Venice in October, Yes!

[Lois R]

Hi girls, booked a River Cruise on Uniworld for October and sailing out of Venice.....I love Italy and this will be a bit different than a regular river cruise.

This is on the River Po and we go to different ports around Venice, My first river cruise was 3 years ago (omg, where has the time gone) and that was Tulip Time

out of Amsterdam.  This one is "Gems of Northern Italy".  Should be fantastic.  Nice thing, daytime is always touring which is included in the price of the cruise.

And both daytime and evening are casual.   Now I just have to get through the summer and beginning of the fall. I actually looked on line to see what the average

temps in Venice are in October...looks good......mid to upper 60s. Long sleeves and a couple of different sweaters/jacket for touring. I will check again about a

week before I sail and will figure out clothing at that point

[Lois R]

9 minutes ago, Lois R said:

Hi girls, booked a River Cruise on Uniworld for October and sailing out of Venice.....I love Italy and this will be a bit different than a regular river cruise.

This is on the River Po and we go to different ports around Venice, My first river cruise was 3 years ago (omg, where has the time gone) and that was Tulip Time out of Amsterdam.  This one is "Gems of Northern Italy".  Should be fantastic.  Nice thing, daytime is always touring which is included in the price of the cruise. And both daytime and evening are casual attire.  Temps in Oct look to be in the

mid-upper 60s.....awesome!

 

 

I tried to edit the first post but it would not let me....not sure why my sentences are funky. So I am trying to fix them.....weird.

[cruisemom42]

Hi Lois  -- how fantastic!!! 

 

You know how much I love Italy. It sounds like a wonderful trip, and October should be a good time of year for it.  Do be prepared that you occasionally get some rainy days in Venice in October but with luck it will be nice for you. 

 

Meanwhile, I am heading to China in October. (!!!)  It's a land tour, but there is a short river cruise involved, so I guess I can mention it here. 

[Lois R]

Hi Cynthia, yes, you can post about it   I just booked my flights so that is taken care of and I put a deposit down for a hotel one night before the cruise as well.

We are going to places I have never been and so it should be great. 

We go to:

 Chioggia, Polesella (Bologna or Ferrara), Porto Viro, Chioggia, Venice Islands (Burano, Mazzorbo, Torcello) and a final day in Venice before disembarking.   The cruise line offers various tours in each place so I will read up on them

 

 

[frantic36]

Enjoy your cruise Lois, I love Venice. We have our third trip to Venice planned in July, spending five days there. I love Burano and are planning our first trip to Torcella this time. I will be interested to read about your cruise as I am curious about your other port stops. I have been in Venice in July before so I know it is hot, but we like hot weather.😊

 

Cruisemom enjoy your China trip, I haven't made it there yet but it is on the ever growing list. Based on your information we have our Hypogeum tickets booked for when we have a port stop in Valletta. Thanks to you I booked them months ago as they are booked out now.

[Hoyaheel]

Ooh, Venice- adore! Husband would love to go back soon! And China - I love China! Haven't had any work projects there since 2015 :-( We've booked a Mekong river cruise in August so we're going to Vietnam & Cambodia, trying to figure out all our light/UPF/wicking clothing (but that still meets the temple coverage requirements ;-)

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, frantic36 said:

Cruisemom enjoy your China trip, I haven't made it there yet but it is on the ever growing list. Based on your information we have our Hypogeum tickets booked for when we have a port stop in Valletta. Thanks to you I booked them months ago as they are booked out now.

 

Wonderful -- enjoy your trip!!  Valletta has a beautiful harbor; as I'm sure you've heard. Have your camera ready.

[cruisemom42]

48 minutes ago, Hoyaheel said:

Ooh, Venice- adore! Husband would love to go back soon! And China - I love China! Haven't had any work projects there since 2015 😞 We've booked a Mekong river cruise in August so we're going to Vietnam & Cambodia, trying to figure out all our light/UPF/wicking clothing (but that still meets the temple coverage requirements 😉

 

Oh my goodness -- Vietnam and Cambodia in August!  I was barely hanging in there when I was there in February!

