Rhapsody from Venice

[glittergal1]

We are sailing next year on Rhapsody of the seas which has a sail away from Venice at 5pm . We have a flight into Venice (flight booked with RCI) which lands at 10.30am what would be the earliest time we could board the ship?

If we are on early enough can we check in board but then get off again to go and look around Venice for a couple of hours and go back before sailaway? or when we get to the port can we leave our luggage with RCI and not check in or board and go straight away around Venice ? what time would we need to be back on board?

[Norwich Cruiser]

Probably board about 11.00 to 11.30.

The windjammer and bars will be open if you wanted to grab something to eat before getting off the ship for a couple of hours or you could just leave your luggage with RCI check in and go straight into Venice.

Easy way is via the people mover five minute walk from the port to Piazza Roma about €1.50 and takes about two minutes.You could then walk through to St Marks around the little streets and will take about an hour.

Or get the Anguilla ferry boat straight to St Marks about €8 each way this would be best if you only want to see St Marks and quickest takes about fifteen minutes but in two hours you will only have time for a quick walk round it.

You would probably have to be back on board by 4.00 pm.

[sandancer]

We were on an RCI flight this year and waited for over an hour at the airport in Rome while everyone collected bags before being loaded onto buses. We had to wait until the bus was full before we left for the ship. When we arrived at the port we were kept on the bus for a further 45 mins as the terminal was full. I'm only telling you this so you can be prepared. I hope that the transfers in Venice are much quicker for you.

 

 

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[sandpebble]

From our previous journeys, i believe the cruise port is on an island accessible by vaporretti only ? We are arriving a day or two early and staying in Venice..

 

 

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[barneyboy]

From our previous journeys, i believe the cruise port is on an island accessible by vaporretti only ? We are arriving a day or two early and staying in Venice..

 

 

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The cruise port is accessible by bus.

 

 

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[Miryam1234]

From our previous journeys, i believe the cruise port is on an island accessible by vaporretti only ? We are arriving a day or two early and staying in Venice..

 

 

Not true; you can access the cruise port even by taxi.

 

Cheapest way from airport to cruise port is to take the airport bus to Piazzale Roma, then take the People Mover, and walk the last 500 m to reach your ship/dock. The walk is easy enough, if you you can roll your luggage.

[heatherb1958]

Hi there,

We got off Rhapsody 2 days ago with the flights and transfers included with RCI. They were free with the cruise when we booked last year.

First of all Venice Marco Polo airport is undergoing a major redevelopment which is going to take 5 years according to an airport employee I asked. I only say this because it was a fair walk to where the RCI buses were waiting adding to the time taken to get to ship. Plus on our return journey there was an accident on the causeway backing up the traffic into Venice.

 

We were on the Jet2 flight from Manchester leaving at 7.30 am. Venice was an hour ahead so by the time we landed , gone through passport control, collected our bags ,waited for the organisation to the bus and got to the ship it was probably 1.30pm . I know we did not have to wait for the cabins to open when we got on the ship.

In Europe guests have to be checked in and onboard 90 mins before scheduled departure so that would be 3.30pm if sailing at 5pm.

So here is your question, could you appreciate Venice in approx 2 hours?

The ship was docked at the furthest away berth on departure but the closest to the People Mover on arrival. This all adds to your time availability.

If you have never been before I can understand you wanting to see something but I would prefer to go for a long weekend to appreciate Venice without the tourists crowds in the evening.

Edited September 28, 2016 by heatherb1958

[sandancer]

Not true; you can access the cruise port even by taxi.

 

 

 

Cheapest way from airport to cruise port is to take the airport bus to Piazzale Roma, then take the People Mover, and walk the last 500 m to reach your ship/dock. The walk is easy enough, if you you can roll your luggage.

 

 

The OP will have transfers included if taking an RC flight inclusive package. I would think it would be OK to abandon the transfer and take a taxi or bus as long as the RC airport rep was aware and didn't hold up the bus waiting for them. (I'll bet that wouldn't be the first time either).

 

 

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[sandpebble]

Thank you for your provided information.

Granted its been a while since we've been in Venice...'people mover' is

Something 'new' to us, need a bit more info from P Roma to dock..

 

 

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[Norwich Cruiser]

When you get to Piazza Roma simply walk over the road to the people mover you cannot miss it, it is like a monorail it's about €1.50 and takes two minutes to travel to the port after getting off it is then a very easy five minute walk over flat ground to the ship.

We have sailed from Venice many times and it is so easy doing it this way and if you arrive at the port by 11.00am you can be on board within fifteen minutes.

Personally I would not get off again and try to visit Venice just to much to do and see but as a previous poster has said I would if you can take the extra option of staying for a few days there as Venice is very busy and tiring.

[Hoopster95]

Thank you for your provided information.

