Venice: Loving It & Why??!!

[TLCOhio]

The answer to your vaporetto question would depend on your personal itinerary and how much you like to walk. For example, it is fun to walk between St Marks Square and the Rialto Bridge area...but some folks do not like taking 20 min walks :). The simple formula for the vaporettos is that if you expect to use 3 or more vaporettos rides then the 12 hour pass makes good financial sense. If you are only going to take 1 or 2 vaporetto rides then you save money with single tickets. Hank

 

Appreciate the excellent, added info from Hank. It is good that Lynn has that overnight time there in Venice. Hopefully you can do lots of that walking around. That is the key "magic" for Venice in exploring these many areas by walking around, discovering interesting shops, architecture, areas, etc. There are trade-offs, pro-con factors on getting a pass, etc. Maybe you save a little money, maybe not. What works "best" for one couple might only be "OK" for others and their situations/needs.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Celebrity Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 135,948 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[nzdisneymom]

We are looking forward to starting our cruise in Venice in a few short days (July 28) aboard the Royal Princess. We have the afternoon/overnight to explore, and we have not yet been to Venice before. We are hoping to see both the Doge's Palace, the bridge, and the Basilica. We would also like to take a gondola ride through some of the smaller waterways. Any other "must do" items while we are there? Also, do you recommend doing a Vaporetto pass for 12 hours or would we be better off to just pay as we go? We heard it's a good way to see the city, but we weren't sure how economical it would be.

 

We did an overnight in Venice July 3 - 4th. We bought the 24-hour vaporetto pass for DH and me for 20-euro each, but we got the 12-hour pass for the children as they weren't going out with us until the morning of the 4th - the passes don't start counting the time until you activate the first time, so we purchased them at the same time to avoid having to stand in another ticket line. The 12-hour passes were 18-euro. If you will be exploring Venice on your own for both the afternoon and the next day, then you may want to consider getting the 24-hour pass so you can come and go as you like. You can also use it to go out to Burano and Murano (we did these two places as part of a ship-sponsored tour).

 

Doge's Palace is amazing. We did the Secret Itineraries tour and then stayed to see the rest of the Palace tour. While we didn't run through the building, we were mindful of our time there because of other things we wanted to see and do and still spent an extra hour there by the time we followed the path through the palace. You could easily spend an entire day here.

 

If you plan to use the Vaporetto and use the People Mover from near the cruise port to get there, the PM does stop running late in the evening - I want to say 10:50 PM may be the last departure from Pzle Roma. While we weren't out that late, other passengers on our cruise said it was a long walk that late at night from there to the ship - and the crew members (it was our ship's first visit to Venice since she left after being built) didn't get out until 11 PM and had to walk without really knowing where they were going.

 

Anyway, Venice is lovely, lovely, lovely! Enjoy your time there.

[Swn Y Don]

Excuse my ignorance.... What is the people mover?

[scottishwee35]

We are in Venice and its so beautiful and don't think we have enough times as wish spend more times. However, we are off to cruise tomorrow. We will go to people mover as not far from our hotel. People mover just like tram go to nearby cruise port only cost 1 euro each!!

[Hlitner]

Excuse my ignorance.... What is the people mover?

 

The People Mover is a relatively new automated elevated rail system. Each train has a few cars and is totally automated (no operator onboard). It runs from Tronchetto Island (which is primarily a large parking area for Venice to the Port of Venice (where the cruise ships are berthed) and over to its final stop in the Piazale Roma. The cost is 1 Euro per person and there are escalators (and elevators) at each of the 3 stations. The trains run every few minutes all day (they stop about 11 pm). Travel time between the Port and Piazale Roma is about 3 minutes.

 

Hank

Edited July 18, 2013 by Hlitner

[Perstef81]

If you get the audio guide at Doge's Palace it takes quite a bit of time to get through. Just something to keep in mind. Murano is interesting, but looking back on it since it took so much time to get out there I think i would have skipped it on the port day and just wandered around Venice more.

 

We did the people mover with our luggage, but just walked to the ship otherwise. It was a good way to burn off the gelato!

 

I have some photos from Venice on my blog in case you're interested.

http://perstef.blogspot.com/2013/07/venice-italy.html

 

Enjoy! I can't wait to go back to Venice!

