Port of Livorno - Shuttle from Port to Town - Protestors

[logan25]

Had an unexpected experience while riding the local shuttle from port to town on March 7. A group of locals were protesting outside the port gate. Our shuttle bus waited at the port entrance, not just for traffic to clear, but allowed a protestor to board the shuttle bus. The protestor walked the entire length of the bus handing out literature to each passenger detailing some part of their grievance. Additionally, the protestor was allowed to use the microphone to voice his platform of grievance. The protestor specifically ended his diatribe by saying if we wish to complain, we should not complain to the Port of Livorno, but complain to NCL. Because, according to the protestor, NCL is the party with whom they have grievance. Even after reading the literature and hearing the protestor, I am unclear what is the grievance and how it relates to NCL.

 

However, I am appalled the passengers were held captive for this display. I brought it to the attention of Guest Services when I returned to the ship later. I am not at all pointing the finger of blame at NCL. The blame lies IMO with port authorities and shuttle personnel for allowing this. Why is this not a security concern to allow an outsider to board transportation which passengers are required to take from ship to town (other than those booked on NCL tours, pre-booked taxis and local tours which pick up at the ship...). Passengers are not allowed to simply walk out of the dock area, so the for-fee shuttle is our only option.

 

When I relayed the incident to Guest Services, the representative was unaware of such interaction. Were any other shuttles boarded by protestors besides the one I rode?

[hawkeyetlse]

So what were their grievances? If anyone kept the leaflet they handed out I would be interested in seeing it.

 

I am sure that the locals have legitimate complaints, but the real hostages in the port of Livorno are the cruise ship passengers.

[roger001]

I'm guessing that if that continued, the port would be dropped as a stop.

[logan25]

It was one sheet of paper, English language on one side and Italian on the reverse. I gave my copy to Guest Services since they seemed not to believe what I reported. However, I did take pictures. It listed stats but did not actually detail the grievance issue, just the "result".

[Jetlagged787]

Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

 

As I will be visiting Livorno on my next cruise, I would be interested to know more as I am sure would many others. Is it possible for you to post your pictures or at least give us a little more information please?

[hawkeyetlse]

I looked up some news stories. The protesters are drivers from a consortium of local bus companies (called "Cruise Service in Bus" or CSB) that are are losing business after a recent decision by Trumpy Tours to start using buses from other parts of Italy for shore excursions out of Livorno and La Spezia. Several cruise lines work with Trumpy Tours, so that's why they are appealing to passengers' sense of social justice and hoping that they will put pressure on NCL and other lines to use tour operators that hire locally.

 

The stats the OP saw were probably: 2 million euros in lost contracts (a 40% drop compared to 2016) and 173 jobs at risk. While the members of the consortium claim to have invested 8 million euros over the past 3 years for new buses etc. So one can understand their pain (on the other hand, it's a free market, and most cruise ship passengers are just looking for the lowest prices, period).

 

This all started less than a month ago, so I think the protests will get worse. It looks like they blocked traffic in La Spezia one day last week, so that the tours run by non-local buses couldn't operate for a time (I don't know for how long, but it's a pretty lousy plan if they want to get passengers on their side…)

[Jetlagged787]

Thanks for that hawkeyetise. I've been Googling for info but you beat me to it!"

 

Just to add to the misery, as I am sure you will know from your location, we have been suffering a series of ATC strikes in France recently. Now the Italian ATC have announced a strike for 20 March. I hope that doesn't mess with anybody's plans.

[KeithJenner]

I know they are probably just trying to get their point across to anyone from the ship, but it does strike me that the reason why people are on the shuttle bus to the town centre are because they are not on NCL tours.

 

Not sure how they get to those who are on NCL tours, as those drivers are unlikely to get them on, but this certainly wouldn't make me sympathetic to their cause.

[logan25]

I was not sympathetic that day, nor have I changed my opinion since.

[easyboy]

I looked up some news stories. The protesters are drivers from a consortium of local bus companies (called "Cruise Service in Bus" or CSB) that are are losing business after a recent decision by Trumpy Tours to start using buses from other parts of Italy for shore excursions out of Livorno and La Spezia. Several cruise lines work with Trumpy Tours, so that's why they are appealing to passengers' sense of social justice and hoping that they will put pressure on NCL and other lines to use tour operators that hire locally.

Probably why the protesters were allowed to board the bus.

[Bootman4U]

LOL! Welcome to ITALY, folks. Does anyone really believe they are going to "drop Livorno" as a port? Get real. They'll kill off all the protesters first