Transfers to and from the port of Venice

[chronicler]

Hi all,

 

I'm wondering about others' experiences with water taxis, private or shared, plus regular taxis or cars....from Venice hotels to the port of Venice. Our T/A is giving us a transfer from the airport in Venice to our hotel, but don't know what she paid for it. The hotel is quoting 180 euros (?????!!!) one way from the hotel using a combination of a car and private water taxi. The other option was a private water taxi for 80 euro but without baggage help plus not sure how we actually get to the port, and more precisely, to the Mariner, the ship we will be sailing on.

 

Anyone with any info? It was on CC that we found out about Rome Cabs - a great and reasonably priced private car which did Rome to either Civitivecchia or the airport. And I think that was a longer trip and definitely less expensive.

 

We cannot manage our own bags and need help with them (back issues and stuff) plus I promised my husband that he wouldn't have to schlep bags on this trip!

 

So ideas, referrals to companies that do this out of Venice would be much appreciated.

 

I have gone on the Roll Call for our cruise (June 8-22 Venice to Monte Carlo), offering to share a water taxi, etc but so far have not heard back.

 

Thanks so much!

[freddie]

Chronicler - In Venice, Regent ships, because they are small, usually use the San Basilio terminal. It is easy to reach either by taxi (if you're staying at a hotel on the mainland) or by water taxi (if you're staying in old Venice).

 

What hotel are you using? I don't understand the suggestion of using a combination of car and water taxi, since one or the other should suffice, depending upon the location of the hotel.

 

If you are staying at a hotel in old Venice with water taxi access, the price is usually about 80 euros (including all of the luggage that one could load into the fairly large water taxi - that is a lot of luggage). That is what we paid in November.

 

Try this site: http://motoscafivenezia.it/eng/

 

We found that the hotels charge about twice the going rate for water taxi arrangements; so we arranged our own transfer from the hotel's private dock.

 

Cheers, Fred

[chronicler]

Hi Freddie,

Thank you! Now let me understand....yes...80 euros is the price for a water taxi -- I just didn't know if the water taxi could get one close to the place where Regent checks in her guests. It sounds like it does. We ARE staying in old Venice, on the water, thus the water taxi. Not sure what they meant with the car thing other than that in Rome, only certain taxis with special permits were able to drop passengers off AT the ship --others dropped people off hundreds of yards away and you had to manage your bags from there.

 

So with this smaller port...do you think the simple water taxi will be enough? I'll try the link you supplied as well.

 

Many thanks!

[chronicler]

Fred,

I just checked with the website and could not even try to book a water taxi as June 8 some kind of special even is going on. I do know that the weekend we are to be in Venice, the Architecture portion of Carnivale is taking place (I had thought Carnivale was in November but oh well)...I wonder if that is it. We may need to contact either Regent or the hotel to figure this one out... but thanks anyway...I'll report back in case anyone else is interested.

[rarin2go]

Hi Chronicler. Sorry I didn't reply to your messages on the (almost moribund) roll-call but we are flying in with Regent and staying at the included hotel (Excelsior on the Lido) so all the transfers are handled by Regent.

 

If you are taking a water-taxi from the airport to your hotel, there is quite a long walk from the airport terminal to the water taxi - when we booked in advance, a car was provided to drive us. It sounds like you will need to check that this will be the case for you too.

 

We booked through motoscafi and it worked fine but was not cheap! But what is in Venice? ;)

[Jay23]

Chronicler.

 

Although I believe that Regent has used Basilio Quay in the past, this year they seem to be using Marittima. (This was the case in April) I suggest you contact Regent direct and confirm which Quay being used in June. The Venice VTS site does not state which quay.

 

I can't help with your transfer as we "did it ourselves". We were able to walk to the People Mover at Piazzale Roma, the automatic train that goes to the Quay, and takes one minute! At the Marittima Quay Regent were waiting with a bus to take us to the ship. We were the only guests on that bus, they said they were waiting just for us.

 

Even if this is no help for Chronicler, I hope it will be of some assistance to other cruisers leaving from Venice.

[chronicler]

Thank you both for responding....I will not only check with Regent for info re June 8 but will check with my T/A to make sure her gift to us includes a car...I think it does as she said someone would meet us at baggage with a sign (you know that thing...)

