HELP needed/ Rome to Venice transfer and Venice hotel

[travelinmama]

Hi,I apologize ahead of time if I am not posting this question in the correct place but I am still trying to figure out CC (I'm finding it very confusing- especially since I am so computer illiterate). I also posted on our Roll Call (NCL Jade 5/31/14) but I think that was the wrong area to post so I'm trying here.

 

Going on a 14 day cruise to Venice, Greek Isles etc on NCL and we are doing a 4 day precruise in Rome and a 2 day post cruise in Venice. I will be traveling with my 2 adult children and I'm sure we will have a good amount of luggage.

 

We need to get from Rome to Venice on the day we cruise and I'm assuming the best way to do that is by train. But I have gotten conflicting info about the train and found the website a little tough to navigate plus I don't know if we are supposed to keep our large suitcases with us on the train or do they go into a separate car? I am willing to go first class if I am able to keep my luggage close by. Suggestions??

 

Also once we arrive in Venice, what is the best way to get from the train station to the port? (I believe NCL leaves from Stazione Marittima). I don't do too well with walking long distances. Is there a way to get a cab from the train station to the port? (I know that Venice is limited with vehicles allowed but is this an option)?

 

At this point I am still looking into hotels (if anyone has a suggestion for that I would appreciate that as well). Looking for a hotel with canal views, in the center of things so we can walk/take my time and hopefully, has a free breakfast.

 

Any help that anyone could give me would be so appreciated. I am seeing different posts about Vaporettos and people movers and water taxis and it is all so confusing. Sorry but I feel like I need to get some basic help first I guess. Feeling so overwhelmed and frustrated and if I have posted in the wrong place, please don't be upset- just tell me

[euro cruiser]

Luggage stays with you on the train, regardless of class of travel. There is a luggage service on the Rome-Venice route that may be of interest to you. (Note that the luggage service is not same day: http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=9c29eb82a8fbf310VgnVCM1000008916f90aRCRD)

 

Handling your own luggage may require more judicious packing than you are accustomed to, please consider this as you make your plans. Large bags will not fit in the car itself and are left in luggage racks at the end of each car. These racks do fill up so it pays to be one of the first on the train.

 

By the way, you've found the right forum - welcome!

[travelinmama]

Thank you so much for the detailed info. Wow, we have to get from Rome to Venice and I thought that would be the easiest way. I don't want my luggage "walking away" if you know what I mean. Hopefully we can get there and sit by those racks. I wonder if buying some sort of locking cable that we can lock our luggage to is allowed ? Maybe I"m being paranoid but I heard that one really has to take as many safeguards against theft as possible.

 

Thanks for your advice euro cruiser. Have you ever used the luggage service? If so, how was it?

[CathyCruises]

Thank you so much for the detailed info. Wow, we have to get from Rome to Venice and I thought that would be the easiest way. I don't want my luggage "walking away" if you know what I mean. Hopefully we can get there and sit by those racks. I wonder if buying some sort of locking cable that we can lock our luggage to is allowed ? Maybe I"m being paranoid but I heard that one really has to take as many safeguards against theft as possible.

 

Thanks for your advice euro cruiser. Have you ever used the luggage service? If so, how was it?

 

First of all, highly recommend packing carefully-it will make your whole trip easier! I am a recent convert to this and can't stress enough how much more pleasant it is.

 

We travel on the trains a lot when we are in Europe. As Euro says, be one of the first to board (there is usually only a 15 minute window from the time the track is announced to departure, so you will want to be at the station 20 minutes early) and put your large bags in the racks. You will have to lift them onto the train. We just mosey over to the baggage area at every stop and stand there keeping an eye on our bags until the doors close and the train starts to move. Never had a problem. Of course we keep our personal items, purse/backpack etc. with us at all times.

[Twickenham]

Thank you so much for the detailed info. Wow, we have to get from Rome to Venice and I thought that would be the easiest way. I don't want my luggage "walking away" if you know what I mean. Hopefully we can get there and sit by those racks. I wonder if buying some sort of locking cable that we can lock our luggage to is allowed ? Maybe I"m being paranoid but I heard that one really has to take as many safeguards against theft as possible.

 

Thanks for your advice euro cruiser. Have you ever used the luggage service? If so, how was it?

 

We spent a week travelling on trains in Italy last year. Your train to Venice will most be one of the nice Frecce trains. These have the most overhead rack space - I saw some pretty large suitcases going up there, although I join the chorus of people urging you to pack light (we did a small suitcase and full-size backpack each, and honestly next time we're just doing the backpack). Another option is, where there are seats back-to-back, you can slip your suitcase in the gap - much harder for someone to grab it unnoticed.

