to the ship.

[Freckles_51]

So is it more like an airport then, just walk into the terminal with your luggage and hand it over as you check in?

 

Is there only one terminal building, with various check-in desks for each cruise line?

[Hlitner]

I cannot speak to arriving by bus since we usually just walk to the port or grab a taxi. Since there are several different port terminal buildings things can also vary, but most of the cruise ships use the yellow-roofed old terminal building located near the port main gate. There is at least one other large terminal building in a different location (actually closer to the piers) that can be used so its difficult to know how to give you better information. At the yellow-roofed building they normally have luggage cages and porters just outside the building. We normally drop our luggage outside and than walk in the building where we do the usual paperwork. We then get herded to the internal port buses that take us over to the ship. As to tipping, the Italians love to be tipped and will often make that very clear by their body language :)

 

Hank

Edited March 18, 2010 by Hlitner

[Freckles_51]

I cannot speak to arriving by bus since we usually just walk to the port or grab a taxi. Since there are several different port terminal buildings things can also vary, but most of the cruise ships use the yellow-roofed old terminal building located near the port main gate. There is at least one other large terminal building in a different location (actually closer to the piers) that can be used so its difficult to know how to give you better information. At the yellow-roofed building they normally have luggage cages and porters just outside the building. We normally drop our luggage outside and than walk in the building where we do the usual paperwork. We then get herded to the internal port buses that take us over to the ship. As to tipping, the Italians love to be tipped and will often make that very clear by their body language :)

 

Hank

 

Thank you Hank - Is a few Euro per bag appropriate for tip? We don't want to insult, but at the same time don't want to overdo it :o

BTW we will hopefully be taking the people mover from P.le Roma

Edited March 19, 2010 by Freckles_51

[Hlitner]

Thank you Hank - Is a few Euro per bag appropriate for tip? We don't want to insult, but at the same time don't want to overdo it :o

BTW we will hopefully be taking the people mover from P.le Roma

 

We think a Euro per bag is quite appropriate. To be honest we always feel a bit intimiated at ports and wonder if you don't tip whether you ever see your bag again:)

 

Hank

[Freckles_51]

To be honest we always feel a bit intimiated at ports and wonder if you don't tip whether you ever see your bag again:)

 

Hank

 

Thanks again for responding, I understand what you're saying. I have only sailed from Miami and the porters there certainly know how to intimidate cruise passengers :mad:

[sunshine nana]

If we have only carryons, is it possible to pull them right into the terminal?

[GSPLover]

If we have only carryons, is it possible to pull them right into the terminal?

 

Most certainly. Do it every cruise.

[GSPLover]

Thank you Hank - Is a few Euro per bag appropriate for tip? We don't want to insult, but at the same time don't want to overdo it :o

BTW we will hopefully be taking the people mover from P.le Roma

 

Hopefully it will be running when you are there. A word of caution on public transport in Italy when you have luggage. When a transport (bus, train, ferry, etc is going from point A to Point B, with intermediate stops in between (as the port on the people mover would be), the stops are timed (generally 2 min, maybe 3). They don't wait for you to get off, they just start to leave. I don't know what they will do on the people mover but my best guess (after 3++ years of public transport travel in Italy) is that it will be a 2-3 minute stop at the port.

 

When you get on, try to stay very close to the exit. You'll be in someones way to get off and they'll most likely help you get your luggage off. I would not worry about someone trying to run off with the luggage as they'll be on a raised platform in a fenced/semi-secure port area. Their motive is probably to get themselves off.

 

If you have luggage (and there is more than one of you), have the 1st person get off with one bag and have the other person hand/toss the other bags down and quickly get off.

 

Second point. Tickets must be validated (time stamped in a machine). Trains do this on the paltform (yellow machines). Buses do it onboard. A non-validated ticket is the same as no ticket at all and is subject to heavy fines on the spot. Being a tourist or non-Italian speaker is not an excuse.

[mckendus]

Second point. Tickets must be validated (time stamped in a machine). Trains do this on the paltform (yellow machines). Buses do it onboard. A non-validated ticket is the same as no ticket at all and is subject to heavy fines on the spot. Being a tourist or non-Italian speaker is not an excuse.

 

Thanks for you helpful information. We plan on taking the ATVO bus from the airport to P. Roma when we arrive. Are there places to get the bus ticket validated at the airport, or just as we get on the bus?

[euro cruiser]

We plan on taking the ATVO bus from the airport to P. Roma when we arrive. Are there places to get the bus ticket validated at the airport, or just as we get on the bus?

It's confusing because the acronyms are so similar, but the ATVO bus is a private line and you don't need to validate your ticket on this bus. This is the larger one that goes directly from the airport to Piazzale Roma, with luggage storage underneath.

 

ACTV is the company that runs the public water bus and land bus lines, and these transports you do need to validate tickets. There is a public ACTV bus from the airport to Piazzale Roma, but it takes longer, makes stops in between, and does not have luggage storage.

