Review of a Mediterranean cruise on the Splendida and 24 hours in Venice – October 2024 (page 5 of 7)

Wednesday, October 30 – Disembarkation and a night in Venice

Once again, the weather is lovely this morning. The ship arrives at 9 AM, and our disembarkation is scheduled for 10 AM. We calmly make our way to the train station on foot to catch the FlixBus back to Venice.

On the bus, while looking into our transfer between the airport (our starting point) and our hotel (Mercure Venezia-Marghera)—a 17-minute drive by car—we see that a taxi costs between 60 and 75 €. We look for a cheaper option. It turns out to be a bus to Mestre train station for 10 € per person. And something I didn’t know, but won’t forget next time, is that the FlixBus stops at Mestre station after its stop at the airport.

Between the station and the hotel, there’s just a little over 2 km. The weather is nice, we have time, and we decide to walk.

After checking into the hotel, we head to bus #6 (Trieste Eraclea stop), less than a 10-minute walk from the hotel. It’s a direct bus to Piazzale Roma, running every 20 minutes. We arrive in Venice around 5 PM as the sun starts to set, casting beautiful lighting over the city. The temperature is mild—it’s a lovely evening.

View of the lagoon from the bus



We hope that at this time of day, the city will be less crowded, so we head to the most popular areas we usually avoid because of the crowds. Our GPS guides us through Venice’s labyrinthine streets.





The city lights up, illuminated by countless shops and restaurants.





At this hour, even though there are still people out, it’s not the daytime crowd near the Rialto Bridge. We cross it easily and without any hassle.



The closer we get to St. Mark’s Square, the more the commercial activity picks up. The shops become larger, more beautiful, and more brightly lit, eventually turning into luxury brand stores near the prestigious square.

Under the arcades lining the square is the legendary Café Florian. Its terrace stretches out beneath an orchestra, whose gentle melodies enchant the diners enjoying this beautiful evening.



We stop for a bit at a restaurant with “reasonable” prices (as reasonable as they get in Venice)—Al Vaporetto Trattoria—both to rest and because we’re hungry. Great pizza, great pasta, and great fish—no complaints. It was a good spot.

We continue our walk through the tiny, charming alleys, which reveal a completely different side of the city at night, invisible in daylight. The red-brick facades darken and take on an eerie quality as they reflect in the black water of the canals. The night also hints at how these dark, narrow passages with their hidden doors were once real danger zones.

After this timeless moment, we make our way back through the magical lights of our century.

Hi Catherine, Thanks so much for all these beautiful photos and comments. Mum49

Hi Catherine, Great review of your cruise and what a wonderful account of Venice in the evening with those beautiful photos. Mich74

Thanks for this really great travel journal with such beautiful photos

Thanks Guylene for the compliments, it's a pleasure for me to relive all these moments.

Thanks Michel, your message really made my day. That nighttime visit was truly beautiful.

Thanks, Gilberte, for your very kind message—I’m happy to be able to share!

A big thank you, Catherine, for this lovely travel journal that let us share some beautiful moments with you. Ending in Venice is such a treat! 😎

Thanks, Catherine, for your review—it let me relive some of the stops!

I love being in Venice in the evening... it’s the best time to wander around. I just booked two nights for next year. We’re supposed to embark in October. The ship leaves from Fusina... I looked into that area but only found a campsite renting mobile homes. I checked Mestre too... but in the end, I booked a hotel right in Venice. I’ll figure out how to get to Fusina later.

Best,

Thanks Catherine, even though this stay in Venice was the shortest we’ve ever had there, it was also really enjoyable and my favorite because of the nighttime stroll.

Hi Claudine, Thanks for reading my post. Departing from Fusina doesn’t seem straightforward. I only saw very expensive taxis or buses that aren’t easy with luggage. It’d be ideal if the company arranged a transfer.

Hi Catherine,

It's already over! I was waiting for the conclusion before saying thank you!

Thanks for sharing—you took us on a journey through this beautiful story, illustrated with lovely photos.

Hurry, hurry! The next cruise, because you have an extraordinary way with words.

Thanks again and have a great weekend!

Alfred

Good evening and thanks, Alfred,

You're right to wait for the conclusion—I still have a morning in Venice to post, plus the wrap-up. It’s not over yet. 😉 I just didn’t have time to do it today; my days are way busier since I moved to Normandy. 🙂

Have a great evening

Thursday, October 31, morning in Venice

This morning, the plan was all set to explore the neighborhoods east of Castello. But chance had other ideas for us.

This change of plans actually started the day we arrived, without us even realizing it, in the hotel elevator. We were talking about buying bus tickets when a woman next to us offered to give us hers, which she wouldn’t be using anymore. They were still valid for 24 hours and covered all the city’s transportation. She was so kind! 🙂

So we were walking along the quay, at the very north of the city, when a Vaporetto was about to leave, and there were only about ten people on board. The opportunity presented itself—why not? Since our ticket was valid until 1 p.m., we hopped on. We’d never have boarded an overcrowded boat. It would quickly fill up, we suspected, but we had good spots.