[euro cruiser]

Thank you so much for the detailed info. Wow, we have to get from Rome to Venice and I thought that would be the easiest way. I don't want my luggage "walking away" if you know what I mean. Hopefully we can get there and sit by those racks. I wonder if buying some sort of locking cable that we can lock our luggage to is allowed ? Maybe I"m being paranoid but I heard that one really has to take as many safeguards against theft as possible.

 

Thanks for your advice euro cruiser. Have you ever used the luggage service? If so, how was it?

You can use a flexible cable & lock, I've seen people do that. You can't sit by the racks, they are in a vestibule where there is no seating. Besides, seats on these trains are all assigned and reserved.

 

I have not used the luggage service, but I can see the benefit in certain situations.

[slidergirl]

I agree you do have to seriously consider how/what you are packing if you want to take the train. I would do one bag, no bigger than 25", and one daypack. Do that for each person.

 

The Trenitalia site does have an English version - it's not too hard to understand. Don't use RailEurope's site.

 

Also look at Alitalia flights - there is a non-stop flight in the morning for around 48EU right now. The train fare would be (based on prices 4 months out) 49EU (super advanced purchase) to 129EU for those first class seats…

[kuldalai]

To answer the original questions directly.

 

1. Pre book your train tickets and seat reservations from Roma Termini to Venezia St Lucia . Travel time is 3 hrs 40 mins and departures are hourly.

You take all your bags large and small on the train with you . Platforms of departure come up 20 minutes prior to departure for security reasons.

 

2. On arrival at Venezia St Lucia station descend the station steps and you are looking at the Grand Canal . Turn right and walk along the canal approximately 200 metres till you come to a modern glass footbridge over the Grand Canal . Cross that bridge and you are in Piazzale de Roma.

 

From here you can take a road taxi to the Marratima Cruise terminal or

in the rear left hand corner of the Piazalle de Roma is the People Mover (Costs 1 Euro per person). Alight at the first stop for the Cruise terminal .

 

(Binario = platform in Italian.)

Edited December 12, 2013 by kuldalai

[travelinmama]

HI Everyone- thanks so very much for all of the suggestions.. But I'm still confused (I guess I'm pretty dense about all of this since I have never been to Europe).

 

If I travel with only a smaller (25") suitcase and a backpack, will I be able to carry those on with me and put in racks over the seats? And are there two different trains? (Trenitalia and Rail Euro?)

If I am reserving for the train ahead of time, is there a better seat to get that would be closer to those racks for the larger suitcases? I guess I just assumed those racks were in each car and I could sit by those but it doesn't sound like it.

 

Finally, I speak absolutely NO Italian what so ever- are the departure platform announcements on some sort of board or simply announced via speaker? Okay, I'm up for taking a personal guide. haha I can see this is going to become a big mess up. Or knowing my luck I will get on the wrong train and wind up in the Alps or somewhere else. I don't mean to worry but I am the type of person that needs EVERY step spelled out for me.. Kuldalai- THANK you!!!!

[euro cruiser]

Relax, you can do this. You're already doing the important part of the research, with that knowledge in hand you'll be able to execute the plan.

 

There are two different long distance rail companies operating in Italy, Trenitalia is the state railroad, and Italotreno is a relatively new competitor. There is a web site called Rail Europe that is a re-seller, they charge a fee to sell you the same ticket you can buy yourself if you know how.

 

Announcements are made in Italian at the stations, but there are large signboards at the track head in each station that list the trains and tracks; additionally, in the main stations (like Rome and Venice) there are customer service agents at the tracks who speak English.

 

Sitting near your luggage really gives you a false sense of security. The only thing you might prevent that way is a fellow passenger taking your luggage by mistake. A thief who wants your bag will have it and be off the train and in the wind before you can get out of your seat. If theft is a big concern for you bring a lock.

 

Frankly, theft of luggage on high speed trains is not a big issue. You're far more likely to have someone lift your I-phone, I-Pad, etc. than your clothing.

 

If you can lift your bag over your head, a 25" should fit on the overhead rack right at your seat.

Edited December 12, 2013 by euro cruiser

[cruisemom42]

I've traveled on the longer distance trains in Italy on my own several times. It's really not difficult.

 

Last spring I took the high speed Freccerosa from Venice to Rome. I boarded my second-class compartment, handling my own 26" suitcase and with my smallish carry-on bag over my shoulder. (Be sure to look for the number of the car either on the door or body of the car.)

