Italy officially bans cruise ships from Venice effective August 1st

[suec12]

OK thanks, that makes sense, I just could not see how the city of Venice could not have tourists as a greater source of income.

[chengkp75]

16 minutes ago, suec12 said:

OK thanks, that makes sense, I just could not see how the city of Venice could not have tourists as a greater source of income.

Also, only about 22% (60,000) of the citizens of the municipality of Venice live in the historic city of Venice.  Most live on the mainland, and another 30,000 live on the other 100+ islands in the lagoon.

[rkacruiser]

Venice continues to become increasingly uninteresting to me for another visit as a tourist who wants as a pleasant vacation with the less stress possible.  

[sleeg]

The latest notification from HAL (Eurodam - 10/6/21>10/30/21):

 

     "Please be advised that due to current Italian travel restrictions, Eurodam will now sail from Port Marghera in Venice. Check-in for your cruise will still take place at the Venice Cruise Terminal (Venezia Terminal Passeggeri) at the time listed on your electronic boarding pass. After check-in, pre-cruise COVID-19 testing and validation of your travel documents and vaccination records, guests will be transferred directly to the ship for embarkation, approximately 15 minutes away. Please DO NOT go directly to Port Marghera, as it is an industrial port and private transfers will not be permitted. You MUST check-in at the Venice Cruise Terminal."

 

[cruisemom42]

On 8/22/2021 at 7:18 PM, rkacruiser said:

Venice continues to become increasingly uninteresting to me for another visit as a tourist who wants as a pleasant vacation with the less stress possible.  

 

Then perhaps it is time to gracefully let the topic go. Venice (and Italy) are doing what they must to preserve the city for future generations. 

 

DS and I were having a conversation about Venice this very afternoon. He was somewhat disappointed on his first visit to Venice about 3 years ago -- a place he'd always wanted to see. It wasn't just the masses of tourists that he found so discouraging, it was also the lack of any sign of the life of a "real, actual, living and breathing place".  Instead it has become like a parody of itself -- or perhaps a better way to put it is that it seems like a Disney EPCOT version of Venice.

 

[caviargal]

9 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

 

 

DS and I were having a conversation about Venice this very afternoon. He was somewhat disappointed on his first visit to Venice about 3 years ago -- a place he'd always wanted to see. It wasn't just the masses of tourists that he found so discouraging, it was also the lack of any sign of the life of a "real, actual, living and breathing place".  Instead it has become like a parody of itself -- or perhaps a better way to put it is that it seems like a Disney EPCOT version of Venice.

 

 

My first trip to Venice was in the late 70s.  I have been back a half dozen times  - generally because the friends I am with want to go - and have never felt anything the least bit special about it.  It is overpriced and has now truly become the Disney version of what it once was.  I agree with him completely!

[Hlitner]

30 minutes ago, caviargal said:

 

My first trip to Venice was in the late 70s.  I have been back a half dozen times  - generally because the friends I am with want to go - and have never felt anything the least bit special about it.  It is overpriced and has now truly become the Disney version of what it once was.  I agree with him completely!

While it is true that Venice has become akin to a Disney attraction, that is not true for much of Venice and the islands if folks learn to get away from the most touristy parts.  As an example, most visitors to Venice want to head directly to St Marks Square or perhaps the Rialto Bridge where they can mingle with a million other tourists.  But there are other parts of town that actually have their own charm such one area we enjoy that is near a University.  We also enjoy strolling around Burano which is not only an island populated with the homes of many Venetians, but it also has a good number of decent restaurants/cafes.   I think those who have not found the charms of Venice probably have themselves to blame because they keep going to the same overpopulated tourist centers and fail to explore the other neighborhoods.  

 

Hank

[cruisemom42]

15 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

While it is true that Venice has become akin to a Disney attraction, that is not true for much of Venice and the islands if folks learn to get away from the most touristy parts.  As an example, most visitors to Venice want to head directly to St Marks Square or perhaps the Rialto Bridge where they can mingle with a million other tourists.  But there are other parts of town that actually have their own charm such one area we enjoy that is near a University.  We also enjoy strolling around Burano which is not only an island populated with the homes of many Venetians, but it also has a good number of decent restaurants/cafes.   I think those who have not found the charms of Venice probably have themselves to blame because they keep going to the same overpopulated tourist centers and fail to explore the other neighborhoods.  

 

Hank

 

I have to disagree. I've been to Venice numerous times in the past (going back to the 1970s, like caviargal) and I guided DS around the city and area for the better part of a week on that visit. We visited the outlying islands -- all three of them, as Torcello is a particular favorite of mine -- as well as just about every neighborhood in Venice. 

 

Burano was packed with tourists and touristy shops. Not like an early visit of mine where grannies were tatting lace in their doorways. There must have been a line of tourists three deep standing on one side of the Piazza Galuppi taking photos of the colorful buildings on the opposite side.