 

This will be my first time to China. I'll admit it's not up there with the Mediterranean (home of all things ancient Rome), but I am still very excited about it -- particularly the history and archaeology.

 

By the way, my Hadrian's Wall trip is coming up in June. Finally will be using those (now broken in) hiking shoes. 

[frantic36]

38 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Wonderful -- enjoy your trip!!  Valletta has a beautiful harbor; as I'm sure you've heard. Have your camera ready.

 

We have been lucky enough to have been to Valletta twice before but weirdly enough have never made it to Mdina so it is on the list for this time. I am looking forward to being outside on the ship's deck watching the gorgeous play of light on Valletta's buildings and walls at sunset.

 

Lois, I'm not sure if you have been to Venice before. One thing I do is check the number of cruise ships in Port each day I'm there. Even in October the area around St Mark's Square and Rialto Bridge can be extremely crowded depending on passenger numbers. The hardest part to negotiate is the narrow alleyways between each place and on the Vaporettos. 

 

This may help...

 

https://www.cruisetimetables.com/cruises-to-venice-italy-2019.html

 

I have a couple of heavy ship days while there but have plans to go off the beaten track. 

 

As I'm sure you have read on Italy Ports of call away from these main areas it is much calmer. 

[frantic36]

1 hour ago, Hoyaheel said:

Ooh, Venice- adore! Husband would love to go back soon! And China - I love China! Haven't had any work projects there since 2015 😞 We've booked a Mekong river cruise in August so we're going to Vietnam & Cambodia, trying to figure out all our light/UPF/wicking clothing (but that still meets the temple coverage requirements 😉

 

Enjoy Cambodia and Vietnam Hoya. Like Cruisemom we have only been there in December/January. With regards temple coverage we found short sleeves which covers shoulders and bringing a sarong with us in a bag usually worked. Also really light weight hiking pants. Sometimes if the aircon wasn't working properly, I wasn't keen on bare legs from shorts on sweaty car/bus seats.

[Hoyaheel]

We did an ocean cruise, SIN-HKG, in December 2016 - I like a maxi dress with a wicking button down on top when needed for coverage. That is great for me for "regular" temples (and we were in Bangkok soon after the king's death and it was very modest - all the Thai were mourning and he was still laid out in state at the Grand Palace so we wanted to be especially respectful as we toured there). But for Siem Reap - stairs! - I will probably wear my hiking capris. Though I climbed Meteora in a long skirt, so it can be done ;-)

 

Lois - one of my favorite things in Venice are the refillable wine stores- Nave de Oro. They have barrels full of various wines and you give them a 1 or 2L plastic water bottle (empty ;-) and they'll fill it with whatever variety you want for very few euros.  (we ended a Black Sea cruise in Venice in 2011 and spent a few extra nights in town - not enough for husband, which is why he wants to go back!)

[Lois R]

9 hours ago, frantic36 said:

 

We have been lucky enough to have been to Valletta twice before but weirdly enough have never made it to Mdina so it is on the list for this time. I am looking forward to being outside on the ship's deck watching the gorgeous play of light on Valletta's buildings and walls at sunset.

 

Lois, I'm not sure if you have been to Venice before. One thing I do is check the number of cruise ships in Port each day I'm there. Even in October the area around St Mark's Square and Rialto Bridge can be extremely crowded depending on passenger numbers. The hardest part to negotiate is the narrow alleyways between each place and on the Vaporettos. 

 

This may help...

 

https://www.cruisetimetables.com/cruises-to-venice-italy-2019.html

 

I have a couple of heavy ship days while there but have plans to go off the beaten track. 

 

As I'm sure you have read on Italy Ports of call away from these main areas it is much calmer. 

