Goodbye Venice

[spunks]

RCCL has announced they will no longer sail to Venice. This has more to do with preserving Venice than any Covid reasons. Too damned bad if you ask me.

 

Doug

[ladychater]

I think it's better for Venice.  The large ships going in and out were causing huge, damaging waves and polluting the water.  If taking a train for an hour will help save this imperiled city, then it's well worth it.  Sounds like RC is being a responsible citizen of the world, and I find that laudable.

[spunks]

agreed. From now on the ships will be porting 80 miles to the south.

 

Doug

[Germancruiser]

Good for Venice. Up until now they are suffering,  like every tourist hotspot all over the world,  from the lack of tourists and therefore  the missing money they usually make.

Who would have thought it, a city on the brink of charging everyone who wants to enter the city, now crying and shouting for tourists to come back. Oh yes- the times- they do change... !

[Ourusualbeach]

Lots of comments on this thread. 

 

[ONECRUISER]

1 hour ago, spunks said:

RCCL has announced they will no longer sail to Venice. This has more to do with preserving Venice than any Covid reasons. Too damned bad if you ask me.

 

Doug

Was another Thread on this topic been running for Days, think has more info on change. On my Cell so hard to track it now...

[Norwich Cruiser]

4 hours ago, ladychater said:

I think it's better for Venice.  The large ships going in and out were causing huge, damaging waves and polluting the water.  If taking a train for an hour will help save this imperiled city, then it's well worth it.  Sounds like RC is being a responsible citizen of the world, and I find that laudable.

We’ve taken numerous cruises from Venice and have also lived and worked there for over three years and can assure you it’s definitely not the just the cruise ships that are causing huge damaging waves.

The speed they travel when arriving and departing with the pilot boat you definitely wouldn’t say cause any more waves than the hundreds of other craft that ply there trade on a daily basis.

I’ve never seen and I’ve seen many any huge waves from any cruise ship going up or down the canal.

I don’t think however that the MSC fiasco helped at all.

There is a line of thought from traders in Venice that the cruise ship passengers and there money will certainly be missed.

[RVfromAZ]

So sad, scheduled 09-26-2020, but did a Lift and Shift to next September.  The RC agent that helped me on the phone today, argued that Rhapsody still leaving from Venice next year! I just finally said "ok"!!

[crazyank]

The change to Ravenna may well be temporary.  So far it's only the 2021 season.  And, getting to Ravenna is fairly simple if using local trains.  We would recommend staying away from the RCL shuttles unless there is no other choice. 

Edited June 26, 2020 by crazyank

[Norwich Cruiser]

39 minutes ago, crazyank said:

The change to Ravenna may well be temporary.  So far it's only the 2021 season.  And, getting to Ravenna is fairly simple if using local trains.  We would recommend staying away from the RCL shuttles unless there is no other choice. 

Definitely agree I wouldn’t use the RCCL shuttle.

Train would be my preferred option unless money was no option then private shuttle or taxi.

[Oceansaway17]

well when my May cruise on Vision of the Seas was cancelled due to airlines not flying to Europe, I knew that I was perhaps losing two-three things.  But I got 50% refund and 50% FCC

1. not going to see Cinque Terre

2. not going to sail into Venice and the ship staying overnight

3. Now talk of Vision class ships being sold.

 

I have lost 7 cruises so far, with 4 being rescheduled for next year including Norway and Alaska.  But I think this May cruise might hurt the most.  Still hoping for Sky Princess (sorry) Southern Caribbean in mid November. New ship and a great itinerary to St Kitts, Barbados, Grand Turk etc etc.

[mpk]

21 hours ago, crazyank said:

We would recommend staying away from the RCL shuttles unless there is no other choice. 

 

20 hours ago, Norwich Cruiser said:

Definitely agree I wouldn’t use the RCCL shuttle.

Train would be my preferred option unless money was no option then private shuttle or taxi.

 

Just curious- what is wrong with Royal's shuttle?

[crazyank]

1 hour ago, mpk said:

 

 

Just curious- what is wrong with Royal's shuttle?

Our experience with RCL shuttles has never been good.  We have found them to be disorganized,  over crowded, etc. Also, somebody posted that the trip from Venice airport to Ravenna is a 2.5 hour drive.  Maybe out of season at 3am.  But definitely not during the Med cruise season.  We've made that trip several times, never took less than 4 hours.  So unless you enjoy sitting on a bus with no toilet for 4 or more hours it's far better to fly into Rimini and make the short trip to Ravenna or fly into Venice and take the train.

Edited June 27, 2020 by crazyank

[Kbonner]

We have done some 20 RCCL shuttles in Italy (Venice and Civitaveccia) and in contrast to other RCCL shuttles we judge them very well organized.

But a shuttle bus Venice airport (VCE) to Ravenna is a no no. Uncomfortable and too long a ride. Train for us is no option- will not change trains, buses, taxis with all the luggage.