Granted its been a while since we've been in Venice...'people mover' is

Something 'new' to us, need a bit more info from P Roma to dock..

 

How to get to the people mover from the pier

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=44387619&highlight=people+mover#post44387619

[polymedia]

Just got off Vision in Venice. One of the most interesting things about boarding is that most people here do it late so they can hang in the city longer. As a result, boarding's a breeze and the Windjammer is fairly empty. I think I was on the ship at 10:30.

 

Vision even had a program that allowed you to debark as late as 3PM for an extra $39 (if I remember correctly). Usually they want to get you off ASAP but it would probably be a ghost ship if that happened.

 

This may be the only port in the world where this occurs.

[Hoopster95]

We are sailing next year on Rhapsody of the seas which has a sail away from Venice at 5pm . We have a flight into Venice (flight booked with RCI) which lands at 10.30am what would be the earliest time we could board the ship?

If we are on early enough can we check in board but then get off again to go and look around Venice for a couple of hours and go back before sailaway? or when we get to the port can we leave our luggage with RCI and not check in or board and go straight away around Venice ? what time would we need to be back on board?

 

So lets assume the plane does in fact land exactly at 10:30am... takes 5-10min to taxi to it's gate, another 10min to stand in your seat waiting for everyone in front of your to grab overhead luggage, walk through the terminal to baggage claim, actually receive your luggage, then take you luggage out of the terminal to the taxi stand... minimum 30 minutes yes? Absolute minimum.

 

Taxi will be your one and only option here due to the speed you require. The taxi will take right to the entrance of the port. Let's say this travel time is about 20min minimum.

 

Check in luggage to porters... I would recommend checking in here so that you are entered into the manifest. I believe that in North America you must be checked in 90min before sailaway, but I have also seen reported it's 60 minutes. Regardless, rushing back from venice, you do not want to miss check-in. There was a post several months ago of a Miami family site-seeing Miami on embarkation day. They did not check in first before site seeing for the day, then were late getting to the pier for the 60min manifest. They were not allowed to board even though the ship was still there. Ok ... luggage and check-in minimum 30 minutes.

 

Now what's the best way to get to St Mark's? The Blue line Aquilina Vaporetto that is located right at the cruise pier.

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

http://www.alilaguna.it/en/lines/lines-map

So a 5-10min walk to the ticket booth, perhaps a 5-10min wait to load the boat, another 25min to get over to St Marks. Minimum time frame here.

 

Let's add all the above times = approx 2 hours from landing on the tarmac to standing at St Mark's. This is the absolute very best you will do, under every possible best circumstance with no delays anywhere, and you need to be savvy and quick with your travels (ie, getting into and out of the taxi, you have little luggage for mobility, etc etc) will be you'll be standing in St Mark's by 12:30pm.

 

Do you know exactly when you have to be aboard for muster drill? I would find out before making the following decision... let's assume You have to be back onto the ship 60min before sailaway at 4pm. I would thus leave St. Mark's no later than 3pm (ie. catching the blue line back, waiting for the boat to load, etc etc etc). If you know Venice, you can also quickly walk from St Marks to Piazza Roma in 30min, another 15 min to get onto the people mover and walk to the pier.

 

This gives you 2 1/2 hours in St. Marks. Can you do it? I don't know... I don't know you, your age, fitness level, savvy of getting around, I personally know exactly where to go in this scenario so I'm pretty sure it can be done... but for only 2 1/2 hours? Now add likely a good 1/2 hour to 1 hour of "miscellaneous" time.... ie. your luggage doesn't come out right away, the plane lands 10min late, the check-in line at the pier takes 1/2 hour to get through, etc... Now you're at 2 hours in St. Mark's, plus the obligation of checking your watch at all times to ensure you get back to the ship for sailaway.

 

Hate to say it, but I think this is not do-able in your position and it's poor planning to be honest. Can you change your flight to the day before so that you can enjoy an outstanding day and evening in Venice pre-cruise? Or even a full day post-cruise?

 

Whatever you choose, have a fantastic cruise! :D

[glittergal1]

Hi and thank you to everyone for their views and opinions,

We have been to Venice before staying in an apartment a few minutes walk from Piazza Roma so the idea was that if we did have a couple of hours in Venice before we had to be on the ship then we would just have a wander around the Santa Croce and Dorsoduro area .

I just wondered what was the earliest time for boarding as we dont really want to be sat in the port for a couple of hours waiting to board when we could be enjoying Venice

[Hoopster95]

Hi and thank you to everyone for their views and opinions,

We have been to Venice before staying in an apartment a few minutes walk from Piazza Roma so the idea was that if we did have a couple of hours in Venice before we had to be on the ship then we would just have a wander around the Santa Croce and Dorsoduro area .

I just wondered what was the earliest time for boarding as we dont really want to be sat in the port for a couple of hours waiting to board when we could be enjoying Venice

 

Ah!!!... so you know Venice!

