Getting to Ship in Venice

[DoverHeights]

We currently have 2 car bookings for the week before commencing the NA cruise in Venice on 28th July. We booked Hertz for 7 days - Milan to Venice, then Maggiore when we worked out it was approx 100 Euro cheaper. Then we looked at reviews and are now trying to cancel the Maggiore - still can't work out how to do it online. However they don't have any financial data and I have not paid anything - but I want to do the right thing.

 

So we have until midday on the 28th July to return the car to Hertz at Venice (Marco Polo) Airport. We then have to get to the ship to board.

 

We naturally don't want to spray our euros into the Venice lagoon.

 

We think there is public ferry to approximately the NA berth and we think there is a bus to Piazzale Roma which is fairly near the berth and of course there is the ultimate transport, the "private water taxi" and I think that there is a HAL option. (We will need to repeat the operation on 9th August when we return as we are flying from Marco Polo.)

 

Can the wise people at HAL Cruise Critic Board please provide some advice.

 

Michael and Judy in Sydney Australia.

[kazu]

You are generally correct. Rather than go into a long post, I would suggest that if you go to the ports board, select europe and then Italy, you will find tons of advice and very specific instructions on how to do the different modes of transport to get to the ship. It's very good and there are some knowledgeable posters on this board who can answer any other questions you may have;)

[jtl513]

The simplest way is a land taxi that will take you right to the ship terminal, for 20 Euro pp (plus tip). Sometimes a taxi will quote 50 Euro for three people.

 

The cheapest way is an ATVO Express Coach for 3 Euro pp to Piazzale Roma, then the People Mover to the mid-way stop Stazione Marittima for 1 Euro pp, then a walk to your terminal. The bus runs every 1/2 hour during the main part of the day. I wouldn't suggest doing the reverse on the return to airport because of the time required if you can't get on the next bus that comes to P'le Roma. If you have too much baggage to handle on the People Mover and walk, you can take a taxi from P. Roma to the ship for about 10 Euro.

 

If you're interested in that bus route, post again or email me (see sig) for details.

[DoverHeights]

I found the "public private taxi" ferry service Linea Blu.

 

It's 13/15 euro each, BUT it is also effectively an excursion on the Venice Lagoon as it goes all over the place between the airport and the "stazione maritima".

 

As time is not an issue we will use this going. When we return after the cruise, we will look again - maybe catch a land taxi.

 

Thanks all for your interest.

 

Michael

[arzz]

Getting around Venice is a challenge in itself (we spent five days there in April precruise) - and the learning curve is steep - transportation is slow and it is easy to make mistakes.

 

I hate to suggest this, but if you are returning a car to Marco Polo on cruise day, consider the HAL transfer to the port ... Just a suggestion.

 

We had four suitcases between us as we were cruising for 28 days and would have been hard pressed to manage that on public transport. We, as you so eloquently put it, "sprayed euros all over the lagoons" of Venice and booked a water taxi from Marco Polo to our San Marco hotel, and again five days later from our San Marco hotel to the cruse pier.

[jtl513]

I hate to suggest this, but if you are returning a car to Marco Polo on cruise day, consider the HAL transfer to the port ... Just a suggestion.

They're $79 pp each way (that's about double the cost of a taxi for two, depending on the exchange rate at the time) and IMO not as fast or convenient as just grabbing a taxi.

[DoverHeights]

Thanks arzz. The cruise actually leaves the next day - so all we have at stake is the mariners' boarding day lunch. And we are taking 1 BAG EACH! (I just cannot lift as many as we might have "needed" in the past AND just one leg of our long flights is economy - so I don't want to pay excess baggage AND the boots/trunks of Italian rent a cars are small - even if you are forced to take their largest if you want an automatic transmission - funny country).

[DoverHeights]

I listed the Linea Blu details from the internet with their timetable - every half hour during the day and the fare per person is 15 euro or 13 euro if pre-purchased on the internet.

 

The route is MarcoPolo, Murano Colonna, Fon Nove, Ospedale, Bacini, Lido S.M.E., Arsenale, San Zaccaria, San Marco, Zattere, Guidecca Hilton and finally, Stazione Maritima!

 

A regular Cook's Tour - or an almost free excursion.

