Skip Venice? Not really good advice! Yes that walk is flat etc. but why take that when there is a bus at the door? Sorry I don't get that. And yes with luggage there were many older people not doing too well...and then just take a hotel in the area mentioned near bus terminating point and then people mover to ship.

Lois & Jub: >>Skip Venice? Not really good advice! << >>They can't very well skip Venice as the ship seems to depart there.<<
There's a requirement that they stay there two nights and tour the city? When did that law go into effect? And if you read my context, I said if someone is incapable of making a 7-minute level walk, that person is not going to be doing much in Venice.

>> but why take that when there is a bus at the door? Sorry I don't get that.<<
And then what happens when you get off the bus? You're magically transported to your hotel? There's no walking? And what if you can't get a hotel in your price range in that area?

Well, the solution would be to get a hotel with a water door. The water taxi could dock right at the hotel.

The Hotel San Cassiano Ca' Fravetto has a water door on the Grand Canal, for example.

However, the walk to the vaporetto at Piazzale Roma is much shorter (and down hill) than the walk from Marco Polo to the docks.

Thin

The people mover may, or may not, work for this party, as it depends where the South Africa bound liner is berthed. A land taxi from P. Roma to the ship might be a better option. From the dock end of the people mover, there still might be a long walk, carrying steamer trunks, hat boxes and the like.