Italy Bans Cruise Ships from Venice

[eastwoodboy]

And Shadow is due there 8th September but nothing announced as yet.

[Herman The Cat]

19 hours ago, eastwoodboy said:

And Shadow is due there 8th September but nothing announced as yet.

I suspect they are determining if they are actually happening/traveling to Italy before announcing the Venice change. Spirit is scheduled to be there as well at end of September. I would think we should hear something this week. Perhaps Ravenna or Trieste? Or since it’s late to change flights, people still fly into Venice and they are bused to Ravenna/Trieste. What a logistical nightmare. 

[eastwoodboy]

MSC are using Monfalcone which is 90 minutes by road. After check in at Venice they are taken by coach to the ship. No cruise facilities at Monfalcone.

 

The cynic in me suggests that any announcement will be made with 29 days to sailing rather than any earlier..

[RetiredandTravel]

What a conundrum.  It will be interesting to see how this plays out.  It appears that 5000 (Guardian) people are employed by the Venice cruise terminal and the cruise ship visitors bring in ~$500MM in annual revenue. If the ships can't dock in Venice then Venice either has to lose the revenue & jobs (not all) or allow hundreds of buses (excursions) to descend on the city several times a week.  Busing that many people from neighboring terminals would be a logistical nightmare for Venice and the connecting roadways.  Not to mention 100's of buses are far from environmentally friendly.

 

Royal Caribbean cruises now say Venice (Ravenna).  I wouldn't mind a cruise that started in a Venice neighboring port but would be very leery of one that ended there.  More room for error.  

 

 

[RetiredandTravel]

It looks like SS is no longer offering airfare for this combination cruise that starts in Venice.  They are just reducing the price by $1800.  I see no mention of transfers, generally when you take the air credit you lose the transfers.  I'm guessing you are responsible for getting to the designated port and wonder if they are offering transfers that can be purchased at all.

 

https://www.silversea.com/destinations/mediterranean-cruise/venice-to-athens-piraeus-sl230609c16.html

 

 

[etual324]

1 minute ago, etual324 said:

I am looking at the April 2023 Venice to Athens  also on the Spirit  but it shows AIR not a credit

another hurdle 2 yrs down the road

 

[RetiredandTravel]

Many of the Venice 2023 do include air some don't include air just the credit.  Strange.

[Lois R]

12 hours ago, RetiredandTravel said:

It looks like SS is no longer offering airfare for this combination cruise that starts in Venice.  They are just reducing the price by $1800.  I see no mention of transfers, generally when you take the air credit you lose the transfers.  I'm guessing you are responsible for getting to the designated port and wonder if they are offering transfers that can be purchased at all.

 

https://www.silversea.com/destinations/mediterranean-cruise/venice-to-athens-piraeus-sl230609c16.html

 

 

That is a fantastic itinerary!

[Master Echo]

I am booked on the Shadow's departure from Venice on September 8.  

 

i was advised yesterday that the ship will be berthed at Fusina ferry and cruise terminal.  This is closer to Marco Polo airport than the usual berths at either San Basilio or Marittima.  Water taxis to Venice centre are available.

 

Clearly, size does matter, in this case, small is best.

 

Kindest regards

 

Master Echo

[cruiseej]

3 hours ago, Master Echo said:

i was advised yesterday that the ship will be berthed at Fusina ferry and cruise terminal.  This is closer to Marco Polo airport than the usual berths at either San Basilio or Marittima.

 

I'm glad they have answered the question of where they will dock for this Venice cruise, and doubly glad they were able to do it near Venice and not have to bus people to another city.

 

Just to clarify, though, Fusina is not closer to the airport than the other ports. The airport is north of Venice. Fusina is on the mainland west of Venice, slightly south. Google maps shows the drive time from the existing Marittima cruise terminal to the airport as 18 minutes, while Fusina to the airport is 26 minutes. In any case, it's at most only an inconsequential difference in travel time. 

[Host Jazzbeau]

3 minutes ago, cruiseej said:

 

I'm glad they have answered the question of where they will dock for this Venice cruise, and doubly glad they were able to do it near Venice and not have to bus people to another city.

 

Just to clarify, though, Fusina is not closer to the airport than the other ports. The airport is north of Venice. Fusina is on the mainland west of Venice, slightly south. Google maps shows the drive time from the existing Marittima cruise terminal to the airport as 18 minutes, while Fusina to the airport is 26 minutes. In any case, it's at most only an inconsequential difference in travel time. 

Fusina does have ferries that run straight across to Zattere in Venice (25 min), or a taxi would take 20 min to Piazzale Roma.  This is so much better than Trieste or Ravenna!

[cruiseej]

1 hour ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Fusina does have ferries that run straight across to Zattere in Venice (25 min), or a taxi would take 20 min to Piazzale Roma.  This is so much better than Trieste or Ravenna!

 

Yes, that's what I said -- glad they were able to do it near Venice and avoid busing to other port cities.

 

I don't know what the size limit is at Fusina, so I'll be curious to see whether this will work for the Moon's planned visits at the end of September and mid-October. 

 

[Herman The Cat]

Anyone have any idea if private water taxis can go from the hotels at Piazza San Marco to Fusina? I’m sure it will be pricey, but for those staying pre-cruise in Venice in that area, there’s really no other direct way. 

[eastwoodboy]

If you hotel is close to the Zattere ferry terminal there is a direct ferry to Fusina. Otherwise you could take the local vaporetto from San Marco to Zattere and change rather depends on the amount of luggage you may have.

[Herman The Cat]

1 hour ago, eastwoodboy said:

If you hotel is close to the Zattere ferry terminal there is a direct ferry to Fusina. Otherwise you could take the local vaporetto from San Marco to Zattere and change rather depends on the amount of luggage you may have.