 

Michael

[catl331]

Another reason we took a land taxi when the cruise ended was that there were a couple of other ships also disembarking at the same time. Most people were heading to the airport! We were afraid we wouldn't get a taxi either but it was very easy. Big mess was at the airport. Our flight was later in the day and we and many others were not allowed to check in for a few hours. So we all amassed in one area! Luckily they had great panini's and pizza and gelato!!! (and we had a few Euros left). It was a fantastic cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam--now our favorite HAL ship!!:p

[slomotion]

Dover,

 

You will be in Venice, the home of water taxi's!

 

There is nothing like it in the world. There is a "taxi stand" (dock) at the airport. The ride to the ship's port is a James Bond like experience. (See attached photo).

 

It is a bit pricey, but well worth it. We still talk about it.

 

You only live once!

[CtheW0rld]

Dover,

 

You will be in Venice, the home of water taxi's!

 

There is nothing like it in the world. There is a "taxi stand" (dock) at the airport. The ride to the ship's port is a James Bond like experience. (See attached photo).

 

It is a bit pricey, but well worth it. We still talk about it.

 

You only live once!

 

i got a quote for this a few years ago. it was several hundred euros, IIRC. first class - yes, but i settled for the vaperetto getting around venice.

[chrispb]

I second the ATVO bus to/from the airport. The bus stop is right outside arrivals and will take you directly to Piazzale Roma from where you can catch the people mover for 1euro. Easy enough after disembarking too, just reverse the steps.

[catl331]

Easy enough after disembarking too, just reverse the steps.

But if you have several ships disembarking that day, as we did, you might not be able to get on the first or second bus that comes, and they only run every half hour. .CLICK HERE for timetable

 

If you're sure you want to do that you can save 0.5 Euro pp by buying a round-trip ticket on arrival day.

[kazu]

Dover,

 

You will be in Venice, the home of water taxi's!

 

There is nothing like it in the world. There is a "taxi stand" (dock) at the airport. The ride to the ship's port is a James Bond like experience. (See attached photo).

 

It is a bit pricey, but well worth it. We still talk about it.

 

You only live once!

 

Ok, I confess, we did the water taxi thing too. It was 70 euros from our hotel to the ship. From the airport to our hotel, it was 110 euros (pick up at the airport and transfer to the water taxi). Our hotel had a water taxi dock. Now, it is a bit pricey, but you might be able to find people on your roll call who will share with you to get to the ship.

 

We shared with another couple two years ago and it was only 35 euros per couple that way. I have to say, it was a very unique experience that neither of us will forget and what a feeling as we approached the ships.

 

We reserved in advance. Lots of room on them for all the luggage and the four of us. It's an exhilerating experience;)

[catl331]

Actually we had a little bit of trouble with that bus. It was a very busy time at the airport and the bus was just leaving and already there were 8 people waiting for the next one that would come in 30 min. We did catch a glimpse of the passengers getting on the bus. Here's the trick..if you take your time getting your luggage into the underneath luggage compartment you must rush to get a seat. People were pushing and being nasty. Go around to the compartments on the other side of the bus with the luggage and have your significant other hop on the bus and get two seats!! My husband did have people trying to push our luggage aside so be careful. This is a warning just if there is a crowd. Meanwhile the bus driver was gabbing on his cell phone.:(

[Sherry H]

I agree with chrispb. ATVO bus.... "piece of cake"........We just did it last month. It's like a greyhound bus here......luggage goes under the bus.

 

Bus.........5 euro..........people mover 1 euro.

Escalator or elevator for people mover goes up 1 floor....... 2 minute ride.........then down one floor and over the parking lot to the ship.

 

At least consider that from the airport to the ship. Return trip (we stayed over 1 night)..... ship to airport...........our friends ordered ahead and had a taxi waiting for them when they exited the bldg. after picking up their luggage.

 

Have a wonderful cruise! We did.........loved the Nieuw Amsterdam!!

[jtl513]

Bus.........5 euro.........

:eek: :eek: You're right! The rates at the bottom of the SCHEDULE now show 5 one way, 9 return. In Oct it was 3 and 5.5, so I guess the gas prices are hitting them too.

[slomotion]

All of the comments here about the "bus", the people mover and ease of doing it are all true, BUT nothing compares to that water taxi ride for memories.

 

Venice was our last stop after seeing Barcelona and much of its beauty, Pisa & Florence, Rome, Naples, Pompeii, Athens, and Istanbul, and the water taxi ride is what we still talk about. Our hotel in Venice had a water window and arranged for a water taxi to take us from the ship to their location and the next day a second water taxi to take us from the hotel to the airport.

