Venice - beware if staying pre-post cruise - luggage

See this article from today's London Metro newspaper!! That's one way of creating jobs for the luggage trolley men!!

 

 

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From what people on Trip Advisor are saying, this is not completely true. There has not been a law passed, it is simply a proposal so far and if it were passed it would not come into effect till next May.

My bag is a convertible - has wheels AND backpack straps. So, I'm good in either situation ;)

http://www.thelocal.it/20141121/venice-denies-noisy-suitcase-ban

I think Venice is shooting themselves in the foot. They want tourists, but all the rules they are making are going to drive tourists from the area.

 

I don't think folks are going to want to go back to the 70's when luggage had no wheels. I for one COULD NOT CARRY my suitcase, and WOULD NOT pay someone else to transport my bags to a hotel.

 

I WOULD find another destination to visit. I've been to Venice twice and would just avoid it in the future.

Geez, lighten up folks. We are talking about Italy and Venice which might rival places like Berkeley CA for proposing ridiculous local ordinances. But unlike Berkeley, these things seldom (to ever) come to pass in Italy...and even if eventually adopted it is very unlikely that it would ever be enforced.

 

I might add that the typical way Italy would enforce such a stupid idea would be to have the local cops simply write a citation. Like most local citations (such as parking tickets) they make good wall hangings for one's bathroom and just one more official document to be ignored (ahhhhh.....tis Italy).

 

Hank

Edited November 22, 2014 by Hlitner

I read today that it has been passed and will effective in May 2015, with fines of $600. but how will they enforce this?

 

They are claiming noise pollution for local residents, and damage to the bridges???

 

Interesting to see how this shakes out!

Just check your luggage at the Luggage Check office in Plaza Roma... You do not want to drag luggage thru Venice... Those beautiful bridges don't have smooth walkways, but rather a a ton of stairs.

 

All those stairs to cross a bridge with luggage going "bang bang bang" behind you is why the people of Venice are so upset, the noise is a huge issue but the bigger issue is the damage being done to very very old structures. Like cars, and soon cruise ships, even luggage will be banned from Venice proper!

 

 

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http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/21/travel/italy-venice-wheeled-suitcases/index.html?hpt=hp_bn10

http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/21/travel/italy-venice-wheeled-suitcases/index.html?hpt=hp_bn10

 

 

Great article that spells out the issue very clearly.... The noise and the damage to ancient streets and bridges is a huge problem!

 

Consider arriving to Venice in style, get a Water Taxi and have it take you to the door of your hotel! Expensive but a real fabulous memory as you travel up the grand canal to your hotel and arrive in style!!! There is enough room for 2 couples to share and possible 3 depending on the amount of luggage... Then you can split the cost and tip!

 

Cheaper, less expensive options leave you with the issue of how to "carry" your bags rather than roll them thru the streets to get to your hotel.

 

 

 

 

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Edited November 23, 2014 by nana541

Interesting. I wonder if the law will be enforced? Maybe rescinded? Guess we shall see what develops come May.

It would not stop me from visiting again. I would simply find a way around the issue.

I bet the locals will start a new tourist business.... Transporting tourist luggage! Tours and their $$ is too important to the survival of this community.

 

 

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Consider arriving to Venice in style, get a Water Taxi and have it take you to the door of your hotel! Expensive but a real fabulous memory as you travel up the grand canal to your hotel and arrive in style!!! There is enough room for 2 couples to share and possible 3 depending on the amount of luggage... Then you can split the cost and tip!

 

Careful - not all hotels are accessible by water taxi! The taxi can get you close to some, but you still have to walk. Ask the hotel.

Very true!!!

 

 

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Interesting. I wonder if the law will be enforced? Maybe rescinded? Guess we shall see what develops come May.

It would not stop me from visiting again. I would simply find a way around the issue.

 

No, they will never enforce it (Italy is great at ignoring things). But can you imagine a group of "luggage checkers" sitting outside the train station and fining everyone who rolls a bag out of the station? It would be too funny.

 

We really enjoy spending time in Italy and are sometimes amused by certain actions. For example, one day we spent hours at one of our favorite cafes in the Piazza Navona (Rome) watching African vendors selling their counterfeit (knockoff) wares from numerous sidewalk displays. This is illegal but the police just watched. Then when a tourist would purchase something (like a handbag or a watch) the Police would pounce on the tourist to write a citation. But it was several hours before they decided to finally close-down the vendors (who probably moved to the next block).

 

Hank

Edited November 23, 2014 by Hlitner

Venice has been suffering from a deteriorating economy for years, and I suspect this ordinance is partly to raise revenue. Just like when they stop you for buying knock off designer wares from a street peddler in Rome, the fine is to be paid on the spot, and you will be detained until it is.

 

My solution would be to book a B2B with Venice as the turnaround day so you can get off and enjoy the port without needing to deal with luggage. ;)

When we used Ryanair we purchased backpacks that were the exact dimensions of their allowance. They were also lightweight and we were able to fit more into the bags than a Northface larger style backpack. They are called Cabinmax. Not very stylish or particularly sturdy but did the trick. Daughter over packed hers and a seam busted but husband and I did not over stuff and they have made a couple of trips without falling apart.

 

It's horribly frustrating to lug around wheeled suitcases in ancient cities. I was told, "go home American" when walking down a street in Florence with my stupid suitcase. Imagine these suitcases are even less liked in Venice. Our subsequent trip with the backpacks only were sooo much easier.

 

Our main reason for choosing NCL over other ships was the dress codes. I imagine other ships dress codes may very well be changing soon too if this mandate goes into effect. Hard to justify dragging tux, dress shoes etc in an extra bag if the fine is 600 euros.

Have been on Carnival,Princess and Celebrity. It is very unusual to see anyone in a tux on any of those lines.Well maybe a few on Celebrity but not common at all.

Have been on Carnival,Princess and Celebrity. It is very unusual to see anyone in a tux on any of those lines.Well maybe a few on Celebrity but not common at all.

 

 

Thinking you meant to post this somewhere else ;)

 

 

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Thinking you meant to post this somewhere else ;)

 

 

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Actually I think they were responding to the last sentence or two in the post above theirs.

Venice has been suffering from a deteriorating economy for years, and I suspect this ordinance is partly to raise revenue.

Oh please. How much revenue do you think this raises? The purpose of a fine is to stop the behavior. If you want to raise revenue you tax it (although taxes are also used to change behavior ... but that's another conversation).

Oh please. How much revenue do you think this raises? The purpose of a fine is to stop the behavior. If you want to raise revenue you tax it (although taxes are also used to change behavior ... but that's another conversation).

 

 

Revenue means more than fines. It also means porters to carry bags.

Do you really believe that this is a convoluted way to create low paying jobs that would mostly be filled by immigrants? Seriously?

 

Let's peel away the cynicism and look at this for what it really is, an increasingly small and annoyed native Venetian population who are tired of the noise pollution and street erosion caused by rolling bags. Imagine waking up every morning of your life to the sound of bags being dragged across stones ... or awakened in the middle of the night by it. They're fed up and they are striking back.

 

In the end the likelihood of this ordinance ever being passed and implemented is very slim so why worry about it?

I'm not worried about it. I travel light and can easily carry my bag if need be. But I do believe that part of the motivation will be to increase revenues. You feel otherwise, which is your prerogative.

http://time.com/3607072/venice-ban-wheeled-suitcases-luggage-travel/

 

Well, apparently the ban doesn't cover individuals, just people with commercial luggage carts, according to the story above from Nov. 26.