This RCCL decision is typical for Miami, as the do not understand the Europe geography and traffic situations. The change to Ravenna was made without reason, ships like Rh from other cruise lines all serve Venice. But I guess RCCL saves some 15 $ for berthing Venice vs Ravenna......

[JupiterTwo]

My wife and I did an overnight in Venice on the Brilliance of the Seas eight years ago.

[Norwich Cruiser]

1 hour ago, crazyank said:

Our experience with RCL shuttles has never been good.  We have found them to be disorganized,  over crowded, etc. Also, somebody posted that the trip from Venice airport to Ravenna is a 2.5 hour drive.  Maybe out of season at 3am.  But definitely not during the Med cruise season.  We've made that trip several times, never took less than 4 hours.  So unless you enjoy sitting on a bus with no toilet for 4 or more hours it's far better to fly into Rimini and make the short trip to Ravenna or fly into Venice and take the train.

That’s definitely correct a good four hours in peak season plus all the waiting about especially for late comers don’t think a RCCL shuttle is worth all the hassle.

[grapau27]

On 6/26/2020 at 6:46 AM, Norwich Cruiser said:

We’ve taken numerous cruises from Venice and have also lived and worked there for over three years and can assure you it’s definitely not the just the cruise ships that are causing huge damaging waves.

The speed they travel when arriving and departing with the pilot boat you definitely wouldn’t say cause any more waves than the hundreds of other craft that ply there trade on a daily basis.

I’ve never seen and I’ve seen many any huge waves from any cruise ship going up or down the canal.

I don’t think however that the MSC fiasco helped at all.

There is a line of thought from traders in Venice that the cruise ship passengers and there money will certainly be missed.

I absolutely agree.

We have sailed 3 times from Venice and the sheer number of local boats including speed boats seemed the problem to me and your experience of living there confirms my suspicion.

We would not sail from Ravenna with a 80 mile transfer from Venice airport.

[Norwich Cruiser]

2 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

I absolutely agree.

We have sailed 3 times from Venice and the sheer number of local boats including speed boats seemed the problem to me and your experience of living there confirms my suspicion.

We would not sail from Ravenna with a 80 mile transfer from Venice airport.

Yes agree missing out on the fantastic Venice sail away means Rhapsody is a real no go for us.
 

I think RCCL are being extremely hopeful of there estimated travel time also especially in peak holiday season.

 

With the traffic and all the waiting around I think you’d be lucky to do it in under four hours.

 

The speed boats I totally agree are the main problems on the canals.

 

 

[Norwich Cruiser]

3 hours ago, mpk said:

 

 

Just curious- what is wrong with Royal's shuttle?

Crazyank sums it up superbly

[grapau27]

6 minutes ago, Norwich Cruiser said:

Yes agree missing out on the fantastic Venice sail away means Rhapsody is a real no go for us.
 

I think RCCL are being extremely hopeful of there estimated travel time also especially in peak holiday season.

 

With the traffic and all the waiting around I think you’d be lucky to do it in under four hours.

 

The speed boats I totally agree are the main problems on the canals.

 

 

My thoughts too on every point.

[CRUISEFAN0001]

Interesting that the sinking smelly city with sewage commonplace in the canals isn't part of the problem. Going there in July or August (hot days when the canals warm up) exposed just how bad things have gotten.

 

Yes, the ships have caused some havoc there in recent times, but the city itself is rapidly declining in condition, rendering it a problem destination for tourists anyway.

 

It's a shame...but reality is that going there 10 years ago and current times is a completely different experience (and not better).

Edited June 27, 2020 by CRUISEFAN0001

[dani negreanu]

17 minutes ago, CRUISEFAN0001 said:

It's a shame...but reality is that going there 10 years ago and current times is a completely different experience (and not better).

 

It is... so very sad. Venice is/was such a special destination. Visited 5 times, not nearly enough.

[champagnebarfly]

We were booked to go on Rhapsody on a B2B 4th and 11 September 2021, because we wanted to spend time in Venice. We have been twice before on Brilliance and Vsion and over- nighted there.The change from Venice to Ravenna, defeated the object for us, as we wouldn't get to see Venice and we didn't fancy the long shuttle journey from the airport. 

We have moved our booking to Vision from Barcelona on 30 August, repeating the cruise we did in 2018 ,we are hoping that the don't decide to omit Venice.We were disappointed as we are taking our daughter on her first cruise and she was looking forward to the itineraries of both weeks. 

We too have thought that the water taxis and Vaparettos are what cause the most wake.

[LXA350]

Can't the ships continue to be docked in Venice and enter and exit the port from the other side without having to pass through the Canal?

[Blizzard54]

Banning most ships from Venice has been in the works for several years.  They may have taken this opportunity to move the date up a year of two but it was already going to happen.