I got so much useful info off CC that I will try and repay this by giving this review! We have cruised around 6 times before - and on this occasion it was my present to my DH for his 40th birthday.
We flew to Venice very early Thursday morning on a very empty BA plane. Caught the bus into Piazzale Roma for just a few € each - a very efficient service, and from there we walked down the shallow steps to the Grand Canal. Our hotel was the Antiche Figure booked because of the rave reviews on Trip Advisor and we got a good rate from Travelocity. In Venice we walked and walked and walked. I am so glad our hotel was away from the madness of St Marks Square as that was just heaving. A good deal is the 24hr vaporetto pass for €15 which means you can hop-on-hop-off vaporettos during this time. We found a very good restaurant just in San Tome Square right by the San Tome stop on the Grand Canal which we would recommend. It is set up right outside the church so you cannot miss it.
On Saturday we hauled the suitcases back over the two small bridges and back to Piazzale Roma. We waited by the public toilets for the 'free' bus that was meant to take us to the port - with about 100 other people but it was clear that no one knew when it was meant to run and people were starting to get cross, so we went back to catch the #6/ [important that it is the #6/ and not just the #6] bus from bus stop C3 which is right by the steps down to the Grand Canal so you cannot miss it. This bus drops you at the port gates. From there on there was no guidance as to what to do. We went with our bags into the building for check in - a RCI rep told us to go straight on in, but at the top of the stairs another RCI rep said that we should have dropped off our cases first - so back outside and over the road to a white tented area where we literally left our bags and hoped we would see them again! Check-in was a breeze - went straight up to the empty Suite line, handed over the Seapass and were on board in about 2 minutes. It was 2:30 now and our room was ready - the tickets said that you could even not start boarding till 3 so don't always believe what you read.