Thanks for both replies. 4 of us (myself, my mother & 2 teens) with 1 rolling luggage each and a carry-on. So it looks like after the cruise best way to get to Venice is by train-- tickets bookable through www.trenitalia.com, go directly to Venezia Santa Lucia in 2 hours, correct?
Yes, nothing to see in Rome, just heading there to the airport to take a flight at 10:00 am. So for this: Frecciarossa from Venezia Santa Lucia train station to Rome?-- bullet train and it takes about 4 hours. Which company is this, also trenitalia.com? If so, I read somewhere to get reasonable rates to book 3 weeks in advance. Please let me know if that is the train company, so I can get the app or book in advance, as that is the part that worries me the most, so we don't miss our flight.
For the hotel to stay at in Venice, which I've not booked yet, I'm still not clear on where to look to stay. From your link, it looks like Piazzale Roma is the location closest to the Venezia Santa Lucia train station which is the station I'm coming into from Trieste and leaving out of to Rome FCO airport, correct? On the link you sent this one is recommended: NH Venezia Santa Lucia due to its location at the Venezia Santa Lucia train station. We will be able to get in from Trieste here and leave for Rome from this location? It's $500/night which is more than what I wanted to spend but if it means easy access to transport coming in and going out, I'll bite the bullet. It does say free cancellation. Hope 1 room for 4 of us is ok. My dream has always been to visit Venice and even if it's just 1 day, hope I can make it happen smoothly without missing my flight back from the Rome airport. Depending on the time of the train going to Rome, I may need to get another hotel close the the Rome FCO airport. From reading many posts on the forum, I seem to be the only one left out of the Rome FCO airport from this cruise arriving into Trieste. I tried to get a flight from the Venice airport back to the US but no luck. Thanks in advance!