Embarkation from Venice

[360Guy]

Hi,

We are on the 8/6 Quest cruise r/t from Venice. Does anyone know about the proximity of the cruise ship terminal to the main rail station? Best way to get to the ship?

Thanks!

Bob:)

[maddie2312]

Hi Bob,

As long as Quest is berthed at San Basilio as Journey was for us a week a week ago you will be fine. The waterbus is a 2 min walk to the left when you come out the station. I think it was the number 2 that went to San Basilio. When you get off at San Basilio it will be 1 min to the place you embark. It cost 6,50 euros but may be more with luggage. Very easy to do.

[jcrandle]

Since there are roads between the station and cruise terminal, the simplest solution is to take a taxi to the cruise port.

 

And, after your board, find a good spot to enjoy the sail away, as Venice offers one of the most beautiful entrance/exits. If you have a veranda, you may want to trade your complimentary bottle of champagne for a chilled one, and enjoy it on your lanai.

 

Have a great cruise.

[wcyellin]

(1) There is no road access to the main (Santa Lucia) Venice train station, and there is no cost effective way from Santa Lucia to the San Basilio terminal, unless you can easily carry your baggage. In that case you could take the No. 2 Vaporetto (public water bus) from Santa Lucia to San Basilio, for € 6.50 EACH. I believe the stops will be as follows: (be sure you board in the correct direction)

 

Ferrovia (railway station)

Piazzale Roma

Tronchetto

Sacca Fisola

San Basilio

 

When you get to San Basilio, you'll need to walk 100 to 200 yards - with your baggage- to the cruise terminal entrance.

 

(2) It would be much better to take the train to Venice Mestre Station (usually, the stop right before Santa Lucia). There is easy road access to that station; and you can easily get a land taxi right to the San Basilio Cruise Terminal for € 25 to € 30 total. (AGREE IN ADVANCE).

 

(3) Other options: (a) You could walk -with your baggage- including over a bridge with stairs- between Santa Lucia and Piazzale Roma. From there a land taxi could reach San Basilio; or (b) You could hire a water taxi (maybe € 110) from Santa Lucia to San Basilio. BUT, you'd still have the walk - with baggage - to the cruise terminal.

 

Bottom Line: Take the train to MESTRE, then a land taxi.

[meow!]

In October 2008, we took a water taxi from the door of our hotel directly to where the Oceania Nautica was docked. This was the most convenient way with our luggage and everything. It did cost some 90 euros though, but when we didn't have much strength to haul luggage and walk long distance, it solved all our problems.

[360Guy]

Thanks to all who have replied--we now have some options--we will have been in Tuscany for a week prior so by that point we'll get off the train and perhaps take the "footpath" approach to burn some calories before embarking on Quest--we'll need it from what we've read about the food!

Pace e Bene!

Bob

[comcox]

(1) There is no road access to the main (Santa Lucia) Venice train station, and there is no cost effective way from Santa Lucia to the San Basilio terminal, unless you can easily carry your baggage. In that case you could take the No. 2 Vaporetto (public water bus) from Santa Lucia to San Basilio, for € 6.50 EACH. I believe the stops will be as follows: (be sure you board in the correct direction)

 

Ferrovia (railway station)

Piazzale Roma

Tronchetto

Sacca Fisola

San Basilio

 

When you get to San Basilio, you'll need to walk 100 to 200 yards - with your baggage- to the cruise terminal entrance.

 

(2) It would be much better to take the train to Venice Mestre Station (usually, the stop right before Santa Lucia). There is easy road access to that station; and you can easily get a land taxi right to the San Basilio Cruise Terminal for € 25 to € 30 total. (AGREE IN ADVANCE).

 

(3) Other options: (a) You could walk -with your baggage- including over a bridge with stairs- between Santa Lucia and Piazzale Roma. From there a land taxi could reach San Basilio; or (b) You could hire a water taxi (maybe € 110) from Santa Lucia to San Basilio. BUT, you'd still have the walk - with baggage - to the cruise terminal.

 

Bottom Line: Take the train to MESTRE, then a land taxi.

 

Next week I'm staying at a hotel near Piazalle Roma the night before my cruise which docks at San Basilio. Do you know how much a land taxi is from Roma to that dock? Other option is the vaporetto but how easy is it to haul a large rolling suitcase on and off the boat?

 

Thanks

[wcyellin]

(1) I would guess that a land taxi would be about € 20 to € 25. (AGREE IN ADVANCE)

 

(2) The ease of getting your luggage aboard the vaporetto would depend on how crowded the vaporetto might be. If it is empty, you will have little difficulty. If it is full, it may be close to impossible.

 

(3) If you are on Azamara, they frequently operate a free bus (usually unmarked - sometimes white) between Piazzale Roma and San Basilio. You will most likely find the bus in the morning between about 8:30 and 9:30. around the center of Piazzale Roma, where there are numerous busses. It is generally not possible to get accurate information from Azamara about these busses, even on the ship during the periods that they operate. It MAY be possible to get information from the people at the pier that Azamara hires to co-ordinate ground operations. Maybe -on the day of embarkation- you could call the port agent, who might have the cell numbers of some of the people on the ground.

[tgg]

We took the express bus from the airport (reasonable cost) to P. Roma. From there we took the vaparetto to the stop near San Basilio. (Be sure to take it in the correct direction. There are always lots of people around who can tell you.) Although the vaparetto was crowded, we had no problem with our rather large suitcases. The challenge is at the other end where you have to go over a small bridge. Easy for some, difficult for others. It is a very short walk from the vaparetto stop to the ship.

 

Azamara very occasionally uses the main cruise terminal. If you have any doubts about where the ship will be docked, check the Venice port cruise schedule.

[comcox]

Thanks for the info on getting to San Basilio. I'm on Swan Hellenic and they are not running any transport on embarkation day so I do have to get their on my own. I'll try for the vaporetto.

[BentPicketRanchGirl]

I went out of Venice on a cruise in April. I arrived the day before and wanted to stay near St. Mark's square or the Dorsoduro area. Prices were astronomical so I decided to book a hotel near the airport then travel to the port the next day (my flight got in late evening). I booked a Holiday Inn until I found the taxi ride was $60 from the airport. Then I cancelled and booked the Titian Inn that was nearby and had a 5 Euro fee for their shuttle. The main thing was they had a special to cruise out that included transportation to the port. I expected to be in a van with lots of others but they sent me via private vehicle. It was the best bargain I found. If you arrive the same day as the ship leaves, then it is a fairly short walk to water transportation (Allilaguna I think) that was 13 Euro. I would have taken this had I not gotten the transfer through the hotel. Beware that a water taxi will be about 100. It is very easy to walk around Venice from San Basilio once you drop off your luggage at the ship.