There are amazing deals to be had on trips to Venice. Arriving by aircraft and staying in the city you’ll have a better chance of seeing the real city than on a cruise liner.
Restrictions are being brought in for liners over 96,000 tons. This will affect P&O Ventura, Regal Princess, Celebrity Silhouette & Equinox, Costa Fascinosa & Magica and the MSC Prezinosa & Fantasia. These will be banned.
Currently liners tie up at the northwestern side of the city, disgorge tourists bent on souvenir hunting and taking 
digital photographs never to be seen again, and then sail down the Guidecca Canal passing St Mark’s Square on the port and Elton John’s house on the starboard side. The scale is overwhelming and for such a proud city that used to be responsible for building one fighting galley EVERY day in its Arsenal ship yards it is very sad.
To be jolted into the worst part of the 21st Century by a passing cruise ship spoils any quality Venetian experience.
There is talk of dismantling the fresh food market from the centre to replace it with a cruise liner drop off terminal.
There is also talk of Venice declaring independence from Italy. Once a city-state it would become one again. Italy already hosts space to San Marino with a population of 30,000+ in 61 sq km. Venice with 250,000+ population has the size and the will.
Travel details
Flights: Expedia UK
Within Venice: take the Vaporetto, a canal-wide ‘bus service’.
To get from the airport to Venice: take the Alilaguna, a fast boat to Murano the Venice, stopping at selected but main landings.
To be a tourist and worth doing once: a gondola
Best time to visit: book now and visit early in the year so that you see Venice in the mists and avoid the cruise liners !