Venice (Marghera) port facilities update for 2022?

[curmudgeon98]

Does anyone have info on the current state of cruise docking in Venice?  I know some ships/lines have moved to Ravenna or Trieste, but I'm looking specifically at what will be happening in Venice and Marghera, and if there have been changes or improvements since Fall 2021.

 

My rough understanding is that larger ships may be docking at the VeCon container terminal in Marghera, while smaller (but still too large for Venice proper) cruises may be docking at the Fusina ferry terminal.  Last fall they were still using the old Marittima terminal facility in Venice for cruise check-ins and then taking people to the ship by shuttle bus.  Facilities at the actual docks seemed to be very minimal/primitive (no restrooms, taxis, public transportation).

 

 A number of cruises I'm looking at have an extra night in Venice, but with these dock locations, I'm afraid the extra night would be a waste.  We would probably spend a few days in Venice before or after the cruise in any case, so the idea of having an extra night stuck out by the refinery or a bunch of idling semi's is not attractive.  I'm hoping that maybe I'm being too pessimistic, though, so if anyone has real experience, or pictures, that would be great.  I think Viking is supposed to have some cruises using Marghera starting in March, so that may be a source of actual experiences.    

[Marykatesmom]

This would be good to know.  As of now, the Viking is listing Venice and not specifically Marghera as where they are docking.  Am I to assume when they say Venice they mean Marghera?

[curmudgeon98]

7 minutes ago, Marykatesmom said:

This would be good to know.  As of now, the Viking is listing Venice and not specifically Marghera as where they are docking.  Am I to assume when they say Venice they mean Marghera?

I've seen a port schedule (on cruisemapper.com) for Marghera that shows Viking Sky and MSC Sinfonia in March, and then a bunch of others starting in April.

[terrydtx]

7 minutes ago, curmudgeon98 said:

I've seen a port schedule (on cruisemapper.com) for Marghera that shows Viking Sky and MSC Sinfonia in March, and then a bunch of others starting in April.

We are on the HAL Oosterdam in August, and we are being told that our departure port will be Marghera and that HAL will transport us from the old terminal on the Venice Island to the cruise ship. We also believe that when the ship ends in Venice, HAL will provide transport to the old terminal. We are spending one night at a hotel located by the Terminal so we can catch an early flight home the next morning from Marco Polo airport. We are staying in Venice for 3 nights prior to the cruise and have arranged a private transfer from the hotel to the ship or terminal for departure check in.

[travelbug2225]

Our Oceania will be over night and end in Venice.  I try to decide if it is worth to spend a night in Venice after the cruise. I am concern about transportation from port to hotel. I still have not purchase a ticket yet because I am waiting for information on where Oceania will dock. 

[35Grove]

Cruise Mapper now shows all Venice Cruises docking in Marghera in April 22.  Only ship in the old Venice terminal is a a River Ship;.

[IWantToLiveOverTheSea]

Viking was having people report to the old cruise port in Venice for embarkation; then guests were taken over to Fusina/Marghera (30-60 minute ride).  But I don't know if that's what they're doing when they start back up with ocean cruises.  There really hasn't been much info.  And a few other lines are apparently using Trieste.  Things are pretty up in the air, I think.

 

 

[IWantToLiveOverTheSea]

On 2/15/2022 at 11:23 PM, 35Grove said:

Cruise Mapper now shows all Venice Cruises docking in Marghera in April 22.  Only ship in the old Venice terminal is a a River Ship;.

 

[terrydtx]

2 hours ago, IWantToLiveOverTheSea said:

Viking was having people report to the old cruise port in Venice for embarkation; then guests were taken over to Fusina/Marghera (30-60 minute ride).  But I don't know if that's what they're doing when they start back up with ocean cruises.  There really hasn't been much info.  And a few other lines are apparently using Trieste.  Things are pretty up in the air, I think.

 

 

Looks like we will be doing the same in August on the Oosterdam since HAL lists Marghera as our Venice terminal.

[bfgood2]

We are on the HAL Volendam on the Sept 10 sailing Roll Call and we are having a discussion about this very subject on our Roll Call. My email yesterday morning to HAL inquiring about plans transportation for passengers to get from Marghera to Venice cruise port/ Ferrovia have not been answered as of now.

[Lindancer]

I just booked a cruise on the Oosterdam leaving Venice on August 9.  I haven't had a chance to ask my cruise consultant about how to get to Marghera from Venice proper.   But when I do an internet search, it looks like you can take a bus, train, car or 11 minute taxi ride.  So it doesn't look like it's too complicated or much of a big deal.  Am I missing something I should be concerned about?

Thanks in advance.