 

And this was in November!

 

Edited to add:  Actually, we visited a fourth island, as we also stopped at the cemetery island, San Michele. I wanted to see the graves of several of the famous writers and musicians buried there. 😉

Edited September 4, 2021 by cruisemom42

[bennybear]

I still love Venice.  But last twice we stayed in untouristy areas that were a delight and uncrowded.  
 

I think this move should help preserve Venice.  
I still find it magical at night

 

 

 

Edited September 4, 2021 by bennybear

[iancal]

I do not understand the big deal.   So is no longer possible to sail into Venice on large cruise ships.

 

This may surprise some people but the entire world does not have to bow to the whims of cruise ship companies or indeed cruisers.

 

Will docking at Marghera change our desire to visit Venice on a cruise vacation?  I hardly think so.

[nocl]

16 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Then perhaps it is time to gracefully let the topic go. Venice (and Italy) are doing what they must to preserve the city for future generations. 

 

DS and I were having a conversation about Venice this very afternoon. He was somewhat disappointed on his first visit to Venice about 3 years ago -- a place he'd always wanted to see. It wasn't just the masses of tourists that he found so discouraging, it was also the lack of any sign of the life of a "real, actual, living and breathing place".  Instead it has become like a parody of itself -- or perhaps a better way to put it is that it seems like a Disney EPCOT version of Venice.

 

As in visit the Venetian hotel in Vegas

[nocl]

1 hour ago, iancal said:

I do not understand the big deal.   So is no longer possible to sail into Venice on large cruise ships.

 

This may surprise some people but the entire world does not have to bow to the whims of cruise ship companies or indeed cruisers.

 

Will docking at Marghera change our desire to visit Venice on a cruise vacation?  I hardly think so.

I would prefer visiting Venice without cruise ships docking there and with limits on land tourists.  Just as I prefer Key West when cruise ships are not in port.

[rkacruiser]

20 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

Then perhaps it is time to gracefully let the topic go. Venice (and Italy) are doing what they must to preserve the city for future generations. 

 

I think you are correct.  I visited Murano and Burano while I was there and found them much different than the rest of the city.  I'd enjoy another visit.  It isn't going to happen for me.  The restrictions/regulations for cruising anywhere discourages me.  The operational situation that currently seems to exist for cruises from/to Venice?  No.  Stress would be the result.  I have sufficient stress in my life.  I don't need to buy more.  

[nocl]

2 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

I think you are correct.  I visited Murano and Burano while I was there and found them much different than the rest of the city.  I'd enjoy another visit.  It isn't going to happen for me.  The restrictions/regulations for cruising anywhere discourages me.  The operational situation that currently seems to exist for cruises from/to Venice?  No.  Stress would be the result.  I have sufficient stress in my life.  I don't need to buy more.  

Residents of the towns that are placing limits on cruise ships feel the same way.  They are not willing to put up with the stress caused by cruise lines off loading an ever increasing numbers of passengers in their towns.

 

Maybe if the cruise lines would limit the number of passengers they take to a town, instead of taking ever more and ever larger ships there would be fewer places talking about restrictions.

 

For that matter even the experience for the passengers on the ships is getting degraded.  Towns that were nice experiences with 2-4000 passengers, are not very nice experiences with 10,000+ passengers.

 

If cruise lines will not limit themselves expect more towns to implement limits on them.

Edited September 5, 2021 by nocl

[ontheweb]

10 hours ago, nocl said:

Residents of the towns that are placing limits on cruise ships feel the same way.  They are not willing to put up with the stress caused by cruise lines off loading an ever increasing numbers of passengers in their towns.

 

Maybe if the cruise lines would limit the number of passengers they take to a town, instead of taking ever more and ever larger ships there would be fewer places talking about restrictions.

 

For that matter even the experience for the passengers on the ships is getting degraded.  Towns that were nice experiences with 2-4000 passengers, are not very nice experiences with 10,000+ passengers.

 

If cruise lines will not limit themselves expect more towns to implement limits on them.

Agree totally, but the cruise lines are going in the opposite direction building larger and larger ships.

 

The onboard experience with getting to know other passengers and even crew members is also so much better on the smaller ships.

 

We have only been on one of the mega ships, the NCL Epic, and I can say it was the unfriendliest ship we have ever been on.

[cruisemom42]

2 hours ago, ontheweb said:

Agree totally, but the cruise lines are going in the opposite direction building larger and larger ships.

 

The onboard experience with getting to know other passengers and even crew members is also so much better on the smaller ships.

 

We have only been on one of the mega ships, the NCL Epic, and I can say it was the unfriendliest ship we have ever been on.