 

Rarin' to go, are you on this cruise? I think you are as you referred to the Roll Call....Great!! We are staying at a smaller hotel in Venice on the Canal - gosh I remember Lido Island the last time we were in Venice...we went over for the day and played tennis on their courts! My husband is still playing 4X a week! Not me....but I was never that good anyway...

 

So thank you both for the good info and ideas...truly appreciated!

 

Can't wait for this trip...two weeks on the Mariner with such a great itinerary!! Yay!! Just FYI...we are flying to London, overnighting at LHR then to Venice for two nights. After we get off the ship in M/C we are four nights in St. Jean cap Ferrat ......so excited! Never have actually stayed on the Riviera for more than a night...

 

Rarin' to go: do you have any thoughts on getting to the Hertz rental place in Monte Carlo? I recall the taxi line after disembarking was a nightmare...a very hot day...over an hour in line with everyone and their luggage...what a mess...the only part of the cruise that seemed haphazard...but then we are not taking the post cruise piece either so maybe that has not been an issue for you.

 

In any case...thanks again.

[rarin2go]

...

Rarin' to go, are you on this cruise? I think you are as you referred to the Roll Call....Great!!

 

Rarin' to go: do you have any thoughts on getting to the Hertz rental place in Monte Carlo? I recall the taxi line after disembarking was a nightmare...a very hot day...over an hour in line with everyone and their luggage...what a mess...the only part of the cruise that seemed haphazard...but then we are not taking the post cruise piece either so maybe that has not been an issue for you....

 

Yes we are on this cruise - sorry about the roll-call, I just gave up on it as nobody seemed interested really unless they already knew each other. Perhaps we should go back there and arrange a get-together on board?

 

Can't help with Monte Carlo, the only time we disembarked there previously, we were doing our own flights and used our remaining OBC on a private car transfer through Regent destinations - very expensive. I'd suggest checking the ports section of CC for a recommendation for a private car transfer and book it yourself to get to the Hertz depot. We did this when we came back from Venice last time and it was very easy & reasonable. (We're taking the Regent transfer & flight home this time so will be standing in line for the bus :rolleyes:.)

 

HTH.

[chronicler]

Yes!

Let's go to the Roll Call and maybe pick an evening for CC'rs to get together before going off to dinner....

 

Meanwhile...my TA is going to contact Regent as well as the hotel as it turns out Sunday June 8 is a RACE DAY on the Grand Canal!! It IS closed to general traffic from early morning til 2-3 pm and well, we are in Italy so that could be 3-4 or 4-5......I will also call Regent tomorrow since we don't want to miss the boat - literally!!

 

Cheers :rolleyes:

[leese]

FYI...We are embarking in Venice in July on the Mariner and our port as provided this week by Regent is Porta Marghera.

[chronicler]

That's interesting....maybe because we transferred our booking to a TA, we are not hearing anything from Regent directly.

 

I will mention this when I call them tomorrow.

 

Thanks for the info!

[chronicler]

I meant to ask about using OBC's for the private car.....we have $800 (!!!) in OBC's.....we plan to use some for one of the excursions that costs extra $$ (tricky...There was a thread about this a month or so ago) but cannot use them until we are actually on board so we booked and paid but hope to be able to cancel and re-book using some of our credits. But other than that, maybe we could use for a car or an arranged taxi...I don't know what Regent Destinations is...having only been on one Regent cruise before. But will ask about that as well when I call. So thank you for the idea.

[rarin2go]

... But other than that, maybe we could use for a car or an arranged taxi...I don't know what Regent Destinations is...having only been on one Regent cruise before. But will ask about that as well when I call. So thank you for the idea.

Destinations is the department on board (desk opposite reception) who administer the excursions & arrange transport on disembarkation - you get a form when disembarkation is near on which you can enter your choice & AFAICR one choice is a private limo which is then charged against your account and offsets your OBC (if any remains) HTH

[rarin2go]

FYI...We are embarking in Venice in July on the Mariner and our port as provided this week by Regent is Porta Marghera.

 

Chronicler, I just checked our cruise docs and they show departs from San Basilio terminal #27.

[Jay23]

FYI...We are embarking in Venice in July on the Mariner and our port as provided this week by Regent is Porta Marghera.

 

Marghera is the Oil Refinery.