Venice - Italy

The Doges Palace in St Mark's Square.

Morning sunrise over Venice as Arcadia makes her approach.

Building glow in the morning sun.

Passengers line the Starboard side of deck 10 for arrival into Venice.


So much to see on the sail in.

The Jewel in the Crown - St Mark's Square coming into sight on the Starboard Side.

The entrance to the Grand Canal.

St Mark's Square.

A local Church.

The Venice Vaporetto service - public transport.

Interesting facades.

More churches.

A canal at Stazzione Marittima - close to the ship.

If ever you were looking for inspiration - look no further!
The Italians love their style - there are lots of silverware shops.

The Rialto Bridge - one of the most famous in the world.

The Grand Canal from the Rialto Bridge - lots of lovely restaurants here under the red covers.

Just one Cornetto - give it to me............Gondolas galore.

St Mark's Square - always exciting when you enter - no where else in the world is quite like it. The epicentre of world culture.
The Doges Palace with it's Gothic arches and delicate marble facade. This is not any old trip to your local superstore!

Detail, detail, detail.

Awesome. Check the blue sky!
We operate our water taxi service from the ship to this area.

I think it was Oscar Wilde who said that St Mark's Square is the finest Drawing Room in Europe.

Another stunning view.

The Bridge of Sighs - as you have never seen it before - renovations are going on hence the blue covering.

This is where I did my first Venice Fly Cruise turnaround in 1983 on the Sea Princess ,which became Victoria. We used to do check in using passenger card tables and stacking chairs! No lap tops then or fancy check in desks...........we have moved on.

Endless beautiful doors and surrounds.

A builders barge!

The world famous Daniele Hotel.

Straight on down and on the right is Harry's Bar.

Lots of designer shopping on offer.

Style and quality among all the tourist shopping.
The Grand Canal from the Academy Bridge.

Arcadia is flying her dress flags for our call at Venice. Always a welcome sight.

The sun setting over Venice on Friday evening - Arcadia was built about 10 minutes away from here.!!

Hello again,

Last Friday we sailed into Venice at 0730 hours and Arcadia was alongside her berth by 0830 hours. Everyone was very excited as we were on an overnight call, sailing at 1730 on the Saturday. It was a little misty when we were sailing in, but this soon cleared and it was the most perfect day for sightseeing and taking pictures. After all the morning business was sorted I set off on foot with my camera and I hope you like these shots of our Venice cruise.

I stood in Venice, on the Bridge of Sighs: A palace and a prison on each hand.

Lord Byron 1788 - 1824 English Poet.

Venice has been long revered as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Venice lies at the head of the Adriatic Sea in the salt - water Laguna Veneta. The city is build on 118 small islands and connected with a unique network of canals and Bridges. There is lots to do! There are ten different excursion to choose from - why settle with one? We also ran a new tour this time to Verona - this is one I would like to do sometime as I have never been to Verona and I am told that I would love it! Friends of mine went to the Murano Glass Factory and the island of Burano - again something I would like to do. However I love to wander around on my feet and absorb all that is Venice, including their marvellous hospitality.

Ciao,

James.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much James - the photos are awesome and as usual your blog is fascinating to read - I remember my days on board Canberra and certainly remember Civatveccia/Venice - great memories - keep up the great work and enjoy the rest of this cruise - Sara

Norma Winston-Jones said...

Hi James,
Thanks again for some wonderful photos of Venice, brings back happy memories.Very envious of you.Keep up the good work.
Norma & Peris

Anonymous said...

HI James

Great photo's again when i was at sea the nearest port for Venice was Trieste (hope i have the correct spelling)it is great that ships now go to Venice direct.

Lovely to see blue skies, Europe in summer is beautiful.

Enjoy the rest of the cruise.

Geoff and Julieta Witts Perth

Hazel G said...

Verona is well worth a visit! Interesting that it has now been added as an excursion.

Louise AKA `M` said...

Hi James,

Great to see you in Italy - yes you would love Verona. We were "on a mission" recently in Venice but I have to say it was all work and no play. You will recall the scenes I am sure in Casino Royal.....

Italy is such a wonderful place to visit and the Italians are great - providing you do not mistake thier wonderful animated conversations for arguments you will enjoy listening to their colourful language.

I have always wanted to visit Dubrovnik - now I have (virtually) thanks to your blog!

You are a lovely little "blogger".....all the best James, Louise & Tony. xx

Elaine said...

Sorry for the late reply to your blog - been away for the bank holiday weekend. Anyway, what wonderful memories are flooding back to me as I read about Dubrovnik and Venice. James I have exactly the same sort of picture taken from the rialto bridge as my screen saver. Also the last shot of the sun going down as you leave Venice. I have something very similar of that too. I actually prefer to sit and watch the sailout rather than getting up early to do the sail in. I have never done an overnight stop in Venice and would love to do one. It must be nice to just wander around in the evening either opting to stay out to eat (no offence to P & O food, it's excellent IMO, but it is nice to have a change from all the rich food sometimes)!

I'm glad I didn't give out any false information James re the thing about bringing drinks onboard. I only gave out the info I have read on CC.

Anyway, better go and get DD up! Were making OH buy us lunch as he had me up at the crack of dawn to come back from our weekend with family in the midlands just so he could play golf at some unearthly hour! I am not a happy bunny!!!!!!

