Two viking cruise questions

[david46]

We are doing the Mediterranean Odyssey Venice to Barcelona in 2019. When we fly into Venice we would like to buy some liquor

before we get onto:cool: the ship. I was thinking of the Duty Free shop in the airport. Is that the best place to get it and carry it on?

 

My other question is that I use a C-PAP machine, will Viking give me Distilled Water to use while on board? If not where can I get it?

[WAVTAM]

Distilled water readily available.

On your Venice arrival. Are you doing transfers thru Viking??

If so , see if they will let you off at Piazza Roma and walk to COPA store and any and all things you will need for on board. Can then just take People Mover to ship.

 

If not then the transfer thru AVTO will drop you there.

[H2Otstr]

We are doing the Mediterranean Odyssey Venice to Barcelona in 2019. When we fly into Venice we would like to buy some liquor

before we get onto:cool: the ship. I was thinking of the Duty Free shop in the airport. Is that the best place to get it and carry it on?

 

My other question is that I use a C-PAP machine, will Viking give me Distilled Water to use while on board? If not where can I get it?

 

If you have a connection before flying to Venice and have the time, shop at the duty free shop at that airport. We did that on our last cruise and it saved us time walking around tying to find a liquor store. The bottle was handed to us before we boarded the plane on our last stop.

[david46]

Thank you. Stopping thru Frankfurt on the way to Venice. Do think its better there then the Airport ion Venice? Yes we are traving thru Viking air.

[H2Otstr]

Thank you. Stopping thru Frankfurt on the way to Venice. Do think its better there then the Airport ion Venice? Yes we are traving thru Viking air.

 

Not sure if you have to pay a tax in Venice. I don't shop duty free very often, but since Venice is your last stop you might. They ask for your boarding pass when purchasing any item when in transit. Most of the duty free shops have the same prices.

[suspaul]

If you’re using Viking transfers, you may not have time to search for duty free on arrival in Venice, I know we didn’t. Just a thought. Also, like H2Otstr said, I’d try to pick it up in Frankfurt if you have layover time. Enjoy your cruise.

 

 

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[kentchris]

Thank you. Stopping thru Frankfurt on the way to Venice. Do think its better there then the Airport ion Venice? Yes we are traving thru Viking air.

It's not clear why you think you'll find a duty free shop in Arrivals at Venice. Not every airport has one and they always carry a much smaller selection than the duty free shops in Departures, they're generally a distress purchase option for people who couldn't buy at their departure airport. Your best bet is Frankfurt if you don't have enough time to shop landside at Venice before your transfer.

[just_dont]

Huge Duty-Free shop in Frankfurt

 

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[WAVTAM]

Convivence yes , but no duty free shop is a deal.

I would take transfers direct to ship and then immediacy take People Mover to COPA . Can buy everything in 45 minutes and get anything you want.

[roothy123]

When we were there, there was a "Coop" store near the vaporettos at Piazalle Roma. Maybe that's the "COPA" someone mentioned above, or maybe the COPA is different and closer; don't know. As you walk along the waterfront with the vaporetto stations on your right, the Coop store will be on your left, toward end of block. The name is on the building, so it's fairly easy to spot. I didn't go in it, so don't know if they have distilled water, but I would guess they would. Here's a photo of the store and building, taken from Google Earth a year or two ago:

http://www.pbase.com/roothy123/image/161060387

[david46]

thanks to all for the help. Cruise on.

[WAVTAM]

When we were there, there was a "Coop" store near the vaporettos at Piazalle Roma. Maybe that's the "COPA" someone mentioned above, or maybe the COPA is different and closer; don't know. As you walk along the waterfront with the vaporetto stations on your right, the Coop store will be on your left, toward end of block. The name is on the building, so it's fairly easy to spot. I didn't go in it, so don't know if they have distilled water, but I would guess they would. Here's a photo of the store and building, taken from Google Earth a year or two ago:

http://www.pbase.com/roothy123/image/161060387

 

 

Sorry..... COOP is correct....where did I get COPA???

[Bubblechaser]

We are thinking about spending two nights on our own in Venice prior to the cruise. We are debating about booking the Viking pre cruise package or making our own arrangements. If we make our own arrangements for the hotel, what is the best way to get to the cruise terminal (thinking about booking a hotel next to one of the canals, so a water taxi could be a possibility). And, if we book the pre-cruise package, I'm wondering if transfers will be included since we are making our own flight arrangements. Any thoughts?

