mapleleaves

Go to the post at the top of this page, " Find it Here, Santorini Q&A ". Post #206 written on Sunday provides a step-by-step description of the process. Specific to your question; it's a few hundred meters up a very steep hill..

I did a Greek Isles/Croatia cruise last yr, departing Sept 25. The weather was dreadful ! Only 2 nice days out of 10, plus it was so stormy that Kotor was cancelled. Sadly, Kotor was the port I was most looking forward to. Very thankful that I packed a lightweight rain jacket and umbrella. I almost packed my rain poncho, since it doesn't take any space, but it would have been useless due to the wind. The lousy weather really ruined the trip. People who cruised the week before and the week after me had great weather. It will be what it will be, so just be prepared. I typically travel mid May or mid Sept and have had great weather. I won't travel any later in the future. Good luck !.

Port Valet - Enjoy Seattle Luggage Free! | Port of Seattle (portseattle.org)

The easiest option to the pier from either airport is via RCL shuttle. And RCI has a shuttle from Bologna and Venice airports this yr so assume the same for next . Look over the first few pages of the Italy Ports of Call forum for past discussions. As for cost, you'll need to see which options are available from the airport you typically depart from.

This year I flew Tucson to London on May 1, $825 RT. Economy on AA . I started looking at flights/prices last summer and booked mid Dec when prices started to climb. (I booked my London - Pisa flight separately as I can usually find better deals with european carriers.) I'm planning a trip for mid May 2024 and have just started looking at flights/prices. The exact same flight I took this yr is $1050 RT in 2024. Not a good start. I typically book in Dec or Jan, but it depends on what's happening with the fare. I'm definitely a budget traveler. Fly to London or beyond nearly every yr. Economy seats, And I only travel with a carryon suitcase so no luggage fees.

Go to your library or a large book store and see what appeals to you. I have a few books by Rick Steves, a DK Insight, plus 2 books specific to Med cruise ports.

yep, you got it !

In a long thread about Ravenna-Venice transfers, Little Britain noted that she was using VQ Travels for her group . TRANSFERS|VQTravels

With only an afternoon and evening in Venice, staying in the Piazzale Roma area makes sense. No point schlepping luggage onto a vaporetto to go 30-40 minutes to St Marks. This way you can drop your luggage at your PRoma hotel, walk a block to the Grand Canal vaporetto station and start sightseeing. And the next morning there will be taxis at Proma to take you to VCE, a 20 minute driv A list of PRoma hotels. The one bridge is very small. 'How Many Bridges?' hotel listings for Piazzale Roma | Venice for Visitors (europeforvisitors.com)

How are you arriving to Venice .... airport, train, bus ? -If arriving by train, a hotel near the station would be best. The station is on the Grand Canal and has a vaporetto station out front -If by bus, the Piazzale Roma area would be more convenient - if by air, a private water taxi could get you close to your hotel, if not right to the door if your hotel has a dock. Pricy tho, about $160 (for the boat, not per person.

The only private transfer cost I noted in past threads was 445E.

You can always hope that your flight arrives during a lull in the Film Festival traffic; and when you get to the airport dock perhaps there will be a water taxi available. If you're not so lucky, the Alilaguna dock is nearby so the blue line of the Alilaguna is an option. It can take you from the airport to St Marks and from St Marks to Tronchetto for the cruise shuttle. However if you have too much luggage it could be a struggle to reach your hotel from the St Marks stop. Plus it takes over an hr from the airport due to the stops it makes along the way. Blue Line | Alilaguna Another option would be to take a cab from the airport to Piazzale Roma (the last point of land travel in Venice (so basically a parking lot for buses, taxis). Put just the items you'll need for Venice into 1 suitcase and store the other suitcases at the Left Luggage Facility at P Roma. The Grand Canal is only a block or 2 away, so after storing your luggage you can catch a vaporetto to St Marks. And when you're ready to go to Tronchetto, gather your suitcases from Left Luggage and take a cab to Tronchetto, maybe $20 for a 5 minute drive. Neither option is great. But having too much luggage in Venice isn't easy, esp when a private water taxi isn't available. Good luck !

JessyCruises has a detailed trip report in the LIVE CRUISE REPORTS. She talks about this hotel, bus into venice for sightseeing, and the Tronchetto experience. Sounds like a good option for pre-cruise.

If it was greed, they'd charge more than 6E for the cable cars. They've got a captive audience! But yes, the experience certainly takes the shine off a visit to Santorini. I got my photos of the blue domes, and experienced the awesome views, so Santorini is a one and done destination for me, No desire to return.

