Venice on Azura

[phileas fog]

Hi everyone

We are off to Venice next week on the Azura,just wondering whether we should book a trip or do our own thing?

[BrianI]

Its quite easy to to do your own thing. Get a vaporetto (waterbus) 12hr ticket then you can anywhere you want, including the islands like Murano for the glass making. Cost €16.

P&O will have a dedicated waterbus transport from the ship to St Marks Square but it does not go down the Grand Canal. This was £14 in April.

Brian

[MrsTW]

We have recently returned from Azura. We didn't pay the £14pp water shuttle but instead took the free bus from where Azura berthed to Piazzale Roma. P&O advertise that it is for disabled passengers. In reality it is for all passengers and crew. In fact when we returned the Captain and Cruise Director were on it! :D

 

At Piazzale Roma we bought the all day vaparetto ticket..........sailed down the Grand Canal to just past St Mark's Square walked back to it and then followed the signs and walked to Rialto Bridge. We then used the vaparetto again several times to get to various places we wanted to see. It was a fun day of walking and using the vaparetto!

 

Venice is very easy to DIY. :)

[gadgetgeezer]

Hi,

 

We are on this cruise too :)

 

We have booked some trips directly with P&O, but at the same time we will do our own thing at some destinations. From experience most ports can be easily negotiated, especially if a shuttle bus if available. For example, in Malaga we are doing our own thing, as right by the port is a bus stop for one of those 'hop-on/hop off citysighting tour buses', so we will go for that.

 

Hope that helps

GG

[LEESRE]

Just back from the 16 night cruise on Azura and like the other posters Venice is so easy with the Vaperetto ticket. Make sure that you don't purchase the P&O launch as they say it was £14 return and most people were not happy with it as there were very long queues in very hot sunshine. Just take the shuttle bus which is free. P&O don't tell you about this!!!!!

 

Other ports we did our own thing, in Korcula it is very nice to walk around the walled city and to your right on the promenade is a small beach, (Pebbles) to swim from.

All ports they had free shuttles, apart from the Venice Launch.

 

I hope everyone on this cruise have a great time, we certainly did and loved Azura, apart from the lack of the Oasis Pool!!!

 

Rex

[phileas fog]

Thank you for the info everyone,looking forward to Friday now:)

[cclarke12]

We're sailing on Friday too :D

 

Is the P&O water shuttle £14 return, or is it £14 for as many back and forth trips as you want in a day? The reason I ask is that we want the simplest and cheapest option for going backwards and forwards to the ship with kids. DH wants to go to mass at St Mark's first thing on the Sunday morning. I will stay with the kids (aged 1 and 4) on board the ship and he is planning to come back for lunch and then we'll all head off again as we have 2pm tickets to tour the Basilica. I have been to Venice before but he hasn't and so I am keen he gets a few hours to explore without the kids. There isn't much difference between £14 or 16 Euros so we want the simplest option with small children in tow - I don't think we will be exploring very far afield.

[jeanlyon]

Hi, I think you are mistaking the shuttle boat from the ship to just one place and back with the Vaporetto which takes you all over Venice and out to the out islands for 16 Euros.

[cclarke12]

Hi, I think you are mistaking the shuttle boat from the ship to just one place and back with the Vaporetto which takes you all over Venice and out to the out islands for 16 Euros.

 

I am trying to decide between the option of the shuttle bus (free) and then buying the one day Vaporetto ticket or the paid P&O transfer from the ship to St Mark's Square. Sorry, I have not been very clear. I think the latter would be easier with kids and because we are not planning on venturing too far so don't need any additional transport. My question is if you pay the £14 for the P&O transfer to St Mark's is that per return trip, or can you use it as many times as you like in one day for that price?

[MrsTW]

I am trying to decide between the option of the shuttle bus (free) and then buying the one day Vaporetto ticket or the paid P&O transfer from the ship to St Mark's Square. Sorry, I have not been very clear. I think the latter would be easier with kids and because we are not planning on venturing too far so don't need any additional transport. My question is if you pay the £14 for the P&O transfer to St Mark's is that per return trip, or can you use it as many times as you like in one day for that price?

 

I've just found my info leaflet. :D

 

The cost is for "unlimited use."

 

I don't know at what age children have to pay, but there is a family ticket of £35 per family.

[jeanlyon]

OK, well if you don't want to use any other water transport, then I guess the ship shuttle would do. I'm sure it's unlimited backwards and forwards. Our problem would be the other hundreds trying to use it. We are going in on the free shuttle and then using the vaporetto.

[LEESRE]

In our opinion a much better way of doing Venice is the Vaperetto rather than the P&O shuttle. The queues for the P&O shuttle were horendous and the Vaperetto we just got on and off very easy.

 

Rex

[cclarke12]

Thanks everyone. As we are not intending on head into Venice with the kids until after lunch we may risk the P&O transfer as it may be a bit quieter. If we were on our own we would be up early and using the Vaporetto and making sure we saw everything. With a 1 and 4 year old we are less ambitious about what we will try and do in one day. Can't wait to sail into Venice