 

I put my suitcase in one of the horizontal luggage slots near the door of the car and proceeded to my seat, which was about midway down. My carry-on went above me in the rack. I had been on a cruise, so I had a larger suitcase. If I'd had the smaller one I sometimes use, I could have put it above me in the rack also. The problem is that a) larger bags are very heavy to lift and b) the racks tend to be much narrower than airline overhead bins. You cannot stuff a "fat" bag in.

 

The train makes a minimum of stops. Whenever it started to slow down for a stop, I would get up and stand near the luggage. Never any hint of a problem.

 

Regarding Italian, I have only recently started to learn Italian seriously. When I first started traveling there, I only knew a few common words and phrases. I never had a problem figuring out the train stations. As eurocruiser states, there are digital boards listing the departures and tracks. As long as you can read the Italian name of your destination (e.g., Firenze for Florence, Venezia for Venice) and you understand that Binario means track, you should be fine. :)

[agabbymama]

Cruisemom42 and Euro cruiser should be able to answer this question?:confused:

 

When we were in Europe, the train times were Military 24 hour clock, so be careful if it says 6:00 it is AM 18:00 would be PM. We sat a long time once at a train station in a small town outside Rome waiting for the wrong time scheduled train.

 

If you get confused or have a question, look for someone under 40, they are taught English in school since WW II, so the younger folks all could help you and generally do. We had a lot of folks pretend not to speak English, but then found out they do. They are almost as rude to Americans as the French, so be fore-warned.

 

We had the huge 29" suitcases and always managed to get them into the seating area (either between the seats or right in the middle), but we didn't have assigned seats, so guess some things have changed in the 10 years since we used the trains. We found the hardest part of luggage was hoisting it up onto the train. There is quite a huge gap between the platform and the train. We had been fore-warned to not have heavy suitcases, but it still was a struggle.

 

Have a Plan "A" and then a Plan "B" for when Plan "A" falls apart. We found that happening to us in Europe A LOT!

[cruisemom42]

Cruisemom42 and Euro cruiser should be able to answer this question?:confused:

 

When we were in Europe, the train times were Military 24 hour clock, so be careful if it says 6:00 it is AM 18:00 would be PM. We sat a long time once at a train station in a small town outside Rome waiting for the wrong time scheduled train.

 

 

It's true that a 24-hour clock is standard throughout most of Europe, not just in Italy and not just for trains. Once you get used to it, it actually avoids all confusion as to timing -- there is only ONE 8:00 each day.

 

Also worth noting (when making train or hotel or museum reservation) is the European habit of writing dates as DD/MM/YYYY -- that is, they put the day first, then the month, then the year. In the US is it more common to find MM/DD/YYYY.

 

If one isn't aware of this, one may end up making a train reservation for the wrong day.

[CathyCruises]

Just for the record, after cumulative months spent in Italy and France, we have never found the people rude, as agabbymama suggests in several posts. Not sure of the circumstances, but I think if you don't go there with preconceived notions about how you'll be treated, you'll have a wonderful time. We have had the best times of our lives while traveling, whether on cruise ships, train, or rented car, and we can count on the fingers of one hand the negative experiences we have had.

 

So plan well, keep a notebook for reference (sometimes I print out whole threads with useful information), relax and ENJOY!!!

[Twickenham]

Just for the record, after cumulative months spent in Italy and France, we have never found the people rude, as agabbymama suggests in several posts.

 

Agreed. I found anyone we asked for information/help in Italy to be incredibly helpful and nice. I think alot of the negative impressions may have to do with style - Europeans are more formal than Americans, not as chummy, but that's really not the same as being rude.

One point: at most major train stations, I seem to remember hearing announcements in English as well as Italian.

[cruisemom42]

Just for the record, after cumulative months spent in Italy and France, we have never found the people rude, as agabbymama suggests in several posts.

 

Nor have I. Of course one can find a bad apple in any bunch, but overall what I remember are the extra lengths that have been gone to in order to assist others. Particularly among transportation and restaurant workers who must get constantly dumped on by frustrated tourists -- which I have witnessed far more times than the other way around.

 

In Paris last winter at about this time, I marveled at the patience of one ticket seller at a large metro/train hub who took more than 10 minutes and went to a great deal of effort to help the couple in front of me figure out how to get where they needed to be. What's more, the many French people behind us in line were very polite -- no mutterings about the hold up. I actually cannot remember anyone being rude to us in the entire 7 days we spent in Paris.

