Royal Princess - Venice

[hiworldtraveler]

The pre-cruise Princess hotel packages for Venice next year are double in price from this year, definitely out of my budget! :eek: I would like to spend a few days in Venice so any suggestions on reasonable accommodations, either hotel or apartments, would be greatly appreciated. Also, how did you get from the airport to the non-Princess property and then to the pier for embarkation. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated!:)

[englishbird]

The pre-cruise Princess hotel packages for Venice next year are double in price from this year, definitely out of my budget! :eek: I would like to spend a few days in Venice so any suggestions on reasonable accommodations, either hotel or apartments, would be greatly appreciated. Also, how did you get from the airport to the non-Princess property and then to the pier for embarkation. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated!:)

 

The Hilton Garden Inn at Venice Mestre has its own airport and port shuttle bus. They will collect you from the airport for approx 8 euro per person and will take you to the port for approx 12 euro per person.

 

That is less than half the price of getting your own taxi. Taxis in Venice are some of the most expensive in Europe.

:D:D

[paul929207]

The Hilton Garden Inn at Venice Mestre has its own airport and port shuttle bus. They will collect you from the airport for approx 8 euro per person and will take you to the port for approx 12 euro per person.

 

That is less than half the price of getting your own taxi. Taxis in Venice are some of the most expensive in Europe.

:D:D

Seemed like everything in Venice was among the most expensive in Europe

[paddingtonbear]

Seemed like everything in Venice was among the most expensive in Europe

 

Venice isn't that expensive if you are careful. Huge pizzas are 7 euro and the local bakeries are fantastic. Just don't buy anything within 2 km of St Marks. anything you see there is available at half the price a five minute walk away.

 

We stayed at "al ponte Moncenigo" - 145 euro but there were cheaper rooms it is on a canal and has 5 dots on trip advisor and a huge free breakfast that will keep you going until dinner. Wonderful place. It is a few seconds walk from santa stae vaporetto stop. If you get a 48 hr vaporetto pass (via internet you save even more) your Vaporetto (ferry/water bus public transport) trips will all be covered except from Piazzale Roma to the cruise ship. This is done via a shuttle bus -free I think. Make sure you find out exactly where your ship is departing from and get advice on TA about where to catch that shuttle bus. There are heaps of ferries and ships so the departing dock is important.

 

You can do it on foot - we did on an incredibly hot day in a mad dash as we were given the wrong terminal to go to to get our ferry. But, I wouldn't recommend it!! Avoid water taxis. The Italians will take you anywhere no problem and tell you at the end of the ride it is 100 euro no matter what you first agreed on.

 

From the airport there is a bus to P. Roma where you get vaporetto pass or just single tickets. Busses leave airport regularly. I really advise that you stay in Venice proper - the atmosphere is fantastic and you can walk everywhere and see fantastic buildings and people and art for free if you want to.

You will love Venice!

[crusingnut]

We stayed at the Hotel Abbazia. It was in a great location. There were lots of resturants nearby. We did get a 2-day pass for the Vaporetto. You can reserve tickets on-line for St. Mark's Basilica. When you do this you don't have to stand in line, which was tremendous when we were there. You go up to the person at the front and give them your reservation ticket and in you go. This was a big time saver for us and so easy. Check out their web site. We took the bus from the airport to get to the hotel, we did have to walk some. The hotel arranged to have mini vans, there were 12 of us in the group, to take us to the ship. Have a great trip, I love Venice.

[Cruise Junky]

To the OP, lesson here is don't book through Princess. Yes, Venice is expensive but it's going to be more expensive if you go through Princess. Go to the Europe boards and ask for hotel advice.

[sunshine nana]

Take the bus from the airport (bags are put in bottom of bus) for 5E each to P. Roma. Then stay at the Olimpia Hotel (a Best Western, but old) with a great breakfast at P. Roma. You can then take a boat or walk anywhere. Take the shuttle, people mover, taxi or walk (we did) to the ship. Post cruise, we stayed at the Marriott between the aiport and P. Roma that has a free shuttle to the airport (be sure to make a shuttle reservation at the desk the night before). There is a regular bus that stops at the Marriott to take you to/from P. Roma.

[iancal]

We never take the cruise line hotel or transfers in Europe. Overpriced would be an understatement.

 

The past two time we have been to Venice we have stayed in private B&B's. We find them on tripadvisor. We purposely stay away from the St. Marks Sq. area and we try to find a B&B in an area that we do not have to cross a bridge with our luggage, ie get off the vaporetto with our bags and walk directly to the B&B without having to deal with the pedestrian bridges over canals. We take the airport bus from to P. Roma.

 

Like the other poster, we do not find Venice that much more expensive than other cites in Italy-maybe a 20 percent premium. If you do the reseach and avoid the tourist traps it can be fairly reasonable. We never stay in Maestre. Our preference is to be in Venice proper and preferably not in a US style hotel.

[wilson4]

Hi

We found the hotel Grimani to be perfect for us and a very short walk form St Marks Square.

The entry to Venice by water taxi from just outside the airport and then across the lagoon is absolute amazing - definitely not cheap but a highlight of the holiday.

We took a taxi from P.Roma to the ship.

Enjoy!

[mapleleaves]

Another factor with Venice is the ability to manage your luggage. There are bridges to negotiate and uneven walkways. Will you be able to manage your luggage easily ? We had one wheeled case and a shoulder tote and were fine with a few bridges. My mother is 80. If you can manage your luggage, it opens up less expensive transportation options and lodging.

