Gondola rides

[Aviendha]

Anyone know the average price per person for a gondola ride in Venice?

 

Should we just walk around and find the place with the best rate? Or can someone recommend a company?

 

I don't want to book the ship's excursion because it seems WAY overpriced.

[MareT]

When we were in Venice last August, the average gondola ride was approx. 80 euros per couple.

[catandave]

We paid 100 euros for a 50 minute ride near the Rialto Bridge.

[cactusrose]

Here's a site that provide some information.

 

http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/articles/gallivanting_by_gondola.htm

 

1972 - Song of Norway, Caribbean

1980 - Hawaii American Curise line, Tahiti

09/01/2002 - Veendam, Alaska

05/29/2003 - Pacific Princess, Alaska

11/26/2003 - Star Princess, Australia/New Zealand

 

5/28/2004 - Star Princess, Venice to Barcelona

 

11/06/2004 - Diamond Princess, Mexican Riviera

 

 

[The Shopping Sherpa]

I like the 40 cent version!

 

 

Anna-Maria

 

Legend of the Seas Sydney-Auckland March 2002

Grandeur of the Seas Baltic May 2003

Star Leo Sydney-Sydney cruise to nowhere January 2004

[Hlitner]

You will actually pay per Gondola, not per person (unless you take an overpriced tour). The rates are actually negotiable and will vary depending on supply and demand, time of day, the weather, and how good you are at negotiations. Most of the rides are about 45 to 50 min and you should insist on at least 45 min. You can easily put 4 in one Gondola (6 is also quite possible) but its certainly more romantic with 2. We always enjoyed taking a Gondola in the late afternoon or evening after many of the "daytrippers" have left Venice. You might also want to pick up a bottle of wine to sip as you slide through the canals.

 

 

Hank

[Aviendha]

Thanks for all of your responses.

 

Great idea about the wine, Hank! That would be lovely. This will be our honeymoon, and Venice is our first port.

 

I'd love to take a ride in the early evening, but I will most likely be suffering from jet lag.

[zebra]

Hank,

 

Where does one get the wine and glasses from?

Sounds wonderful. Is it acceptable?

 

Until Diamond Princess 5/8/2004 Alaska

 

Until Millenium 9/6/2004 to Europe!

 

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[Aviendha]

Good point, zebra. I didn't think about the glasses!

 

Do you think we'd get funny looks if we just tipped the bottle up?

[The Shopping Sherpa]

"Borrow" the water glasses from your cabin?

 

On my first cruise we actually managed to "borrow" a couple of champagne glasses from the bar to drink our picolos from. Took them back afterwards, of course....

 

Or you could be v. trendy and buy picolos of champers and just use straws to drink them...

 

Anna-Maria

 

Legend of the Seas Sydney-Auckland March 2002

Grandeur of the Seas Baltic May 2003

Star Leo Sydney-Sydney cruise to nowhere January 2004

[Hlitner]

You just pull the cork with your teeth, and drink from the bottle! Only teasing. We bought a bottle wine at a small shop just off of St Marks square, and they sold us a couple of plastic wine glasses (they are not hard to find). The bigger concern can be finding a corkscrew (many of the gondoliers have them. Of course you could always buy Champagne or Asti! And yes, it is considered quite OK to be drinking or snacking in your gondola.

 

Hank