Jump to content

Venice and "Gems..." aboard River Countess


SOShrink
 Share

Recommended Posts

We just returned last week from Uniworld's 8-day Venice and the Gems of Northern Italy adventure and before attempting to give a day-by-day synopsis, I wanted to give some overall impressions. First of all, many thanks to Roaming Kiwis and many others whose prior posts were very helpful. This was our 7th river cruise, and it was quite unique in many aspects. You are docked in Venice 5 out of the 7 nights but it was never boring because we docked either at The San Basilio dock area along the Giudecca Canal closer to the Marittima Port in the Dorsoduro district or at the Riva Sette Martiri along the San Marco Canal in the Castello district closer to Piazza San Marco. When the captain came into port at the end of the day or switched docking areas, we were treated to views along the Giudecca Canal always passing St Mark's Plaza with its Campanile, Basilica, Doge's Palace and the Bridge of Sighs. On the last night, the captain waited for everyone to return on board from their last day in Venice and at 11 PM set sail for the final 10 minute sojourn down the Giudecca from the Martiri dock to the Port where it would be convenient for the airport transportation and closer to the train and bus stations for those going off on their own the next morning. It all seems confusing and intimidating, but it makes sense when you are doing it and it offers a unique opportunity to explore and really get to know Venice if you are willing to get off the ship and explore the local neighborhoods. This was a most memorable trip, but I wouldn't necessarily want this to be my first river cruise....Much more to follow!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looking forward to your review. This is such a different river cruise than most itineraries, and so many questions have been raised about it, that the more detail you can give the better! I'm glad you had a great time. We are looking forward to our second (short) visit to Venice, and I think this would be a great way to have a real immersion into Venice and Venetia as an area. So don't be afraid to bore us with too much information -- the more the merrier!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One thing that sticks out in my mind about this trip is that no matter how much research I put into this trip, it was still difficult to choose between Bologna and Ferrara, or Ravenna and Chioggia, or even how to spend the most productive day in Venice within the confines of Uniworld's tours, etc. Again, nothing you haven't experienced on other River cruises as well. I used to scoff at going to the pre-dinner port talks given by the cruise director, but you will find these very helpful in making your decisions and knowing the different options and coming up with a rational game plan. I have to say we had a top notch cruise director, a dynamic Italian young woman named Gyongyi (pronounced JohnG). I hope you guys get her on your upcoming cruises.

JP, give my regards to the Adirondacks! I spent my summers growing up in Schroon Lake. Some of the nicest scenery in the world up there....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's true, this trip lacks the dramatic castles of the Rhine or the rolling hills and vineyards of the Moselle...but you would be hard pressed to find anything more splendid than the view of the Grand Canal at dusk or the view toward St. Mark's Square as the ship sails by at sunset. Do you know how expensive water taxis are? Like 30 to 60 euros a ride....but Uniworld uses them for us free of charge for every excursion in Venice. On our last day, they offer a "do as the locals do" sojourn to the Rialto Fish Market accompanied by the chef. So there we were, watching him argue in Italian holding up a live octopus to be used in that night's salad! But then the ultimate high was taking the water taxi back to the ship standing up in the back of the motorboat all the way down the Grand Canal snapping my best photos. Even while the River Countess was docked one never tired of going up on deck and seeing the mouth of the Grand Canal and the Santa Maria Della Salute Church across the way. And the day we sailed back to Venice from Chioggia, we sailed right by the islands in the Venetian Lagoon such as Pellestrina, the island that separates the lagoon from the Adriatic, and The Lido with its beaches and multicolored wooden homes and docks. We passed school kids playing and waving to us, locals walking dogs, laundry being hung outside, etc....a real intimate slice of Italian life. Talk about scenery? Then you return to Venice which you now consider home and walk off the ship after supper to explore narrow alleys, small squares and get lost walking along unknown canals with yet more laundry hung up (I don't know why so many of us couldn't take enough photos of this like we had never seen it before!). I hadn't seen it since visiting my grandmother in Brighton Beach 50 years ago). The front desk provides us nice maps with clear delineation of where they are docked so you won't be lost for long. We found the locals (even the brash looking teenagers hanging out on the canal steps), to be extremely patient and helpful to us obviously befuddled tourists!

