Venice bans cruise ships from historic centre

[steamboats]

By July 24th MSC is moving their ships to Monfalcone. Check-in is still at Venice cruise terminal. All guests are bussed to Monfalcone (90 min ride). There´s no check-in in Monfalcone so they advise that people shouldn´t drive there but leave the car in Venice. On the way back they can chose between cruise terminal, airport and train station in Venice.

 

steamboats

[cruisemom42]

9 hours ago, steamboats said:

By July 24th MSC is moving their ships to Monfalcone. Check-in is still at Venice cruise terminal. All guests are bussed to Monfalcone (90 min ride). There´s no check-in in Monfalcone so they advise that people shouldn´t drive there but leave the car in Venice. On the way back they can chose between cruise terminal, airport and train station in Venice.

 

steamboats

 

Thanks for posting this; guess it's not a bad interim solution, other than the long bus ride, since most will have already planned for an embarkation from Venice...

[MBP&O2/O]

“There are actually a few luxury cruise ships, such as 2 of the Silverseas vessels and the Sea Dream ships, that meet the under 25,000T requirement.”
 

Silver Cloud and Silver Wind? Both are “expedition” vessels, and the latter has just been converted so I ca’t see them putting them on ‘normal cruise patterns?

 

The two Seadream vessels are 4300 grt (ish)  so they will be OK though …. Captive audience for them 😏

[Vineyard View]

While the environmental concerns and what to actually do are long coming, the Italian Govt acted swiftly and took all the cruise lines by surprise. A couple years ago, it was suggested that ships 50k GT or less would be allowed up the canal. This new announcement of 25k GT going into effect in such a short amount of time seems to me to create nothing but  complete uncertainty in the short term - and given the logistics for the cruise ships,  will present some fairly big challenges once business ramps up next Spring. 
We are sailing B2B out of Venice next May. We are going to go in early given That the turn around might not provide the Venice time we had hoped for. 
A lot of people here have a lot more experience with this port, which we loved, than we do. I am curious as to whether there is any thought about whether the ‘smaller’ (50k GT and under) ships may dock?  Do you think that it will make any difference if you are 700 pax vs 7k pax where the ships will be directed? 

[MBP&O2/O]

Taking into account that COVID is restricting the number of cruise ships that are sailing, and that MSC are only using Venice for checking in purposes  … MSC  appear to be the only company with “big ships” scheduled for Venice port for the next few months. In the main only the River boats are shown.

Sea Dream and Ponant are shown on the below list, both of whom fit the new criteria.

 

[VMax1700]

31 minutes ago, MBP&O2/O said:

MSC  appear to be the only company with “big ships” scheduled for Venice port for the next few months.

September 12th is the earliest date for HAL to be in Venice.  The schedule you posted is up to 30th August, but at the bottom it says page 2/3.  Anything further on page 3?

Do you have a link to where the pdf is published on the website as I am having difficulty finding it?

[VMax1700]

10 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

September 12th is the earliest date for HAL to be in Venice.  The schedule you posted is up to 30th August, but at the bottom it says page 2/3.  Anything further on page 3?

Do you have a link to where the pdf is published on the website as I am having difficulty finding it?

@MBP&O2/O Found the link ok, thanks!

https://www.vtp.it/en/ship-schedule/

[Hlitner]

11 hours ago, Vineyard View said:

While the environmental concerns and what to actually do are long coming, the Italian Govt acted swiftly and took all the cruise lines by surprise. A couple years ago, it was suggested that ships 50k GT or less would be allowed up the canal. This new announcement of 25k GT going into effect in such a short amount of time seems to me to create nothing but  complete uncertainty in the short term - and given the logistics for the cruise ships,  will present some fairly big challenges once business ramps up next Spring. 
We are sailing B2B out of Venice next May. We are going to go in early given That the turn around might not provide the Venice time we had hoped for. 
A lot of people here have a lot more experience with this port, which we loved, than we do. I am curious as to whether there is any thought about whether the ‘smaller’ (50k GT and under) ships may dock?  Do you think that it will make any difference if you are 700 pax vs 7k pax where the ships will be directed? 

We have been closely following this issue (and the related Italian politics) for nearly 2 decades.  To answer your question we think this recent ruling is the final word on ships cruising down the Giudecca Canal into Venice.  That is done!  It will not matter if a ship is smaller then 50,000T since the law is clear that the restriction is for any ship over 25,000T and there is also an additional restriction regarding length.  

 

As to what will happen to your cruise next May, that remains to be seen and must be resolved by your specific cruise line and the Italians.  But there are several options.  The best option (for most folks) will be if your ship is permitted to dock at Porto Marghera.  This port is pretty convenient to the VCE airport and also relatively close to Venice.  Other potential port options are at least 1 1/2 - 2 hours distant (via bus or train) from Venice.   

