Vista Rome to Trieste 5/21/24 to 6/1/24: How long to disembark and which port location in Trieste

[rcinteriors]

We will be joining the Vista (Rome to Trieste 5/21/24 to 6/1/24). This is our first Oceania cruise. We will spend a couple of days in Rome pre cruise and a couple of days in Venice post cruise before catching the train back to Rome to fly home. I’m a bit concerned about all of the CC posts about declining food and service quality on Oceania but still very excited for our first Mediterranean visit. We sailed Viking Ocean for a transatlantic repositioning cruise in 2018 from Puerto Rico to Barcelona in the Explorer Suite and many times on Royal Caribbean in various suites, NCL in Haven, and HAL in Pinnacle and Neptune Suites. Looking forward to comparing the experiences on a smaller ship where everyone has more of the same experience without the 'ship within a ship concept' . We have all of our pre/post private transport booked and excursions on the cruise but would love any recommendations about making the most of our first Oceania Cruise as well as what not to miss doing in Rome and Venice pre and post cruise.

 

Does anyone have any experience arriving in Trieste? We have booked private transport from Trieste to Venice at 10:00 AM plus a water Taxi when we arrive in Venice to get us to our hotel. I have seen that sometimes Oceania goes to the main cruise terminal in downtown Trieste and sometimes docks at a secondary terminal a few miles away. How long does it realistically take to disembark in Trieste and pass through Customs? What time should we tell the transport company to pick us up and where?

[ORV]

1 hour ago, rcinteriors said:

but would love any recommendations about making the most of our first Oceania Cruise

I would suggest spending some time reading about the last 10 pages or so of this forum. This is what I've done when trying to find information about a cruise line I haven't been on before. 

[rcinteriors]

2 minutes ago, ORV said:

I would suggest spending some time reading about the last 10 pages or so of this forum. This is what I've done when trying to find information about a cruise line I haven't been on before. 

Thank you. I will look deeper in the forum as you suggested. 

[Tranquility Base]

2 hours ago, rcinteriors said:

Does anyone have any experience arriving in Trieste? We have booked private transport from Trieste to Venice at 10:00 AM plus a water Taxi when we arrive in Venice to get us to our hotel. I have seen that sometimes Oceania goes to the main cruise terminal in downtown Trieste and sometimes docks at a secondary terminal a few miles away. How long does it realistically take to disembark in Trieste and pass through Customs? What time should we tell the transport company to pick us up and where?

Whilst I can't answer your questions specifically, here are some considerations I would take into account in your situation.

1. Last year on Riviera we docked in downtown at Trieste.

2. I would search for the port info and check if it shows your docking location.

3. Asking once onboard the staff should have an reasonably accurate answer for you.

4. Your previous port is only a distance of 110nm, so if you leave on time from there arrival time should be reasonably assured.

5. Remember the ship is on a Hop on / Hop off type schedule.

Therefore, there will be many passengers onboard where the Trieste day is just a normal port transit day.

6. If it were me, I would be comfortable with your 10am pickup at the downtown terminal.

Your transport company should be monitoring your arrival in the morning, and you can always contact them if things change.  

 

Edited March 14 by Tranquility Base

[rcinteriors]

5 minutes ago, Tranquility Base said:

Whilst I can't answer your questions specifically, here are some considerations I would take into account in your situation.

1. Last year on Riviera we docked in downtown at Trieste.

2. I would search for the port info and check if it shows your docking location.

3. Asking once onboard the staff should have an reasonably accurate answer for you.

4. Your previous port is only a distance of 110nm, so if you leave on time from there arrival time should be reasonably assured.

5. Remember the ship is on a Hop on / Hop off type schedule.

Therefore, there will be many passengers onboard where the Trieste day is just a normal port transit day.

6. If it were me, I would be comfortable with your 10am pickup at the downtown terminal.

Your transport company should be monitoring your arrival in the morning, and you can always contact them if things change.  

 

Than you so much Tranquility Base! That is very helpful! 