Linda

[terrydtx]

12 minutes ago, Lindancer said:

I just booked a cruise on the Oosterdam leaving Venice on August 9.  I haven't had a chance to ask my cruise consultant about how to get to Marghera from Venice proper.   But when I do an internet search, it looks like you can take a bus, train, car or 11 minute taxi ride.  So it doesn't look like it's too complicated or much of a big deal.  Am I missing something I should be concerned about?

Thanks in advance.

Linda

We are on the Oosterdam Aug 21 cruise departing from Marghera. I was told by HAL that we will be checked in at the old cruise terminal on Venice Island and then bused to the ship and our luggage will be transported to the ship by truck. There are no facilities for checking in passengers at the pier as it is just an industrial port. It is about a 20 minute ride from the Cruise terminal to Marghera. The same for our return, we will depart the ship in Marghera and be bussed to the cruise  terminal to pick up our luggage and be possessed through Italian customs. HAL also said to not plan on any return flights from Venice earlier than 1pm, we are going to spend the night in Venice and fly out the next day. Next year (2023) all HAL Venice cruises will be departing and returning to Trieste.

 

I hope this helps.

[Lindancer]

Ah, that makes sense, thank you!  I will see if my HAL cruise consultant has a clue.  She is already planning to book me on a flight that leaves Venice at 12:15 p.m.

[terrydtx]

14 minutes ago, Lindancer said:

Ah, that makes sense, thank you!  I will see if my HAL cruise consultant has a clue.  She is already planning to book me on a flight that leaves Venice at 12:15 p.m.

That 12:15 flight is probably the one to Philly and could be doable if you get off the ship quickly. If HAL is booking the flight, they will try to make sure you make the flight. There are not many ways to get from Venice back to the US on the same day after that Philly flight. We are leaving the next day on a 11am flight direct to Atlanta on Delta and we are home in San Antonio by 9pm. Plus our Business class seats the next day were $1000pp less in cost than the day we got back. We used HAL flight ease to book the flights.

[curmudgeon98]

I did see some comments from someone on a Viking cruise that used Marghera earlier this month.  It sounded like all processing was in the Marittima terminal on the island with very controlled access to the dock via shuttle busses.  They had two nights in port, and with Italy still on "bubble" excursion mode, it all meant a fair bit of extra nuisance and time wasted.  That reinforced my thought of avoiding an overnight port stop in Venice this year.  We are still going (in May), but we are starting with a few days on land in Venice and will then just have one pass through the terminal/shuttle/boarding process there.

 

 

[Lindancer]

19 hours ago, terrydtx said:

That 12:15 flight is probably the one to Philly and could be doable if you get off the ship quickly. If HAL is booking the flight, they will try to make sure you make the flight. There are not many ways to get from Venice back to the US on the same day after that Philly flight. We are leaving the next day on a 11am flight direct to Atlanta on Delta and we are home in San Antonio by 9pm. Plus our Business class seats the next day were $1000pp less in cost than the day we got back. We used HAL flight ease to book the flights.

Yes, that is the flight.  Now you have me wondering about "flight ease" since my PCC never used that term.  But the flights she is booking for us are at least $300 less than I could find on my own, so I am happy with that.  I have to pay for the cruise right away (tomorrow) because I am getting a casino rate, and then once I have paid in full for the cruise she will be able to book our flights.  It would not kill me to spend an extra night in Venice either.  While I have spent  lot of time there, including a whole week in 2016, my grandson has not and we are only arriving one day early (and we'll be tired!)

Your advice has been extremely helpful and I really appreciate it.  

 

[terrydtx]

4 minutes ago, Lindancer said:

Yes, that is the flight.  Now you have me wondering about "flight ease" since my PCC never used that term.  But the flights she is booking for us are at least $300 less than I could find on my own, so I am happy with that.  I have to pay for the cruise right away (tomorrow) because I am getting a casino rate, and then once I have paid in full for the cruise she will be able to book our flights.  It would not kill me to spend an extra night in Venice either.  While I have spent  lot of time there, including a whole week in 2016, my grandson has not and we are only arriving one day early (and we'll be tired!)

Your advice has been extremely helpful and I really appreciate it.  

 

HAL flight Ease is the online HAL booking platform and is accessed once your cruise is booked through your HAL account online. Your PCC will be booking your tickets through this unless you do yourself. You can go online to your cruise booking and then click the link to "Arrange Flights and travel" from there follow the links to see and even book your flights and seats for everyone on your booking.  I use this all the time, but I cannot say if having a casino rate changes the ability to use Flight Ease. Once booked you can even go back and check fares and flights to make changes up to 90 days from departure. Good luck I hope this helps.

