Matino

Venice, Italy is one of the most popular cruise ports in Southern Europe, handling more than 500 ship departures and 700,000 cruise passengers per year. The city is located within the Venetian Lagoon, which has a port entrance that leads to the Adriatic Sea. Its cruise-ship piers are within walking distance of the historic enter, and Venice's Marco Polo Airport is only about 6 km or 4 miles away.

Important tips:

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If your cruise line isn't providing transfers, you can reach your ship by land taxi from the airport for about €30 to €40. A water taxi is more fun, but you can easily pay €100 or more for the trip. For detailed advice, see our article on getting to your cruise ship from the airport or railroad station.
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The Port of Venice often provides free shuttle buses from the Piazzale Roma (where land taxis and Venice airport buses discharge passengers) to the pier. The buses are coaches with luggage space underneath, and they typically run at half-hour intervals from the time the ship disembarks one batch of passengers until boarding of new passengers is complete. Check with your cruise line to learn if a shuttle will be available.
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If you're staying in Venice before or after your cruise, we strongly urge you to read our Venice Cruise Terminal Hotels article before booking a hotel room. Do not assume that your cruise-travel agent knows Venice: We often get panicky e-mails from cruisers who have been booked into hotels that are a long distance on foot (or a painfully expensive water-taxi ride) from the cruise piers.
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For information on the port of Venice, see our Venice Cruise Terminal article. This article describes the two main terminal areas (Marittima and S. Basilio) and has a link to the port's official Web site.