Piazzale Roma, Venice Qs

[Mapalad]

Hi guys,

 

My wife and I will be taking a 24 day cruise on HAL's MS Oosterdam on July 18, 2009. Unfortunately, the only available flight from our home country (Philippines) arrives at 10:35 pm of July 17, 2009.

 

Can anyone suggest a hotel near the Piazzale Roma/port area? My apprehension is that the embarkation is just a few hours away (noon of July 18, 2009). Is it even advisable to get a hotel? Or can we just wait in the Piazzale Roma area? Are there any waiting 24 hour restaurant in the area?

 

Is the Maritima port walkable from the Piazzale Roma

 

Thanks in advance.

[nparmelee]

I would get a hotel for the night, especially after a long flight. There are a lot of recommendations for hotels in the P. Roma area on this site and on Tripadvisor and Venere.

[rebeccalouise]

I think you should spend the first night at an airport hotel. Will be much cheaper and you will be very tired once you get to Venice island- which is not a late night place at all. Venice pulls up the carpets at midnight.

 

The hotel that appears to be closest to the airport is called the Titian Hotel (it is about $ 100 per night) and is 900 meters from the airport.

 

Then the next day you can get to the ship at your leisure. There is no sense in getting to the ship before 11:30AM. They won't be ready for you until then. I know, I just did this last summer.

[liverpoollad]

My wife and I stayed in Hotel dalla Mora,which is close to Piazza Roma.

It is a budget hotel but gets excellent reviews . Try to get room 15 which has 3 windows overlooking a canal.cost euros83 per room.

http://www.hoteldallamora.it

 

Piazza Roma is 10 mins walk from the hotel & the port is about 20mins walk from Piazza Roma. We waited 50mins for the free shuttle bus & wished we had walked.

Cheers

[agabbymama]

You don't state your ages, but I'm taking a big leap here, with you on HAL that you are a mature couple.

 

My friend is 78 (with walking/mobility issues) and I'm 62. We each had one 25" rolling suitcase and one carry-on. While the bus ride from the cruise terminal to Piazzale Roma was only 5 minutes, there is no way I would have wanted to try and drag my luggage up and down curbs, across busy streets, with bus and vehicle traffic. It was bad enough once we got to Piazzale Roma to have to cross the parking lot in front of the oncoming traffic.

 

We opted to stay right in Piazzale Roma at Hotel Ca' Doge, and did notice another nice looking Hotel Santa Chiara right on the canal across on the other side of the Piazzale. It would be really easy to get a taxi from the airport to the Piazzale Roma to one of these hotels, get some sleep, then in the morning get up (see a little of Venice, if you want, or just a lesiurely breakfast) then take a taxi from Piazzale Roma to the pier. While there are cafes and restaurants at Piazzale Roma, I don't recall seeing anything there that is open 24 hours. And even the airport restaurants aren't open 24 hours, so hanging around the airport wouldn't be doable either, in my opinion.

 

Have a great cruise, I'm so jealous (24 days on HAL)!

[Hlitner]

Since you bring up the issue of elderly couples, keep in mind that many of the smaller Venice hotels (such as Ca Doge) do not have elevators. We recently stayed at the Ca Doge (and we would recommend that hotel to cruisers) but we were on the 3rd floor which meant up and down some steep steps. I would also agree that walking from Piazzale Roma to the port with luggage, should be left to those in pretty good health. We did this a few months ago without much problem, but it was nearly 1/3 mile to get from our hotel to the port terminal buidling...and it was not all flat since we had to go over a bridge.

 

Hank

[agabbymama]

Yes Hank, you are correct. We were on the 2nd floor at Ca' Doge and likewise had those steep stairs to climb. At least they did have someone to take our luggage up and to bring it back down.

 

Santa Chiara has an elevator, and might have been a better option, but I just fell in love with the Ca' Doge from the photos.

[kwk1955]

We have a 7 AM flight out of Venice. We were thinking of staying near Piazza Roma and leaving around 5 AM by bus to the airport. Someone here mentioned taxis at Piazza Roma. I did not realize there were taxis there, just thought there were buses. Does anyone know if there would be one there at 5 AM, or if we could arrange for one there that early ? Thanks so much for the info.

[DrFUN]

We arrive in Venice -- our last port on Holland America -- with an overnight onboard and disembarkation the next morning. We will be picked up by a private driver. I need to know what time to tell him to collect us -- and we don't want to be standing on the pier with our luggage. :eek:

 

Can anyone tell me:

1. Is the ship docked at the Piazzale Roma (in other words, do you just walk off onto the dock) -- and can you get picked up by car there? (I know there's a parking garage nearby.)

