Will Cruise Ships Be Banned From Grand Canal, Venice?

[barnowl1950]

Just been reading DM and it appears Italys environment minister is seeking to ban cruise ships on the Grand Canal following the death of a tourist two weeks ago.

[kruzseeka]

Just been reading DM and it appears Italys environment minister is seeking to ban cruise ships on the Grand Canal following the death of a tourist two weeks ago.

 

 

Haven't read the article barnowl but cruise ships don't go down the Grand Canal - it's the Guidecca Canal which goes down to the port. I remember there was a collision with a gondola recently resulting in a tourist's death and subsequently they were talking of banning gondolas on the Grand Canal (it's staggering just how fast some of the motorised craft plow up and down :eek: ). They have been talking about restricting the size of cruise ships coming into Venice for some time too - but I think perhaps that's a separate issue although i could have it all round my neck! :confused: :D

 

Just found the article.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2408410/Venice-bans-cruise-ships-Grand-Canal-tourist-death-prompts-calls-floating-congestion-zone.html

 

I can see that you have correctly reported what the article says barnowl - but it IS wrong. Cruise ships couldn't possibly go down the Grand Canal - they couldn't get under the Rialto Bridge for a start! :eek: It's sloppy reporting!!! What they are aiming to do in response to the accident is impose some limits on water traffic through the Grand Canal. In addition there has been some lobbying and protests recently to stop cruise ships going into Venice but that is via the Guidecca Canal - the Gr Canal and Guidecca separate just past St Mark's square. (I thought it was just the really big ones they were on about - but it may be calling for a blanket ban) but that has been rumbling for a while and is really not to do with this accident. But it does give rise to concern about cruise ship visits to Venice. I can see where they are coming from from a conservation point of view - and they really do look monstrous as they sail in - but having done it a few times I think it would be such a shame for people to not be able to experience this fantastic sail-in in the future were the ban to come into place.

Edited September 1, 2013 by kruzseeka

[barnowl1950]

You are right kruzseeker they use the Guidecca Canal (never heard of it before so I looked it up)......yes sloppy reporting by DM, will have to take a lot of what they say with a pinch of salt sometimes.

[kruzseeka]

You are right kruzseeker they use the Guidecca Canal (never heard of it before so I looked it up)......yes sloppy reporting by DM, will have to take a lot of what they say with a pinch of salt sometimes.

 

 

Me too - but I keep reading it!!! :rolleyes::D

[barnowl1950]

Think the main reason I read it is for the comments :)

 

Often more interesting than the articles :D

[barnowl1950]

And more intelligent.

[happy v]

Didn't we have a poll about this some time ago?:confused:

[barnowl1950]

Didn't we have a poll about this some time ago?:confused:

 

Don't know.....but I must have missed it if there was.

[Sailaway487]

Didn't we have a poll about this some time ago?:confused:

 

Good memory happy v!

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1708242

 

Poll from a year ago! Didn't realise it was that long ago.

[barnowl1950]

Yes I can see now I did miss it...can't think why.

 

All this about cruise ships into Venice is news to me.

[kruzseeka]

Yes I can see now I did miss it...can't think why.

 

All this about cruise ships into Venice is news to me.

 

 

Yes I missed it too - think I know why though. Think it was when we were on the Spirit in the Baltics! ;) (Boo hoo - wish we were going this year!)

[Barkeeper]

When we cruised from Venice 2 years ago there were 4 cruise ships with about 10,000 passengers who spent time before and after their holiday in Venice. They will have spent loads of money. We had a cruise and stay and spent loads on our 2 days before and one day after cruise. We saw numerous cruise ships come and go with passengers spending a day in the city spending their Euros.

 

Venice does not have enough hotels to put up visitors if those who came on ships were banned. Would they come if not on a cruise? The canal the cruise ships use is very wide and they go very slow with very little wash. Venice appears a city dependant entirely on tourism. They can't afford to ban cruise ships in my humble opinion.

[robanddiane]

Got to agree Barkeeper. One of the favourite parts of a Venice cruise is the sail in/out. Take this away and not many people will want to visit. When we were there 3 large ships were in with around 9000 passengers which would be a large chunk out of the economy.

[Ewoodspark]

If the Norwegian Jade sails from Venice down the Guidecca Canal into open waters, does anybody know if you get a view of St Marks Square, or is it blocked from view by other buildings

[davecttr]

Up until now all cruise ships have used the guidecca canal and sail right past St Marks square - magical :)

 

They are going to dredge a new channel from the freighter entrance to the lagoon 6 miles to the south. No more St Marks sail pasts and Venice will be less attractive to cruise passengers because of it. :(