[MEFIowa]

We spent 3 nights in Venice before going to meet Riviera in Trieste on 10/30/23. We took the train for E15.50 from Venice to Trieste and did the Venice pass (for 72 hours for public transportation, esp. the Vaporetto (water taxis)). Riviera docked right downtown in Trieste, next to another cruise ship there. We took a short cab ride from the train station to the ship. This was part of a 20-night B2B on Riviera that would eventually end up in Barcelona, but we also did Rome.

 

To "make the most" of your cruise READ the CURRENTS each night. Study it thoroughly. It will detail what all is happening where and when on the ship the next day! And on embarkation day take the time to walk each deck, studying where things are and how to get around.

 

As for the "most of Venice", we lived on the water taxis. A blast just going from stop to stop. Had a great Rick Steves' guide to Venice and used it extensively as we walked to and from and around neighborhoods. We walked off the beaten path to find little local restaurants and grocery stores (for our own beer, hard liquor & wine). The highlight for us was St. Mark's Cathedral on a Sunday. If you go that day you can worship there (I'm not RC) for an hour (thinking liturgy was at 10:00 and noon). We did the noon. It doesn't open to the public until 2 pm (IIRC). So we had the cathedral "to ourselves" for about 30 minutes before it started and another 30 minutes afterwards. Just line up to the side door to the north (to the left as you face the front of the cathedral). We were in awe wandering around this amazing building!

 

And for Rome, again had a Rick Steves' guide but we took a private car from the port to Rome and back. Met right at the gangplank, first 2 off that am, as we ran to meet our driver waiting for us. We did the Trevi Fountain, Spanish steps, Vatican, Protestant cemetery & Pyramid of Cestius, and more as we drove and stopped to get out. Of course, the Colosseum blew us away. As did the Pantheon! We had a private guide who gets you in (skip the line) there and at the Vatican. She must've been good for they just waved her thru and said "Hi".

 

The one thing you learn quickly is that BATHROOMS can be an issue. Make sure to go before you go out and go where you find one. For example, there is a pay public toilet near the Illy Coffee shop to the west of the Doge's Palace along the canal. Our Venice pass had access to some museums and 7 public toilet stops! The coffee shop across from the Pantheon had toilets; we bought coffee to go and used them.

[rcinteriors]

52 minutes ago, MEFIowa said:

We spent 3 nights in Venice before going to meet Riviera in Trieste on 10/30/23. We took the train for E15.50 from Venice to Trieste and did the Venice pass (for 72 hours for public transportation, esp. the Vaporetto (water taxis)). Riviera docked right downtown in Trieste, next to another cruise ship there. We took a short cab ride from the train station to the ship. This was part of a 20-night B2B on Riviera that would eventually end up in Barcelona, but we also did Rome.

 

To "make the most" of your cruise READ the CURRENTS each night. Study it thoroughly. It will detail what all is happening where and when on the ship the next day! And on embarkation day take the time to walk each deck, studying where things are and how to get around.

 

As for the "most of Venice", we lived on the water taxis. A blast just going from stop to stop. Had a great Rick Steves' guide to Venice and used it extensively as we walked to and from and around neighborhoods. We walked off the beaten path to find little local restaurants and grocery stores (for our own beer, hard liquor & wine). The highlight for us was St. Mark's Cathedral on a Sunday. If you go that day you can worship there (I'm not RC) for an hour (thinking liturgy was at 10:00 and noon). We did the noon. It doesn't open to the public until 2 pm (IIRC). So we had the cathedral "to ourselves" for about 30 minutes before it started and another 30 minutes afterwards. Just line up to the side door to the north (to the left as you face the front of the cathedral). We were in awe wandering around this amazing building!

 

And for Rome, again had a Rick Steves' guide but we took a private car from the port to Rome and back. Met right at the gangplank, first 2 off that am, as we ran to meet our driver waiting for us. We did the Trevi Fountain, Spanish steps, Vatican, Protestant cemetery & Pyramid of Cestius, and more as we drove and stopped to get out. Of course, the Colosseum blew us away. As did the Pantheon! We had a private guide who gets you in (skip the line) there and at the Vatican. She must've been good for they just waved her thru and said "Hi".

