News affecting cruises involving Venice - Cruise ships banned from its lagoon

[CharTrav]

Just learned about this news today -- and started to share to roll calls that I'm on but given the number of roll calls involving cruising into and out of Venice -- think this is the better approach.  Here's the article in CNN:  https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/venice-cruise-ship-ban/index.html.  Remains to be seen what effect, if any, this will have on Viking's cruises into Venice.  Are Viking ships affected at all?  Is a mid-size ship considered the same as a large or a small ship? 

Edited April 1, 2021 by CharTrav

[Cienfuegos]

An earlier plan by the Italian cabinet would have banned ships in excess of 55,000 tons from the Giudecca Canal, but allowed them access via the Vittorio Emmanuele channel (the freight channel). A different plan set the limit at 96,000 tons but was not implemented,

[CharTrav]

1 minute ago, Cienfuegos said:

An earlier plan by the Italian cabinet would have banned ships in excess of 55,000 tons from the Giudecca Canal, but allowed them access via the Vittorio Emmanuele channel (the freight channel). A different plan set the limit at 96,000 tons but was not implemented,

so the question remains -- what effect on Viking's ships? Clearly -- their ships are not the hated behemoths but .. does this ban affect Viking's ships? What impact will this have on our cruise next Summer?  Hmmmmm....we live in interesting times...

[Heidi13]

5 minutes ago, CharTrav said:

so the question remains -- what effect on Viking's ships? Clearly -- their ships are not the hated behemoths but .. does this ban affect Viking's ships? What impact will this have on our cruise next Summer?  Hmmmmm....we live in interesting times...

 

All reports I have read have stated they are banning "Large" cruise ships, but nobody has defined the extent of large this time. On previous proposals, the Viking ships would have been below the limit, but without publishing their definition of large, it is impossible to provide a definitive answer.

 

I suspect the Italian Govt will now negotiate with the local authorities to determine the definition of large.

[Cienfuegos]

The  June, 2020 UNESCO report which prompted the Cabinet meeting suggested 40,000 GT (gross tons?) as the upper threshold for ships allowed in the Venetian lagoon.  It also suggested the alternate / outside the lagoon destinations.  The 96,000 ton limit was offered after the Costa Concordia matter.

 

Previous Venetian limit proposals failed in court, or were snagged in inertia, so this one may be a while before clear directive guidance is presented

 

[SantaFe1]

Yes, I also read ships over 40000 tons.  I just looked it up and Viking ships are 47,800 tons.  So if this goes into effect any time in the next 18 months, it will affect our Mediterranean cruise, too.

[CharTrav]

4 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

 

All reports I have read have stated they are banning "Large" cruise ships, but nobody has defined the extent of large this time. On previous proposals, the Viking ships would have been below the limit, but without publishing their definition of large, it is impossible to provide a definitive answer.

 

I suspect the Italian Govt will now negotiate with the local authorities to determine the definition of large.

Yup.  Time will tell. 

[CharTrav]

4 hours ago, SantaFe1 said:

Yes, I also read ships over 40000 tons.  I just looked it up and Viking ships are 47,800 tons.  So if this goes into effect any time in the next 18 months, it will affect our Mediterranean cruise, too.

So anchor somewhere and tender in each day? Make it pretty hard for passengers starting or ending their cruise in Venice for sure. Until the cruise terminal proposed in the article is built. 

[Jim Avery]

If I am reading this article right, Venice is banning ALL cruise ships from the Lagoon.  I think it is the right move as the water movement under the buildings caused by the shallow water being displaced by the ships is causing undermining.  Ships make a lot of water move out of their way in a strong, but generally not seen, current.  If I were a Venetian I would want this.  Plenty of tourists arriving by rail/air, etc.

 

https://apple.news/AUrLV1BetM1uszMuN0yDelw

[zalusky]

We just booked the Italy, Greece, Adriatic sailing with a 3 day layover in Venice for 2023.  This is going to be interesting people's comments before we get there.

[Cienfuegos]

How many decades did it take to build the Mose  sea barricade? It may be a while until this proposal is realized.

[chengkp75]

17 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

If I am reading this article right, Venice is banning ALL cruise ships from the Lagoon.  I think it is the right move as the water movement under the buildings caused by the shallow water being displaced by the ships is causing undermining.  Ships make a lot of water move out of their way in a strong, but generally not seen, current.  If I were a Venetian I would want this.  Plenty of tourists arriving by rail/air, etc.

 

https://apple.news/AUrLV1BetM1uszMuN0yDelw

While I understand the attraction of sailing through Venice on a cruise ship, I've long thought it was insane to allow anything larger than small coasting ships into the city.  It has been known to be a fragile environment for ages, and as you say, the hydraulic effect of the canals and large ships is fatal to the city.

[CharTrav]

24 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

While I understand the attraction of sailing through Venice on a cruise ship, I've long thought it was insane to allow anything larger than small coasting ships into the city.  It has been known to be a fragile environment for ages, and as you say, the hydraulic effect of the canals and large ships is fatal to the city.

I don't disagree with the decision. Makes sense. From a purely selfish perspective, wondering about the impact of this decision on our cruise next year, which given the cancellations not yet formally announced for this June/July (reading the "tea leaves"), will be our first cruise since 2019. 

Edited April 5, 2021 by CharTrav

[PasadenaDave]

I agree that Venice should limit cruise ship access, however Italy being Italy, this will take time politically and I suspect once travelling begins, cruise ships might be the first manner for mass numbers of people to return to Venice, thus in a reality workable solution, this might be a phased process over 3-10 years.

[Cienfuegos]

The last two efforts to limit cruise ships in Venice were stymied by the forces of bureaucracy and organized labor / tourism.  Neither should be under estimated in a country not known for rapid, decisive action.

 

The suggestion that Venice may "phase in" returning tourists via air and train makes a lot of sense.

 

But, if I was the head of the tourism secretariat in Croatia, I'd be hustling alternative travel /port facilities for ship embarkations at Split and Dubrovnik. 

[Mrs Miggins]

Both Split and Dubrovnik are of course regular cruise destinations but a very long way from Venice.  Trieste is closer.  I would bet that some compromise is reached.  As you know the industrial port of Venice ,Marghera, may be a possibility.