I just want to conclude this section by saying that rather than casually getting to know many destinations which is so often the case on other River cruises, you get to know one place well (Venice and the Veneto) which is one way of looking at it. More to follow including day to day which I haven't gotten to yet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm sold! Did you get to visit St. Mark's at night when it was closed? That was a highlight of our Crystal cruise that ended in Venice, and as we left the Cathedral another group was entering that I thought might be Uniworld.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I booked this cruise with the extension to Florence and Rome for Sept 2016 the day Uniworld released the itineraries. Like you I was well aware that there really wasn't much River Cruising and am thrilled that you just described exactly what I thought the trip would be when I booked it. The worst part of your review is that it has made me regret I planned it for 2016 and not 2015. You have reignited my excitement. I can't wait to read your day by day review.

 

I read a review on another site that said next year they aren't even going to attempt the Po due to the lack of success in getting there due to water levels and are adding a different stop or two in Venice Lagoon. I actually like the idea. Did they mention that at all?

 

Thanks for the time you are taking to review.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jazzbeau, yes, we absolutely visited St. Mark's Basilica on the second evening of the trip. It was very special having it to ourselves especially seeing the Golden Altarpiece (Pala d'Oro) up close, along with the mosaics, marble and other oriental treasures.

Papa, I looked up this trip for 2016 and it looks exactly the same. Even if they do away with the Po River altogether I don't think it will make one bit of difference since we only stopped at Porto Viro (Taglio di Po) and Polesella to get on or off the ship or to dock overnight. We walked into the very tiny village of Polesella after supper and we were the only living things on the Main Street except for a very friendly stray cat! It was like being on the set of a movie. That experience will be as memorable to us as any other aspect of the trip. But if they were to only go around the Lagoon and stop at Lido or Pellestrina, or spend more time in Chioggia or perhaps visit Murano, Burano and Torcello, that wouldn't be so bad. You would still get to go to Ravenna, Ferrara, Verona, Padua and Bologna. This would be a good time to say that there has been some chatter about the bus rides. The rides were generally 30 to 60 min with Bologna a little longer. The scenery, while not spectacular, was certainly interesting and the guides gave commentary and answered questions along the way. There were ample bathroom stops also.

My main frustration with this trip was having to disembark on two separate occasions when the ship was going to enter the Adriatic Sea. Do they really think we are going to sink like the Costa Concordia? My other criticism which I have already mentioned was having Bologna and Ferrera on the same day and also having the Accademia Art Museum tour the same morning as the Rialto Fish Market walk. I also felt they could have done a better job accommodating those guests who wanted to squeeze in the Giotto Frescoes in the Scrovegni Chapel which is not included in the Padua tour. If they could arrange the Valpolicella Wine Country Tour in Verona, they could have charged extra and arranged for this option. These are very minor constructive criticisms which I mentioned to give fair balance to my overly enthusiastic support of this trip....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

SOS- We are booked on this trip in October. Do you see any value in getting any cabin above Aquarium class?

 

 

BTW- It my understanding that the Countess is not certified to carry passengers into the sea. Only the lagoon and rivers. Uniworld has no say in the matter.

Edited by Los_Pepes
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Los Pepes, I know Uniworld has no say in the matter but it was still a minor inconvenience to some passengers and even some crew members who had to disembark when they wanted to stay on board. Please try to get a balcony. It was great to look out and see the Salute Church and mouth of the Grand Canal in the distance or to watch the endless array of boats going by. Sometimes you just want to relax in your room rather than go to the lounge or upper deck and it's nice having that French balcony. It's worth the extra money in my opinion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm enjoying your review, thanks. We will be visiting Venice this July and I investigated the night tour of St. Marks. It is available on Viator just in case someone is doing an extension of some sort with another cruise or land tour. Unfortunately, we won't have the luxury of doing the tour because we will only be there one night.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm enjoying your review, thanks. We will be visiting Venice this July and I investigated the night tour of St. Marks. It is available on Viator just in case someone is doing an extension of some sort with another cruise or land tour. Unfortunately, we won't have the luxury of doing the tour because we will only be there one night.

