Day 8 Wednesday 12th October Venice
Looking out across the port from our balcony we could see that P&O Oriana had arrived overnight.
This was a transit day onboard the ship as other passengers were leaving to catch their planes home and other passengers were joining the ship. Overnight we had been left a cruise log for the first seven days of the cruise and when we returned to our cabin after breakfast we even had a new flower and all the toiletries had been refreshed.
After breakfast we went to catch the motor launch back to the city. Today there was no queue and we boarded almost immediately. Passengers from Oriana had their own queue alongside as their launches were provided separately. We watched as armed Italian troops boarded a launch alongside ours and set off too for the city. We would later see pairs of them on patrol accompanied by a solitary policeman.
Views going down the lagoon
Second day in Venice
The crowds were out in force as we walked toward’s St Mark’s Square.
Here is the bridge opposite the Bridge of Sighs.
We walked past the entrance to St Mark’s Square and further down the quay watched birds drinking from a running tap.
As we wandered we watched gondoliers both working and asleep as well some of the views along the canals.
Street art
Perhaps we didn’t gho to the correct places to see streetart or perhaps it is frowned upon in Venice? These are the ‘best’ ones that I found over the two days.
Lunch in Venice
We happened to be passing the small restaurant that we had had a beer the day before and decided to stop for lunch.
Here’s the restaurant by one of the post office’s in Venice …
… it is opposite is a small alleyway that leads to a canal with some interesting views .
On our way to the lagoon we passed through St Mark’s Square and watched the pigeons (and the tourists!).
Our last looks at the Grand Canal and St Mark’s Square from the lagoon.
Back at the cruise ship berth berth
Brilliance of the Seas had been the first of the cruise ships to leave the port. Here she is leaving her berth to begin her slow journey back down the lagoon.
The Beach House
Dinner was booked in the Beach House at 7 pm as I hoped to be able to watch Oceana’s sail away scheduled for sometime after 9.30 pm. We watched Brilliance of the Seas sail away, her superstructure clearly visible as she passed St Marks Square and passed out towards the Adriatic.
I had shrimps followed by steak on a lava rock and sizzling fruit strawberries for dessert.
After dinner we went out on our balcony as the Captain announced that Oceana would have to wait for Oriana to manoeuvre out of her berth and then to have passed St Marks Square before Oceana could move off her berth. Local navigation rules not only define the speed of the cruise ships but also the separation in the lagoon.
Here’s Oriana in the turning area before setting off down the lagoon with the mandatory two tugs with her.
Sailing out of Venice
Oceana sailed out into the Adriatic overnight and headed South to our next port of call, Kotor in Montenegro.