Is the Venice Card Blu pass (single or multiple-day card including public transport & toilets but NOT museum discounts) more expensive than the regular boat pass? Better? Or are they the same thing?

look at this current website to figure out which fare is better for you.

http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/...are-tables.htm

What you select may depend on how long you will be in Venice ,
Are you sure the blu card is still offered? it may have been replaced by other combo cards.

Thanks for the link. I'll be there for 5 nights & 4 days. I could get a 72-hour pass and add-on as needed, but I would probably save a little money and trouble by going ahead and getting a 7-day pass.

Depending on the time of year, weather, and where you are staying. Things to consider:
1. how are you arriving and departing? will you use the vaporetto to get to the railroad station or the bus station?
2. are you staying on the main island? if not then you will be taking the vaporetto more often on a daily basis, and a longer pass makes sense.
3. group together places you intend to visit.. for example if you are going to murano and burano, go on the same day, and also take a vaporetto on the grand canal.. you can do all that by using a single 12 hour pass..your 12 hours start from the time you swipe your card before boarding. You cannot add fares onto the pass.
up.
4. you may do more walking than you think, but if for some reason you are not up to a lot of walking taking the vaporetto more frequently makes sense.

Going next week, staying in Dorsoduro, and will travel from airport on the Alilaguna. Departing from the train station.

another alternative from the airport is to take the bus for 6 euros to Piazzele Roma in Venice, the bus station.. and then walk across the street to the vaporetto stop and purchase your pass..the bus takes about 20 minutes non stop. you put your luggage in the compartment underneath.

if the weather is rainy you may not want to take the alilaguna and I dont think the pass for the vaporetto is valid on the alilaguna

your can take a suitcase onto the vaporetto. in Venice its wise to take a suitcase that is easy to roll, and if you have an extra small bag, use a strap to secure it to the top of your larger bag. you will most likely have traverse at least one bridge.

you can take the vaporetto to the train station..and you can also purchase your train ticket a day or so ahead of time when you are in venice if you like.. it may save you time when you are departing

have a great time

> another alternative from the airport is to take the bus for 6 euros to Piazzele Roma in Venice, the bus station.. and then walk across the street to the vaporetto stop

If OP's hotel is on F.Zattere/ Canal Giudecca side or closer, above land bus > P.Roma > vaporetto may not be the best. He can take Alilaguna Blue line direct to Zattere stop after San Marco. It takes sort of long - close to 2 hours but without a change to vaporetto carrying all the luggage. Maybe he already knows it and it's already OP's plan.

> if the weather is rainy you may not want to take the alilaguna and I dont think the pass for the vaporetto is valid on the alilaguna

I don't know why rain makes a difference - maybe maxima means a short walk part from the airport to the dock?

Normal ACTV passes are not valid for Alilaguna.

you used to be able to get an alilaguna add on for the vaporetto pass, but I don't think that it saved much. it is still worth it to avoid lugging the bags across the P. Roma, onto the no 1 vaporetto, then having to get off again to cross over to Dorsoduro.

Logan - your hotel should have directions for the best way to arrive/nearest vaporetto stop on its website or be able to send them to you by e-mail. they will know all the wrinkles!