 

That would be great, but I can't find it. Can you give the exact Viator name (or better yet, the URL) for this tour? Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I promised a Day-by-Day synopsis of this trip so I will get the first few days accomplished. I am glad to say that Marco Polo Airport was a pleasure and vastly improved from the chaos we experienced years ago. There was no problem with Uniworld's shuttle to the dock and it was interesting to drive through Mestre and then cross the long Ponte Della Liberta railway bridge into the sharply contrasting Venice. If you arrive early, you have the rest of the day to explore. The ship was waiting for us at the Santa Marta dock but was to move at 8 pm that evening to Riva Setti Martiri much closer to St. Mark's. This was a bit interesting for us since we had tickets to a concert that night at La Fenice, the famous opera house. Therefore, after the concert, we actually returned to the ship in a different location of Venice (very easy to locate as the Martiri location is a straight shot from Piazza San Marco). The next day was a full day in Venice which included the much anticipated evening opening of St. Mark's Basilica. Will continue tomorrow (a domani)....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And thank you for your SS Catherine Burgundy and Provence review which I really enjoyed particularly when you started out with free rail at the RER! We are strongly considering the Tulips and Windmills trip on the new SS Maria Theresa next year which is supposed to be a stunning vessel in case anyone is interested.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

SOS

Really enjoying your review as I look forward to this trip next year. I'm curious if you know if many stayed with Uniworld for the land portion of the trip to Florence and Rome? We have that booked as well.

 

We will be sailing on the Maria Theresa in December for the Christmas Market cruise from Budapest to Passau. The more I see of her and read of her the more excited I'm getting. I think it is quite a special ship.

 

Look forward to the rest of your day to day review,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This will be Day two's (Monday) review. So, as mentioned above, the ship had moved the previous evening to a more scenic location (Riva Sette Martiri) and there was a 9 AM walking tour from the dock through some of the back alleys and squares of Castello to St. Mark's Square. It was a nice touch to have the groups named after opera composers, i.e. faster walkers in the Verdi group and gentle walkers were the Puccini group. All groups went everywhere at their own pace (sometimes the Puccini walkers were ahead of us!). We were given a thorough tour of the Doge's Palace including the inside chambers where you can see masterpieces by Titian and Veronese, and even Tintoretto's Paradise. We also walked across the Bridge of Sighs leading to the former city prison. The afternoon was on your own but several of us went on the optional excursion to the Scuola Grande di San Rocco and Frari Church (next door) with an art historian (from England). The Tintorettos, Donatellos, Titians, etc. were amazing, but many were surprised that these were churches, not museums, and I think a tour such as this is meant for those truly interested in art history since at times, it could get boring especially if you're still under the influence of jet lag! I did like the fact that our small group was taken by private motor boats up the Grand Canal and into the San Polo district docking close to the Churches giving us a glimpse of a different district of Venice. This was a long day (thank God the cappuccino machine wasn't broken!) about to get longer that night for the Venetian Serenata to St. Mark's Basilica, which will be described at another time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As mentioned above, we had an early dinner buffet at 5:15 in order to be ready for the 6:45 sojourn to St. Mark's Basilica. They had about 6 or 7 motor boats arriving one after the other to take about 10 passengers each for the ten minute ride to St. Mark's Square (hats off to Uniworld for doing this in such a timely and organized manner). There was excitement in the air! After all, we were traveling along the Venetian shore in a private boat to an exclusive after-hour visit to one of the world's most famous churches! Once inside we were seated in the pews to hear a lecture of what we were seeing by the same English historian from the afternoon art tour. iIt takes a while to pick out all the details of the mosaics and paintings on the walls, ceilings and even floors. Much of the treasure was brought from Constantinople and there is definitely a feeling of East meets West. But the highlight of the tour was when they illuminated the Pala d'Oro, the altarpiece created by medieval goldsmiths and made up of 250 panels adorned with enamels and precious stones. We turned to each other and said, "really?"....mankind created this in the 10th century? With all our technology today, will we ever be able to once again create anything so magnificent.....