 

The one thing you learn quickly is that BATHROOMS can be an issue. Make sure to go before you go out and go where you find one. For example, there is a pay public toilet near the Illy Coffee shop to the west of the Doge's Palace along the canal. Our Venice pass had access to some museums and 7 public toilet stops! The coffee shop across from the Pantheon had toilets; we bought coffee to go and used them.

Very helpful MEFlowa! Thank you so much! I will look up the Rick Steve's Guides. I know they do journeys but didn't know they created guides. We have pre-booked private transport for every leg of our journey so far and only have the pre cruise tours to book in Rome and in Venice post cruise as well as restaurants. I'm a planner and don't leave much to chance. I was pleasantly surprised to see that our private car service we use when in NYC (BlackLane) has a branch in Rome as well. Do you know who you used for the skip the lines tours in Rome? We are looking at Viator and The Roman Guy. 

[MEFIowa]

Our guide's name was Gaia. She was fantastic. But then it was just her and the two of us in the various locations. The Vatican guards knew her. Just smiled, said "HI" to her and waved us thru.

 

We went thru I-Tours for the private driver and guide.

[iowananny]

We were in Rome a day early for a TA on the Marina.  It was their second cruise after they started cruising again after the pandemic.  It was a weird time with masks required and a limit to the number of people in certain places.  But we had fun in Rome and a fun cruise too.  We arrived in Rome in the morning and were checked into our hotel by early afternoon.  That evening we took a food tour.  Don't ask me which one but it was a lot of fun.  There was a lot of walking but we'd stop for food along the way so it didn't seem that bad.  It lasted about 4 hours and we were able to sample all kinds of Roman food.  I highly recommend a food tour if you're just in Rome for a short time and want to try a variety of food.  We ate very well that night and it was not just samples of food.  I wish I could remember the name of the company, but we've taken food tours in several cities, and they have always been good.  I don't think I'd ever been so tired and full as I was that night when we returned to our hotel.

 

The next day we took a private golf cart tour.  It was recommended to us by our travel agent although we booked it ourselves with Viator.  I was a little afraid of driving around Rome in a golf cart but once we got started my fears eased and we had a great time.  The guide was able to take us down narrow streets that cars can't go.  I told him I wanted to see the sights I'd seen in the movies.  For me the highlights weren't the big monuments but seeing the truth rock that Gregory Peck put his hand in in Roman Holiday and scared Audry Hepburn when he had his hand up his sleeves when he took it out.  Of course, this might not appeal to everyone but I love old movies and I was very happy with our tour, and we did see many of the major sights also.  You could have the tour customized to what you were interested in.  What was nice is the golf cart picked us up and dropped us off so it was super easy to do.

 

Just a couple of things that we enjoyed during our short stay in Rome.

 

 

[rcinteriors]

Thank you for the detailed information! The food tour sounds great. I will look at those. We have just signed up with The Tour Guy for a private Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica tour and a private Venice Highlights with Gondola Tour in Venice and the a small group half day tour of Burano and Murano boat tour. We are old movie buffs too and love Roman Holiday!

 

 

[iowananny]

I wish I could tell you the name of the food tour company that we used but I just can't remember.  I do know I found them by looking through Tripadvisor reviews.  I've used that method for quite a few tours we've taken and always have been pleased with the results.

 

Sounds like you've got a good trip planned.  Have a lot of fun.

 

From crazy Nancy who feels kind of stupid that she went to Rome with all the wonderful things to see and was most impressed with a rock mask just because Gregory Peck put his hand it.  I'm so lucky to have a husband which puts up with a lot of my crazy ideas.  Next week we're heading to Mexico City because I HAVE to see Frieda Kahlo's Blue House before I die but I'm also going up in a hot air balloon for him.