The ATVO airport express bus is efficient and convenient. 5E, 20 minutes. It's like a greyhound bus with a hold underneath for luggage. It leaves the airport twice an hr.

The Piazalle Roma area is a very convenient area to stay .. all land traffic ends here so this is where the airport bus will drop you off. It's popular with cruisers becuase it's the closest area to the pier. And a little pricey. If you can't manage your luggage AT ALL, there are 2 hotels with no bridge crossings and a few hotels with one small bridge.

The Santa Lucia train station is also a convenient area; it requires one large bridge crossing but there are more reasonably priced accomodations around there.

Both areas are close to the Grand Canal so you can easily hop on a water bus to explore Venice.

You can also stay in Mestre which is just across the causeway from Venice. There's an ATVO bus for Mestre. If you get a hotel by Mestre train station, it's an easy commute into Venice; about 1 E to Santa Lucia and 10 minutes. You get a whole lot more for your money in Mestre, but it's not Venice.

To get to the pier from Piazalle Roma you can walk across the square to the People Mover which takes you to the pier, 1 E and 2 minutes. If you can't handle luggage, you can take a cab to the pier, 10-15E.

This site has lodging suggestions for all the areas. Look thru them all and determine which area best suits your budget. It's a great site in general so take the time to look thru the information.

http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/articles/where_to_sleep_in_venice.htm

[CruiserBruce]

To the OP, lesson here is don't book through Princess. Yes, Venice is expensive but it's going to be more expensive if you go through Princess. Go to the Europe boards and ask for hotel advice.

 

Amen. Cruise line hotels, flights and transfers are very rarely a good deal cost wise, and frequently not in terms of convinence.

[DebbieMacG]

Have you looked at the five star Hilton Molino Stucky? Easy to get to without having to haul luggage about and a free shuttle to St Marks from La Guidecca Island :)

 

Good rates direct with Hilton too!

[Carolyn R]

My advice is to stay in Venice proper if you are staying more than one day precruise. Trip Advisor is a great resource. There is a foolproof way to handle your luggage when in Venice. Pack all the clothing that you will need in Venice in your carryon. When you get to Piazzale Roma by bus or by taxi, leave you large heavy pieces at the Baggage Check right next to the People Mover that you take to the ship.

[helpmesailaway]

My advice is to stay in Venice proper if you are staying more than one day precruise. Trip Advisor is a great resource. There is a foolproof way to handle your luggage when in Venice. Pack all the clothing that you will need in Venice in your carryon. When you get to Piazzale Roma by bus or by taxi, leave you large heavy pieces at the Baggage Check right next to the People Mover that you take to the ship.

 

Thanks for the great idea. We have just signed up for the Royal TA.

[Carolyn R]

Thanks for the great idea. We have just signed up for the Royal TA.

 

I traveled solo last fall and had to cross several bridges to my hotel. I was so happy that I left my large suitcase at the baggage check. There is no easy way to lug suitcases over the bridges in Venice. :)

[Cruise Junky]

I traveled solo last fall and had to cross several bridges to my hotel. I was so happy that I left my large suitcase at the baggage check. There is no easy way to lug suitcases over the bridges in Venice. :)

 

I agree! We used the Alligunia to St. Marks when we did the Greek Islands cruise..I was 42 and in pretty good health, could carry a lot. One bag and one carry on and I thought I was going to die or my arms had extended 5 inches.

[CathyCruises]

When we were there last fall, we saw an older couple (65-70) wandering all over the Canareggio area looking for their hotel, dragging their luggage up one bridge and over another. There was a 1 hour vaporetto strike right when they needed it and they thought they could walk. By the time we saw them they were almost at their hotel but they looked exhausted. What looks to be a short distance on the map can be a long haul when you are dragging bags behind you.

[iancal]

Hear you on the bridges. Last May we stayed by Ca D'ora stop. No bridges to cross with our luggage...just wheeled them to our B&B. We learned the hard way. Previously we has stayed near Rialto and had to cross two or three bridges. Plus the place was packed w/ other tourists. Much preferred Ca D'oro area.

[Matcodixon]

Take the bus from the airport (bags are put in bottom of bus) for 5E each to P. Roma. Then stay at the Olimpia Hotel (a Best Western, but old) with a great breakfast at P. Roma. You can then take a boat or walk anywhere. Take the shuttle, people mover, taxi or walk (we did) to the ship.

That is the hotel we booked for 2 nights before we board the Ruby on August 22. Booked it directly through Best Western website. Confirmed reservation directly with hotel via email There are 3 ways to get from the airport.. Bus is least expensive by far Land taxi next. Both take you to the same place Piazzale Roma, and easy walk to the Olimpia Hotel. The People Mover will take you from the Piazzale Roma to the Cruise terminal. Third and Most expensive is a water taxi which may or may not get you right up to the hotel. PS Almost all of Venice is old, that is what makes it so interesting.

[hiworldtraveler]

Thanks everyone for all of your suggestions!:)

[Carolyn R]

I booked Trip Advisor's #1 Venice hotel for Oct 2013 for 150 euros per night, the Hotel Al Ponte Mocenigo. I will again check my large bag at the Piazzale Rome and take just my carryon to the hotel, no bridges. Several small hotels are already fully booked for that Royal TA.

[I object 2]

Being 1st time visitors to Venice and directionally challenged (lol), we're looking for a 3-4 star hotel close to St. Mark's square. Any recommendations from those of you who have stayed in Venice proper in past travels?

[euro cruiser]

We enjoyed the Cavalletto e Doge Orseolo (http://www.cavallettoedogeorseolo.it/), just off the piazza.