 

In Rome, I have had cabbies conferring with each other to help me find the best route to an address for a specially arranged tour. I've had hotel staff make up a special "breakfast to go" when I had to leave very early (before regular breakfast hours) to catch a plane. Staff in one restaurant went to great pains to return my umbrella, which I inadvertently left there. And when my son was 6, there was nothing waiters would not do to accommodate him in various restaurants.

[Deal Freak]

Ohhh I love Venice, I stayed at the Marco Polo at 70% less than tarrif in November but I booked via Reservation Scanner. I use that site for all of my offshore bookings. Incidentally the Marco is lovely..

[Earl Rosebery]

Also once we arrive in Venice, what is the best way to get from the train station to the port? (I believe NCL leaves from Stazione Marittima). I don't do too well with walking long distances. Is there a way to get a cab from the train station to the port? (I know that Venice is limited with vehicles allowed but is this an option)?

 

This part of your question hasn't been addressed very well.

 

The main train station in venice is NOT accessible by cab. Fortunately, there is an easy answer. Get off the train 1 stop before the end at 'Venezia Mestre' this is the last station on the mainland. From there it is 5 miles and 10 minutes by regular land taxi to the port which IS accessible by cab. Don't fret You will be fine. First class may well be worthwhile depending on the time of the week and so on. Train discounts depend on how busy they are

[treesah]

I agree with Earl. Dragging your large suitcase from S. Lucia station across the Calatrava bridge is no fun, especially in the rain. We did this recently, with only a 22" rollaboard and it was a pain. Venice was crowded, as usual, but so worth it!

[travelinmama]

Wow, everyone has posted really helpful advice and I am so appreciative. I guess the whole transportation and switching from train to boat and bus/cab really has me frazzled. Perhaps when I'm there it will all make better sense.

 

But I do have to say that everything I have read suggests traveling to the Santa Lucia station then getting a water taxi to the cruise ship. But Earl, you are suggesting the opposite.

 

"The main train station in venice is NOT accessible by cab. Fortunately, there is an easy answer. Get off the train 1 stop before the end at 'Venezia Mestre' this is the last station on the mainland. From there it is 5 miles and 10 minutes by regular land taxi to the port which IS accessible by cab." So, there is a causeway or road that cabs can travel to take me from Mestre station on the mainland to the cruise port directly? And I don't have to take another cab or water taxi once there? I'm not doubting you but this is different than I have been told all the other times.

 

I have spent over a week looking into all the different options with Venice (as far as how to get there and get back for our trip home from Marco Polo) and I am more overwhelmed than ever. But like I said, I'm sure it will be easier once I get there. I need to put a post out there for hotels but in the meantime - while I'm on here any suggestions for hotels in Venice (while I'm posting this about the train )? I have one temporarily booked in San Marco (actually a private apartment) but I may switch. I would love to be right at the canal and see the gondolas pass by.. Ahhh, now to learn all about the water taxi system.

 

Thanks for your encouragement everyone.. Can someone comment/follow up about Earl's post? That sounds much better to me since I have some medical issues and can lug suitcases around (I promise to only take a 25" suitcase!!).. Thanks again

[agabbymama]

Well, your visits have sure been different than mine. I've only been to Europe 7 times, but my first trip to southern Belgium and France, we had a waiter in the restaurant walk away from our table when we asked in English if there was an English menu, and never return to the table, we sat for 30 minutes waiting, and finally left the establishment.

 

In Paris at our hotel bar & restaurant, we ordered our drinks in English (my friend saw the liqueur on the shelf), again we waited for 30 minutes before asking if our drinks were coming, the bartender stated he didn't have the liqueur necessary to make her drink. A Parisian standing next to us started talking in French to the bartender pointing to the liqueur on the shelf, who then made the drinks and shrugged his shoulders at us as he served them, never saying another thing. The stranger turned to us and said to not pay the bartender any mind, they were rude to Parisians too.

 

In Rome Italy, I went into the Visitor Bureau to ask directions (again in English, I unfortunately speak no foreign languages), the person at the counter crossed his arms and turned his back to me, totally ignoring my question. I only stood for about 5 minutes and again tried to get his attention, he looked over his shoulder at me, then turned back away, making it very clear to me, he was not going to help me.

 

And another incident before I even got to Italy. I had found a B&B close to the Vatican, liked the look of it and that it was ground floor, so I made a reservation on their website and received a confirmation back. The next morning I had an email from the owner of the establishment stating he was sorry he could not accommodate my stay after all, he was completely booked. I searched and found a reasonable hotel also by the Vatican. Fast forward 9 months, to the week before we were to depart. At 3:30 in the morning my phone is ringing, it is the proprietor of the B&B wanting to confirm my stay. I was still fuzzy from sleep, but I explained he had cancelled my reservation and I had made other arrangements. He became irate yelling at me that I had not cancelled the reservation & he could charge me one night no show fee. I told him I had the email from him stating he could not accommodate my stay. He still was adamant it was my fault, I hung up on him, and he did not charge me a no show fee.