We arrived at 1:30pm. Sept 28 on NCL Gem. Tender #3 Also in port, Costa 7am - 4pm with 2700 pax and Crystal 4pm-2am with 1200 pax. I thought our arrival time was ideal since the Costa pax would already be off the ship, and Crystal wouldn't have arrived yet. So I was shocked to see the long cable car line and more shocked to wait 2 hrs, We returned to the ship around 7ish to watch the sunset. No line at all.

That was exactly my plan! I read about this in several trip reports last summer ......after the tour of Oia people told the group leader that they would find their own way back to Fira by bus or taxi. The leader made note of their names and apparently it wasn't an issue. I planned to do the same ( last Sept), but sadly, the tour was sold out ! So I never made it to Oia. Spent 2 hrs waiting for the cable car to Fira. If you go to Oia just be sure to allow yourself plenty of time to get back. Depending on which ships are in port with you, taxis may be scarce or you may have to wait a bus or 2 to get a ride. (The bus only runs every 30 minutes and even with standing room, it doesn't hold THAT many people, given the crowds). If I was to go back, that would still be my plan. Good luck!

there is no return trip on the boat. Depending on how many ships are in port with you, and their departure/arival times, the cable car line might not be an issue. It certainly wasn't for us . (going up was a 2hr wait tho)

When I visited at the end of Sept last yr, there was no line for the boat, but it doesn't depart until there are enough pax on board. It sat at the dock for an hr. However we stood for 2 hrs waiting for the cable car, so in hindsight the boat would have been a better choice.

be mindful of where the Viator tour picks you up, as it may be in Fira

We bought our tickets at the station. We were a party of 4 seniors who had never travelled together so we didn't know how quick we'd be in the morning! Our original plan was to visit Florence first, and if we had time, stop in Pisa on the way back. But we missed the train to Florence so we flipped the itinerary and went to Pisa first. An advantage of buying at the station ! On that cruise we bought tickets at the station for each port. Or the convenience store next door. I visited Pisa and Florence during a land trip this past May. Used the trenitalia app and bought tickets on the day of travel. Then we didn't have to worry about lines at the machines or validating our tickets ... just show your phone to the conductor.

Well, we did it, so yes, it's do-able ! We had the advantage of NCL's direct shuttle from ship to train station. You probably won't have that luxury, so it will be more cumbersome for you to get to the station. Will you be comfortable with that? You'll need to take the Princess shuttle to downtown Livorno, then either walk to the train station (1.5 miles, so 30 minutes?), or find a city bus to the train station. If you think that's too cumbersome, see if Princess offers a tour called something like " Pisa and Florence on your Own". If so, their bus would take you to each city and then you're on your own to sightsee. The advantage would be bus service to and from the ship. But more costly. Or consider an option from Tuscany Bus. You'd still need to need to take the Princess shuttle to downtown Livorno, but the excursion leaves from a spot nearby. This tour would give you just over an hr in Pisa, then 3 1/2 hrs in Florence. Transfer service to Florence and Pisa from Livorno (shore-experience.com) So yes, it can be done. What's your comfort level with getting to/from the train station? Keep in mind, that you won't be alone...several hundred others will be walking to the train station or looking for the city bus.

Why not go to the source for information? ETIAS News & Information For Visitors Coming To Europe

have you tried a shared transfer ?

Depending on what you want to see and do in Florence, you probably won't have time for Pisa. Make a list and think about the time you need for each location. 7a-7p may sound like a long port day, but when you factor in getting to the train station at each end and getting back to the ship by 6ish, it's pretty tight. We went to both cities (via train), but our sightseeing needs were quite simple ! In Pisa we just wanted a quick photo opp at the Leaning Tower, and in Florence we only wanted to see the Duomo (outside only) plus tour the Market. So it was very easy to accomplish. This was our day .....we took the train to Pisa Centrale, grabbed a cab to the Square of Miracles where we spent 20-30 minutes, then took a cab back to the Pisa station, and caught a train to Florence. The Duomo and the Market are very close to the Florence SMN station (10-15 minute walk) so we wandered around the Market, did some shopping and had lunch, then walked to the Duomo. Tuscany Bus offers a shuttle to Florence and Pisa, leaving from downtown Livorno. When I looked into it, it was an 8hr day so only 1 hour for pisa and 3 or 4hrs for Florence.

When I was on the Epic 3 yrs ago, shuttle tickets were available from the Excursion Desk. Shuttle info was just a brief line posted in the Daily the day before arriving to Livorno. They charged my cabin. You might try asking on an Epic FBook group for current info.