At this hour, the city was waking up to its usual rhythm: deliveries, garbage collection, artisans heading to their worksites… But here, everything happens by water. Maybe this is the only city where tourists photograph garbage collectors.





I have to say, this ride—something we’d never done before—was really pleasant and beautiful.









We’d planned to get off at Rialto Mercato, but in the end, we kept going because it was just so gorgeous.

Thursday, October 31, Venice – the final chapter

Here, the water is flooding the shore.









We disembark just before St. Mark’s Square and head back toward the Rialto Mercato through the streets and small alleyways. There are more people than last night, but it’s not yet overwhelming.







The market is colorful, and the prices are reasonable—slightly higher than back home but not as exorbitant as the tourist-targeted products.





The fish market is stunning, with many vendors displaying beautiful specimens.



Our morning visit ends here—it’s time to head back before our pass expires.

We have lunch at a simple neighborhood restaurant near our hotel. Two pasta dishes and sparkling water—a meal for 16 € for two. A far cry from Venice’s usual prices, and it was great—very friendly.

The airport transfer we booked arrives right on time at 1:30 PM. The agreed price was 50 €, and we reach our destination in less than fifteen minutes. When it’s time to pay, the driver tells me it’s 50 € in cash but 55 € if I pay by card. 😏 Seriously? I refuse—an agreed price is an agreed price. He pretends to make a call and comes back with his SumUp machine for 50 €. It’s unbelievable—until the very end, they try to overcharge us, even though their prices are already sky-high. Just another anecdote to add to the collection. 😉

Conclusion

Thank you all so much for following along. A big thank you for your messages—they really encouraged me and made my day.

This cruise was very pleasant and successful. The weather was on our side from the first to the last day, with beautiful sunshine and pleasant temperatures.

The mistake I made was traveling during the school holidays. Since I don’t have kids around me, I wasn’t aware of the dates when I booked, and I never imagined they started as early as mid-October. I’ll definitely be more careful in the future. It wasn’t just the kids running around everywhere and monopolizing the jacuzzis all day that was annoying—the general atmosphere was completely different from my usual cruises. People were less approachable, passengers kept to themselves, and politeness was often ignored. It was unlike anything I’d experienced before. Even during the Christmas period, we’ve never felt this way.

Our cabin was aging: a chipped sink, a leaky faucet, and a leak in the toilet bowl that filled the receptacle every night. The dressing room door wouldn’t close—it was fixed on the first day at our request, but the leaks, despite the butler’s reports, still persisted.

At the beginning of the cruise, we tried going to the shows, but honestly, we didn’t enjoy them much. We never stayed until the end. They’ve become bland, very similar to what you’d find on American ships, like a Broadway-style production. It’s just a series of scenes one after the other, with the ship’s troupe being the only performers. There’s something missing. We never saw any guest performers related to the countries we visited. Twice, we saw a magician—nothing special, just basic tricks. MSC, which used to have such beautiful shows, has really gone downhill.

The pool bar service was perfect—attentive, warm, and cheerful. At the Top Sail Lounge, it was a different story. The waitress was as friendly as a prison door. She served us well, exactly as requested, but never with a smile. She always seemed stiff and closed off, like she was miserable and forced to be there.

We had an excellent chef and fantastic meals, both at the Olivo restaurant and the small poolside buffet. The ingredients were high-quality, well-cooked, and perfectly prepared. Oddly, at the Olivo restaurant, we had several dishes identical to those served at Oceania restaurants, like the starter at Polo Grill made with red beets and goat cheese.

When I booked, I regretted that the stops were almost always quite short, but in the end, thanks to the great weather, I really enjoyed those half-days at sea in addition to the stops. It was a perfect combination.

Yacht Club priority boarding and disembarkation were always well managed and respected at every stop. We never had to wait, whether for disembarking or boarding.

Of course, not everything was perfect—but is it ever? We’re very happy with this cruise. We found a good rhythm between stops and days or half-days at sea. We had a great time, enjoyed beautiful weather, and had a chef who delighted us every day. That’s already a lot, so yes, we’re ready to go again—and soon! 😉

Hi Catherine,

Lovely conclusion (as always)!

Once again, a BIG thank you for this great review!

See you soon for the next one!

Alfred

Thanks to you, Alfred, for the compliments and your dedication.

Thanks again for this review, which you wrap up beautifully with the Grand Canal. Every time I go to Venice, I board the vaporetto at the start of the line—our hotel isn’t far, there’s always space, and it’s an amazing ride. On the way back, I walk back to the hotel. Too bad about the tired cabin and the kids... Looking forward to the next cruise, which is really just around the corner. 😎 Have a great weekend.

Thanks Catherine, and thanks for following along to the end. Have a great weekend too!