Disembark MSC cruise in Marghera - how?

[perakcruiser]

3 hours ago, notley-cruise said:

I believe Water bus arrangement includes a free transfer to old cruise terminal for self guided excursion option, but can't say for sure, as we embarked and disembarked in Venice. 

Thank you.

[Stockjock]

I'm not sure if this will be helpful, as last year we did a Celebrity cruise from "Venice" that actually departed from Ravenna.

In our case, we paid for a private water taxi to take us from our hotel (3 nights pre-cruise) to that Maritime Transit Center (or whatever it's called).  There were people movers and other ways to get there, but the water taxi dropped us off on the docks, very close to where the bus departed from.  Not sure what MSC offers, but we paid for Celebrity's sponsored transportation to the port and it worked out very well.

When we flew into Venice airport (VCE), we booked a water taxi from the airport to our hotel's private dock.  This is a bit more expensive, but really nice and scenic.  However, during high tide, water taxis cannot get under some of the bridges in Venice, and so they had to drop us off at the closest public station and we lugged our bags to the hotel, which wasn't a piece of cake due to bridges/stairs/cobblestones and the fact that we don't travel light, but that's what we dealt with.

Again, this may or may not be helpful, since we were departing from "Venice", and on another cruise line, but if it doesn't help you, perhaps it will help someone else.

Edited April 16 by Stockjock

[Paula05278]

7 hours ago, Stockjock said:

I'm not sure if this will be helpful, as last year we did a Celebrity cruise from "Venice" that actually departed from Ravenna.

In our case, we paid for a private water taxi to take us from our hotel (3 nights pre-cruise) to that Maritime Transit Center (or whatever it's called).  There were people movers and other ways to get there, but the water taxi dropped us off on the docks, very close to where the bus departed from.  Not sure what MSC offers, but we paid for Celebrity's sponsored transportation to the port and it worked out very well.

When we flew into Venice airport (VCE), we booked a water taxi from the airport to our hotel's private dock.  This is a bit more expensive, but really nice and scenic.  However, during high tide, water taxis cannot get under some of the bridges in Venice, and so they had to drop us off at the closest public station and we lugged our bags to the hotel, which wasn't a piece of cake due to bridges/stairs/cobblestones and the fact that we don't travel light, but that's what we dealt with.

Again, this may or may not be helpful, since we were departing from "Venice", and on another cruise line, but if it doesn't help you, perhaps it will help someone else.

Thanks a lot! 🙂

[VTVT]

MSC's official website shows very poor information on the disembarkation process at Venezia Marghera. When MSC Armonia arrived at Venezia Marghera in April, 2024, all the passengers had to use the tender boats to go to Venezia Marittima Terminal. Tender boating started at around 9:30 am and ended at around 11:35 am. Priority went to the transfer users going to VCE airport or Venezia-Mestre train station (9:30), MSC Diamond members (9:45) and the guests using the highest deck (9:55). The higher decks they used, the faster they got on the tender boats. The guests using the lowest deck were the last groups (11:25, 11:30 and 11:35).

 

At Venezia Marittima Terminal, they had around five options.

 

First, they could purchase the transfer services, in advance at the ship's excursion desk, bound for either VCE airport or Venezia-Mestre train station. The passengers using these transfer services could get on the first tender boat at 9:30 am which arrived at Venezia Marittima Terminal at around 10:10 am. I collected my luggage, got on the bus for Venezia-Mestre train station, waited a bit for the other transfer users and arrived at the station at around 10:40 am. The bus for the airport might have arrived at VCE at around 11:00 am. This was an extremely lucky case. There were so many variables that could delay the tender boat and transfer processes.

 

Second, they could join some excursions (purchased in advance) at Venezia Marittima Terminal.

 

Third, they could take the free port bus for a short ride to the entrance of Venezia Marittima Terminal where they could take local buses or walk on the bridge.

 

Fourth, they could go to Venezia-Piazzale Roma bus station or Venezia-Santa Lucia train station or nearby water taxi/bus stations on their own. 

 

Fifth, they could wait for taxis or use their own private transfers at Venezia Marittima Terminal.

[Nikita4]

I was last week on an MSC Lirica Cruise from Marghera. 
The Embarkation was smooth from the Venice Cruise Terminal (Stazione Maritima di Venezia). They send the Luggage by bus to the Ship. The Pax had to check in in the Terminal like for a normal cruise and then board a big Tender boat to the Marghera industrial Port. This take 30 minutes with the Tender. One hour after we were in the cruise terminal we ware on the ship. But we had Priority (Diamond Member and Aurea Suite). For normal pax there was a longer line at the check in, perhaps 30 min more?

Disembarkation:
The Ship docked a 8am in Marghera, or half an hour earlier. They began at 7.45 am with Group 1 to disembark. First the handicaped people, then Diamond and other they want do go early, then Aurea and then the rest of the ship. The last regular Group were at 10 am. 
You disembark like from a normal cruise, go by foot to the luggage tent in the industrial port, pass customs/Guardia di Finanza (we were in one non-EU country) and then you go with your luggage to a shuttle bus back to the Venice Cruise Terminal, where you left the bus and there are taxis, the people Mover or you can walk to piazalle Roma or the train station.
It take also 1 hour from then we left our cabin to the train station. Very smooth and well organzied. 

There are also transfers to the airport or Venezia Mestre train station, not Venezia St. Lucia train station or a luggage service to Venezia St. Lucia (15 Euro/Luggage).

Guests who stayed on the ship the had more options for excursions or a  espresso shuttle boat service to Venezia San Marco for 40 or 45 Euro/Person.