 

Maybe Viking really is onto something, building their big fleet of smaller ships. They have churned out so many in such a short time that I thought they were a bit -- ambitious? crazy?  But it does seem to me that there is a new wind blowing when it comes to tourism, or maybe better to say over-tourism. I agree that some places cannot handle the massive influx of day-tourists when two or three 5,000 passenger ships show up.

 

More and more my own preference is to avoid larger ships. As a solo I enjoy the camaraderie that I've found on smaller ships -- it's just easier when you have at least a fighting chance to run into the same people more than once!

[ontheweb]

14 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Maybe Viking really is onto something, building their big fleet of smaller ships. They have churned out so many in such a short time that I thought they were a bit -- ambitious? crazy?  But it does seem to me that there is a new wind blowing when it comes to tourism, or maybe better to say over-tourism. I agree that some places cannot handle the massive influx of day-tourists when two or three 5,000 passenger ships show up.

 

More and more my own preference is to avoid larger ships. As a solo I enjoy the camaraderie that I've found on smaller ships -- it's just easier when you have at least a fighting chance to run into the same people more than once!

Our smallest ship was the Ocean Princess, 760 passengers, and you really got to know others. We even knew 4 others on our excursion back to Heathrow with a stop in Canterbury. I complimented one of the entertainers while their was an ice sculpture exhibition going on, and he invited me to sit and talk with him;  just an amazingly friendly ship. Contrast to the monstrously oversized NCL Epic on which the at the first dinner we said sure we would share a table expecting to meet other fellow cruisers only to find out after waiting forever for others to share that no one did that on this ship and finally had to say we'll take a table for two.

[iancal]

Venice is a different city at night after the cruise ships have departed and the daytripperss have left.

[cruisemom42]

3 minutes ago, iancal said:

Venice is a different city at night after the cruise ships have departed and the daytripperss have left.

 

While that is true in regards to the crowds, we still thought it difficult to find a lot of local life going on in the evenings. Mostly the city just seemed -- empty.

 

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

While that is true in regards to the crowds, we still thought it difficult to find a lot of local life going on in the evenings. Mostly the city just seemed -- empty.

 

 

I should amend the above by saying that the exception was the day of November 21, the Venetian festival of Salute (Health), when they put up a pontoon bridge across the Grand Canal so everyone can make a visit to the Madonna della Salute church, dedicated after one of the waves of plague.

 

 

The city was thronged but the people seemed to be more like Venetians who had moved to outlying areas but had returned for the day to celebrate (we talked to one family who confirmed this while waiting in the chaotic press of people in front of the church that Italians charmingly refer to as a "line".....). People come in to light a candle and pray for good health in the coming year, then go have a big meal in Venice to celebrate. It was a bit more lively that evening!

[bennybear]

I understand and enjoy the ease of travel by cruise ship.  But  over tourism is destroying the very experience  it seeks.  I’ve also found this by what I call the Rick Steve’s effect.    The Cinque  Terre has become overrun and much less enjoyable as have famous beaches in Crete like Elafonisi. 
 

We enjoy exploring off the beaten path on our own but many are not comfortable.  
I also see many just wanting to check off a list rather than really travelling 

 

The internet has made travel very easy and people don’t really do the old fashioned research needed.  

 

So unfortunately I think we will see more of the same.  
 

[nocl]

13 hours ago, bennybear said:

I understand and enjoy the ease of travel by cruise ship.  But  over tourism is destroying the very experience  it seeks.  I’ve also found this by what I call the Rick Steve’s effect.    The Cinque  Terre has become overrun and much less enjoyable as have famous beaches in Crete like Elafonisi. 
 

We enjoy exploring off the beaten path on our own but many are not comfortable.  
I also see many just wanting to check off a list rather than really travelling 

 

The internet has made travel very easy and people don’t really do the old fashioned research needed.  

 

So unfortunately I think we will see more of the same.  
 

We use Rick Steve's travel guides, but mostly for telling us where to avoid a crush of tourists.

[iancal]

3 hours ago, nocl said:

We use Rick Steve's travel guides, but mostly for telling us where to avoid a crush of tourists.

And where not to eat or sleep.

[bennybear]

1 hour ago, iancal said:

And where not to eat or sleep.

While he is helpful to many, we have had a bad experience when we sprung for a lakeside terrace on  Lake Como ruined by obnoxious loud guests.    
 

Give me the green guide 😃

[kazu]

13 minutes ago, bennybear said:

While he is helpful to many, we have had a bad experience when we sprung for a lakeside terrace on  Lake Como ruined by obnoxious loud guests.    
 

Give me the green guide 😃

 

I basically stopped using guides and just research.  I’ve been disappointed by both Rick Steve’s and other guide books.  I read, learn and then research.  I’ve been very happy with our hotel choices since I started doing that along with our guides (turns out Rick Steve’s hired a couple of them a year or two later LOL).

 

It’s more work, I guess but planning is half the fun 😉