Bigger ships to be banned from Venice

[jeanlyon]

From November 2014, ships over 96,000 tons will be banned from Venice centre.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24831679

[tom_uk]

My understanding on this is that it's a prohibition against navigating the Giudecca passage, from St Mark's basin to the cruise terminal. Once the new channel is built - using the commercial channel up the western side of the lagoon then branching off to approach the cruise terminal from the SW - then I believe these ships will be able to come into Venice from that direction. But the new channel won't be ready until possibly 2016 so there could be a gap between November next year and that future date during which the larger ships will be excluded from Venice. This is likely to have an impact on P&O's plans for Med fly-cruises for 2015 - Ventura, Azura and Britannia are all over that size, of course.

 

There's another restriction which says that from next January(!) the number of cruise ships in port on any one day will be limited to 5, and that's potentially more serious. That affects next year's programme which of course has already been agreed and is on sale. According to CruiseTT there aren't in fact many days when there are more than five ships booked, but I bet there'll be a bunfight for the days when there are. Ventura seems to be OK for next year - her calls are midweek and often she's the only ship in port.

Edited November 6, 2013 by tom_uk

[jeanlyon]

The other place they ought to restrict is Dubrovnik. There were 5 ships in the day we were there, all monsters except Oriana. We were like sardines in the streets. It really spoilt it.

[silver service]

Yes, the old town is quite crampt.

[Essexlass2]

For the rest of my life I will never forget the wonderful sail-in to Venice through the Guidecca Canal past St Mark's Square and the entrance to the Grand Canal. Then later, after the most wonderful day in Venice, the sailaway back the other way accompanied by the beautiful Italian music finishing with Nessum Dorma, absolute magic.

 

We were so very lucky to have done this recently before the large ships are banned, but I can understand the reasons why. :)

[Denarius]

I wonder if this decision will prompt the big cruise lines to build ships small enough to sail scenically into Venice, or to keep the ones they have instead of selling them. P&Os Oceana, Arcadia, Oriana and Aurora are small enough as are Celebrity's Millennium class and RCI's Brilliance class (both just over 90K)

[tom_uk]

I have a feeling that once the new channel is in existence, allowing access to the cruise terminal from the SW and avoiding the centre of the city altogether, the city and port authorities will mandate its use by all cruise ships of any size. From then on I don't think there will be any 'scenic sail-ins'.

[CCFC]

Its quite a shame as its a lovely sail away and the ship goes so slowly I cant see it doing any damage, its mostly pulled by tugs. Im glad I did it this year in May with a few grey skies but as the Cruise Director said its one of the top 3 sail aways in the world.

 

You would think the Venetians would be thankful for the trade it brings.

 

If anyone is interested I did a short video of our sail away here:

 

 

There are no waves from the ship at all.

[tom_uk]

Its quite a shame as its a lovely sail away and the ship goes so slowly I cant see it doing any damage, its mostly pulled by tugs. Im glad I did it this year in May with a few grey skies but as the Cruise Director said its one of the top 3 sail aways in the world.

 

You would think the Venetians would be thankful for the trade it brings.

 

If anyone is interested I did a short video of our sail away here:

 

 

There are no waves from the ship at all.

 

It does look great from onboard the ship, but from ashore the presence of the ships is indeed deeply intrusive as they drift past St Marks - it's very jarring and completely out of scale and I do have a lot of sympathy with the complaints on this score. As regards the waves, I think the issue isn't so much the visible waves but what must be happening under the surface - a big ship displaces a lot of water, and it has to go somewhere else temporarily; then two minutes late it can return to the main channel. The argument is that it's this displacement of huge amounts of water, in greater quantities and at greater frequency than ever before, that presents the risk.

[janny444]

Yes it really is one of the best approaches...we did it a couple of years ago and we berthed just to the left of St Mark's Square so it was just a short stroll to the centre. In the evening we "pootled" from that berth round to the main docks so the view on the starboard side was wonderful...seeing Venice "come alive" with all the twinkling lights...aaahhhh. It wasn't a small ship....a Princess ship same size as the Azura and I think that was one of the last cruise ships allowed to berth there during the day.

[@Porthole]

Slightly unsure as to what will happen to our Ventura booked cruise embarking at Venice next September 10th! Does anyone know yet? From what I read we have a 20% chance of Venice being cancelled

[kersh]

It is very unlikely that Venice will be cancelled but may have to cruise another route other than past St Marks square.

 

Sue

[kevinyork]

This article says that the bigger ships will be able to use the new channel from Nov 2014. That would make sense since surely they want the tourist trade.

 

http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/About--fewer-cruise-ships-through-Venice-but-a-lagoondamaging-channel-to-be-dredged/31015

[davecttr]

Hope this does not turn into a fiasco. Apparently the number of cruise ships using the Venice port is to be cut by 20% from next April. As Ventura is using the port as a turn around berth I presume she will be still going there. If not it will complicate matters somewhat :eek: Plus irritate the hell out of me as I chose Venice to fly to because she docked in the port.

 

The big ship ban is from next November so no Ventura, Azura or Brittania. This means P&O will have to rethink their fly cruise arrangements for 2015. The only 'small' ship they have suitable is Oceana and she is allegedly going to australia.