Do you have question about a cruise that you are planning to go on or want advice and the cruise brochures do not have the answers.  Ask your question here and visitors to the site who have real cruise experience will answer your question.

To be fair, Ariston Hotel is midway on the direct route between the airport and the cruise terminal which will suit people on late flights who just want somewhere to sleep. Has anyone stayed at this hotel.

For anyone who's never been to Mestre, it's worth dipping into one of Donna Leon's Inspector Brunetti books to see how Mestre is described. As Chris, Judith, etc have mentioned, it's ridiculous TAs booking people into hotels in mestre when there are reasonably priced ones much, much nearer to the cruise port AND which allow at least a bit of a look at Venice the night before the cruise.

i would go back to the travel agent and tell them to cancel that hotel. Mestre is quite a way from venice and if you want to go into venice before you actually sail you will have to take trains or taxis. Ask the travel agent to cancel the hotel and book your own through either Booking.com or Venere.com. both are reliable agencies. I have used the hotel florida, hotel santa chiara both near piazzale roma and 3 star hotels so not too expensive. (you need to find as Bosscat says a hotel near / around piazzale roma which is where the cruise buses leave from to go to the cruise terminal. you can get a taxi from the airport to piazzale roma or the bus which is only 3 euros and takes about 15 mintues. another things which bosscat says is that Mestre is not the nicest of places and honestly that is an understatement. you will be much happier in a hotel in venice i am sure. anyway this is my advice. have a great time in venice and the sailaway is the BEST

Try this web site........................... http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/planner/blp_venice_hotels_mainland.htm......... It's 5 miles from marco polo airport, and a little further than that to the cruiseport. Google earth will give you a good view of the lay of the land as the hotel aristion is one of the points of interest you can call up. The cruise port is at the eastern end of the main island of venice clearly visible on google earth Taxis from the airport to the cruise terminal are around 40 euros ( ~5 miles) so expect similar prices for you 2 journeys.Taxis are lined up outside the exit of the terminal building and are very easy to get, they do have an additional charge for each piece of luggage in addition to the fare.

Mestre is well outside Venice and I can see no good reason for staying there - there are plenty of reasonably hotels near Piazzale Roma (to which you can get a bus for 2 or 3 Euros from the airport - 25 mins, or a taxi for 35-40) and the neither the cruise ship shuttle bus or a taxi from Piazzale Roma. Don't stay in Mestre - it's not terribly nice, either.