2. How early in the morning does disembarkation there take place after an overnight onboard?

 

Thanks,

Mary-Lou

[moyaroo]

One can walk but it is up and down hill and t he sidewalk was not designed for pedestrians let alone baggage.

 

Nicest hotel close to Piazzale Roma is the Sofitel. If I were getting in late at night, I would opt for something like the Courtyard by marriott near the airport, or maybe the Best Western across from the Mestre train station.

[DrFUN]

One can walk but it is up and down hill and t he sidewalk was not designed for pedestrians let alone baggage.

 

Thanks--but then how do we get from the ship to the area where we can get picked up by our driver?

[Kate-AHF]

Find out from HAL if the shuttle from the Pier to P ROma will be operating that day. And while you are at it - ask about how early you can disembark.

 

I know from reading other posts that the shuttle does not run if there is a Princess disembarkation going on. But there is SUPPOSED to be a shuttle operating in the mornings when the ships are in - other than Princess.

[DrFUN]

OK--thanks (but from my experience, the savvy posters here who have actually been there know far more than any of the cruise lines' corporate offices in the U.S.).... ;)

[sea-explorer]

Mary-Lou

 

First of all in Venice, yes you dock, (not at Piazzale Roma but at the cruise port which is accessible by land.)You pick up your luggage & walk out at ground level. Once through the automatic doors, if you have arranged a driver, he/she should be right there with the car parked close by.

 

Secondly, I can't help with times for disembarking...check & ask perhaps on the HAL board. Look at old roll calls for this itinerary too & see if there are any posters still about from these sailings who may be able to advise you on times.

 

Ooops.Almost forgot. Just checked the schedule (http://www.vtp.it/pages/calendario/calendarioFiltri.jsp?m=6&r=null) and there will not be a shuttle on 12th June.

 

.

[Hlitner]

I think its a good idea if I address (with more detail) the shuttle bus situation. There are sometimes (not always) free shuttle buses that run from the Piazale Roma to the nearby cruise port. Looking out at the Piazale from the ACTV (vaporetto) office the buses board at the far left hand side of the square. If there are no shuttle buses you have several options. You can walk (its about 1/3 or a mile) if you can handle your luggage. Just go over the main bridge and turn left into the port entrance. You can also take the local bus which has a 6/ on the front (it must have that slash since the "6" bus does not stop at the port). Those 6/ buses leave from right in front of the ACTV office in the Piazale Roma. Your third option is to simply take a land taxi from the Piazale Roma. They generally charge 5 Euros per person for the short ride.

 

The question keeps coming up here about how do you know if the shuttle bus is running. We have no answer to that question other than "Its Italy" so you never know. When we left from Venice on Nov 2, our Piazale Hotel assured us the bus was running. When there was no bus for an hour we went back to the hotel (CA Doge) and they called the port director's office. The port said there was no bus that day and they had no explanation for why it was not running (Princess and 2 other ships were in port). Our hotel manager said this never happens, but of course it does happen!

 

Hank

[DrFUN]

Mary-Lou

 

First of all in Venice, yes you dock. You pick up your luggage walk out at ground level. One through the automatic doors, if you have arranged a driver, he/she should be right there with the car parked close by.

 

Secondly, I can't help with times for disembarking...check & ask perhaps on the HAL board. Look at old roll calls for this itinerary too & see if there are any posters still about from these sailings who may be able to advise you on times.

 

Ooops.Almost forgot. What date will you be in Venice & I can check for the shuttle?

 

.

 

THANKS A MILLION, DEAR SPARKY!

 

This is exactly what I needed to know. :D

 

If I understand you correctly, our driver be right at the dock embarkation building rather than at P. Roma--assuming he can get clearance into the port area--? I need to let him know where to be (as he's based in Milan and isn't that familiar with Venice).

 

And you are so kind to check about the shuttle for us. Is this something we'll need for disembarkation (ship to luggage area)??

 

We sail into Venice from Dubrovnik at noontime on 11th June and have an overnight there, with disembarkation the next morning (12th June, Friday) -- which is listed a 5 am in the itinerary on HAL's website, though I'll check again when docs come next month.

 

Bless you!

Mary-Lou

[sea-explorer]

Mary-Lou

 

I've just edited my post a little before I saw this. No, you don't need the shuttle for disembarkation, it's just sometimes easier if it is, for transport to Piazale Roma for those not pre-booking a driver.

 

I don't think your driver will need clearance, there are no port gates (that I can remember) in Venice.

