Venice Excursions From Chioggia

[jc522]

I recently received an email from Viking that states that we are going to dock in Chioggia:

 

You may be aware that the Italian government announced in 2021 that all cruise ships...would be moved to alternate docking locations, outside central Venice, in order to preserve the Venetian Lagoon, which is a national monument.  ....all affected 2023 Viking voyages on your itinerary will now dock in Chioggia (Venice) instead of central Venice. Chioggia is approximately a 1½ hour drive south of the Venetian Lagoon, depending on traffic. To ensure you enjoy time in central Venice, a selection of shore excursions to Venice will be operated from Chioggia. Additionally, a shore excursion program for Chioggia will be made available for booking through My Viking Journey, when your stateroom category is open for selection.

 

It doesn't appear that this is a new situation, so why doesn't Viking make it clear in their description of the Italy, Adriatic and Greece cruise that for those 2.5 days we won't actually be in Venice, but actually 1 1/2 hours away. That's like them saying you are going to Milwaukee but they actually put you up in Chicago.

 

Previous IA&G cruises must have docked in Chioggia. If you were on one of them, please describe the situation relative to maximizing 2.5 days in Venice, as we had hoped to do.

 

 

[OneSixtyToOne]

FYI Viking has added the Scenic Chioggia excursion to their website. Looks like there is also a food tour. 

Edited December 6, 2022 by OneSixtyToOne

[millybess]

22 minutes ago, OneSixtyToOne said:

FYI Viking has added the Scenic Chioggia excursion to their website. Looks like there is also a food tour. 

Thanks so much for this. We’re happy to see that they are adding excursions in Chioggia. The “Included” and then time on our own and the “Taste of Chioggia” are perfect. Looking forward to it. 😊

[Vineyard View]

We are very interested in how this all plays out, so to speak. The exact itinerary you booked is the one I have had on my bucket list for a few years. With the changes happening in Venice, we pivoted for next year to another line and itinerary RT out of Venice. That said, I really want to still take this one in the next couple years depending on how that 2.5 days transpires and evolves. I know that staying in Venice proper prior to or afterwards is the ideal way to see the city (we’ve visited before), so we will do this next Spring, however what the options are during this turn around is an important piece of this specific itinerary, IMHO. 

[philw1776]

Rome2Rio & google maps has it as a ~50 minute drive to/from Venice, not 90 minutes driving time FWIW

[scidee]

We sailed the Jupiter Oct 20 from Chioggia Oct. 20, 2022.  The trip from the Venice airport via Viking bus was over an hour.  Checkin was easy and quick.  In order to take the included excursion in Venice an 1 and a half hour boat ride was required.  We had about 4hrs in Venice before the long return boat ride.  There was a walking tour of Chioggia available however, we didn't take it.

[OneSixtyToOne]

We are doing the pre trip extension in Venice so we are thinking about taking the optional trip to Padua when onboard the ship. Looking at the map, it might be a shorter trip than trying to go into Venice again. Has anyone taken this tour?

[Vineyard View]

It is undoubtedly disruptive with the whole new Venice cruising protocols, regardless of the smaller ship lines such a Viking, and of course recognizing the reasons for this. That said, new substitutions are good to understand better for planning. 
We are taking a RT (different line) that allows time in the city beforehand or after.. I think there are various types of itineraries that have a more impactful experience (such as a 2 1/2 day ‘Venice’ stay),  vs a start or end, or RT in Venice. The specific itinerary OP is discussing is a turnaround with a lot of ‘Venice time’, vs the chance to start or end with time in Venice?  I am learning quite a bit with these responses on how Chioggia impacts the Start, end, or RT pieces…..but the turn around with 2 1/2 days in Choggia is, to me, the puzzle on how that plays out? 

[oskidunker]

Better to just do a land trip to Venice. 

[Earthworm Jim]

On 12/6/2022 at 9:41 AM, philw1776 said:

Rome2Rio & google maps has it as a ~50 minute drive to/from Venice, not 90 minutes driving time FWIW

 

I suspect the 90 minutes refers to the time it takes to get there by water shuttle via the "At a Glance: St. Mark's Square" included tour from the link above. (They actually label it as a transfer rather than a tour)

 

As you point out, if you do it some other way that may change the time it takes to get there.

Edited December 10, 2022 by Earthworm Jim

[philw1776]

18 minutes ago, Earthworm Jim said:

 

I suspect the 90 minutes refers to the time it takes to get there by water shuttle via the "At a Glance: St. Mark's Square" included tour from the link above. (They actually label it as a transfer rather than a tour)

 

As you point out, if you do it some other way that may change the time it takes to get there.

Here is Viking's email...
"Going forward, to support Venice in their goal of preserving the lagoon’s environment, all affected 2023 Viking voyages on your itinerary will now dock in Chioggia (Venice) instead of central Venice. Chioggia is approximately a 1½ hour drive south of the Venetian Lagoon"

[hbtraveler]

When we were driven to Chioggia by private car from Venice (Piazzale Roma) this past summer to board Viking Sky, it took over an hour.  It was on the weekend and Chioggia has a very popular beach.  Traffic was quite heavy as we got close to Chioggia.  I would assume that's why Viking is allowing for a 90 minute drive.