 

I agree with the other post that the cruise lines were likely caught flat footed by the new law and the 25,000T restriction.  Many were expecting a higher tonnage allowance and/or further delays in implementation.  Accordingly, it seems like the cruise lines are scrambling to find the best option.  We could not help but notice a post that the customer service folks at Oceania did not even seem to know about the new restriction and recently told a CC poster that their ship would still be docking (next year) at the Venice cruise port.  

 

Hank

 

 

[Cruising89143]

This really placed the cruise lines in a bad place with such short notice. We loved sailing out of Venice. I just read the post above on how MSC is going to handle check-in and transportation to their ships ninety minutes away. That would be enough for me to cancel. I understand the concern from the locals but this has been an issue for years and it seems that something could/should have been done before it reached this level. 

[euro cruiser]

I'm actually a little shocked that something got done, it seems definitively, so quickly.  And not because it's Italy, the States are no better at solving intransigent issues that pit business interests vs. the environment.  Can you imagine the current congress resolving such an issue?

 

There was never going to be an answer that pleased everyone. 

 

If sailing into/out of Venice still appeals there are other options;  ferries, vaporettos, boat taxis, boat rentals.  You won't get that "master of all I survey" experience of riding in on a ship larger than the surrounding buildings, but that probably was as bad for your psyche as it was for the environment.

[cruisemom42]

11 hours ago, cruisingator2 said:

This really placed the cruise lines in a bad place with such short notice. We loved sailing out of Venice. I just read the post above on how MSC is going to handle check-in and transportation to their ships ninety minutes away. That would be enough for me to cancel. I understand the concern from the locals but this has been an issue for years and it seems that something could/should have been done before it reached this level. 

 

True, the lines are scrambling a bit -- but think how much worse it could have been if the decision wasn't made now, during the pandemic, when there currently are VERY few ships calling in Venice (or anywhere in the Med).

 

The cruise lines and their agency CLIA, have known about (and participated in) the discussions about what to do about the "grandi navi" (large cruise ships) in Venice for years. While I agree they probably thought the eventual decree would have a bit more latitude for "mid-size" ships, I can't agree that it is a bad thing, and management at the cruise lines are probably criminally negligent if they haven't been considering alternatives and making some plans behind the scenes....

 

For the immediate term, I actually think MSC's decision makes it easy on their guests. The guests can still arrive in and enjoy Venice, then it is up to the cruise line to transfer them to the new port, presumably at no charge. I imagine many would welcome such a check-in and free transfer from Rome to CIvitavecchia.  

[steamboats]

The Costa Deliziosa started out of Venice in June but I haven´t heard anything what they are doing now. 

 

steamboats

[sacramouille]

Cruising on Sept 10th from Marghera port with MSC. Has anyone been there yet?

 

[Essiesmom]

19 hours ago, sacramouille said:

Cruising on Sept 10th from Marghera port with MSC. Has anyone been there yet?

 

I think you should ask on the MSC board.

[Host Bonjour]

On 7/21/2021 at 10:45 PM, cruisemom42 said:

I can't agree that it is a bad thing, and management at the cruise lines are probably criminally negligent if they haven't been considering alternatives and making some plans behind the scenes....

 

👏👏👏👏

 

Lotttttssssss of ports to call at in Italy. 🇮🇹 ✅

 

Only one Venice. We need to save Venice.🚨 Nothing to see if Venice is uninhabitable or waterlogged. 

 

There are other ways to travel to Venice. Trains, roads, and planes, smaller boats go to Venice. ✅

 

Bummer? Sure. Inconvenient? Maybe. Disappointing? Probably. Venice forever? PRICELESS. 💯♥️

 

(The train ride across the lagoon is epic, another amazing way into Venice, just saying...)

 

Might miss the big sail in, but won't miss seeing Venice. It's a win. 🏆🇮🇹 

 

(getting off my soap box now...thanks for reading my TED Talk 😂) 

[John Bull]

DON'T PUT OFF YOUR TRAVEL TO VENICE UNTIL YOU'RE TOO OLD TO ENJOY IT

JB 🙂

 

 

 

[carlmm]

43 minutes ago, John Bull said:

DON'T PUT OFF YOUR TRAVEL TO VENICE UNTIL YOU'RE TOO OLD TO ENJOY IT

JB 🙂

 

 

 

Great! 😀

[Hlitner]

Almost looks like JB in that photo!  Lol

 

Hank

[John Bull]

22 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Almost looks like JB in that photo!  Lol

 

Hank

 

Can anyone please tell me how to un-friend somebody on Cruise Critic ? 😉😄😄😄

 

JB 🙂