quick tips about venice and marco polo airport

[jc foster]

We just returned from an RCL cruise that sailed from Venice. If y ou have an early morning flight out of Marco Polo airport BEWARE. I do not know about the other airlines, but KLM, Delta, and Air France do not have personel on duty early (our flight was 7a.m.) and you are required to obtain your own boarding passes out of one of the automated machines. The only two machines on site were not working correctly and are very slow . This caused severe overcrowding and the place was a mad house. We arrived at 5 a.m.. This is when this airport opens and we almost missed our flight. There is no one to assist you obtain your boarding passes from the machines or anywhere on site. This was the low point of an otherwise great trip. Either go to the airport the day before or get you boarding pass printed out on the ship. We stayed in the plaza Roma area at the Carlton on the Grand Canal prior to our cruise. This was a good hotel in a great area, but try to get a room near the front with a canal or courtyard view. This area is near the port and not as crowded as some others in Venice. To get to this area from the airport simply take ACTV bus no.5 to plaza Roma. The bus runs every 20 minutes from the airport to plaza Roma and costs 2 or 3 euro per person. This was very easy and there is plenty room for your luggage. There are several hotels in this area which is also called the CROCE area and most can be walked to after crossing a couple of small bridges. This is no problem if you are in average condition. To get to the cruise ship simply go back to the plaza Roma area. The ships have Free Shuttles running to the ships about 20 minutes. Oh yes, the plaza Roma is where all the bus and transportation tickets to the city or sold. O.K., I hope this helps and have a nice trip.

[riffatsea]

I don't know if they have changed the rules but in my experience you cannot use a boarding pass you have printed on the ship or at your hotel to board a plane in Italy(or Spain).

They want you to use "official" boarding passes given out at the airport.

On my last trip there were people to check you in (and weigh luggage) in the Venice airport. It is true that you need not arrive before 5AM as nothing is open. Perhaps the do it yourself machines are new?? What time did actual people show up to start work??

[jc foster]

We never saw anyone from KLM, Delta, Or Air France show up for work. One lady from KLM did approach the machines ,and she told everyone that the machines were the only way to obtain a boarding pass. There was a service ticket counter and it was rushed by people wanting to get their boarding pass. The clerks at the counter refused and sent these people back to the machines. I mean we are talking at least 300 hundred people here all descending on two machines. Many of these people had to leave their check in luggage unattended while they fought the crowd while trying to obtain a boarding pass. I attended our luggage and my wife fought the crowd and got the boarding passes since she has more computer skills than I . GEEZ, what a mess.

[jc foster]

OH, after we got our boarding passes we were allowed in line. At this point our check in luggage was weighed in as was our carry on luggage. No one was allowed in line until they obtained a boarding pass. This airport needs more machines and someone to help the folks who do not know how to operate them.