[greener2]

We are first timers going to Venice (actually first time in Europe!) in just a few weeks. :D:D:D

 

I was thinking about going on-line and pre-booking tickets to St. Marks Basilica to avoid having to wait in line once we get there. I don't want to waste any time while we are there. It sounds like there is going to be so much to see!

 

When I looked at booking the tickets you have to choose a specific time. Our ship docks at 9:00am. We were thinking about going in the morning. How long does it usually take to get from the ship to the Basilica?

 

We are also considering buying vaporetto passes. Not sure yet as we do love to walk and we might not use them enough to make it worthwhile. Our ship is staying over night so we might go back and forth a few times. Can you buy the 12 hour pass where you get on the vaporetto?

 

This is the last day of our trip:(, so we are thinking that we want to spend most of it just walking around and taking in the sights. We didn't book any tours because we want it to be a more relaxed day. Wandering around and getting lost a few times sounds like fun to me! Thanks to everyone who has posted info already. It sure has made planning this trip so much easier.

[nzdisneymom]

 

I was thinking about going on-line and pre-booking tickets to St. Marks Basilica to avoid having to wait in line once we get there. I don't want to waste any time while we are there. It sounds like there is going to be so much to see!

 

When I looked at booking the tickets you have to choose a specific time. Our ship docks at 9:00am. We were thinking about going in the morning. How long does it usually take to get from the ship to the Basilica?

 

We are also considering buying vaporetto passes. Not sure yet as we do love to walk and we might not use them enough to make it worthwhile. Our ship is staying over night so we might go back and forth a few times. Can you buy the 12 hour pass where you get on the vaporetto?

 

This is the last day of our trip:(, so we are thinking that we want to spend most of it just walking around and taking in the sights. We didn't book any tours because we want it to be a more relaxed day. Wandering around and getting lost a few times sounds like fun to me! Thanks to everyone who has posted info already. It sure has made planning this trip so much easier.

 

Our experience in going from the cruise port to San Marco Square was that we left at 8:15 AM and it took about 1:15 to get there using the people mover and vaporetto line 2 from Pzle. Roma (this included time for part of our group to purchase vaporetto tix). You can get there faster if you use a water taxi or one of the other services offered from the port area, but since we wanted to use the vaporetto later in the day (and had used it the day before), we chose this route. I would personally allow an hour minimum, so I think pre-purchasing tickets is the way to go so that once you arrive in the area, you're ready to enter the building.

 

Also because you are scheduled to dock at 9:00, that doesn't mean you'll be able to get off by 9:00, so I'd build some extra time in in case there are delays departing the ship. Have a great time.

[Perstef81]

We are first timers going to Venice (actually first time in Europe!) in just a few weeks. :D:D:D

 

I was thinking about going on-line and pre-booking tickets to St. Marks Basilica to avoid having to wait in line once we get there. I don't want to waste any time while we are there. It sounds like there is going to be so much to see!

 

When I looked at booking the tickets you have to choose a specific time. Our ship docks at 9:00am. We were thinking about going in the morning. How long does it usually take to get from the ship to the Basilica?

 

We are also considering buying vaporetto passes. Not sure yet as we do love to walk and we might not use them enough to make it worthwhile. Our ship is staying over night so we might go back and forth a few times. Can you buy the 12 hour pass where you get on the vaporetto?

 

This is the last day of our trip:(, so we are thinking that we want to spend most of it just walking around and taking in the sights. We didn't book any tours because we want it to be a more relaxed day. Wandering around and getting lost a few times sounds like fun to me! Thanks to everyone who has posted info already. It sure has made planning this trip so much easier.

 

On the ACTV or Alilaguna it would probably take about 1/2 hour to 40 minutes from the time you get picked up until you get to St Marks. The Alilaguna has a stop right at the port and the Vaparetto (ACTV) you can pick up at the Plazzo Roma. It would take well over an hour to walk (esp if there are a lot of ships in port and the streets are crowded). You can always get a water bus there and then wander your way back when time isn't an issue. I will say though that we took the water bus back form St Marks and it was a really nice view of the Grand Canal. Going there is on the Lagoon side.

 

You can buy the 12 hour pass at any of the major stops on the Vaparetto. Enjoy your time there. It's one of my favorite cities now and this last cruise was my first time there as well.