 

There is also a map to the terminal on the port website..just follow the black line. :)

 

http://www.vtp.it/pages/comeRaggiungerci/crociere.jsp?n=0

[DrFUN]

I think its a good idea if I address (with more detail) the shuttle bus situation. There are sometimes (not always) free shuttle buses that run from the Piazale Roma to the nearby cruise port. Looking out at the Piazale from the ACTV (vaporetto) office the buses board at the far left hand side of the square. If there are no shuttle buses you have several options. You can walk (its about 1/3 or a mile) if you can handle your luggage. Just go over the main bridge and turn left into the port entrance. You can also take the local bus which has a 6/ on the front (it must have that slash since the "6" bus does not stop at the port). Those 6/ buses leave from right in front of the ACTV office in the Piazale Roma. Your third option is to simply take a land taxi from the Piazale Roma. They generally charge 5 Euros per person for the short ride.

 

The question keeps coming up here about how do you know if the shuttle bus is running. We have no answer to that question other than "Its Italy" so you never know. When we left from Venice on Nov 2, our Piazale Hotel assured us the bus was running. When there was no bus for an hour we went back to the hotel (CA Doge) and they called the port director's office. The port said there was no bus that day and they had no explanation for why it was not running (Princess and 2 other ships were in port). Our hotel manager said this never happens, but of course it does happen!

 

Hank

 

And thanks so much also, dear Hank!

(I was posting my response as you were posting yours--so I hadn't read it when I replied to Sparky.)

 

This detail is so very helpful. However, I'm still confused about the purpose of the shuttle. Is it just if you need to get from the ship to P. Roma. We don't need to get to P. Roma. I only mentioned it as I was under the impression that that's where the dis-embarkation point was....

 

I'm so sorry to be so confused, but am I correct that we won't NEED a shuttle if we have a private driver picking us up with our luggage right at the port?

 

Thanks again,

Mary-Lou

 

Gratefully,

Mary-Lou

[DrFUN]

I've just edited my post a little before I saw this. No, you don't need the shuttle for disembarkation, it's just sometimes easier if it is, for transport to Piazale Roma for those not pre-booking a driver.

 

There is also a map to the terminal on the port website..just follow the black line. :)

 

http://www.vtp.it/pages/comeRaggiungerci/crociere.jsp?n=0

 

You are a life-saver, Sparky!

(I was also posting to Hank while you were editing....) ;)

 

NOW I think I have it all in my head, as it's now visual (I've printed out the map) and you've explained it so clearly. (I think most people don't have the private driver, so that's why I was confused.)

 

I see now that we can just walk off the ship and go toward the LEFT (with only our carry-on luggage) to the luggage pick-up, outside of which our driver should be -- rather than toward the RIGHT toward P. Roma. He might have to park in the parking lot, but at least he can help us with our luggage. (Is that right?)

 

In gratitude,

Mary-Lou

[sea-explorer]

Not sure exactly Mary Lou. It maybe depend where your ship docks. We had booked a local driver to take us to the airport so we just left it to him to find us. There was some parking right in front of the doors we came through but we did have to walk round a little because of the layout. Of course though, we just followed our driver.

 

You will be berthed in dock 110. Just tell your driver this & I'm sure some-one will be able to direct him.

[Hlitner]

Yes Mary Lou, the shuttle bus is only for the purpose of getting folks to the Piazale Roma, which is a major transportation hub. From that place you can get a bus to the airport (very cheap), access several vaporetto lines, find plenty of taxis (there are usually taxis at the port), and walk to the Venice train station (this requires walking over a long stepped bridge).

 

Hank

[emileg]

Mary-Lou

 

I've just edited my post a little before I saw this. No, you don't need the shuttle for disembarkation, it's just sometimes easier if it is, for transport to Piazale Roma for those not pre-booking a driver.

 

I don't think your driver will need clearance, there are no port gates (that I can remember) in Venice.

 

There is also a map to the terminal on the port website..just follow the black line. :)

 

http://www.vtp.it/pages/comeRaggiungerci/crociere.jsp?n=0

This map is very helpful. Thank you.

[DrFUN]

Thanks again, dear Sparky & Hank!!

 

With much appreciation,

Mary-Lou

[moyaroo]

Thanks--but then how do we get from the ship to the area where we can get picked up by our driver?

 

 

Pick up by private car is easy they come into the port area. Piazzale Roma is the jump off for Venice proper the Maritime terminal is a right turn off the main road about 200-300 meters before Piazzale Roma.

[moyaroo]

There is a gate but no one seems to stop anyone! In fact I parked at the terminal area for a day once without any hassle or payment of any kind. Sort of the sneakiest freebie in Europe.