Hi, actually I was in Venice last summer and I stayed near St Marks Square.  This time I booked a room at the JW MARIOTT....it is on its own little Island....but yes, I know about the crowds. Last year I sailed in August. And being on a River cruise, I am going with them for tours..they are all included in the cruise.  I am arriving 1 day early so I will decide what I want to do. The hotel has a complimentary water taxi that can drop you in town and pick you up.....it is a beautiful resort so I will see if I even leave it for the day.

[cruisemom42]

8 hours ago, Hoyaheel said:

We did an ocean cruise, SIN-HKG, in December 2016 - I like a maxi dress with a wicking button down on top when needed for coverage. That is great for me for "regular" temples (and we were in Bangkok soon after the king's death and it was very modest - all the Thai were mourning and he was still laid out in state at the Grand Palace so we wanted to be especially respectful as we toured there). But for Siem Reap - stairs! - I will probably wear my hiking capris. Though I climbed Meteora in a long skirt, so it can be done 😉

 

Lois - one of my favorite things in Venice are the refillable wine stores- Nave de Oro. They have barrels full of various wines and you give them a 1 or 2L plastic water bottle (empty 😉 and they'll fill it with whatever variety you want for very few euros.  (we ended a Black Sea cruise in Venice in 2011 and spent a few extra nights in town - not enough for husband, which is why he wants to go back!)

 

At Siem Reap I definitely wore capris, and would say it was the common attire. Lots of stairs, as you say, but oh so worth it. How long will you be there?  The site is huge. We stayed for four days and in that time saw most of the well-known temples, but I could happily have stayed much longer.

[Hoyaheel]

24 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

At Siem Reap I definitely wore capris, and would say it was the common attire. Lots of stairs, as you say, but oh so worth it. How long will you be there?  The site is huge. We stayed for four days and in that time saw most of the well-known temples, but I could happily have stayed much longer.

 

In total, I think we have 3 days. Might be an extra 2/3 of a day in there. We get a day and a half of tours with Avalon/the river cruise, then we're staying an extra 2 nights ourselves. But our flight is on the 2nd evening - we just booked the hotel so we could shower & pack & not worry about having to check out....We're pushing about as long as we can stay away at this point, so we'll make the most of what we have!

Edited May 6, 2019 by Hoyaheel

[Brownie54]

Lois,

We stayed at that JW Marriott in Venice, and while lovely, it was at least a 1/2 hour ride by boat to get there. It felt too remote. We would not stay there again. 

 

We also stayed at the Westin on the Grand Canal. The rooms are a little older, but the hotel is charming, and the location is fantastic! We love to get up and walk early, and it was wonderful to visit St. Mark's Square with no one else in it.

 

We will be back in Venice next spring after three segments on Splendor, a new ship being launched by Regent next February. Can't wait!

 

Happy sailing!

 

Sue

[Lois R]

Hi Sue, the photos of the Marriott looks absolutely beautiful (in my opinion).  I will check the Westin but for one night only, I will probably stay where I am.  Where is the Westin? I stayed at the Bauer Palazzo last summer.  I know about the water taxi ride to the hotel. The website says it is about 1/2 hour ride from the airport.

 

Oh, I hope you have a great cruise too

[Hoyaheel]

We stayed at the Hotel Antiche Figure - popular here (when we sailed, at least) because it's walkable from Piazzale Roma. Across the canal from the train station and right on the canal, which was so much fun for my husband. He loved watching the UPS barges delivering ;-) Next time we might try something fancier & more inland - esp if we visit by "land" and not after a cruise.

 

Lois - I think if you're planning some relaxation time at the JW Marriott and you'll have a lot of the touring as part of the river cruise, being further away isn't such a problem. Food can be an issue for me - staying in more remote areas means my food options are limited, but for a day or two, I can usually handle it.

[Lois R]

Hi, the hotel has a water taxi that takes people into town various times per day.  I put a deposit down but that just means I have a room LOL......I can still look around since the reservation is able to be cancelled up to 2 days before I arrive.

