Left luggage office at cruise terminal in Venice

[JackieB500]

Could someone please help? I’ve read on the internet that the left luggage office at the Stazione Marittima cruise terminal in Venice closes at 3pm and re-opens at 5pm. I’m very surprised at this as many people must need to leave luggage and reclaim it in time to board ship after sightseeing in Venice, as we are hoping to do. I know that we can leave luggage at P Roma but we would like to leave it at the port if possible.

We are travelling with MSC and would have liked to have got on board early to drop our bags and then do our sightseeing, but many of their passengers have reported sitting around in an enormous shed for hours on end before boarding their ship. Boarding is supposed to be from 10.30am, but many say that it is usually midday before they even start to board passengers and then you are subjected to a lot of pushing as the Italians and Germans don’t do queues!

I’ve sent two emails to the left luggage office at Marittima to try and find out if they do actually close between these hours but have had no response (the second time I translated it into Italian thinking that this was the reason that I had no response the first time).

I would be grateful for any information, either about the left luggage, or tips on boarding with MSC!

[AmoMondo]

Hi JackieB500

Welcome to the boards.

 

On the websire I looked at for Venice Toursit Info it says that the port left luggage is usually open from 9 until noon and between 4-5pm (Not closed between 3-%). This would tend to make more sense that they would close over lunch time and be open in the morning for people disembarking and sfter noon.

 

Although you are sailing with MSC, you are going to have very few people on here with lots of personal experience of Venice. You may be better going to the Ports Of call Section > Europe> Italy ports and ask your question there to a much wider audience.

 

I'm also a bit confused by your mention of boarding times for MSC. Are you sailing on the Poesia or Musica? If so, their sailing times are 5pm and 6pm respectively which would mean normal boarding tomes of 2-4.30pm for Poesia and 3-5.30pm for Musica. They do often open boarding a bit early but not as early as 10.30am. I would not be surprised if people had only just finished disembarking at that time from the previous cruise. The will almost certainly still be cleaning the ship at that time. Even turning uip at 12 you are liable to have a bit of a wait.

 

As for tyhe oushing and shoving by the (mainly) Italians - yes they do but I've only ever found it a real problem on disembarking when it has been a complete free for all trying to get a taxi. At embarkation they have a queuing (ropes) system to initially check in - so no real problems there (just watch out for some trying to jump the q). At check-in they usually give you a ticket with a number on it. You then go to the embarkation hall. there is no queuing there - they just call out the numbered tickets (usually 10 or 20 people at a time) to go through security and board the ship. While you are waiting you can either wait at the seats or wander along the different tables with info on all the various services, until your number is called. I think the longest I've had to wait was about 90 minutes. However it seems if you turn up early (and I mean hours before the published check in time on your ticket) then you will be waiting for hours. I usually try to time it for about 30-60 minutes after check in has opened and normally only have to wait about 15-30 minutes as the initail rush has died down by then.

 

Are you flying in the day before? if so, I'd recommend just leaving your bags at your hotel and then only going to the port after lunch, once you are actually ready to board.

[Cazz]

Hi Jackie,

We boarded the Poesia in Venice in August.

 

Luggage was taken off us as soon as we got off the coach, cabin numbered labels added, and we didnt see it again until delivered to the cabin. We were then told to go upstairs to the check-in area. I guess it would be possible to put your luggage in and not go to the upper level, but get the shuttle bus or taxi back to P. Roma and return later to check-in.

 

The embarkation info stated from 10.30, and we got there shortly after that. After the formalities at check-in which took no more than about 30 mins, we were sat with a lot of others for a couple of hours, before boarding about 1ish as I recall. It's not exactly a 'shed' more a large departure lounge, very modern, clean, drinks available, lots of windows to see the ship a few feet away.

 

Do go to the MSC website and put in the pre-boarding info and print out the Express paperwork, they dont need this at check-in, as you would expect (they probably have it electronically), but it will ensure you are first on the ship. Keep an eye out for the Security to arrive, and then listen out carefully for the announcement for those with Express boarding, we couldnt make out the announcements so asked a member of staff and showed my Express printout and they ushered us passed loads of people gathering (not queueing exactly!) and we got on the ship in the first batch.

 

Hope that helps.

[stanley dupp]

Do not worry. The advice from Cazz is fine .We have just returned from a cruise on Musica today and booking in was pretty straight forward shore to cabin 1 hour .Stan.By the way, you vacate your cabins at 7.00 oclock, hence the early boarding!!!

[reba1]

we had a late flight home after disembarking the Musica and left our luggage at Piazza Roma, its open all day and was no problem. I agree with the pushing and shoving going on by the Italians, a bit off putting and unfortunately you end up slipping to their level just to survive!!!!!!