[TLCOhio]

The People Mover is a relatively new automated elevated rail system. Each train has a few cars and is totally automated (no operator onboard). It runs from Tronchetto Island (which is primarily a large parking area for Venice to the Port of Venice (where the cruise ships are berthed) and over to its final stop in the Piazale Roma. The cost is 1 Euro per person and there are escalators (and elevators) at each of the 3 stations. The trains run every few minutes all day (they stop about 11 pm). Travel time between the Port and Piazale Roma is about 3 minutes. Hank

 

Appreciate these excellent added posts from Hank, Perstef81, nzdisneymom, etc. Good info sharing!! We took a Celebrity ship shuttle. Wasn't cheap, but it worked well, efficient, simple, etc., for us getting back and forth. Nice views and picture opportunities as we took that route going and coming back.

 

Much depends on your needs and interests. How much you value your time . . . versus . . . your money?? Some of us have more of one rather than the other. The good, overall news is that Venice is not that large and massive as you might face in London, Paris, Rome, etc. Still fairly compact and close together. Keep those good questions rolling along.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Celebrity Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 136,045 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

Edited July 20, 2013 by TLCOhio

[loon]

We pre purchased (5) 24 hour Vaporetto (ACTV) passes (20 euro ea.) online thru Veniceconnected.com last October (2012). You get a voucher with a PNR number/ bar scan design to activate at the ticket machines. Each voucher also had a bonus for Venice casino. Well, our ship never made it into port due to serve storms and record flooding (just an unlucky cruise). Asked ACTV for a refund due to flooding? but no luck. ACTV customer service person said the voucher is good for up to 1 year from date it was purchased for- Nov 1, 2012 (good till Nov 1, 2013). I know we can’t predict some things, but I am pretty sure I’m not going to be visiting Venice prior to Nov 1 2013, and would hate to see them wasted, so if someone could use them, provide an e-mail and I’ll be in contact.

[Bykrunski]

Thanks !

The People Mover is a relatively new automated elevated rail system. Each train has a few cars and is totally automated (no operator onboard). It runs from Tronchetto Island (which is primarily a large parking area for Venice to the Port of Venice (where the cruise ships are berthed) and over to its final stop in the Piazale Roma. The cost is 1 Euro per person and there are escalators (and elevators) at each of the 3 stations. The trains run every few minutes all day (they stop about 11 pm). Travel time between the Port and Piazale Roma is about 3 minutes.

 

Hank

[Lissie62]

We pre purchased (5) 24 hour Vaporetto (ACTV) passes (20 euro ea.) online thru Veniceconnected.com last October (2012). You get a voucher with a PNR number/ bar scan design to activate at the ticket machines. Each voucher also had a bonus for Venice casino. Well, our ship never made it into port due to serve storms and record flooding (just an unlucky cruise). Asked ACTV for a refund due to flooding? but no luck. ACTV customer service person said the voucher is good for up to 1 year from date it was purchased for- Nov 1, 2012 (good till Nov 1, 2013). I know we can’t predict some things, but I am pretty sure I’m not going to be visiting Venice prior to Nov 1 2013, and would hate to see them wasted, so if someone could use them, provide an e-mail and I’ll be in contact.

 

That is a really nice offer of yours. I would be really grateful if you could let us have two passes emailed to lsier@home.amslaw.com.au

I am willing to pay for them if we can figure out how. Sorry you missed out on Venice, but maybe there will be a chance again some time. I never thought I would be able to return (we were there in 2003), but now ten years later here we go again! So looking forward to it!

Liz

[TravelingAPor]

Just got home from Italy & Venice.

Thank you for the review and the AWESOME photos!

You are a great photographer because our photos are not half as wonderful, as yours.

[TLCOhio]

Just got home from Italy & Venice. Thank you for the review and the AWESOME photos! You are a great photographer because our photos are not half as wonderful, as yours.

 

Super appreciate the nice and kind comments from TravelingAPor on my pictures and especially for the beauty of Venice. Glad you enjoyed both.