If I find something I think is better I can always book it instead.  When I looked at the pictures of that Marriott? OMG.....it is BEAUTIFUL....the grounds look awesome!

[Brownie54]

Sorry I didn't do any research before I recommended the Westin. It's apparently closed for reservations!

No matter where you stay, I'm sure it will be magical! 

 

Sue

[Lois R]

Good morning...well, after much thought, I cancelled my reservation at that Marriott...will do some more research and probably stay in Venice proper.  Hoya, I am going to take a look at your place and go back to my friend Google

[Lois R]

On ‎5‎/‎11‎/‎2019 at 7:47 AM, Hoyaheel said:

We stayed at the Hotel Antiche Figure - popular here (when we sailed, at least) because it's walkable from Piazzale Roma. Across the canal from the train station and right on the canal, which was so much fun for my husband. He loved watching the UPS barges delivering ;-) Next time we might try something fancier & more inland - esp if we visit by "land" and not after a cruise.

 

Lois - I think if you're planning some relaxation time at the JW Marriott and you'll have a lot of the touring as part of the river cruise, being further away isn't such a problem. Food can be an issue for me - staying in more remote areas means my food options are limited, but for a day or two, I can usually handle it.

Me again, did you like this hotel? I am looking at the website...…..looks nice and quite reasonable in price including breakfast.

Would love to know your thoughts....

[waterbug123]

On 5/5/2019 at 1:42 PM, Lois R said:

October and sailing out of Venice.... I actually looked on line to see what the average

temps in Venice are in October...looks good......mid to upper 60s.

 

We often to a land-based trip to Tuscany in October, and either take the train to Venice for a couple of days at the end or last time we just day-tripped Venice one day mid-week.  Obviously the weather can vary but it has always been perfectly pleasant in Venice when we were there, even into the 70's.  If your river cruise takes your further north then I'd expect cooler temps but Venice itself has always had wonderful weather.

[Hoyaheel]

1 hour ago, Lois R said:

Me again, did you like this hotel? I am looking at the website...…..looks nice and quite reasonable in price including breakfast.

Would love to know your thoughts....

 

We really enjoyed it! I'm trying to find my review to see if I wrote anything interesting - I'll update you if I find it (it was 2011, so...)

I do remember we did a 24 hour vaporetto pass and scheduled all the stuff we knew we wanted to do "at a distance" in that time frame. Otherwise we walked/wandered around.

 

I know there were others on our cruise who also stayed there post-cruise, and I'm pretty sure most of us found it via recommendations on the Italy ports of call forum here, so I'd definitely read there and see if there are updated reviews and/or other (newer) recommendations. But Venice can be soooooo expensive and Antiche Figure was reasonable, clean & cute. The rooms were not large. But we were just off Pacific Princess and used to it 😉

Edited May 14, 2019 by Hoyaheel

[Lois R]

9 hours ago, Hoyaheel said:

 

We really enjoyed it! I'm trying to find my review to see if I wrote anything interesting - I'll update you if I find it (it was 2011, so...)

I do remember we did a 24 hour vaporetto pass and scheduled all the stuff we knew we wanted to do "at a distance" in that time frame. Otherwise we walked/wandered around.

 

I know there were others on our cruise who also stayed there post-cruise, and I'm pretty sure most of us found it via recommendations on the Italy ports of call forum here, so I'd definitely read there and see if there are updated reviews and/or other (newer) recommendations. But Venice can be soooooo expensive and Antiche Figure was reasonable, clean & cute. The rooms were not large. But we were just off Pacific Princess and used to it 😉

I would taken your recommendation

[Lois R]

Well, I booked a room at Hotel Antiche Figure......saved me quite a bit of $$$ and looks very nice. I will email the hotel directly about the water taxi to the hotel.

 

Thanks for your recommendation