Venice Taxi Price & Suite Priority Questions

[twoatsea]

1st issue - We disembark in Venice on Nov. 15, 2008 (Splendour). Our ship is scheduled to dock at 6:30 a.m; our flight is scheduled to leave at 11:30 a.m. I have a couple of questions, please -

 

1. In your opinion or experience, what time do you think the first passengers will be allowed to disembark - an hour, 2 hours, ? We will do the "carry own luggage off", so will be among the first.

 

2. What is the approximate taxi cost from the cruise port to Marco Polo Airport for 3 adults with 1 checked bag & 1 backpack each? A private driver is 69 euros total; want to compare prices.

 

3. I saw a post that there were not enough taxis. Anyone disembark there & notice?

 

2nd issue - We are sharing a tour in Ephesus with another couple. They are not in a suite. If I am correct, we (in a suite) can get priority disembarkation & leave the ship among the first. Can we get passes for the other couple? Can they slip off with us without passes? Or....since there is not a tender, there probably aren't any passes; we probably just all walk off early & together? If so, does that mean that everyone on the ship starts lining up hours before we dock & it's a madhouse? But then what about the ship tour groups - they are supposed to get off first aren't they?

 

What's your opinion about what is the earliest time that we will probably be able to get off of the ship - docks at 8 a.m. in Kusadasi. Trying to set up a tour meeting time.

 

Thanks :)

[nparmelee]

Kusadasi is usually not a tender port, easy walk off so you should have no problems with the other couple for that. I think we docked at 8:00 and were off and met by our guide at 8:30.

[CruzR887]

Returned from Splendor in June. Assuming the ship is on time you can get off the and be at the airport well before 8. If you're concerned about the availbility of taxi's take th ship transfer. It's spendy, but it will get you off the ship and to the airport with time to spare.

 

Go to the purser's desk and tell you have an early flight and you'll be among the first off the ship.

 

Getting off at a tender port usually has those with ship's excursions getting off first. A lot of people do their own tours and everybody seems to make it. One of the nice things about a smaller ship is that it seems easier to get everyone off, at least in my experience.

 

Have a great cruise.

[MercedMike]

I second the motion to take the ship's transfers. Venice is a confusing, expensive place. It is so much easier to let the ship handle it for you.

 

You will have no problems disembarking and meeting your guide in Kusadasi. The priority passes only apply in tender ports. The guides know what time the ship arrives and keep an eye on it. It is usually safe to schedule a private tour for half an hour after the ship is scheduled to arrive.

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

[twoatsea]

Thanks everyone for your replies - really appreciate it. Elsewhere, found a post by someone who just returned from a cruise to Venice & they walked to Piazzle Roma & took the bus to the airport. That is another option, but only if there is not a taxi for us.

 

The private car at 69 euros seems high. The RCCL bus doesn't seem as fast & easy as the taxi. We can disembark first by carrying off our own luggage. That will be faster because the bus people have to wait until we disembark & wait for the bus to fill. So, I think we will stick with the early disembarkation & hope for a taxi.

 

THanks again.

[Islanderman]

Last month, we took a taxi from the port to the Courtyard, which is a couple of minutes from the airport.

We disembarked at 9, picked up our luggage, waited a few minutes for a taxi and were in our room by about 10. The taxi was metered and came to about 30 euro. There was no extra charge for our luggage (two medium/large bags and two carryons).

You also don't need to get to the airport too early. They weren't posting check-in locations until about 2 hours before departure.

This was just our experience and we didn't have to catch a flight. I would guess that catching a flight would have heightened our sense of urgency and we would have given ourselves plenty of time to get to the airport or we might even have decided to take the ship's shuttle.

 

Rich