Rules for luggage in Venice

So........on the National news last night was a piece about luggage and Venice.

"No More Wheeled Suitcases" will be allowed! To noisy for the residents and the stairs and walkways are being damaged.

Anybody else see this? Can you imagine "carrying" your 50 lb bag?

So........on the National news last night was a piece about luggage and Venice.

 

"No More Wheeled Suitcases" will be allowed! To noisy for the residents and the stairs and walkways are being damaged.

 

Anybody else see this? Can you imagine "carrying" your 50 lb bag?

Wow! seriously?

We had a hotel with a water taxi dock last time so my wheels had no effect on anyone.

Took a look and only a certain type of wheeled luggage will be allowed.

The fine is hefty at 5-600 euros!

here's one of the links - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-2842400/Venice-bans-wheelie-suitcases-noise-pollution-canal-bridges.html

Is this being pushed by the porter's union? ;)

How would they enforce something so silly?

Much more about this issue on both the ports of call section for Italy as well as on Trip Advisor.

Sounded to me like an event that is UNLIKELY to happen at all, just discussion at this point.

It almost sounds like they are trying to discourage tourism. The ships will no longer be able to leave Venice along the Grand Canal starting next season. I was there in June, leaving on a 14-day cruise, and it isn't only the tourists that use wheeled bags. I saw a lot of people with baby strollers, business people with briefcases on wheels, and shoppers with grocery buggies. Even if this law comes in, it would be definitely hard to enforce and I am sure the locals will also object to it. I did see a very loud demonstration outside the cruise terminal with various groups objecting to the amount of cruise ships allowed and the size of them. Our tour guide was quite upset with protesters as is the tourist industry in Venice. With very high unemployment in Italy, tourism is extremely important to the locals. The guide told us that most of the protesters are brought in every so often to demonstrate and most of them do not even live in Venice.

I did hear about this the other day. And the locals will be exempt. :rolleyes: It does sound like they just don't want tourists there.

They will be very surprised how much the tourists spend there and how much those cruise ships pay to dock there. Maybe the Italian gov. gets the money at the docks. When we were there on the N Amsterdam, it seemed that the Italian ships were treated differently even though the HAL ships are manufactured right across the bay.

btw: had the worst pizza of my life in Venice--tasted like old newspaper. H-m-m-maybe they were retaliating then!:D

Here's the related Thread on the Italy board:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2129892

So the next time I sail out of Venice, I will stay overnight out by the airport, and go directly to the ship. I don't have to wear out any of their precious bridges with so much as one step.

If everyone did that, then the rule might be reversed.

So the next time I sail out of Venice, I will stay overnight out by the airport, and go directly to the ship. I don't have to wear out any of their precious bridges with so much as one step.

If everyone did that, then the rule might be reversed.

I can certainly understand that some people would agree with this method of visiting (?) Venice and dealing with the ridiculous rule, but from my perspective it would be like going to a baseball game without having a beer and a hot dog :D

They want the luggage to have pneumatic tires! I guess we just mount up a bunch of these on our bags :eek: ;) :D

I have read reports elsewhere that this is NOT true - but it does seem to be widely reported. I did read that some local delivery carts will be required to have the rubber wheels but wheeled luggage will be allowed.

Yes it is true. I read an interesting article about it this morning that gives a different perspective:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2846795/QUENTIN-LETTS-shouts-bravissimo-Venice-bans-suitcases.html

Strangely enough, on the right hand side of the original Daily Mail link published by kazu at the top of this thread, is another article saying this isn't true!

I guess that is what they call 'fair' reporting of both sides :-))

http://www.ansa.it/english/news/general_news/2014/11/21/venice-denies-ban-on-trolley-suitcases_fbd179c0-70fe-4740-bc7d-377a36c93800.html

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Here's the link that says the officials deny that they will ban wheelie suitcases... the one a couple posts prior to mine is more of an editorial

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-2847073/Venice-authorities-deny-ban-use-damaging-wheelie-suitcases-city-following-outcry-tourists.html

Thanks for updated link Christine and InThe WASide. Venice is hard enough with luggage...couldn't imagine they would ban wheelies. :D

Just goes to show you can't believe everything you read in the newspapers - especially the Brit dailies, LOL! But they are good entertainment.:D

Venice reminds me of Athens about 20 years ago. ( the attitude not the city) (don't flame me, just my experience).

They resent the tourists but make their living off of it. The same with Athens.

We were treated coldly and indifferentially 20 years ago in Athens, so badly, that I swore I would not go back.

This time, a huge change and a welcoming tone. I think it's a metamorphosis that cities that attract tourists have to go through.

At some point, if they make it too difficult for tourists, there will be a backlash.

We can only wait and see. In the meantime, I suggest more hotels get water taxi docks ;)

Maybe this is why I got an email this morning that hotel prices in Venice are going down.

On my last trip to Venice (October 2011) before a TC on HA, my wife and I happily opted to employ the Venice porter service. Upon checking out of our hotel and having our luggage delivered to a cab for delivery to our cruise ship, a older couple pulled up transporting ALL of their luggage with them. It was raining slightly at the time and both were soaked and showed the wear and tear of caring for their luggage. Upon the wife seeing our luggage being handled by the porters, she lit into her ashamed husband for being such a skin flint. For those not willing or unable to pay for the porter service or carry their luggage, they can always stay in Mestre.

Maybe this is why I got an email this morning that hotel prices in Venice are going down.

Headed to Venice next summer and have been following airfare and hotel prices very carefully for the past 2 months. Have not noticed any reductions but have noticed a few increases in both air and hotel fares. I would be very interested if it was possible for you to share the source of the e-mail you received.

Louis, I'm really sorry. I just checked through all my mail and I can't find it. I believe it came from Trip Adviser, though.

Louis, I'm really sorry. I just checked through all my mail and I can't find it. I believe it came from Trip Adviser, though.

If so, that's just TripAdvisor's latest marketing ploy. I get the same emails from them about hotels in destinations I've researched. (And when I go back and check specific hotels I'm interested in, there's generally not any big price drop...)