 

And as I stated before, some are very helpful. At the hotel in Cefalu Sicily, the owner of the hotel spoke English and every time he saw us, he would speak in English (then started tutoring us in Italian for the English words), and he is the one that told us English is taught to all Italians in school since the end of WW II, and stressed to find younger looking people as the older Italians can/do try to say they don't speak English. We had a wonderful 5 days there.

 

And another 5 days up at Lake Maggiore where the B&B owner spoke broken English, but was so very cordial inviting us to her table for dinner one night. Anxious to please.

 

I'm not saying every single person in Italy or Europe is rude, but in our month driving through Germany, Italy and Switzerland, there were enough incidents that it did leave an impression.

 

But I've seen lots of rude people here in the US too!

 

Amsterdam and Budapest had the friendliest people I think. Always a smile and greeting, even if it was in their lanugage. Lots of sign language and laughs as I tried to say things in Dutch and Hungarian. A totally different experience from Italy and France.

 

Of course everyone's experiences can and do vary. This is just my experience.

[Earl Rosebery]

"But I do have to say that everything I have read suggests traveling to the Santa Lucia station then getting a water taxi to the cruise ship. But Earl, you are suggesting the opposite. "

 

A water taxi from Santa Lucia to the port will be roughly 70 euros for a 10 minute ride. From the dock, you schlep your luggage up a ramp to the luggage drop.

 

A regular (land) taxi from Venezia Mestre will be 30 Euros at most (if they use a meter which they should) Again 10 minutes but this time, they drop your luggage at the drop off shed. If you look at google earth or maps, you will see exactly what I'm talking about. Have fun. You won't have a problem at the Venice end so long as you have time. Allow a cushion of an hour either way.

 

P.S. For hotels, check Ca' Angeli on trip advisor-delightful.

Edited December 13, 2013 by Earl Rosebery

[cruisemom42]

If you get confused or have a question, look for someone under 40, they are taught English in school since WW II, so the younger folks all could help you and generally do. We had a lot of folks pretend not to speak English, but then found out they do. They are almost as rude to Americans as the French, so be fore-warned.

 

I'm not saying every single person in Italy or Europe is rude, but in our month driving through Germany, Italy and Switzerland, there were enough incidents that it did leave an impression.

 

But I've seen lots of rude people here in the US too!

 

 

Of course everyone's experiences can and do vary. This is just my experience.

 

It's one thing to say that some Europeans are rude, in your experience, as your second post says; it's quite another to imply, as your first post does, that all Italians and Parisians are rude to Americans as a matter of course.

Edited December 13, 2013 by cruisemom42

[slidergirl]

You must just have horrible luck traveling in Europe, agabbymamma. I also do not speak anything fluently but English. I've not encountered any rude/indifferent/nonexistent service/issues on any of my trips. I've had some hiccups, but they weren't because I was an American tourist, but just an everyday hiccup. Somehow, they get worked out. I always make sure I learn a few of the common words/phrases for where i'm going and make sure I use 'em.

 

You may want to take a look at how you present yourself. Not saying there's something wrong with you, but you do seem to have more issues than I've heard from anyone else. Can we help somehow to make your experiences better? Or, perhaps Europe is just not your thing and you need to try the British Isles/Ireland/Wales/Scotland. No language barriers (well, you may not understand the accents), but it is foreign lands to explore...

Edited December 14, 2013 by slidergirl

[euro cruiser]

There is a world of difference between not speaking a foreign language and refusing to try and speak a foreign language.

 

Imagine if a European visitor sat down at a cafe in Los Angeles and insisted on speaking either French or Italian, not even attempting to speak a few words of English. What reaction do you think they'd get?

 

Now translate that experience and try to image what it might feel like when a citizen of (arguably) the most powerful nation in the world showed up on your doorstep and insisted that you speak their language in your own home or place of business, regardless of the fact that they were 5,000 miles from their own shores. How do you think you might react?

 

It doesn't matter if you don't speak the language of the country you are visiting, all of us are capable of at least attempting basic words like "please", "thank you", "yes", "no", etc. in the local language.

 

I suspect that the less than pleasant reactions related in previous posts have more to do with expecting others to adapt to the visitor (speak English) than with any cultural norms or behaviors.