Venice transfers
 

Hi We have heard the cost of transfers to a cruise ship and hotel in Venice is very expensive but needed as easy to get lost
Are there any hints for best value transfers or hotels that offer transfers to cruise ship ?

This August will be our third trip to Venice, but first "pre-cruise" stop there. We will fly into Venice and either take the long, scenic Aqualuna Blue Line from the airport right to the Zattere stop (on back side of the Academia bridge of GC if you look at map), our hotel is right between the two, closer to Academia Bridge. On the way back, the cruise terminal is just 2-3 stops up the same Blue Line from Zattere, so we'll definitely take that. Our hotel is on a flat strip, i.e., no mini canals to climb up and down to/fro. We might change our minds and take the bus shuttle to its final destination, and walk over to the Aqualuna Blue Line from there, going down the island, it'll be the short 2-3 stop way. But we just thought the full boat ride would be more enjoyable, but much longer (90 min). You can pull up the fares and schedules online. It all depends where your hotel is. In the past we've arrived into the train station, so was easier to jump on the vaporetto. Staying at same hotel as our first time, second time, we were staying in Padua on business. Find your hotel online, and explore options is my recommendation.

"We will fly into Venice and either take the long, scenic Aqualuna Blue Line from the airport right to the Zattere stop"

Do you mean the Alilaguna Blue Line?
https://www.alilaguna.it/en/lines/linea-blu

How to get to your hotel and from there to the cruise port mostly depends on the location of your hotel. Some hotels are quite close to stops for the vaporetto (comprehensive public waterbus for all points in Venice including the cruise terminal, but does not go all the way to the airport--cheapest) or Alilaguna service (longer distance boat service connecting airport and cruise terminal to a few key locations--about twice the price of vaporetto). Private water taxis will take you everywhere within reason--some hotels do not have a water entrance, so the taxi must drop as close as possible (expensive, but you pay by the boat, and 6-8 people can travel together).

There are some shared water taxi services, but I've only heard of them between the airport and Venice, not between hotels and the cruise terminal.

I don’t think it’s hard at all. If you are going straight to the cruise from the airport, then take a taxi straight to the cruise port. If going straight to a hotel, take the vaporetto from the airport to your hotel’s stop or the bus to Piazzale Roma and then the vaporetto. If going from hotel to ship, take the vaporetto to Piazzale Rome and then the people mover to the port. The latter costs just 1 euro.

Its cheaper to to take the bus to the cruise port and then the People Mover, but it doesn’t seem worth it to me if you have luggage.

In Venice the hardest part is getting from the vaporetto stop to the hotel.

technically speaking, Doug, you can't take a vaporetto from or to the airport as they don't go there; you need an Alilaguna service for that.

Love Christmas - if you post your exact itinerary plus the name of the hotel we will be able to help you more, as at the moment all this advice is rather theoretical.

Your hotel website should have information about the best way to get there too and you can always email them for further information. You will not be their first guest who is arriving from or wanting to get to the cruise port.

<< On the way back, the cruise terminal is just 2-3 stops up the same Blue Line from Zattere, so we'll definitely take that. Our hotel is on a flat strip, i.e., no mini canals to climb up and down to/fro. We might change our minds and take the bus shuttle to its final destination, and walk over to the Aqualuna Blue Line from there, going down the island, it'll be the short 2-3 stop way.>>

Aliced - you will pay roughly twice as much to use the Alilaguna to do this as you would for the vaporetto and you'll confuse the driver as they are not used to people using them for short trips within Venice. Also they are far less frequent than the vaporetti. Much easier to get the Vap from the Zattere to P. Roma and then the people mover to the cruise port and a lot cheaper.

There are more than half a dozen berths for cruise liners in Venice, and all can be reached by road transport, taxis. Your liner might be close to the people mover at P. Roma, or it might be closer to the berths at San Basilio.

For the OP, if arriving at Marco Polo and transferring immediately to the cruise liner, a land taxi is by far the easiest, and maybe fifty euro. There is a set tariff.

For transfer from hotel in Venice to liner berth, tha Alilaguna, as Ann says, is not an option. The Alilaguna service is like a land bus found in many cities that does airport / downtown transfers. Except the Alilaguna is a boat, and a slow one at that.

I hear that many cruise passengers take a lot of luggage. “Moving luggage easily around Venice” is an oxymoron. Sooner or later, you have to tote it yourself.

The land taxi from the Marco Polo airport to major popular locations are fixed prices. The fixed prices are clearly displayed on a sticker on back side windows. Last November, the window sticker said the fixed prices were:

Aeroporto Marco Polo <--> Stazione Marittima Crociera 45EU (If you are going straight to the cruise boat dock)
Aeroporto Marco Polo <--> Venezia Piazzale Roma 40EU (If you are staying on islands part of Venice)
Aeroporto Marco Polo <--> Mestre Centro/Ferrovia 35EU (For those heading to elsewhere in Italy by train immediately upon landing)
Stazione Marittima Crociera <--> Mestre Centro/Ferrovia 35EU
Stazione Marittima Crociera <--> Venezia Piazzale Roma 20EU

You will get more relevant info you state exactly where you are heading to. Otherwise, you will only get general recommendations which might not apply to you.