[Socky Sunshine]

We were on the first Viking ship to stop at Chioggia.  Downtown Chioggia is totally closed from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm.  It was not someplace I ever want to go back to.  The people who did the excursion   to Venice (went to Venice and back by boat) were not very happy with how long it took getting there and back, which cut into time in Venice.  We were staying in Venice after the cruise.  A bus took us to the airport and we had to walk a VERY long way to a boat to get to our hotel which was on an island.  The guide walked at a very fast pace and it was a difficult walk for many people.  Hopefully by now they have some golf carts or something for people who have difficulty walking.  We were not please with having to dock at Chioggia and will take a different cruise line if going to Venice in the future.

[BlairsvilleCruiseGirl]

19 hours ago, Socky Sunshine said:

We were on the first Viking ship to stop at Chioggia.  Downtown Chioggia is totally closed from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm.  It was not someplace I ever want to go back to.  The people who did the excursion   to Venice (went to Venice and back by boat) were not very happy with how long it took getting there and back, which cut into time in Venice.  We were staying in Venice after the cruise.  A bus took us to the airport and we had to walk a VERY long way to a boat to get to our hotel which was on an island.  The guide walked at a very fast pace and it was a difficult walk for many people.  Hopefully by now they have some golf carts or something for people who have difficulty walking.  We were not please with having to dock at Chioggia and will take a different cruise line if going to Venice in the future.

Can you easily walk into downtown Chioggia from where the ship docks or do you have to take a shuttle?  

[Socky Sunshine]

They say there is a shuttle, however, the shuttle drops you off in an area not far from the ship and a long way from town.  It is a long walk from there to the main street and we had to ask how to get there.  One reason is because there are bridges over the lagoon so a car can not get to the main street the way we went.  There probably is a way to drive there but the shuttle doesn't do that.

[Mrs Miggins]

Which cruise line do you think docks in Venice ?

[OneSixtyToOne]

9 minutes ago, Mrs Miggins said:

Which cruise line do you think docks in Venice ?

None

https://www.travelagentcentral.com/cruises/italian-decree-bans-cruise-ships-from-venice-august-1-but-alternatives-planned

[Mrs Miggins]

3 hours ago, OneSixtyToOne said:

None

https://www.travelagentcentral.com/cruises/italian-decree-bans-cruise-ships-from-venice-august-1-but-alternatives-planned

Sorry my comment should have been directed to Sockysunshine post 13 who says in future they will take a different cruise line. I know the current situation having docked in Ravenna in April instead of Fusina/Margherita.   Some people obviously do not understand the decisions are made by the local authorities in Venice and not by the individual cruise lines.

[Mrs Miggins]

Love the spell check.  Fusina/Margherita has a festive cocktail sound, nothing like the actual industrial port of Marghera.

[Feinschmecker]

21 hours ago, Mrs Miggins said:

Which cruise line do you think docks in Venice ?

 

Small ships are still allowed to dock in Venice. SeaDream is one such line. 

[Mrs Miggins]

57 minutes ago, Feinschmecker said:

 

Small ships are still allowed to dock in Venice. SeaDream is one such line. 

Yes but of course but SeaDream is "Yachting not Cruising".  We have docked in San Basilio with Azamara but sadly not this year only 600 or so passengers but not the 100 that SeaDream have.  My main point is that many Cruise Lines still state Venice as a port, and even Azamara have said they will be back in Venice proper this year, but I am sure that is dependent on the local Authority who have made last minute changes this year even for Viking.

[Socky Sunshine]

On 12/13/2022 at 5:23 PM, Mrs Miggins said:

Sorry my comment should have been directed to Sockysunshine post 13 who says in future they will take a different cruise line. I know the current situation having docked in Ravenna in April instead of Fusina/Margherita.   Some people obviously do not understand the decisions are made by the local authorities in Venice and not by the individual cruise lines.

I only meant I would take a cruise line that goes somewhere other than Chioggia if I wanted to go to Venice.

[Mrs Miggins]

7 hours ago, Socky Sunshine said:

I only meant I would take a cruise line that goes somewhere other than Chioggia if I wanted to go to Venice.

It's difficult I know.  We went to Ravenna, which we really enjoyed, the famous Mosaics are splendid.  This actually worked well for us as we have been lucky enough to visit Venice and stay in there wonderful hotels over many years, but had never been to Ravenna.   Friends went to Chioggia with Viking but said the long boat transfer for the excursions to Venice severely restricted their time.  Other lines are using Trieste which is also a nice place to visit but not if Venice itself is the actual goal.

The only plan that works at the moment is to stay for at least a few days in wonderful Venice.  That gives the opportunity to experience seeing it at night,  which is magical.

Hope you find an answer. 

[OneSixtyToOne]

Since we’ve been to Venice before and are taking the pre-cruise extension there, we are considering the Viking optional excursion to Padua. From the map it seems like it might be quicker than trying to go back into Venice. Has anyone taken this excursion?

[Mrs Miggins]

Padua is a lovely place to visit.  We just went on the train from Venice so I can't comment on the actual Viking excursion.  Driving time from Chioggia, according to Google maps, is  about an hour.