Arrival in Venice: Two Ladies with Luggage

[MrsMuir]

This may have been answered but I can't find a recent post like it.

 

I'm trying to decide if two healthy women in their late '60s can manage taking the Alilaguna Line to our hotel, or if we should splurge on a water taxi.

 

Last year DH and I had the delight of taking a water taxi, just the two of us, all the way from the airport to our hotel's water entrance just off the Grand Canal. We didn't realize at that time that the Sta. Maria Del Giglio stop is about 500 feet from the front door of our hotel (Hotel Ala). In other words, there are no bridges to drag suitcases over. The stop is on the Orange line map.

 

We will be arriving in early October during the daytime. Will the Alilaguna boat be crowded and make it difficult to handle our two pieces of hand luggage and two suitcases? My suitcase always weighs in at just under 50lbs. Without the help of my brawny DH, I'm concerned we'll get all flustered dragging our cases on and off.

 

Your thoughts and advice, please, Venetian cruisers.

 

Mrs Muir

[slidergirl]

Only you and your friend know your physical limits. I'm in my 60s now, and I still do my own bags. Even on a 3 week trip, I'll keep the "big bag" to about 35-38 lbs. If I can't lift it myself into an overhead, it is too heavy and I pare it down.

I have only done Venice once, but I did the vaporetto from the train station to the stop for my hotel (the Regina/Europa). I did have 2 bridges to cross with the bag. If you don't have bridges, I'm thinking you'll be fine. Try filling your bag at home and practice getting up a step or two (perhaps your front door steps) or lifting it into the back seat of your car. See how that goes.

[Chloe1500]

I'm thinking SliderGirl is right. Pare it down so you can handle your own bag. Then, you'll have no worries anywhere.

[CathyCruises]

All of this depends on where you're coming from. Will it be at the airport, or the cruise port? Not sure if you would need to transfer from the Blue Line to the Orange line. . .

 

I am also in my early 60s and have no trouble managing my own luggage, in and out of rental cars, trains, Alilaguna, etc.

[lisiamc]

We've taken Alilaguna once, and all we had to do was take the suitcases to the edge of the dock. A crew man put them on board. He was grouping luggage for each stop, to make things more efficient. When we arrived, he took them off again, and put them on the dock. We handled them from there.

[Gourmet Gal]

A few thoughts...

 

If you become flustered, it will be for only a few moments, right?

 

Almost 50 lbs. seems really heavy for any length trip especially with a smaller tote! I have two suggestions: edit your packing and start some weight training. There are several threads on these boards that have fantastic suggestions for packing light. You really can travel for an unlimited number of weeks with a small bag and a carry-on suitcase, believe it or not. As for weight training, well every lady should be doing it to preserve bone mass and to not depend on any man to "do the heavy lifting".

 

Then again, if you have the means then a water taxi is a lovely way to go!

[MrsMuir]

Thank you, everyone, for your helpful comments. I do lift my suitcase when DH is not handy, and I lift weights 4 days a week during exercise classes. One man in the class, in fact, told me that I was "excessively fit."

 

My traveling companion has the advantage of packing lighter than I do. So I will curb my clothes-horse tendencies and try to lighten up!

 

Mrs M

[Gourmet Gal]

Brava!

[Earl Rosebery]

The orange line leaves every 30 minutes at 15 and 45 past. It takes 50 minutes to Giglio. So it could be up to 90-120 minutes from touchdown to the door of your hotel. If that's OK, go for it.

[lahlah57]

Thank you, everyone, for your helpful comments. I do lift my suitcase when DH is not handy, and I lift weights 4 days a week during exercise classes. One man in the class, in fact, told me that I was "excessively fit."

 

My traveling companion has the advantage of packing lighter than I do. So I will curb my clothes-horse tendencies and try to lighten up!

 

Mrs M

 

By the looks of it you are in great shape...lol.....all the way around....no worries:p

[cadburysmom]

A few years ago, the Viator website offered a somewhat decent rate for a "shared" water taxi. We gave flight info a week before and the water taxi was waiting for us when we landed. We shared it with two other couples going to two other hotels. We were the last to be dropped off but saw it as an advantage as we just loved riding through all the back canals. I think we paid around $30-35 per person.

 

The hotel I have come to use most is the Paganelli, near St. Mark's Square overlooking the lagoon and literally only a few yards from the the San Zacarria vaporetto stop, where the Blu Alilaguna also stops...no bridges to drag luggage up and over.

 

Enjoy Venice!

Edited July 11, 2015 by cadburysmom