 

From the New Zealand Herald in Auckland earlier this week, they have this headline: "A murderer's tour of Venice" with these interesting highlights as this NZ writer meets a famous author in Venice: "I know what she looks like because I have seen her photo inside the covers of 23 thrillers. 'Donna Leon!' The stern look on my favourite crime writer's face melts into a smile, we shake hands and move out of the cold into the Cafe Rosa Salva. This is the bar where her hero, Commissario Guido Brunetti, often drops in for a spritzer after a hard day shuffling papers. The American has been living in Venice for 30 years, after first visiting Rome 47 years ago. Leon got lucky when she settled in Venice and took a teaching job at the university. She was at La Fenice opera house one night with a friend (a conductor) and started fantasising about 'what would happen if you killed a conductor here'. She wrote Death at La Fenice, sent it to a writing competition a year later and won. She got a contract to write more books and today she can boast, modestly of course, of what she calls 'the European success' and financial independence. Leon's books not only possess perceptive descriptions of the Venetian lifestyle, ambience, food, drink and murder, they give her a sounding board to vent, mainly via the ethos of Brunetti and his eco-warrior daughter Chiara, her frustrations about what ails the city. 'Venice is a victim of mindless mass tourism,' she almost hisses. 'I don't know why people come here. It sounds like super-snobbery but it's not. People bus in and bus out. They go to the Rialto, they go to San Marco, then they leave. They go to Rome for one day, then Florence, then Venice. Why bother? It's consumerism, not tourism. I've got nothing against tourism. - it's good to go to places where there is a different way of doing things from what you do. It makes it real to you that people who don't think or dress or act like you is completely legitimate.' If there's one thing that gets Leon more steamed up than the bus visitors, it's the huge cruise ships coming into Venice, sometimes bringing in as many as 35,000 passengers per day. The canals and lagoon edges all around the Venetian region are noticeably choked by nasty green weed. 'This is an Asian form of seaweed [called undaria pinnatifidaea] brought into the Adriatic as ballast on a ship. It wasn't here three years ago. Ten years ago there was a similar invasion and the city had little boats with rakes that scooped up the weed but there has been no effort to clean it up this time. At low tide there are vast areas of the Laguna that are blocked but cause-effect doesn't seem to register with politicians.' "

 

Don't know this particular author, but love the summary, highlights noted, etc.

 

Full story at:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/news/article.cfm?c_id=7&objectid=10901533

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Celebrity Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 136,352 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[TLCOhio]

Appreciate those who have checked out this posting. It's now over 26,000 views. THANKS!

 

From the National Post in Canada late last week, they have this headline: "If Venice is sinking, will the tourists want to swim?" with these highlights: "In Andreas Pichler’s The Venice Syndrome, you can’t see the pigeons in Piazza San Marco for the tourists. The moment the first morning barge disgorges, the cobblestone streets and Rialto bridge are thronged, not with the dwindling 58,000 residents but with an equal number of daily visitors (in 2012, 20 million tourists took in the sinking city’s sights). Elderly resident Tiziano reminisces about the days when people travelled less to cross sights off their bucket lists than to imbibe a culture and place, when two-week visits were the norm. Nowadays, he says, Venice daytrippers, 'take a quick look around and go back home.' There is no longer an off-season. Pichler captures the sense of resignation from all angles, through several residents. Onetime celebrity gondolier Giorgio fondly recalls how he squired Joan Crawford and taught actors how to look like authentic gondoliers for Dino Risi’s film Venice, The Moon and You. The sinking morale due to tourism is metaphorical, but the physical effects of the island’s decay are not. Physically, the once-grand and gilded palazzi are crumbling and damaged, in part due to slapshod and inept restoration efforts and a local realtor worries about the hypocrisy of what he is selling. Venice may be sinking and progressively wetter, but its property market is on fire. In a city where where prices run about 12,000 Euros per square meter Flavio, a lifelong resident and freight mover faces the bitter irony of moving himself: he is one of many being priced out of their hometown and has been evicted in favour of more lucrative seasonal tenants."

 

There is a movie trailer as a part of this movie review. Interesting sights and great questions for how Venice works and considers options to preserve this great treasure.

 

Full story at:

http://arts.nationalpost.com/2013/07/25/the-venice-syndrome-reviewed-if-venice-is-sinking-will-the-tourists-want-to-swim/

 

Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Celebrity Solstice Visual Highlights? From our June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in France, Italy, Kotor and Dubrovnik, I have pull together a number of wonderful visuals of the Solstice, its features, food, entertainment, options, etc. We are now at over 9,121 views for this shorter version of my larger full review of that cruise and all of the port pictures/details. Check these postings and added info at:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1803477

[redsquirrel1]

We pre purchased (5) 24 hour Vaporetto (ACTV) passes (20 euro ea.) online thru Veniceconnected.com last October (2012). You get a voucher with a PNR number/ bar scan design to activate at the ticket machines. Each voucher also had a bonus for Venice casino. Well, our ship never made it into port due to serve storms and record flooding (just an unlucky cruise). Asked ACTV for a refund due to flooding? but no luck. ACTV customer service person said the voucher is good for up to 1 year from date it was purchased for- Nov 1, 2012 (good till Nov 1, 2013). I know we can’t predict some things, but I am pretty sure I’m not going to be visiting Venice prior to Nov 1 2013, and would hate to see them wasted, so if someone could use them, provide an e-mail and I’ll be in contact.

