Venice Transfers-a Week To Go-help Please

[martodd]

We have been having a bit of difficulty with our travel agent. I have done all the planning with the help of these boards-thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!

We are going to be on the Millennium that leaves next Saturday. We will be ending in Venice and taking the train back to Rome for three nights before returning home. How should we get from the ship to the train station. We are going to be have a good amount of luggage. There are five of us, three being children ages 7, 10 and 14. Our travel agent said that he can get us a van for $180. That just seems like a lot to me considering we are paying 80 euros to get from Rome to the airport. I know things are more expensive in venice. If that is the going rate, then we will pay it, but I don't want to pay it if we can do better. Our travel agent also suggested two taxis.

We leave on the 28th any help would be GREATLY appreciated!!!!!!!!

[cusyl]

You can take land taxis from the port to the train station in Mestre.

We used Venice-limo and they have a website.:D http://www.venice-limousine.com/

[cberge]

IMHO it sounda like your TA is ripping you off.use the contact the cusyl gave you or take 2 taxis as they tend to be small or you could ask in the taxi line if there is a van available.You will be fine.You may have an extra luggage charge,but that is a maybe..probaby in Rome you may though.

PS..get another TA for your next trip:)

[lambs2]

IMHO it sounda like your TA is ripping you off.use the contact the cusyl gave you or take 2 taxis as they tend to be small or you could ask in the taxi line if there is a van available.You will be fine.You may have an extra luggage charge,but that is a maybe..probaby in Rome you may though.

PS..get another TA for your next trip:)

 

 

I agree with cberge! I watched a couple get a cab to the airport right at the Venice cruise port after our cruise and that was only going to cost them less than 30 Euros! the airport is farther away than the train station in Venice! I would venture to say that it should cost your family no more than 80 Euros to get there from the cruiseport with your luggage (and it may be even less!)

 

We caught a bus for only 1 or 2 Euros each (with all our luggage) to our hotel near the airport, but we are the adventurous sort!

[mho]

I was on the Millie last year and paid 27euros for a taxi from port to airport which is much further than Venice rail station. I noticed cusly mention the station at Mestre but I believe that is a different rail station to the one in Venice. If you take a taxi then make sure you get it from the official taxi rank on the road outside the port building and not from taxi touts who confront you as you are leaving the building. They tried to rip me off for 80 euros.

[sunandsnow]

Before our RCI cruise last month - we took a van (6 of us) to the pier from the Marriott Courtyard by the airport for 55E. After the cruise, my husband jumped on a free shuttle to Piazzale Roma to pick up our rental cars (that may be a possibility). The van should be less than 50E.

[Andym]

I may be wrong, but the train station seems awfully close to the cruise treminal, see google earth, it only looks about 6 ship lengths away.

[Catnip]

Before our RCI cruise last month - we took a van (6 of us) to the pier from the Marriott Courtyard by the airport for 55E. .

 

We are staying at the Courtyard at the Venice airport. What did you think of it? Like a typical Marriott in the States?

How long is it from the airport to the hotel?

[cusyl]

You can take land taxis from the port to the train station in Mestre.

We used Venice-limo and they have a website.:D http://www.venice-limousine.com/

Yes, of course there is a train station in Venice..I imagine your land taxi or limo could take you there just as well. It is close to the port.

[JohnL1935]

I was looking at a map and it seems that the train station is on the other side of the canal from Piazza Roma. I have a hotel across from the train stop on the other side of the causeway on the mainland. I planned to take the train from the mainland to Venice but was wondering how to get across the canal. I didn't see a bridge on the map and thought that maybe the vaporetto goes across. Seems there must be some public connection to the train station. If there a vaporetto connection I don't know if the OP can get all their luggage on it because they don't seem to wait long.

 

John L.

[Captain Canuck]

it is expensive in Venice but 180 euros is excessive...the train station is close to the ship dock..when we stayed in Venice we took the vaparetto to Piazzale Roma and then there was a bus to the docks...not sure if it was free but if it wasn't it must have been cheap as I don't remember what I paid. there could be a bus from the ship to the piazzalle but if not a cab should be fairly cheap..its only 5 - 10 minutes away

[CostaRican]

We just returned from our cruise on the new, beautiful Emerald Princess and we also had major concerns about getting to the airport since Venice is not a luggage friendly City to be hauling luggage around....in fact, do not do it. The Train Station is not far from where you will be docked, can be walked to; however, with five people and all the luggage I, too, would suggest a taxi or the van. Vaporetto will not always take luggage, you will be charged extra for it. Enjoy your trip.....Rome is one of my favorite cities.

[Captain Canuck]

I agree about the Vaporetto. Thought I better clarify in case you take my message as encouraging its use. We used it and had a hard time getting off with luggage. Nobody would get out of the way. I only mentioned the vaparetto as we used it to get to the Piazzale roma and then a bus to the ship. Wanted to make it clear that we did not go from the ship to the train station. anyhow, I am sure somebody will probably post exact fares etc to help you out.