Posters, thanks for all the tips above. Yes, we realize the Alilaguna Blue Line is over an hour from the airport, BUT we need only drag our luggage one time on/off it -- not onto the bus, off the bus, across the people mover, onto Vaporetto #2 and off it. I also expect in late August there will be a long line of people waiting to get on the Vaporetto to take them down the GC. You might say I don't have the least amount of luggage (a 24-25") spinner bag, plus a tote secured atop it to pull along, but once we are on the boat, that's it until we get off at the Zaterre stop! The Alilaguna continues past the Zaterre up to the port, so why couldnt we take it to the port after our Venice stay? Regardless, we shall confirm it once on it. We have decided that it will be more relaxing to view these other islands along with Guidecca (where we'll be visiting too). Annhig, If indeed the Alilaguna only charges the full fare (15E) to take us couple more stops from Zaterre to port, then of course we'll take Vaporetto to our berth. We just think the Alilaguna is a more seamless and relaxing way to cruise past all the outer islands in one swoop, we still may arrive before hotel check-in time as well.

Chances that the Alilaguna will not allow you to board at the Zattere. So you might like to have an alternative plan in place.

Ann does have a bit of a rough idea of what she is talking about. On her fifth, or maybe sixth, visit to Venice she stayed with us for several nights, that was three weeks ago.

The Alilaguna picks up people from Marco Polo and discharges them at various stops along the route, until it reaches the end of the line. Then the boat plods its way back, picking up people and discharges them at Marco Polo. It does not offer a service between intermediate stops. That’s what ACTV does.

Aliced - I've nothing against taking the Alilaguna from the airport to the Zattere though as you say it takes quite a long time - nearly 1 hour 40mins. I took the orange line when I was in Venice in February but I was staying just round the corner from the Guglie stop in Canareggio so it only took about 40 mins. And be aware that there is now a pretty long walk from the arrivals hall to the Alilaguna dock, though it's all undercover and there are a succession of moving walkways to help you along. Better than the old days where they was an outdoor path with a sort of canopy over it. So you can reckon on its taking at least 2 hours which doesn't include waiting for the next Alilaguna service. If it's likely that you'll arrive before you can check in, them I agree it's as good as way as spending that time, but if you sit downstairs you don't get much of a view and if it's hot and the windows are open you may get a lap full of sea water as well!!

As for getting from the Zattere to the cruise port the Alilaguna will charge you full price to get there, flat rate €15. . Depending on which is your nearest vaporetto stop you might want the 4.1/4.2, the 5.1/5.2 or the 6 to the P. Roma where you can pick up the people mover. Best ask your hotel to confirm the best route.
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Aliced - wanting to satisfy myself that I'd given you the best possible information I had a look on the websites of a few hotels on the Zattere to see how they said to get to the cruise port, and one of them mentioned getting the alilaguna from the hotel to the port for €8, taking 20 mins. As you will have gathered I'd never heard of this so I went to the alilagua website and after a bit of searching, I found that it is indeed possible to do this. Who knew? The ticket is called "cruise port - Venice" and costs €7 if you buy it on line in advance or €8 if you buy it at the time. It might be a good idea to buy the tickets in advance or even just at the airport as there aren't many places selling the tickets in Venice itself if that's what you decide to do.

Apologies for getting that wrong.

Hope you have a great trip.

oops - just seen your last post Peter, which crossed with mine. looks as if we both got this one wrong.

Your faith in me is touching, though in this particular case misplaced!

oops again - here's the link:

https://www.alilaguna.it/en/tickets1/fares

"The ticket is called "cruise port - Venice" and costs €7 if you buy it on line in advance or €8 if you buy it at the time."
At that rate, it is competitive with a single vaporetto fare, although the vaporetto runs more often.

exactly, ellenem, though that would also depend on whether Aliced has a vaporetto pass or not.

But it is likely to be less crowded.

Isn't it amazing how much information we exchange on this forum?! We are still keeping our minds open, but if it's a nice day, and we get in early, we'd just as much sit on a nice long boat ride...... and good news that the Alilaguna is willing to get a few more Euros to run us up a few stops! Not planning to get the Vaporetto pass, we can meander up to Ca Rezonnico and Ca Pesaro, the Peggy G is right by us, and will also go over to Guidecca. Do any of you know if Margherita Rossetto is still in business, last she was last over in Corte Canal, her ceramics and style speak to me.

Aliced - so far as I can tell she is still in business, if this is she:

La Margherita Venezia

You have done me a favour mentioning her - next month I'm going to be spend a week or so in Venice cat sitting and her cat china would make a great gift for my hostess. The apartment where I'm going to be is in Santa Croce too so it shouldn't be too difficult to find.

Glad the info that I finally found about the Alilaguna helped.

You're the best, annhig -- yes, she's near Campo della Lana at the Corte Canal. My s-i-l brought me some pottery 30+ years ago, and the last two times I have hunted her down. Last time got a reverse glass painting there, she is so talented. I shouldnt buy one more item of pottery though.....

Our hotel confirmed that the easiest way from airport is the Alilaguna too. Way to see all the islands we will not otherwise.

Good, I'm glad that you've sorted that out. But be warned, you really don't see that much from the cabin of the Alilaguna, because they sit very low in the water. You see more if you open the windows but then you can end up with a lap full of sea water!!!

I will look out for the glass painting as well as the pottery. Thanks for the tip.