James do you play golf? Mr B will be bringing his golf clubs with him on J922. He'll probably bring his portable piano too!!!!!! It is true we travel with everything including the kitchen sink!!!!!!

Anyway, Ciao for now James

Elaine (aurorabore)

Laurence said...

Hi James. Many thanks for your wonderful and numerous photos of this cruise. We are on the ship with you now, leaving Corfu as I write this. My wife and I chose Arcadia for our first cruise last year(Caribbean) and adored it. We both read your blog regularly to keep in touch with Arcadia in between cruises. Please keep it up - we do so enjoy it. Laurence (no not the one in the photographic shop!)

Anonymous said...

HI again James,
just read the Dubrovnik blog, aswell as the straits of Messina blog, beautiful pictures, i did not realize that there is an ARSENAL restaurant in Dubrovnik, that is the team i have supported for more than 44 years.
Will have to go there when next in Europe in 3-4 years time,

Take care, regards to all on Arcadia, looking forward to more updates with great pictures.

Thanks for the comments.

Geoff and Julieta Witts Perth

Scottylass said...

Another great piece of penmanship from James, he just tells it like it is,
because I know, I am right here experiencing this wonderful cruise. This blog is not just a marketing
tool for P&O it is fact and everything that is written in it is just what is
happening on the cruise day by day. I think Carnival/P&O are missing a
great opportunity here, as this blog (especially the Grand Voyage) would make an
ideal Coffee Table Book, I am sure it would sell like hotcakes, in the past I have
bought books published by P&O especially books like P&O The Glory Days, but those
books are more for the ship lovers amongst us, the publishing of the blog into a book would
appeal to a wider audience, not just for the photos and geographical content, but to those
who were part of the Grand Voyage and to all the world wide readers of the blog. So lets
hope someone takes up this opportunity soon. One thing I am not so happy about is that
when on board the ship access to the P&O website is free, however even although James Cusick's
blog is part of the website as soon as you access it you have you use your own expensively bought
Internet minutes which I think is a bit mean spirited, so come on P&O there are a lot of blog
readers on board the good ship Arcadia, why should we pay money to access the blog. I am making an appeal for
all you future cruisers and blog readers, P&O please please get this sorted out.
Anyway I must get back to enjoying a lovely day at sea, alas only one more port of call,
Gibralter, then its back home to "Auld Claes and purritch" - the scots among us will understand this
saying.

All the best
Mary G. Kerr

Jay said...

Scottylass, How right you are!! It is naughty of P & O to charge us to read the Blog whilst on board.

You obviously had a lovely cruise to all those scrumptious places. But sadly it's all coming to an end ---until next time.
Regards to all Jay

Anonymous said...

Hi,
A book would be great!I'll buy it anyday.
The James blog should be on the ship stateroom televisions throughout the day, just like the port presentations, future cruises ads and the DJ Martin Radio show.
To pay to look at the blog of your own cruise is nutty.

Anonymous said...

When we were there in june it was raining in the way in but at least it cleared up later for the two day stopover.I noticed that the stage was taken down at the end of St Marks when we were there they were advertising the Simple Minds concert,sadly i missed it having been a great fan for years.Did make the Edinburgh castle concert when i came home from Aurora though. Kind Regards James

Alan G

James Cusick said...

Hello!

Thanks for all your lovely comments and for keeping this blog alive - send me more!

Busy days recently after all that time ashore in Dubrovnik and Venice however hopefully another update tomorrow.

By the way ELAINE - I am due to join ARCADIA for the Christmas Cruise - so I look forward to meeing you on board! Breakfasts will never be the same again..............

All good wishes,
James.

Elaine said...

Morning James

Late breakfast this morning. Wanted to get some cleaning done before coming downstairs this morning!

I noticed in the latest copy of the portunus magazine that you are due back on the 18th Dec. So pleased I'm finally going to meet you. I am on countdown! It's 15 weeks this Friday! I bet they fly by. The outlaws are heading off to ventura for christmas this year (as they have a 12 year old daughter). Our son does not want to come away for Xmas and DD will be working. So this Xmas will be really strange!

Christmas cards and paper are beginning to appear in the shops! The other day I went to the local co-op and they had christmas tree chocolate decorations and tesco's have just got their big tins of roses and quality street etc on sale! Christmas seems to start earlier and earlier! It does take me ages to organise myself for xmas, but not that long ;-)

Are you still going on leave on the 20th September?

Elaine (aurorabore)

Anonymous said...

Hi Elaine,
Are you going to do the brekkie blog thing whilst on board Arcadia?
I hope so it will not be the same without you. I look forward to seeing your name there and reading your comments. I think that you have become as much an important identity to this blog as James has.
You will have to go to a wireless area, IE. Piano Bar and surrounds or the library but am sure that they will deliver your breakfast where ever you are.
Cheers

Elaine said...

Anonymous

I will try! Not sure it will be breakfast post though! I tend to lay in on holiday.

Glad you enjoy my input into James's blog. I may let him use some of my photos (if I take any that are of any good) ;-)

Elaine (aurorabore)

wilkesy said...

Hi,

Thanks for these great photos and info. We are looking to take a cruise for our honeymoon next year so we will have a good look through your pages. We may even go for a fancy dress party on our cruise, just to be different?