Venice

[Molliemandy]

Soon to visit Venice on the Solstice. Is it better to book ship's excursion or just do our own thing? We are semi fit 60 's:

[pete_coach]

We just came off the Solstice. We went to Venice on our own. Mind you, we had been to Venice before. Venice is a do it yourself city. You need to walkabout to get the full feel of the city. The initial walk should be (in my opinion) from Piazza St Marco to the train station (Santa Lucia) or vice versa.

If you are going to do it on your own, when you get off the ship you take a short walk to the people mover (about 300 yds from the port entrance). It costs 1 euro. The people mover takes you to Piazzale Roma. Walk across the piazza to the canal and get a vaporetto. It is18 euros for a 24 hr period and you can use it as a hop on hop off) and ride right to Piazza St Marco or to anywhere you want.

To get back, just do the reverse or any vaporetto that gets you to Piazzale Roma.

One point, when you get back to the port, you need to go through port security to get to the ship, then you got to go through ship security to get on board.

We are same age as you and had no problem. Bring good walking shoes.

[myjillian]

Soon to visit Venice on the Solstice. Is it better to book ship's excursion or just do our own thing? We are semi fit 60 's:

Or....after you get off the peoples mover just walk....the best way to exerience Venice is my walking....go by the wine shops..see how the locals come in to fill up their bottles..sip a sample..buy a bottle keep walking until the Rillotto (sp?) bridge go over the bridge...look at the fruit take a left and walk thru the Getto ...keep walking toward St Marks Square go into the church ..take a picture of the Bridge of Sighs..have a Gellato then when you've experienced the real Venice...then take the Vaporetto by the dock that's next to that famous bar ( can't remember name) that invented the Bellini. It's a rip off bar and you'ld be better off buying a bottle of Bellini and sneaking it onboard the ship ( Put it down the back of your pants when you get to the bathrooms before you board the ship) The only time to take the vaporetto is to go back to the ship..make sure it's the right one ! We spent 5 days in Venice before our cruise last Fall to do a B2B and when we were back into port for just that one day that is what we did. It was nice, watching the people ..experiencing...Venice and then say...we have to come back for a longer time......We are in our mid 60's....and we will go back;)

[4774Papa]

We just came off the Solstice. We went to Venice on our own. Mind you, we had been to Venice before. Venice is a do it yourself city. You need to walkabout to get the full feel of the city. The initial walk should be (in my opinion) from Piazza St Marco to the train station (Santa Lucia) or vice versa.

If you are going to do it on your own, when you get off the ship you take a short walk to the people mover (about 300 yds from the port entrance). It costs 1 euro. The people mover takes you to Piazzale Roma. Walk across the piazza to the canal and get a vaporetto. It is18 euros for a 24 hr period and you can use it as a hop on hop off) and ride right to Piazza St Marco or to anywhere you want.

To get back, just do the reverse or any vaporetto that gets you to Piazzale Roma.

One point, when you get back to the port, you need to go through port security to get to the ship, then you got to go through ship security to get on board.

We are same age as you and had no problem. Bring good walking shoes.

We have been to Venice several times. Venice is best done on your own. Just walking through the narrow city streets, crossing over its bridges or riding the vaporetto will engage you with the city.

Note, buy a Rick Steves' Italy or Mediterranean guide books, it will fill you in on how to avoid the queues for going to St. Mark's Cathedral and the Doges Palace. Also, recommend going up in the Bell tower. If you have time, take the vaporetto or a three island tour to some of the outlying islands like Burano and Murano.

[Taxguy77]

Was in Venice just a few years ago and had excellent Gelato at a stall on St. Marks Square. I was amazed at the long line of people to go into the church.

Very nice city to walk on your own, but do some research before you go to enjoy it more.

[TLCOhio]

Soon to visit Venice on the Solstice. Is it better to book ship's excursion or just do our own thing? We are semi fit 60 's:

 

4774Papa: Venice is best done on your own. Just walking through the narrow city streets' date=' crossing over its bridges or riding the vaporetto will engage you with the city. [/quote']

 

You have received a good range of suggestions from the two previous posters. For our mid June visit to Venice on the Solstice, we super loved the sail-in and sail-out. We did the ship shuttle. There are cheaper alternatives, including doing it on your own via the vaporetto up the Grand Canal. BUT, then there are the "trade-offs" on your valuable time. This was my third visit to Venice and it is such a great city to explore, check out the back streets, capture the charm and beauty of this "living museum". With the ship's shuttle it gets you more quickly from the ship to right near the Doge's Palace. Let us know your more detailed, specific questions on Venice. Don't be shy!!

 

Agree so much with 4774Papa on the strong value of "walking through the narrow city streets, crossing over its bridges", etc., etc. Below are some links and visual sample for what makes this historic city so great. Seeing it at night is so great as the mobs of day tourists depart and it become more magical, etc. Don't miss the evening "battle of the bands" on San Marco Square.

 

For those interested in Venice, I had done an earlier summary on this great city from early CC board postings. You can check these many pictures and notes at this location. Venice is one of THE key stop and you might look at this earlier posting for the many options and visual potentials shown for this city that is so great for "walking around".

See: Venice: Loving It & Why??!!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226&highlight=venice

 

Here are some added notes on this charming place:

VENICE (pop. 299,000), best options/priorities of St. Mark’s Basilica (Sun. 2-5:30, M-S 9:45-5:30) be sure to take stairs/steps and go up to the higher second level for both great inside and outside views for this wonderful 1000-year old church; Doge’s Palace (9-6 daily), see the jail area, great outdoor pictures from the balcony off of the grand ballroom-reception area on the second level; do sunrise walks, enjoy the “battling bands” at night on San Marco Square; the two-mile, s-shaped Grand Canal boat ride on public vaporetto (motorboat) what is called the “most romantic waterway in the world” to be surrounded by great Gothic and Renaissance buildings; Rialto Bridge and its area is wonderful; Gallerie dell’Accademia (9-10, Sun 9-6) has many great items by Leonardo da Vinci and others; wonderful shopping options, including silk and glass; just walking around Venice is the total joy, no cars, truck or motor scooters, just lots of interesting people in a great, historic settings! You’ll walk where Marco Polo walked after being in China! It's hard to get lost in Venice. The signs will always point you back to San Marco Square or the Rialto Bridge.

 

Venice is about water . . . of the river, sea and lagoon. Each one of its settlements during the centuries have had to deal with these natural elements. Venice is unique for many reasons, including its construction, requiring intelligence and great architectural ability. Venice has: 411 bridges, 118 small islands, 150 channels, forming the basis of this town miracle. Its artistic, historical and cultural treasures are due to an incredible, intricate and harmonious communication system based on water and on stones. Walk across the canal on the wooden Accademia Bridge or on the shop-laden Rialto Bridge.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Recently back from a June 7-19 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 44,422 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

 

 

As we sailed into Venice, here is a tighter shot of the main square and the crowds that were there around 1 pm on June 14. Next is another view from that great sail-in to Venice and the sights of various interesting buildings and church. Love Venice so, so much!!:

 

 

 

 

 

In Venice, here is a tight shot on some of the spectacular art on the front of St. Marks and a unique framing of the Tower from an arch of the Doge’s Palace.:

 

 

 

 

 

In front of the Accademia Art Museum, here is an artist on that wooden bridge over the Grand Canal making a painting.:

 

 

 

It was a full moon for our evening in Venice. Here is that view of the moon as we walked at night past the Doge’s Palace.:

 

[buggins0402]

St. Marks seems to close rather early (5:00) and the ship doesn't get in until 2:00. Is there enough time to get there and actually see it or should we count on doing it second day?

 

Guess my question is what is a reasonable amount of time to allow for getting off ship and transport to St. Marks once ship hits port? An hour? two?

[IMNiles]

All of the foregoing is great advice.. When we were there in May aboard Brilliance, we did it "on our own" with one exception - we once availed ourselves of the direct shuttle back from st. Marks square when we got tickets from the concierge and wanted to stay in town late.

 

 

If you are going to use the vaporetto a lot, you can buy a 36 hour pass online at a discount (http://www.veniceconnected.com) - you'll get a confirmation code that you redeem on a machine in p.le Roma in order to get a reusable card that you just wave at the machine as you board. We found this to be extremely convenient, as we never had to worry about tickets. At the same website you can buy museum passes, wifi passes, and bathroom access. We bought a museum pass, which ended up not being a great value for us, but it did let us bypass all the lines. We also bought the wifi, but found the access to be spotty and unreliable.

 

The staff on the ship will work hard to convince you to buy their transfers. They are undeniably convenient, in that they drop you off right at the ship and right at st. Marks square, but they aren't cheap. If you're going to walk anyway, it's just as easy to take the people mover and walk or ride the vaporetto from p.le Roma.

 

One word on the people mover, as this seems to be a point of some confusion- it is OUTSIDE the cruise terminal. You will exit the terminal entirely before you will see a sign directing you to the nearby platform (though it is hard to miss, frankly). The platform is completely unattended, so you will need euro cash to buy your tickets from the machine. Just make sure you have 1e coins before leaving the ship. Depending on the season and how many ships are in port, there may be numerous other very expensive transport options on offer as you walk (water taxis, etc) and they may all deny knowledge of the people mover. Trust me, it's out there. :). Do take note of the time it closes so you don't end up missing the last one back.

[TLCOhio]

St. Marks seems to close rather early (5:00) and the ship doesn't get in until 2:00. Is there enough time to get there and actually see it or should we count on doing it second day? Guess my question is what is a reasonable amount of time to allow for getting off ship and transport to St. Marks once ship hits port? An hour? two?

 

For us, the Solstice arrived a little early and we got on the first shuttle. We were in San Marco Square a little after 2 pm. Much will depend on how busy Venice will be on the afternoon and morning when you are there. Venice is always "busy", but some days are more so. I did the St. Mark's tour early in the morning before the crowds got too bad. There was a lady offering a private tour inside and I did that. That lessened some of the line issues. Below are a few more Venice pictures.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Recently back from a June 7-19 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 44,422 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

 

 

These are some added view of St. Marks and its spectacular architecture and design. Finally, below, are the “clankers” as the top of the 500-year-old clock on San Marco Square striking the hourly mark. .:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No visit to Venice is complete without seeing this famed bridge over the Grand Canal. We had a brief drink and snack stops to watch all of the activity here.:

 

 

 

This is a tighter shot on one of the many, many great churches in Venice. St. Mark’s is not the only architectural treasure here. :

 

 

 

With the Solstice schedule, having an overnight there allows time to sample the evening orchestras on San Marco Square playing to the crowds. Great fun at night in a wonderful setting.:

 

[Essiesmom]

Rather thann try to remember or write down all that has been suggested, get a copy of Rick Steves' Mediterranean Cruise Ports. He will tell you all about the transportation options, and how to do it all on your own. You can even download free audio tours from his website for ipod/mp3. If that book is too think to tote along, get his book on Venice 2011. For more than 20 years, Rick has been the authority on doing Europe diy on a budget, and now he has taken on cruising.

http://www.ricksteves.com/news/travelnews/1107/europe-cruise-ports.htm

[iancal]

I think it depends on what kind of information you are looking for. If you want in depth information about each site-background, history, etc. then a private tour might be the best route.

 

If just want to tour around and see the sights then you can easily do it on your own. You just have to review what you want to see in general and budget your time accordingly. The vaporettos to Murano and Burano may take longer than you anticipate but you can cut down on this time by walking to the Fon. Nouve (sp) stop and boarding there.

 

There is a very simple way to enter St. Marks church when you are touring by yourself notwithstanding any long lines (and without a museum pass). The answer is in the Rick Steves book....just take a backpack or some other object (it can be empty), deposit it with the custodian around the corner and one block down the street on the left. H/she will will bive you a card that allows you to avoid the line and walk right in. Worked like a charm for us this past May.

 

And be forewarned. IF those cafes in St Marks Square (the outdoor ones with the music) beckon you just be aware that it will cost 8E to sit down and another 8E for a coffee. That is 32E for 2 cups of coffee. These places love American tourists-with good reason.

[TLCOhio]

Rather than try to remember or write down all that has been suggested, get a copy of Rick Steves' Mediterranean Cruise Ports. He will tell you all about the transportation options, and how to do it all on your own.

 

Rick Steves does super great things, especially in Italy where he has covered it so many times, had great TV programs from there, been there so often, etc. I would also suggest grabbing, maybe from your public libraries or ask for them to do a book transfer they can process for you, such super excellent visual books such as the Eyewitness series. I love their pictures, maps, building cut-away views, etc., that Eyewitness offers. Fodors, Frommers, Michelin, etc., can work well, too. In my opinion, no one travel book has it "ALL", perfectly and completely for everyone of your needs. These resources, especially the visual ones, can you help better figure out your priorities, in advance, for what you want to do and see.

 

That early research is very important. Don't wait until you get on the ship to "GUESS" what might be of interest. I always build a "file" on my laptop computer for each port stop with highlights from that reading and then pulling up stories/articles from the travels sections of the New York Times, Telegraph of London, Wikipedia, etc. All of those help to consider your many great options. Amazon can be very good in providing such books at reduced prices, plus some used books websites. Lots of great options!!! Especially in these days of the Internet, it makes things easier to research and plan ahead. You can use Google.com for great access to various text items, plus a wide variety of visuals and maps. One option for some private tour and other local options is to contract the tourism office in each of your ports. You can use Google.com and put in the search term such as "city/port name tourism office". Then follow-up to each of those office by e-mail, ask your questions, get their suggestions, options to consider, etc.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Recently back from a June 7-19 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 44,422 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

[kathynorth]

Thank you for sharing all the great info about Venice in the above posts. We just booked the Solstice for next summer and are excited about the extended time for Venice. We always feel rushed during port visits and hope the overnight will leave us with a true feel for Venice. A previous poster mentioned the 1pm arrival to Venice. Could any of you share your 1st day itinerary for Venice given the late arrival?

[buggins0402]

Thanks TLC - hope we also get in early, just an extra hour would mean so much. Love seeing all your pictures on the various threads. We're also on Soltice - but this November. We'd really have to win a weather lottery to get those beautiful blue skies in November - but it will be nice seeing the city nonetheless!

[TLCOhio]

Thanks TLC - hope we also get in early, just an extra hour would mean so much. Love seeing all your pictures on the various threads. We're also on Soltice - but this November. We'd really have to win a weather lottery to get those beautiful blue skies in November - but it will be nice seeing the city nonetheless!

 

Good luck on your Venice visit. My first visit to Venice was in December 1970. A major plus about visiting there "off season" is that things are not as crowded and congested. You get more of a "feel" for how real people in Venice live and operate at more normal times. Weather, however, can be more of a challenge for November.

 

On our afternoon and evening in Venice, we had the "plus" that all four of us in our party had visited there before. That made things much easier. We did some back-street exploring, including find an interesting mask shop we had stumbled across during a 1999 visit there. See a picture below. I didn't know their exact address, but kind of remember the general area. We explore . . . AND . . . found it. Fun!!

 

Then we had dinner, canal side, at a wonderful dining place we enjoyed in 1999. Then explored, shopped more (seemed liked forever, but the gals found some interesting items). Then did the music on San Marco Square, saw the full moon and the water, etc.

 

Clearly St. Mark's and the Doge's Palace are the two top must-sees for first timers there.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Recently back from a June 7-19 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 44,422 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

 

 

From the interior of Venice’s St Mark’s, here is a view that shows how much on this church is covered in these opulent, gilded Byzantine mosaics. Notice the details in the floor of this famed Basilica.:

 

 

 

This is a Venice parish church called Chiesa di San Moise on Campo San Moisè. It has an elaborate Baroque facade that is covered in designs that one travel book describes as having “scrumptious icing flourishes of carved-stone ornament”. This 1660’s facade is on a church site dating back to the 9th century and that honors Moses. At the right is the modern front of the five-star Bauer Hotel that is connected with an older palazzo fronting the Grand Canal.:

 

 

 

Here are three views in and around the Grand Canal that I had not posted originally. This canal makes a large S-shape through Venice over its 3,800-meter-long distance. The Grand Canal is 30–90 meters wide, with an average depth of 16.5 feet. First, looking southwest from near the Rialto Bridge shows a variety of boats on this canal. Second, looking northwest from the bridge, shows a sampling of colorful buildings along this famed waterway. Finally, there is a view from the bridge at the Academy Museum going towards the docking area near St. Mark’s.:

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a mask shop hidden on the back-streets of Venice. We had discovered this great place in 1999 and were lucky to find it again as we explored a little off of the typical tourist streets of Venice. They have such delightful and creative designs serving more of a professional customer base. It is not just a tourist place with imported “stuff”. These are the “real” deal that made this art famous in Venice. It is called Tragi comica. Their web address is http://www.tragiccomica.it.:

 

[Molliemandy]

Thanks everyone for great info . Really looking forward to our visit now

Rick Steves does super great things, especially in Italy where he has covered it so many times, had great TV programs from there, been there so often, etc. I would also suggest grabbing, maybe from your public libraries or ask for them to do a book transfer they can process for you, such super excellent visual books such as the Eyewitness series. I love their pictures, maps, building cut-away views, etc., that Eyewitness offers. Fodors, Frommers, Michelin, etc., can work well, too. In my opinion, no one travel book has it "ALL", perfectly and completely for everyone of your needs. These resources, especially the visual ones, can you help better figure out your priorities, in advance, for what you want to do and see.

 

That early research is very important. Don't wait until you get on the ship to "GUESS" what might be of interest. I always build a "file" on my laptop computer for each port stop with highlights from that reading and then pulling up stories/articles from the travels sections of the New York Times, Telegraph of London, Wikipedia, etc. All of those help to consider your many great options. Amazon can be very good in providing such books at reduced prices, plus some used books websites. Lots of great options!!! Especially in these days of the Internet, it makes things easier to research and plan ahead. You can use Google.com for great access to various text items, plus a wide variety of visuals and maps. One option for some private tour and other local options is to contract the tourism office in each of your ports. You can use Google.com and put in the search term such as "city/port name tourism office". Then follow-up to each of those office by e-mail, ask your questions, get their suggestions, options to consider, etc.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Recently back from a June 7-19 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 44,422 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

[lydnsyd]

We have recently returned from a Western Med cruise on the Eclipse and we did our own thing as we had been to Venice several time before, however several couples we spoke to did the ship's excursion 'Secret Venice Walking Tour' and they were raving about it, as it was so interesting. Listening to what they had to say - I think we might opt for that next time. Have a lovely time.

[gosport11]

We did the Doges palace secret rooms tour,we prebooked n payed for the tickets,collected the tickets 1st thing and turned up, would have been straight thro past all the queues if not for a party of tourist trying to jump all the queues, their tour guide told them all to stand in line and wait for her to get tickets :mad:

The tour was well worth the wait:):). We then had a wander,next time we shall walk to St Marks rather than get a water transfer

[buggins0402]

Then we had dinner, canal side, at a wonderful dining place we enjoyed in 1999.

 

TLC - what dining place? Have been looking through various sites for a special dinner - just haven't hit that certain place yet.

[TLCOhio]

TLC - what dining place? Have been looking through various sites for a special dinner - just haven't hit that certain place yet.

 

Below is a picture and details on where we dined both in June and in 1999. Very good food in a super great setting!! Does this help? Any other questions?

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Recently back from a June 7-19 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 44,644 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

 

 

Along a canal, this is Da Raffaelle where we had an outdoor table right next to the waterway. Wonderful food and spectacular setting. It is located at Ponte delle Ostreghe 2347. It is west of San Marco Square and south of La Fenice Opera House. Their website is: http://www.ristorantedaraffaele.com/index-eng.htm

 

[chipmaster]

Venice is a wonderful and so easy to DIY port, skip the ships tour and use your feet and public transportation. With the money you save go and take a gondolla ride!

 

Soon to visit Venice on the Solstice. Is it better to book ship's excursion or just do our own thing? We are semi fit 60 's:

[jmelyn126]

We have an overnight in Venice. Does anybody know how late you can stay out in Venice before having to head back to the ship? What is the latest boat ride back? Typically is it safe to walk back late if this is our only option?

[softail]

Soon to visit Venice on the Solstice. Is it better to book ship's excursion or just do our own thing? We are semi fit 60 's:

 

Check out this site. www.veniceconnected.com. It has to be the coolest virtual site i have ever seen. We have been to Venice three times the last in June on the Carnival Magic. Have always walked the city and just love it. Enjoy Larry

[TLCOhio]

We have an overnight in Venice. Does anybody know how late you can stay out in Venice before having to head back to the ship? What is the latest boat ride back? Typically is it safe to walk back late if this is our only option?

 

In checking back on the Solstice daily reports, it showed that the last evening Celebrity shuttle departed near St. Marks at 11:30 pm. On the next day, the first shuttle departed at 8 am from the ship area. The last shuttle departed at 1 pm to return folks back to the ship by 1:30 pm. 2 pm was the afternoon departure time as we did the sail-out through the harbor and past St. Marks, the Doge's Palace, central tower, etc.

 

If you didn't want to use their shuttle, the ship was open all through the night and early, early in the am if you had wanted to exit or enter between midnight and 8 am.

 

On safety, my view is that most parts of Venice are fairly safe, but I don't know that you want to be walking back by yourself late, late at night. Being in a group helps both for safety AND navigating your way back to the ship. The routings can get a little confusing in moving larger distances in parts of Venice. The various bridges, twisted "street" patterns, etc., can get complicated. That walking during the day is easier. At night, it's possible to get a little disoriented if you are not as good at map-reading and/or keeping your proper directions. When you study an overall map of Venice you see how . . . things twist and turn around the S-shaped Grand Canal. And from the Rialto Bridge northwest to the area near the rail station, it is a long, long stretch of the Grand Canal with any bridge crossing in this section if you are on the "wrong" side of this waterway.

 

Keep the good questions rolling along!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Recently back from a June 7-19 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 44,644 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

[Mr Blue Sky]

St. Marks seems to close rather early (5:00) and the ship doesn't get in until 2:00. Is there enough time to get there and actually see it or should we count on doing it second day?

 

Guess my question is what is a reasonable amount of time to allow for getting off ship and transport to St. Marks once ship hits port? An hour? two?

 

 

Hello Buggins 0402

 

We have just completed a short break to Venice and found the queues to St Marks were very long morning time we timed it for 3 -4 pm and had only a couple of minutes wait. Also Waterbus No 1,to St Marks from P.Roma not far from Cruise Terminal is excellent for 6.50 euros one way

has not many stops and takes you along the Grand Canal, try to get an outside seat if dry for those photos :)