 

Just wondering if you have gotten rid of your vouchers? If not please let me know. Thanks (beverly.cormack@hotmail.com)

[bellagirl]

Thank you, Terry for this article on Donna Leon. She is my favourite mystery writer and her detective, Brunetti seems so real to me. So real in fact, that on our last trip to Venice, I literally stalked his hang-outs with the help of the book-Det. Brunetti's Walks in Venice. I don't know the author (it may be Donna Leon) but boy, that book kept me going for days around the city! My hubby was convinced I had lost my mind, but after awhile, he just shrugged and enjoyed the sightseeing!!

 

Thank you again for this article!

 

Shelly:)

[Carmic]

We pre purchased (5) 24 hour Vaporetto (ACTV) passes (20 euro ea.) online thru Veniceconnected.com last October (2012). You get a voucher with a PNR number/ bar scan design to activate at the ticket machines. Each voucher also had a bonus for Venice casino. Well, our ship never made it into port due to serve storms and record flooding (just an unlucky cruise). Asked ACTV for a refund due to flooding? but no luck. ACTV customer service person said the voucher is good for up to 1 year from date it was purchased for- Nov 1, 2012 (good till Nov 1, 2013). I know we can’t predict some things, but I am pretty sure I’m not going to be visiting Venice prior to Nov 1 2013, and would hate to see them wasted, so if someone could use them, provide an e-mail and I’ll be in contact.

Just wondering if you still have vouchers.........carol46218@aol.com

Will be in Venice on Oct 31 and Nov. 1.

[loon]

Just wondering if you have gotten rid of your vouchers? If not please let me know. Thanks (beverly.cormack@hotmail.com)

 

I still have 3 available. also Beverly the e-mail is postmaster non deliverable

[rasybanks]

If you have 2 passes available, I am interested.

srasytinis@bell.net

Thanks

Sharon

[paluni]

I loved, loved, loved Torcello, one of the Venice islands. It was mostly nature, with some old things. A very old magnificent church down the little walk. It was like going back in time. The island must have had quite a few people at one point but now has very few. It was magical, in the afternoon I guess after most of the tourists were gone. A wedding reception was going on at one of the few lovely venues. Wow, I just loved Torcello. Would like to go back and even stay a night there.

[TLCOhio]

I loved, loved, loved Torcello, one of the Venice islands. It was mostly nature, with some old things. A very old magnificent church down the little walk. It was like going back in time. The island must have had quite a few people at one point but now has very few. It was magical, in the afternoon I guess after most of the tourists were gone. A wedding reception was going on at one of the few lovely venues. Wow, I just loved Torcello. Would like to go back and even stay a night there.

 

Appreciate this great suggestion for Torcello. Plus the other helpful posts that have been made. Torcello sounds like a good reason to go back to Venice, enjoying this historic city more, plus the many surrounding areas and options. Keep it coming with this good sharing.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Celebrity Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 139,424 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[skf]

As we are new to Venice we have booked a tour on arrival but it finishes just after six pm. how easy is just to wander round, get a bit of dinner and then find our way back to the ship?

A fun and exciting way back to the ship is by boat. A voyage across Canale di San Marco is a real thrill ride...you won't believe how Venezians drive their boats!

Edited August 19, 2013 by skf

[Hlitner]

We wander around Venice all the time (whenever we are there) and its fun. Dinner options around the Piazzale Roma are somewhat limited so you are going to wander a bit further from the port (perhaps work your way towards Rialto). Getting back to the ship (until about 11 pm) is quite easy as you just walk (or take a vaporetto) to the P. Roma and then use the efficient People Mover (1 Euro) to the port. If you return to the P. Roma after 11 and they have already shut down the People Mover then you can either walk over the bridge to the port (about a 20 min walk) or just grab a land taxi from the P. Roma to the port (negotiable but at least 10 Euros).

 

Hank