[Dauntless]

We are thinking about spending two nights on our own in Venice prior to the cruise. We are debating about booking the Viking pre cruise package or making our own arrangements. If we make our own arrangements for the hotel, what is the best way to get to the cruise terminal (thinking about booking a hotel next to one of the canals, so a water taxi could be a possibility). And, if we book the pre-cruise package, I'm wondering if transfers will be included since we are making our own flight arrangements. Any thoughts?

 

I'm a little confused but that's nothing new. On your own is definitely cheaper than Viking. We recently finished the Mediterranean Odyssey cruise and finished in Venice with our on our own extension. We used Viking for air as the was $500 off each person's ticket and their starting price was equivalent of going rate. We were extending so we did pay and extra $100 each but that's still a $400 saving each. If you extend and don't use Viking for your air, there will be no transfers. If you don't stay with Viking extension then there are no transfers. Vapperetto on Grand Canal is reasonable and can drop you off about a block from the parking garage for the Cruise Terminal. From there, take the people mover(monorail) to the port. We walked the night we arrived in Venice to find the hotel and it is rather contrived and certainly not easy to navigate with luggage. When we found our hotel, they said the easiest way is the people mover. So our hotel, people mover and Vapperetto stop were equidistant from each other in a triangle layout. The train station is just across a bridge from the Vaperetto stop. We were departing Venice by train so that was important(we extended to Switzerland and came back from Zurich) and the main bus transit center is right there as well. A head's up the Vaperetto will stop in front of train station and at the afore mentioned Vaperetto stop on the other side of the canal. Easier than carting luggage across the big bridge and I believe it was about 7 Euros.

[roothy123]

In response to Bubblechaser's question, does anyone know if private water taxis are allowed to go right into the port? I know the Alilaguna water boats (vaporettos) go in there, but that's about all I know! Whatever you do, when you book a hotel, I would try to figure out where the ACTV (city vaporettos) and Alilaguna (another company) water boats stop, and how much you will need to walk to get there from your hotel. Also try to find out if you will have to walk over a long bridge with luggage. Then there are the water taxis, which are a third way to get around, but more expensive than the other two types of boats. If you want to take a private water taxi from the airport to the hotel or from the hotel to the port, find out where you would meet the water taxi, and where it would drop you - port? Piazelle Roma for the People Mover? As you probably figured out already, you need to be right on the water to make a water taxi workable, or else you may end up dragging luggage around.

 

There's lots more info on getting around in the Ports of Call section of the Cruise Critic boards.

 

As you can see, things are a bit complicated in Venice. If you want to minimize complication and stress, you might want to take Viking's extension. It will cost more, but be easier on you.

Edited September 4, 2018 by roothy123

[SWY123]

In response to Bubblechaser's question, does anyone know if private water taxis are allowed to go right into the port? I know the Alilaguna water boats (vaporettos) go in there, but that's about all I know! Whatever you do, when you book a hotel, I would try to figure out where the ACTV (city vaporettos) and Alilaguna (another company) water boats stop, and how much you will need to walk to get there from your hotel. Also try to find out if you will have to walk over a long bridge with luggage. Then there are the water taxis, which are a third way to get around, but more expensive than the other two types of boats. If you want to take a private water taxi from the airport to the hotel or from the hotel to the port, find out where you would meet the water taxi, and where it would drop you - port? Piazelle Roma for the People Mover? As you probably figured out already, you need to be right on the water to make a water taxi workable, or else you may end up dragging luggage around.

 

There's lots more info on getting around in the Ports of Call section of the Cruise Critic boards.

 

As you can see, things are a bit complicated in Venice. If you want to minimize complication and stress, you might want to take Viking's extension. It will cost more, but be easier on you.

 

Last year, on another cruise line, we did our own pre-extension in Venice. We were half a block from a private water taxi dock and used it to go to the port. It dropped us off in the port area where baggage check took our luggage and transported it to the ship. Was very easy. As a bonus, from our hotel, we motors straight down the grand canal passing all the major sights from a canal prospective. Was a great way to get to the port, although more expensive.

[WAVTAM]

Another plan...….Bus from airport to Piazza Roma. Their we book a BNB (but hotels also available).

One can then walk or water taxi into Venice proper. (Saves the luggage hassle....besides... half the cost)