 

There is NOTHING like it. You won't be sorry!

[newfarmers]

Dover,

 

You will be in Venice, the home of water taxi's!

 

There is nothing like it in the world. There is a "taxi stand" (dock) at the airport. The ride to the ship's port is a James Bond like experience. (See attached photo).

 

It is a bit pricey, but well worth it. We still talk about it.

 

You only live once!

 

I agree

 

Fello Ausies, do whatever you are most comfortable with but the water taxi was fantastic. Felt like we were in a 60's movie :D

 

we departed on our Rotterdam cruise from Venice and splurged on the private water taxi. we actually had to walk out to the grand canal as it couldn't get down the canal we were on. was worth every penny.

 

as we always say, we work hard and never go on a holiday where we can't afford the occasional 'special' thing. I'd already talked my partner into upgrading from an outside to a verandah, so another 90 euro or whatever it was was a drop in the bucket of our total holiday cost

 

pete

[chrispb]

You get the same view from a vaporetto but much cheaper. If someone's staying further down the Grand Canal before/after a cruise, you can get one of these water-buses directly from the airport.

[iancal]

We were in Venice last month and we rented a car for a week from Autoeurope-a broker. They gave us a Hertz reservation. We took the Piazzalle Roma (sp) location because we had spent a few days in Venice and wanted to pick it up in town as we left for Tuscany. It was also quite a bit less expensive to rent at the Venice location than it was to rent at the airport (I think that add a 20 percent airport tax to the rental cost) So, the pick up point for the car was just opposite the bus area at Piazalle Roma-very convenient to all Venice transportation. We returned it a week later, after dropping our luggage at an airport hotel, and spent the rest of the afternoon/evening in Venice prior to returning to our airport hotel via the #5 bus. (we had an early AM flight). Coming back into Venice the Hertz office is the first exit past the Tronchetto (sp) exit. You may want to see about picking a car up at the airport and returning in Venice proper (not Maestre). There are several car rental offices in the same building. We met some unhappy Avis customers....the office had apparently moved with little or not notice and they did know where to pick up their cars.

 

When we originally arrived in Venice we actually took the local #5 bus from the airport to Piazalle Roma (sp). We had purchased a three day transit pass than included the vaporttos and this bus. Buying in on the web (veniceconnected) saved us 30 percent. We are fairly light packers so the bus was not an issue for us. We used the vaporttos extensively over our 72 hour stay so it was well worth the 25E each that we paid.

 

As an aside, we rented the smallest car on the offer sheet. We always do because our experiece in Europe is that rental agencies invariably do not have it so they upgrade you one or two levels. We had three rentals this trip-UK, Italy, and Crete. We rented the lowest cost option each time and were upgraded each time.

 

My understanding is that if you are at the airport you have several options- the local #5 bus that is about 3E each way I believe, the designated airport bus that is mentioned above, a vaporetto like service (I think it is 15E per person) that stops at various places along the grand canal, a private water taxi (probably 60E for both of you), and finally a regular taxi to Piazelle Roma. Once you get back there it will fairly easy to get to the ship via the People Mover.

[slomotion]

You get the same view from a vaporetto but much cheaper. If someone's staying further down the Grand Canal before/after a cruise, you can get one of these water-buses directly from the airport.

 

The only similarity between the vaporetto and the private water taxi is that they are both water vehicles. But, that's like comparing a Greyhound bus trip to driving in a sports car!

 

Expensive? Yes! But worth every Euro!

[chrispb]

The only similarity between the vaporetto and the private water taxi is that they are both water vehicles. But, that's like comparing a Greyhound bus trip to driving in a sports car!

 

Expensive? Yes! But worth every Euro!

I understand what you're saying but would far prefer to use public transport wherever possible. Horses for courses, eh?

[CtheW0rld]

The only similarity between the vaporetto and the private water taxi is that they are both water vehicles. But, that's like comparing a Greyhound bus trip to driving in a sports car!

 

Expensive? Yes! But worth every Euro!

 

the vaperettos is how the locals get around. i much prefer a local experience. you wouldn't get me into a gondola if you paid me.

[Tonklily]

Someone please clarify from ship to airport: Taxi or water taxi, or both???:confused: