November 4, 2012 Venice to Athens, hotel advice

[cruisemuse13]

I just took advantage of the Valentine's Special and booked the November 4, 2012 cruise from Venice to Athens. It will be our second cruise on Azamara and we are really excited since all the ports will be new for us.

 

We want to arrive in Venice one night early and our TA said Azamara is offering a package which includes the transfer from the airport to hotel, one night at the Carlton and Grand Canal Hotel, and transfer from the hotel to the ship. The cost is $280 each. :eek:

 

Has anyone stayed at this hotel? I understand the transport in venice can be expensive, but does this sound like a reasonable price for this package, or would I be better to make my own plans?

 

thank you for any advice. :)

[excitedofharpenden]

Personally I would go with booking a hotel myself. It's what I did last November when I was on Quest and I was glad I did. I picked a hotel for its ease of location close to the Piazzale Rome and train station:

 

http://www.hotelantichefigure.it/en

 

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g187870-d289202-Reviews-Hotel_Antiche_Figure-Venice_Veneto.html

 

It's an excellent hotel with good ratings on TripAdvisor and reasonably priced. If I were to go back to Venice this is where I'd stay again. Getting from the airport to Piazzale Roma you catch a bus and then providing you are not mobility challenged can wheel your case to the hotel. Catching the ship in the morning it does depend on where you are docked. I was at the Maritima dock and caught the People Mover, but the walk to the ship when I got off was quite a good trek still. You may be docked at San Basilio so check that out before you leave. I found this website very useful to get your bearings and it includes a section on getting from the airport and cruises out of Venice:

 

http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/

 

Phil

[cruisemuse13]

Thank you Phil for the reply. Actually, the hotel Antiche Figure, is the hotel in Venice that my TA first recommeded. Unfortunately, it does not seem to have any rooms available the night I am looking for.

 

travelling by water taxi is something new to figure out for me. The website you mention looks very helpful . good to hear from you.

[excitedofharpenden]

cruzeluze, that's odd. I just had a quick look and their website shows green as available on the date you mention, but as soon as you try to book November it says unavailable. I wonder if it is still too early to book for then or maybe there is a change over of tariff starting in November. The prices for October 2012 are certainly a lot higher than I paid last November. It was about £90 for the night from what I remember. Perhaps it's worthwhile giving the hotel a call and seeing what's up. My Venice to Athens trip last year was pretty last minute and I booked the hotel about a month beforehand and didn't have a problem. It's worth persevering I think.

 

Phil

[Grandma Gilly]

We stayed at the Hotel American in Venice but this was not pre cruise. It was a small boutique hotel on one of the smaller canals but very close to a vaporetto stop. I too would definitely stay there again.

[wripro]

Never ever book a hotel through the cruise line. You will pay double what you would on your own as they charge per person and not per room. Plus transfers are not that expensive. Get your TA to offer you several hotel options on your budget and have him make the reservation.

[spanglycruisegirl]

We stayed at the Hotel American in Venice but this was not pre cruise. It was a small boutique hotel on one of the smaller canals but very close to a vaporetto stop. I too would definitely stay there again.

 

The Hotel American Dinesen is our favourite hotel in Venice ... it is near Accademia bridge and the Guggenheim and not too far from San Basilio (if you are docked there).

You can take a water taxi to San Basilio from the hotel or even walk (if you don't have too much luggage !!) or I'm sure the hotel would organise porterage.

It is also easy to get to from Marco Polo airport with the Alilaguna water bus to Zattere .

[candkd]

We stayed at the Carlton Grand Canal in 2003. It was a nice hotel across the "street" (canal) from the train station. It is about a 30 minute walk to St. Mark's Square. And completely agree with a previous post, whenever possible book hotels on your own.

[uktog]

A hotel we stayed in and loved, though not pre cruise it was on another trip was the Foscari Palace. Near the Rialto Bridge and great service

[nordski]

HI cruzeluze

 

Some excellent advice here but, as some have suggested, if mobility is an issue then Venice does provide some challenges and the hotel package becomes more attractive. Since my wife has such issues that is the choice we made.

 

The package included The Carlton and Grand Canal Hotel that you mentioned. We were very pleased. Excellent accommodations, helpful staff and the nearest water taxi was just across the canal. We would gladly stay there again. The transfers were stress free and efficient but, as expected, did involve some hiking despite their convenience.

 

Certainly, we would not argue that the package is the cheapest alternative but the included transfers and attractive breakfasts lessened the blow. Although we have made our own arrangements in other European cities, the hotel package in Venice was good value for us.

[cruisemuse13]

Thank you all for your replies. I always learn something from your shared experiences and know I can count of cruise critic members . :D I now have several other hotels I will research.

 

Wripro, your comment about being charged "per person" instead of "by room" makes alot of sense and does seem to inflate the price.

 

And Nordski, your advice to consider mobility issues is a timely one for me. . A few months ago, I would have said that fortunately we did not have any mobility concerns. But overnight that changed when I suddenly developed severe knee problems. My situation is improving, but much more slowly than I ever expected. I hope to be fully recovered by November. But I will never take my mobility for granted again.:(

[cruisemuse13]

HI cruzeluze

 

Some excellent advice here but, as some have suggested, if mobility is an issue then Venice does provide some challenges and the hotel package becomes more attractive. Since my wife has such issues that is the choice we made.

 

the hotel package in Venice was good value for us.

 

hello again Nordski, I have been pondering how difficult it will be for me to navigate around Venice, if , worst case scenario, by knee problem does not improve as much as I hope.

 

In your case, what mode of transportation did they use from the airport to the hotel, and from the hotel to the ship? I have heard about water taxis, the Alilaguna or airport boat, and the "people mover".

 

We will be there in november, so I am trying to imagine making the trip in the rain as well.

[excitedofharpenden]

Hi cruzeluze. There are a couple of options to get you to hotel and then the ship, but it's first of all important to know which dock you will be at. I just checked the port schedule and you will be at the San Basilio dock so have a look at this section from the website I mentioned above:

 

http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/articles/venice-cruise-port-transportation.htm

 

The walk to the hotel I mentioned from the Piazzale Roma was about 350 yards and you have to cross two bridges (there are lots of bridges in Venice). Not too daunting, but something to bear in mind if you aren't match fit. There is a Vaporetto stop nearby to the Antiche Figure that will take you to the Rialto and beyond. If you are up for a bit of walking it is a nice experience to stroll along some of the backstreets and see the smaller canals. There are some wonderful photo opps.

 

As nordski said Venice does present some challenges if you aren't fully mobile and for this reason it is worth doing a bit of research before you go. Here's a link to the Cruise Critic port of Venice review:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/ports/newport.cfm?ID=71

 

Happy planning!

 

Phil

[excitedofharpenden]

cruzeluze, I had a word with the Hotel Antiche Figure and they are having problems with their website which is why you can't book for November via the link. They hope to sort it out this week. If you would still like to get a price for your stay in November (there is availability) the gentleman said to send him an email mentioning the recommendation and he'd get you the best price:

 

info@hotelantichefigure.it

 

and don't worry. I'm not on commission!:D

 

Phil

[nordski]

Well cruzeluze, I hope I can adequately answer your questions. We were ending our cruise in Venice but I would assume that similar arrangements will apply.

 

Based upon our experience a van and guide will meet you at Marco Polo and drive you to Piazzale Roma. From there, the guide will escort you, on foot, to the hotel. As we recall, it was about a 10 to 15 minute walk (at a brisk pace) with two bridges, neither of which stands out in our memory as being of the challenging nature.

 

Following your overnight at the hotel, a private boat will pick up you, and the other participating cruisers, and take you to the ship's dock. That boat will meet you virtually at the front door of the hotel and there will be another AZ rep there to make certain all goes smoothly.

 

What we particularly appreciated was the presence of escorts who could aid if mobility issues became a problem and also in manipulating the luggage. Luckily for us, neither became a problem.

 

I love Phil's phrase "match fit" from football/soccer I believe, and I truly hope your challenges are resolved by the time of your cruise. Venice is eminently doable, but we tried to simplify the logistics as much as possible to avoid overtaxing our resources.

 

Hope this helps and we'll be glad to help with any other questions.

[cruisemuse13]

Thank you Phil for continuing to offer support to my search for a Venice Hotel. I will send the Antiche Figure hotel an email and see what price they quote me, and I will happily say "Phil sent me";)

 

However, My TA said when she checked the hotel website, she found no information for the night I want, but when she checked for the following night, it showed a rate of $320 plus tax. I tried the date for a day later, and got the same result. So a bit pricey. It will be interesting to hear what rate I get when I email them directly.

 

And Nordski, thank you for taking the time to answer my ongoing questions. your reply was exactly the information I was looking for. It helps me to know what to expect with the transfers provided, and also gives me the information I need to compare the cost of arranging the same transportation privately to see if there would be much cost savings.

 

Now, if only I could learn to be the type of traveller who gets by with a carry-on bag only, and not have to shlep the huge rolling suitcase, I could make things alot easier.

[excitedofharpenden]

Hi cruzeluze. Yes, that is quite pricey and may be a reflection on the number of ships that are in port for the days you are there. We were the only ship in on the days we were there last November, but looking at the port schedule there are more there for your stay. Hope you get something reasonable sorted for a hotel and you enjoy Venice in some sunshine. It was sunny when we were there at that time of year, but chilly.

 

Phil

[cruisemuse13]

cruzeluze, I had a word with the Hotel Antiche Figure and they are having problems with their website which is why you can't book for November via the link. They hope to sort it out this week. If you would still like to get a price for your stay in November (there is availability) the gentleman said to send him an email mentioning the recommendation and he'd get you the best price:

 

info@hotelantichefigure.it

 

and don't worry. I'm not on commission!:D

 

Phil

Thank you Phil. I sent the hotel Antiche Figure an email and mentioned your recommendation, and lo and behold, they responded with a better rate. still pricey, but better than the website price so we booked it!! Thank you for your support .

 

I think I saw in another thread that you are cruising again soon. Have a wonderful trip.

[uktog]

Phil, your reputation is legendary!!

 

Cruzluze, do enjoy Venice, although it can be tricky to get around it is such a lovely place, take the time and you will love the atmosphere. My favourite game is to spot what is being carried on each little boat, we have seen a house removal, a bride, a supermarket full of veg and the fire service, it is such fun

[excitedofharpenden]

Thank you Phil. I sent the hotel Antiche Figure an email and mentioned your recommendation, and lo and behold, they responded with a better rate. still pricey, but better than the website price so we booked it!! Thank you for your support .

 

I think I saw in another thread that you are cruising again soon. Have a wonderful trip.

That's great. I'm really pleased they managed to do something for you. That mirrors the experience I had as the staff there are really helpful. I hope you have a wonderful stay and a great cruise. Tip. If you are ok at using Google Maps, zoom in for a birds eye view and have a look at it to get your bearings from the Piazzale Roma to the hotel. It's not far, but helped point me in the right direction. Basically turn right along the canal and head toward the building with the greenish dome. When you reach that you are there!

 

Thanks for the good wishes. Joining Quest next week and very excited.

 

Oh, and good luck with the knee too! Hope it holds up for a bit of walking on your Venice trip. Even just behind the hotel there are some nice strolls with views of the backstreet canals.

 

Phil