That's great... you can totally hang out in the city close to Piazza Roma and Santa Croce. Probably earliest Rhapsody allow boarding is between 10:30am-11am (ship dependent, port dependent). Regardless, I estimate your arrival at port at the very earliest to be around 11:30am so you'll be able to get right on the ship if you decide not to walk around Venice.

 

Regarding the Blue Line Vaporetto... on cruise port stops they do a non-stop route from Marittima to St Mark's. I have no clue if they do that when ships that are home ported. Something to perhaps email them or call them for clarification if you wish to get to St Marks for a couple of hours.

 

Have a great cruise! :D

[glittergal1]

Thanks fingers crossed that we will be able to get on board as soon as we arrive that should give us a good few hours to wander around Santa Croce and Dorsoduro :) We didnt have time to go to the Jewish Ghetto on our last visit so this is a possibility , Ive been to St Marks a few times now so will give that a miss.

[bruceybabe]

We are booked on Rhapsody next year June have not got the flight times yet but assume will probably be same as you we live in Blackpool so expect to fly jet2 also, what time was your return flight? Marco Polo airport can be a bit of a nightmare I know so did you have plenty of time to spare and how was your cruise I understand that Rhapsody is going into dry dock in December so should be freshened up when we go.

[glittergal1]

We are booked on Rhapsody next year June have not got the flight times yet but assume will probably be same as you we live in Blackpool so expect to fly jet2 also, what time was your return flight? Marco Polo airport can be a bit of a nightmare I know so did you have plenty of time to spare and how was your cruise I understand that Rhapsody is going into dry dock in December so should be freshened up when we go.

 

We dont sail until July next year so you will go first :) do you know what is being done during dry dock ?

[heatherb1958]

We are booked on Rhapsody next year June have not got the flight times yet but assume will probably be same as you we live in Blackpool so expect to fly jet2 also, what time was your return flight? Marco Polo airport can be a bit of a nightmare I know so did you have plenty of time to spare and how was your cruise I understand that Rhapsody is going into dry dock in December so should be freshened up when we go.

 

I am going to guess that the question was aimed at me since I mentioned Jet2 .:)

The return flight was 11.40am.

[cc-riderslc]

Three weeks ago we arrived at the pier to board the Rhapsody at 11am. There was no line or delay to check in so only about 20 minutes elapsed between arrival and being completely checked in. We were given a number 7 and were asked to sit down until our number was called to board. That really only took about 5 minutes as they were already on number 5. So we were onboard by 11:30. We ate lunch, put our bags in our stateroom at 1pm when it became available and disembarked the ship. Like you we weren't interested in going to San Marco (we were staying over 2 days post cruise) so we made the easy walk to the people mover and for 1.5 Euro made the one way trip to Piazzale Roma. Once off the train we turned left, crossed the big bridge and ended up near the train station. That street in front of the train station has lots going on. Shops, restaurants, Gelato stores, etc. We spent about an hour and a half there in the area and then repeated the process in reverse back to the ship. It is exciting to be in Venice so this was just fun and a good way to get our bearings before the post cruise stay.

[glittergal1]

Three weeks ago we arrived at the pier to board the Rhapsody at 11am. There was no line or delay to check in so only about 20 minutes elapsed between arrival and being completely checked in. We were given a number 7 and were asked to sit down until our number was called to board. That really only took about 5 minutes as they were already on number 5. So we were onboard by 11:30. We ate lunch, put our bags in our stateroom at 1pm when it became available and disembarked the ship. Like you we weren't interested in going to San Marco (we were staying over 2 days post cruise) so we made the easy walk to the people mover and for 1.5 Euro made the one way trip to Piazzale Roma. Once off the train we turned left, crossed the big bridge and ended up near the train station. That street in front of the train station has lots going on. Shops, restaurants, Gelato stores, etc. We spent about an hour and a half there in the area and then repeated the process in reverse back to the ship. It is exciting to be in Venice so this was just fun and a good way to get our bearings before the post cruise stay.

 

Hello thank you for posting this is exactly what We were hoping we could do too

[Biker19]

Like you we weren't interested in going to San Marco (we were staying over 2 days post cruise) so we made the easy walk to the people mover and for 1.5 Euro made the one way trip to Piazzale Roma.

Be advised that if you have a ticket from another public transport (like the bus from the airport), that ticket will work for the people mover as well and don't need to buy a ticket.

[Phyillbabe]

We r leaving on sept 23, 2017, any advice on where to stay, eat etc. thanks

[glittergal1]

Are you looking for some where to stay before a cruise? or after a cruise? how many days?

[Phyillbabe]

Hi glitter gal, we r looking to stay Before the cruise, any suggestions abt Venice would be helpful. Thanks

 

 

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