Will it be via the Giudecca Canal Venice

[Orpheus]

My wife and I are are on Azura Cruise A323N and on October 10th we dock in Venice. But are we arriving and departing by the pretty route or the ugly route ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZd-4lIaLIA

[towny44]

I hope its by the Giudecca canal both in and out since we are also on this cruise.

[melsea]

I hope so too as we are on Queen Elizabeth arriving there late Oct.

[Islander]

We are going August 4th on Arcadia. If no one lets you know before then we'll tell you if it's the scenic way.

[Susan1]

We go on Azura in July never been to Venice hope we get the pretty route

[ShirleyT]

Ditto! We are on Arcadia on the 4th September. I remember The Monacled Mutineer (where is he by the way?) writing on the old forum that the route in was going to be changed in August 2013. I am hoping the Italians are late finishing whatever they are doing at Venice. This is our first time there and would love to see the scenic route because I have read so much about it on the forum.
Is anyone out there on this cruise (J312)? Would like to hear from you.

[Orpheus]

We are going August 4th on Arcadia. If no one lets you know before then we'll tell you if it's the scenic way.

Thank you Islander that would be appreciated & have a great cruise was on this Arcadia in 2007 & Old Arcadia in 2000 & 2002

[Mervyn and Trish]

We've been to Venice twice on cruises and it was the pretty route each time.

By the way I've rarely seen such a slanted and inaccurate report as the one in the link. It is true we came in with tugs loosely attached, but that was a precautionary measure. The ropes were slack at all times and we were under our own power travelling very, very, very slowly.

We have also sat by the Guidecca canal as one of the Princess Grand Class ships came in (similar to Azura/Ventura) and there was not a ripple on the shore as she passed and certainly not the rise in water level claimed here. That canal is very wide. In fact the vaporetti (the water buses) which hare up and down Venice's canals, including the much narrower and shallower Grand Canal, revving their engines wildliy in forward and reverse gears, create far more wash very close to the banks as they come in than the cruise ships do.

Finally I do not believe the suggestion that Venetians generally do not like the ships. The island's economy is entirely built on tourism. Without tourists, including the ships, there would be no income or jobs there.

[Orpheus]

Ditto! We are on Arcadia on the 4th September. I remember The Monacled Mutineer (where is he by the way?) writing on the old forum that the route in was going to be changed in August 2013. I am hoping the Italians are late finishing whatever they are doing at Venice. This is our first time there and would love to see the scenic route because I have read so much about it on the forum.
Is anyone out there on this cruise (J312)? Would like to hear from you.

Hi ShirleyT my wife & I have been lucky enough to have done Venice on Aurora in 2009 so have sailed in and out of Venice by the pretty route I sincerely hope that you get the chance to do it as well it is something you will never forget.

Yes where is The Monacled Mutineer ?

[Dancing Queen]

I also remember MM saying this route would be changed from August 2013 on the old forum.

If it is correct a bit of a consolation for those of you sailing in October if you have an early sail in you wouldn't have seen anything anyway as it is quite dark at this time of year, on our second sail into Venice ( late September ) I was delighted as I had managed to get a starboard balcony cabin I got up early only to be met with it being pitch black outside and we had already docked.

Finally managed it last year from the comfort of our balcony ( with a bottle of champers ) as we sailed in at noon with brilliant sunshine

[david63]

Good to see that we are not the only ones to have champers whilst sailing into Venice - only ours was early in the morning (with just the tiniest dash of orange juice so that it could be classed as Bucks Fizz )

[Islander]

On subject of Guidecca canal, has anyone found a quick way to get across to the island using the vaporetti? Don't really want to go near San Marco . Is there a vap.station at Piazzale Roma that takes you directly across without going all round the grand canal? Also, has anyone been in the opera house since it's renovation after the fire a few years ago? Both the island and the opera house are on our "must see" list and as we're only there for the day this year, wondered if poss.to do both.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Can't remember the number but yes there is a water bus which goes anticlockwise as it were and gets to the island without doing the length of the Grand Canal first. It may even be the same number but going the other way. The only thing you have to watch is is darts too and fro across the canal between stops on the main island and Guidecca so to get one stop further along Guidecca can mean crossing the canal twice!

[Islander]

Can't remember the number but yes there is a water bus which goes anticlockwise as it were and gets to the island without doing the length of the Grand Canal first. It may even be the same number but going the other way. The only thing you have to watch is is darts too and fro across the canal between stops on the main island and Guidecca so to get one stop further along Guidecca can mean crossing the canal twice!

Thanks for that info. Now we know it can be done will give it a whirl in August. Any stop on the island would be fine, we are just planning to go wandering.