[cusyl]

I was looking at a map and it seems that the train station is on the other side of the canal from Piazza Roma. I have a hotel across from the train stop on the other side of the causeway on the mainland. I planned to take the train from the mainland to Venice but was wondering how to get across the canal. I didn't see a bridge on the map and thought that maybe the vaporetto goes across. Seems there must be some public connection to the train station. If there a vaporetto connection I don't know if the OP can get all their luggage on it because they don't seem to wait long.

 

John L.

 

When you leave the train, walk towards the water and you will see a ticket booth. Get a 24 hour pass for the Valporetto #1 and #82. Be sure and validate your ticket in the yellow box.

#1 will take you all around the islands and you can get on and off at will.

I think we took #82 back to the train station at the end of the day. (We stayed in Mestre)

If you are trying to get from the hotel to the ship with your luggage, just take a land taxi.

[cruiseluv]

There is the train station Venice -Mestre. That's probably the one closest to the dock ( although I'm not sure where your ship docks). This train station can be reached by a regular land taxi. The other train station in Venice is Santa Lucia. This is in Venice itself, surrounded by water and you cannot get to it by a land taxi.

 

You probably want to go to Mestre. Pls, check where your ship docks

[mrmac]

This thread shows why people should get more than one opinion on Cruise Critic. Some people can't read, like to criticize travel agents or just don't know what they're talking about. Others are positive, helpful and/or have recent first hand experience. These are the ones to listen to. As it turns out, your travel agent gave you two good options with the van for $180 (not 180 Euros) or take two taxis. Anyone who has traveled with children knows how difficult it is to move around or any distance at all with luggage. If you've researched trans., drivers, private excursions, etc. in Europe, then you know it is very expensive. If you want to keep together take the van. If you don't mind splitting up take the taxis.

[martodd]

Thank you so much for all the input.

I am not trying to bash my travel agent, I was just looking for confirmation as to whether this was too expensive or not. All the planning I have done is on the Barcelona and Rome portions of the trip. But an example of what he has done is booked us one room in a hotel that does not sleep 5 people and we are traveling with three kids. I only found this out with my own follow up investigation.

My concern now is this agent booked us the train tickets out of S. Lucia. Can that only be reached by water taxi? Can you make reservations for a water taxi? He knew what station we were going out of and wanted to book us a $250 limo or a $180 van. Is there no way to get there by land? It looks only to be a mile or to from the pier. I checked and I belive we are at berth 107.

Thank you again for all the help from everyone.

[Linda VH]

I am a little confused, I hope! We have been planning a trip on the Westerdam in the Fall and we are going to Venice for a couple of days before taking the train to Rome. I went to www.trenitalia.com to check out the trains and all of the trains leave from Mestre that go from Venice to Rome. How are you leaving from St. Lucia??? I plugged in current dates on their website as well and all trains say Mestre. Hope I'm wrong but I think you best check. Linda

[Linda VH]

Aaaaah!!! Don't use that link unless you speak Italian lol!!! I went to google and plugged in trains in Italy and they give you trenitalia.com. For some reason the link I just gave you takes you to all Italian but the answer is still the same above. L

[martodd]

Help!! I am so confused. The trenitalia website is where we found out about the train, and passed information on times onto the travel agent. On the timetable it says VE S.L. Mestre. Our ticket with the same train number says venezia S Lucia to Roma Termini.

[sunandsnow]

I thought the Marriott was very nice. It was clean and with large rooms. Hotel was about 5-10 min. ride by their shuttle from airport. It is a 20-25 min. bus ride from Venice Island but we were only staying one night pre-cruise. I have stayed at the Westin Europa Regina on Venice and did not want to deal with dragging luggage all over or paying for $$ water taxis. It has all the amenities of a US Marriott. The front desk help was very good. See our review on tripadvisor. Have a great trip!

[Catnip]

I thought the Marriott was very nice. It was clean and with large rooms. Hotel was about 5-10 min. ride by their shuttle from airport. It is a 20-25 min. bus ride from Venice Island but we were only staying one night pre-cruise. I have stayed at the Westin Europa Regina on Venice and did not want to deal with dragging luggage all over or paying for $$ water taxis. It has all the amenities of a US Marriott. The front desk help was very good. See our review on tripadvisor. Have a great trip!

 

Thanks for the tip! We are staying in Venice one night post-cruise, as the flight times coming back to the US were not do-able for us the day of disembarkation.

We thought when we get off the ship, we could go to the Mariott and dump off the luggage. And then come back into Venice for the day.

I need to investigate how to get around in Venice, since we will need to get from the ship to the airport, and then to the hotel!!

[Captain Canuck]

plug in the keyword 'Venice" and there will be lots of info on getting around...my vote is for the vaparetto

[Catnip]

plug in the keyword 'Venice" and there will be lots of info on getting around...my vote is for the vaparetto

 

Thanks! I know I have a lot of searching to do, and will probably be overwhelmed real fast!! :rolleyes:

[cusyl]

I need to investigate how to get around in Venice, since we will need to get from the ship to the airport, and then to the hotel!!

There are only two ways to get around Venice. Walking or the Valporetto.

Buy the 24 hour pass and you can get on and off at will. It's a great way to take in the whole island, then go back and see what you want to look at closer.