Venice without the cruise ships

I am afraid not. There are a huge number of tour companies that bring tourists to the area year around and they have different schedules.

At least according to this website, there are still a few days with no cruise ships scheduled to be in port. You can move the calender around some. However, it might not go far enough into the future to be helpful for your planning for next year.

It is relatively easy to find when cruise ships are in port. Surprised a travel researcher would not know these sites. The above one works well as does Whatsinport.com. Whatsinport provides a broader range of information.

If you can avoid the cruise ships good, but there will still be a lot of tourists in Venice either way. Venice is one of those places that are packed with tourists, but for a good reason, it is truly unique and amazing!
However on my 3 trips there i have found that the majority stick to the beaten path around the Rialto Bridge, St. Marks Square and the route in between. If you venture of that path and dare to get lost in the alleyways and along the smaller canals, you will find another Venice. Also you could visit some of the other islands in the lagoon, like Murano, Burano and Torcello. And please spend a few nights in Venice itself so you can enjoy it in the evenings, when a lot of the day trippers are gone.
On my last trip 3 years ago, we went on a day trip and because we had been before and ticked of the major sigths fro our list, we just spend the day wandering the smaller canals and enjoying the atmosphere and it was a wonderfull experience.

Good idea to go early or late in the day to the most heavily touristed sights, and use the main part of the day for the other islands or for areas off the beaten track. Take the vaporetto along the Grand Canal at night.

Also choose some time other than June, July, August. We went in October one year and I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't as packed as summer months.

Zoe is spot on with her advice. EARLY and LATE for the biggies and then get onto the back streets and outer islands

Our first visit there was in late Sept 08 and we remarked to one of the shop keepers on the Rialto Bridge how many people there were (it felt like being sheep herded to slaughter)...his reply...this is nothing, you should be here in August! I could not imagine.

Our 3 subsequent visits have all been mid-late Sept...and by trip 3, I had embraced the getting up early (like, go out at 7-7:30 am for an hour then go back and have breakfast) and see Rialto and St Marks and the Bridge of Sighs without the crowds. Go back in the evening and really enjoy St Marks and the dueling orchestras!

Head to Murano/Burano/Torcello thru the day - they will still be busy, but not like SM/Rialto. (I wish I could show you my pics of St Marks Sq at 7:30 with maybe a dozen people wandering around.) And the best part of Venice (for me, and it took me three trips to really embrace this)...is to GET LOST. Head off any direction from SM/Rialto...away from the crowds, down the twisty turny alleys that open onto sweet little bridges over quiet canals and squares with amazing churches and people going about their day to day lives (as much as they can in a place inundated with tourists).

That being said, tho it can be expensive (we've found places that have been quite nice in the 70 euro range in San Toma area), it is important to stay on Venice proper itself and not Mestre or further out...that way you can get out early lest you become one of the touristic hordes. Have a blast - Venice is so amazing...and if the crowds are getting to you...just wander away from them...

Thanks Nicole. We only have 1.5 days there (arriving 11:00 a.m. first day jetlagging), then have the entire next day.

I was planning on getting up early that 2nd day and being at St. Marks early like you said, then doing the Secret Doge's tour when it opens...then leaving. I have nothing else planned that day, so thought we would just wander away and discover Venice this way. I've read after the daytrippers leave at 5:00 it becomes much nicer again in the touristy parts.

Photo of Piazza San Marco at 7:00 am, nearly deserted except for the couple having wedding photos taken ...

We were actually one of those people from the cruise ship during our visit to Venice in 2012. Our cruise started in Venice, so we actually arrived a day or 2 early and spent some time there on our own. To add to it, the Pope was visiting, and held mass at St. Mark's while we were there.

As everyone has already advised, plan on getting to the main touristy spots early or late. Wander off the beaten path during peak hours. Even with all of the cruise ships and the additional people for the Pope, I didn't find Venice to be overly crowded compared to a lot of other places I've visited.

We only had about 1.5 days as well our first time. We arrived from Bologna maybe 1pm or so...I didn't do my homework and after getting sorted at the accoms, we went to Murano...which was dumb...by the time we got there, it was getting on to 5pm and it was practically a ghost town (or ghost island I suppose). We had until about supper time the next day before we had to head to the airport (we also wasted an hour waiting in line to get into the Doge's Palace - I have learned so much since our first trip!). Little did I know - I would fall in love with Venice and have gone there on every trip over (this year will be our first time going to Europe without going to Venice!). So with only a day and a half, you may want to skip Murano/Burano unless you have your heart set on seeing them - it does take a chunk of time to get to them.

Great photo Jeff!

As people are discussing getting off the beaten path, this map of Venice uses a red/yellow/green system that identifies the busiest walkways. As you can see, there are vast swathes of the city just off the heavily-trafficked tourist trails that many folks never set foot in.

Here is a more accurate cruise ship calendar.

http://www.vtp.it/calendario/results.export?password=null&CodTipoNave=&CodNave=&CodArmatore=&partenza=07%2F05%2F2015&arrivo=31%2F12%2F2015

http://www.cruisetimetables.com/cruises-to-venice-italy.html
Look at April or November to be sure.
Selected days in May and October may work also.
For a multi day stay during summer (Jun-Sep), you can forget it.