After the tour, you could stay at Piazza San Marco or walk back to the ship (20 minute walk along the water). The Puccini gentle walkers took the motor boat back. And don't think that you can suddenly become a Puccini person just cause you're too lazy to walk back! They have the boats reserved ahead of time for only a certain amount of people. If you really can't walk back, the ship is docked only 2 stops away on the no. 1 vaporetto. The tour ended around 8:15 which was enough time for us to make an 8:30 opera (La Traviata) at the Palazzo a Musica (talking about a long first day!). One piece of advice I have about this tour, is try to read up on the Basilica ahead of time (Rick Steves will do) so you can get more out of it and know what you're seeing. Once in awhile I either couldn't hear or understand the lecturer or was distracted and there is so much to see and so much history to fathom. Either way, it will be an unforgettable experience! More to follow....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am so glad I popped in here today. I follow cruise ships in and out of Venice on the port cams, and I often wondered what/who River Countess was, and when I found out she is a river cruiser, I wondered what her itineraries are like. Is Michelangelo similar? We have visited Venice twice on cruises, and stayed three days up front for the last one. Very, very walkable with good shoes. As for reading, love Rick Steves and used his free audio tours. But also recommend reading a few of Donna Leon's Commisario Guido Brunetti mysteries for a overview of Italian politics/govt. EM

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The next day was choice between the small fishing village of Chioggia (pronounced Chojah!) or a full day excursion to Padua. The bottom line is that if you plan on skipping Ravenna later in the week, they will have a more extensive day at Chioggia then. Many people skipped Ravenna for a laid back day in Chioggia because they were tired from the long day before in Bologna. If you attend the daily talks with the cruise manager, she will explain the details and show slides that should help you make your choices. There are always passengers aboard that have been to these places who can offer advice. We left Venice that morning and sailed along the Venetian Lagoon to Chioggia. Then it was everybody off since they were going out into the Adriatic in order to enter the Po River to dock overnight in Polesella. Everybody enjoyed Padua with its well-preserved downtown area, St. Anthony's Basilica, and especially the University founded in 1222. Galileo taught here and there is the Teatro Anatomico with the spiral viewing gallery that allowed the medical students to witness human dissections. The visit was made more memorable by passing by several graduations that were being celebrated that day. After supper, if you have any energy, you are docked 1 block from the center of Polesella which is a small commune or municipality in the Rovigo Province with a few interesting buildings but really just an excuse to get some evening air and see a tiny Italian town.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry this is taking so long, but I only have time to do this in segments. So now we are about halfway through this trip (Wednesday) and we are docked in Polesella and have to make a very difficult choice between Bologna and Ferrara (much like choosing between Salzburg or Cesky Krumlov on a Danube trip). We chose Ferrara and it ended up being my favorite City of this trip, but I'll never know since I didn't go to Bologna. One thing I liked about the Ferrara choice was the option of returning at the end of the tour at 12:30 or returning on later shuttles at 3pm or 5pm. You could even return for lunch and come back to Ferrara at 2pm. Very civilized. It was a sheer joy walking around Ferrara, which was not laden with tourists but has major sights as well as local residents going about their business (strollers, bicyclists, students, gelaterias, palaces, castles, museums, and magnificent walls, etc.). There are many fine inexpensive restaurants and outdoor cafes so you can easily spend the day here and return on the 5 pm). After all, this is where legendary filmmaker Antonioni lived.......

But I also heard raves about Bologna from other guests. Believe it or not, despite its cultural jewels and amazing squares and architecture, I mostly heard raves about the pasta making demonstration and participation at the Bolognese lunch! We were very sorry to have missed Bologna. Maybe someday they'll figure out a way for people to see both....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry this is taking so long, but I only have time to do this in segments....

 

We were very sorry to have missed Bologna. Maybe someday they'll figure out a way for people to see both....

 

No worries and no rush to do this all at once. It takes me about a month to get my reviews done. There's lots of other stuff to do when you return home that takes priority.

 

I think the way to see both is to take the trip again! That's probably how Uniworld sees it... ;)

 

Looking forward to the next installment when you have time. Thanks for reviewing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...