Edited March 22, 2010 by euro cruiser

[Freckles_51]

Hopefully it will be running when you are there. A word of caution on public transport in Italy when you have luggage. When a transport (bus, train, ferry, etc is going from point A to Point B, with intermediate stops in between (as the port on the people mover would be), the stops are timed (generally 2 min, maybe 3). They don't wait for you to get off, they just start to leave. I don't know what they will do on the people mover but my best guess (after 3++ years of public transport travel in Italy) is that it will be a 2-3 minute stop at the port.

 

When you get on, try to stay very close to the exit. You'll be in someones way to get off and they'll most likely help you get your luggage off. I would not worry about someone trying to run off with the luggage as they'll be on a raised platform in a fenced/semi-secure port area. Their motive is probably to get themselves off.

 

If you have luggage (and there is more than one of you), have the 1st person get off with one bag and have the other person hand/toss the other bags down and quickly get off.

 

Second point. Tickets must be validated (time stamped in a machine). Trains do this on the paltform (yellow machines). Buses do it onboard. A non-validated ticket is the same as no ticket at all and is subject to heavy fines on the spot. Being a tourist or non-Italian speaker is not an excuse.

 

Thanks for the additional info.:)

[mckendus]

It's confusing because the acronyms are so similar, but the ATVO bus is a private line and you don't need to validate your ticket on this bus. This is the larger one that goes directly from the airport to Piazzale Roma, with luggage storage underneath.

 

Yep, that's the one I want, so great to know no validation of tickets is needed. Thanks so much!

[riffatsea]

I just want to add that the post saying "Italians love to be tipped" is very misleading!! It is NOT typical custom in Italy to tip everyone as you would in the USA soooo if porters act as if they "love tips" it is because they have gotten used to it by being tipped by US. We have trained them to expect our tips.

[akaybee]

I will be arriving in Venice in September by Holland American Ryndam. I have booked a B&B (Aquavenice) in Cannaregio located at Rio Tera S. Leonardo. How do I reach there with the usual (one large and one small bag) luggage? The B&B is not directly on a canal and some walking may be unavoidable. Is it possible to book a porter in advance for this job?

I will appreciate any suggestions.

akaybee

[lisiamc]

I just want to add that the post saying "Italians love to be tipped" is very misleading!! It is NOT typical custom in Italy to tip everyone as you would in the USA soooo if porters act as if they "love tips" it is because they have gotten used to it by being tipped by US. We have trained them to expect our tips.

 

This is so true! Expectation of tips only exists in tourist areas. We have cruised from Civitavecchia, Venice and Savona, and the porters have never made themselves available for tipping. That said, we normally cruise late in the year, and most of the passengers have been European. Perhaps when most of the passengers are American the porters linger a bit longer. :)

Edited January 4, 2014 by lisiamc

[Earl Rosebery]

I will be arriving in Venice in September by Holland American Ryndam. I have booked a B&B (Aquavenice) in Cannaregio located at Rio Tera S. Leonardo. How do I reach there with the usual (one large and one small bag) luggage? The B&B is not directly on a canal and some walking may be unavoidable. Is it possible to book a porter in advance for this job?

I will appreciate any suggestions.

akaybee

 

You will have to choose between cost and convenience. For convenience, take a water taxi to the nearest point which will be 5 minutes away on the Riva de Biasio. Cost is 100 euros. You can find someone to share with at the water taxi desk.

 

For cost, you take the people mover tram to Piazza de Roma, a water bus to San marcuola and walk from there. Or walk from Piazza de Roma which is over a large bridge with steps, along in front of the train station and then over another bridge at Riva de Biasio.

[akaybee]

Thanks Earl. After much consideration I decided to cancel the reservation although I understand this B&B has got high praises and the cost is less than $200 a day. I chose instead a hotel close to Piazzale Roma ( Best Western Olimpia). If I understand it correctly from various discussions here, from the cruise port I can either take a land taxi to P. Roma or to the hotel itself or a People Mover to P. Roma and then walk to the hotel. Any comments?

Edited January 5, 2014 by akaybee

[Earl Rosebery]

Thanks Earl. After much consideration I decided to cancel the reservation although I understand this B&B has got high praises and the cost is less than $200 a day. I chose instead a hotel close to Piazzale Roma ( Best Western Olimpia). If I understand it correctly from various discussions here, from the cruise port I can either take a land taxi to P. Roma or to the hotel itself or a People Mover to P. Roma and then walk to the hotel. Any comments?

 

you are correct. The people mover tram takes you you to Piazza de Roma. Walk along the south edge of the Square, cross the bridge at Tre Ponti and turn right along the canal to your hotel. Total distance is a short par 4 . Driver and 6 iron for the average golfer

[Earl Rosebery]

Thanks Earl. After much consideration I decided to cancel the reservation although I understand this B&B has got high praises and the cost is less than $200 a day. I chose instead a hotel close to Piazzale Roma ( Best Western Olimpia). If I understand it correctly from various discussions here, from the cruise port I can either take a land taxi to P. Roma or to the hotel itself or a People Mover to P. Roma and then walk to the hotel. Any comments?

 

you are correct. The people mover tram takes you you to Piazza de Roma. Walk along the south edge of the Square, cross the bridge at Tre Ponti and turn right along the canal to your hotel. Total distance is a short par 4 . Driver and 6 iron for the average golfer