Thank you for the info — much appreciated. Don’t want to do ferries or vaporetto. But assume since the ferries/vaporetto go there so can water taxis. Recognize it might be very expensive but it’s only money LOL and we can’t take it with us. 

 

[Gastroinn]

silver Moon on 14th October now definitely confirmed will depart Fusina within the Lagoon. Certainly water taxis are a possible transfer option at about 25mins from Venice centre but in completely the opposite direction from the airport so could be nearly an hour from there and VERY expensive no doubt!

[cruiseej]

Fusina to/from the airport would be much easier, faster and cheaper by bus, taxi or private car than by boat. 

[Herman The Cat]

Thanks for the thoughts about getting to Fusina from the airport — it certainly looks easier by land but if you are staying in Venice a few days pre-cruise that won’t work.  And luggage and the water bus won’t work either. So hoping that a water taxi from the Gritti Palace to Fusina is possible. I expect it to cost a fair amount of $$$. If anyone does this in the next few weeks, please let us know!

[RetiredandTravel]

2 minutes ago, Herman The Cat said:

Thanks for the thoughts about getting to Fusina from the airport — it certainly looks easier by land but if you are staying in Venice a few days pre-cruise that won’t work.  And luggage and the water bus won’t work either. So hoping that a water taxi from the Gritti Palace to Fusina is possible. I expect it to cost a fair amount of $$$. If anyone does this in the next few weeks, please let us know!

 

It was a while back but we had the Gritti Palace coordinate a water taxi from the train station.   Don't recall the price but it was a very nice taxi. 👍  Be sure to try the Gritti Terrace for dinner, beautiful spot.  Harry's Bar is a miss IMO.

[audobon_tx]

38 minutes ago, RetiredandTravel said:

 

It was a while back but we had the Gritti Palace coordinate a water taxi from the train station.   Don't recall the price but it was a very nice taxi. 👍  Be sure to try the Gritti Terrace for dinner, beautiful spot.  Harry's Bar is a miss IMO.

Bellini at Harry's Bar.  Nothing special, about $20 each.  Tourist trap.

[Herman The Cat]

1 hour ago, flyingshoes said:

Bellini at Harry's Bar.  Nothing special, about $20 each.  Tourist trap.

Great pic, but agreed, total tourist trap. And everyone wants to make the pilgrimage. Now they are 20 euros 🙄

[RetiredandTravel]

Harrys Bar Venice - Trip Advisor Reviews - almost 1/2 the reviews (~2700) are poor or terrible - very unfortunate 

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g187870-d195003-Reviews-Harry_s_Bar-Venice_Veneto.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MBP&O2/O]

“i was advised yesterday that the ship will be berthed at Fusina ferry and cruise terminal.  ”

As I understand it, at this present moment in time, Brits have to self isolate for 5 days upon entry into Italy.

Did Silversea mention anything about entry requirements at all?

 

We are due a Dawn cruise early next year so we are monitoring the situation regarding both berthing arrangements and entry requirements.

 

[rkacruiser]

21 hours ago, Herman The Cat said:

Great pic, but agreed, total tourist trap. And everyone wants to make the pilgrimage. Now they are 20 euros 🙄

 

Certain destinations "require" a visit to certain watering holes.  Raffles Hotel's Singapore Sling is one such example.  The best Singapore Sling ever made?  That's for others to decide.  But, in "no litter" Singapore, being able to litter by cracking peanut shells and dropping them on the floor of the Bar added to the pleasure of the experience in drinking the beverage.  

[sail1658]

On 8/18/2021 at 8:54 PM, cruiseej said:

i was advised yesterday that the ship will be berthed at Fusina ferry and cruise terminal.  This is closer to Marco Polo airport than the usual berths at either San Basilio or Marittima.

 

 

It's not clear yet if Silversea will provide transfers to the ship for all passengers from wherever check-in is provided, e.g  San Basilio or Venice Marittima. 

 

If they don't, some alternatives are shown below:- 

 

Fusina Terminal for water taxis and water buses is in a different location to Fusina Ferry Terminal where the ship would be berthed. Fusina Terminal is 2.7km (1.5 miles) away in an industrial area.

 

There is a number 16 bus which takes you from the terminal to a car park where people park their cars and catch the waterbus to Venice. Then it would be 1.6km (almost 1 mile) walk to Fusina Ferry Terminal on a road without any footpath. You would need a taxi booked for this area as it's just a dead end for people to travel to Venice by water bus.

 

Venice to Fusina by road (taxi) is 11.6 miles and takes around 20 minutes according to the travel website rome2rio and costs around £40/$55 to £50/$69.

 

https://www.rome2rio.com/map/Fusina-Italy/Venice#r/Taxi/s/0

 

From Venice to Fusina Terminal via ACTV water bus takes 25 minutes and costs £7/$10. The distance is 3.7 miles.

 

In a water taxi it's 7.5 miles from Venice to Marco Polo airport and costs around 130euos/$153/£111.

 

I can't see any online cost for a water taxi to Fusina Terminal, but the water taxi probably wouldn't have a return customer like they usually have at the airport. So although it's half the distance, you might have to pay the return journey cost. This is just my speculation. But even after that you'd still need transport to the Ferry Terminal.

 

Getting to Fusina Ferry Terminal from Marco Polo airport should be relatively easy, but if you're staying in a hotel in Venice I think it would be best for a water taxi to San Basilo terminal or Piazzale Roma and then get a taxi or book a car transfer to the Ferry Terminal as there would be many people wanting this service.

 

To help understand this further the image below could clarify things:-

 

Edited August 26, 2021 by sail1658