[Lindancer]

1 minute ago, terrydtx said:

HAL flight Ease is the online HAL booking platform and is accessed once your cruise is booked through your HAL account online. Your PCC will be booking your tickets through this unless you do yourself. You can go online to your cruise booking and then click the link to "Arrange Flights and travel" from there follow the links to see and even book your flights and seats for everyone on your booking.  I use this all the time, but I cannot say if having a casino rate changes the ability to use Flight Ease. Once booked you can even go back and check fares and flights to make changes up to 90 days from departure. Good luck I hope this helps.

Yes, I was able to go in there, since I already have a booking number.  The best flights I saw were the ones my PCC already picked for me, but it is nice to have the ability to go in there and check things out, as well as see the pricing for business class and so on.  Thanks again.

[35Grove]

On 3/26/2022 at 8:24 PM, curmudgeon98 said:

I did see some comments from someone on a Viking cruise that used Marghera earlier this month.  It sounded like all processing was in the Marittima terminal on the island with very controlled access to the dock via shuttle busses.  They had two nights in port, and with Italy still on "bubble" excursion mode, it all meant a fair bit of extra nuisance and time wasted.  That reinforced my thought of avoiding an overnight port stop in Venice this year.  We are still going (in May), but we are starting with a few days on land in Venice and will then just have one pass through the terminal/shuttle/boarding process there.

 

 

It’s looking like Viking will be docking at the car-ferry terminal in Marghera-Fusina.  From there, it is either a 5 or 20 min walk to a Fusina-Venice Pproper passenger ferry.  The difference in walk times depends on whether you can cut through either a marina or parking lot.  Ferry was like 20-minutes.  So there are options if in Venice overnight.      

 

Cruise mapper shows you where the ships are docked that are currently in Venice.  Today a cruise was in. So you can see exactly where you’d be on a map.

[terrydtx]

10 hours ago, 35Grove said:

It’s looking like Viking will be docking at the car-ferry terminal in Marghera-Fusina.  From there, it is either a 5 or 20 min walk to a Fusina-Venice Pproper passenger ferry.  The difference in walk times depends on whether you can cut through either a marina or parking lot.  Ferry was like 20-minutes.  So there are options if in Venice overnight.      

 

Cruise mapper shows you where the ships are docked that are currently in Venice.  Today a cruise was in. So you can see exactly where you’d be on a map.

Regardless of where your ship docks in Marghera, it will be a logistics nightmare getting off the ship and getting to and from Venice Island. I wonder if using the ship's tenders would be a practical way to get passengers from the ship to Venice Island?

 

I will wait and see how HAL handles the Oosterdam cruises departing and returning to Venice prior to our departure in August. The Oosterdam is much larger than the Viking ships with double the passengers.

Edited March 29, 2022 by terrydtx

[steamboats]

Just read an article that on April 6th a new interim cruise terminal was opened in Marghera. It´s basically a big tent building. They do have space for check-in and all. So check your cruise docs on where you are checking in - the old Stazione Marittima or the new terminal in Marghera.

 

steamboats

[terrydtx]

1 hour ago, steamboats said:

Just read an article that on April 6th a new interim cruise terminal was opened in Marghera. It´s basically a big tent building. They do have space for check-in and all. So check your cruise docs on where you are checking in - the old Stazione Marittima or the new terminal in Marghera.

 

steamboats

On the 9th HAL changed all of their summer 2022 Oosterdam cruises from Venice (Marghera) to Trieste including out Aug 21 cruise. There are many unhappy passengers over this move. I guess HAL did not like the new interim post facilities at Marghera.

[steamboats]

Many cruise lines have changed the port of embarcation... Celebrity/RCI to Ravenna, NCL and Costa to Trieste, MSC is back to Marghera after they used Monfalcone last year...

 

Marghera is the industrial port of Venice and the new tent terminal is just an interim. Plus the channel there is only one way and you have a time slot to leave. You also need to offer some kind of transportation to Venice for the guests.

 

steamboats

[terrydtx]

5 minutes ago, steamboats said:

Many cruise lines have changed the port of embarcation... Celebrity/RCI to Ravenna, NCL and Costa to Trieste, MSC is back to Marghera after they used Monfalcone last year...

 

Marghera is the industrial port of Venice and the new tent terminal is just an interim. Plus the channel there is only one way and you have a time slot to leave. You also need to offer some kind of transportation to Venice for the guests.

 

steamboats

Is MSC the only cruise lines using Marghera this summer?

[curmudgeon98]

1 hour ago, terrydtx said:

Is MSC the only cruise lines using Marghera this summer?

Viking has been using Marghera this spring, I'm not sure about ongoing.  Azamara has recently moved all their "Venice" stops to Ravenna for at least this year.  I think Oceania has moved as well.

 

I get the feeling that while it is possible for the lines to operate out of Marghera on paper, when it got down to details, the combination of expense (fees, shuttles, tugs for entry/exit) and timing/delays (long slow entry channel, limited space for turns in port) made it worth the pain to change.