This is long overdue, a victory for the environment. Guilty as charged, I was on Azamara Journey, a wonderful Venice-to-Athens cruise Oct. 2019. For perspective, there were 700 guests; tonnage is about 31,000 tons for a relatively small ship. We docked a bit off the beaten path at Venice's San Basilio terminal. I read Ravenna may serve as alternative port.
I remember seeing several travel/PBS shows documenting the disdain the Venetians had for large cruise ships, primarily because the tourists would litter the area while not spending any money at all.
They are not banning cruise ship passengers. They are just limiting them to reduce crowding and banning large ships from certain waterways and docks because of past damage, including loss of life, that the ships have caused. Venice is old and not doing well physically. St. Mark's Square often becomes incredibly overcrowded and difficult to negotiate when multiple large ships are docked at the same time. This action is no different than UNESCO recommendations and country imposed limits placed on geological, historical and archaeological sites throughout the world to protect them from over-tourism. There are many, many similar examples- Yellowstone, Yosemite, Machu Picchu, Galapagos, Petra, Valley of Kings, Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museums, Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan (Davinci's last supper), the cave paintings in Lascaux France (which have been closed since 1963 and an exact replica cave opened to tourists instead), etc., etc, etc.
I wouldn't expect Tauck customers would ever do anything to detract from or damage any of these sites, but I can't say the same for the plundering hordes aboard those large floating hotels. The vast majority of them do not stay extra days, do not stay in local hotels, and eat most meals aboard their ships.
cathyandsteve
July 13
I think it is very RUDE and disrespectful to lump all cruise ship tourists into a particular category.
I guess I'm missing something. Again, who did/is doing that??? wildcat03, AlanS, MarketArt didn't. The only ones who seem to be doing that are the actual residents of Venice and I believe they certainly have the right to do so- they see it first hand, day-in, day-out. Even they are torn between their city and tourist money.
Yes Cathy, you are certainly correct about Tauck guests not obeying rules. But I do agree that when we have been staying in places where the big ships come in for the day, we avoid the town on those days, we have even been treated with more respect in stores when the vendors inquire if we are cruise ship passengers, when we say we are not, they just treat you differently. We even experienced seeing cruise ship passengers packed together like sardines on a roped off part of an otherwise deserted beach. I guess that is part of what put us off cruising, but it will be good t do when we are older and less mobile. It’s much nicer strolling in the evening in some of the cities when the day crowds have gone home, especially in Italy.
wildcat03, Hello
As you can see... your Happy news ! post has gone to a dark place... Hoping I'm not offending anyone....but not sure how such a great news that favors both the environment and the island of Venice became a chain of insults and accusations.... we have all travel enough and have our own standards but the news is about how finally the correct decision was made ...
It is incredible that we cannot give any positive or happy feedback.
Yes! now Chew me....... ))
Hello to you mil. I posted that statement because I visited Venice mid-oct 2019. St. Marks square was elbow-to-elbow due mostly to cruise ships. My wife and I used to cruise but got tired of the crowds. I was just very glad to see that Venice/Italy had decided to stop large cruise ships from sailing in the waterways.
wildcat03 and I totally agree with you.... It has always been a nightmare.. the locals did not liked the massive number of people and it is terrible for the lagoon- BUT! it has finally happen.. from what I know the plans are to build a new cruise dock on another part outside in main land. We'll see
Comments
Wise decision!
This is long overdue, a victory for the environment. Guilty as charged, I was on Azamara Journey, a wonderful Venice-to-Athens cruise Oct. 2019. For perspective, there were 700 guests; tonnage is about 31,000 tons for a relatively small ship. We docked a bit off the beaten path at Venice's San Basilio terminal. I read Ravenna may serve as alternative port.
I remember seeing several travel/PBS shows documenting the disdain the Venetians had for large cruise ships, primarily because the tourists would litter the area while not spending any money at all.
They are not banning cruise ship passengers. They are just limiting them to reduce crowding and banning large ships from certain waterways and docks because of past damage, including loss of life, that the ships have caused. Venice is old and not doing well physically. St. Mark's Square often becomes incredibly overcrowded and difficult to negotiate when multiple large ships are docked at the same time. This action is no different than UNESCO recommendations and country imposed limits placed on geological, historical and archaeological sites throughout the world to protect them from over-tourism. There are many, many similar examples- Yellowstone, Yosemite, Machu Picchu, Galapagos, Petra, Valley of Kings, Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museums, Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan (Davinci's last supper), the cave paintings in Lascaux France (which have been closed since 1963 and an exact replica cave opened to tourists instead), etc., etc, etc.
I wouldn't expect Tauck customers would ever do anything to detract from or damage any of these sites, but I can't say the same for the plundering hordes aboard those large floating hotels. The vast majority of them do not stay extra days, do not stay in local hotels, and eat most meals aboard their ships.
I guess I'm missing something. Again, who did/is doing that??? wildcat03, AlanS, MarketArt didn't. The only ones who seem to be doing that are the actual residents of Venice and I believe they certainly have the right to do so- they see it first hand, day-in, day-out. Even they are torn between their city and tourist money.
Yes Cathy, you are certainly correct about Tauck guests not obeying rules. But I do agree that when we have been staying in places where the big ships come in for the day, we avoid the town on those days, we have even been treated with more respect in stores when the vendors inquire if we are cruise ship passengers, when we say we are not, they just treat you differently. We even experienced seeing cruise ship passengers packed together like sardines on a roped off part of an otherwise deserted beach. I guess that is part of what put us off cruising, but it will be good t do when we are older and less mobile. It’s much nicer strolling in the evening in some of the cities when the day crowds have gone home, especially in Italy.
wildcat03, Hello
))
As you can see... your Happy news ! post has gone to a dark place... Hoping I'm not offending anyone....but not sure how such a great news that favors both the environment and the island of Venice became a chain of insults and accusations.... we have all travel enough and have our own standards but the news is about how finally the correct decision was made ...
It is incredible that we cannot give any positive or happy feedback.
Yes! now Chew me.......
Hello to you mil. I posted that statement because I visited Venice mid-oct 2019. St. Marks square was elbow-to-elbow due mostly to cruise ships. My wife and I used to cruise but got tired of the crowds. I was just very glad to see that Venice/Italy had decided to stop large cruise ships from sailing in the waterways.
wildcat03 and I totally agree with you.... It has always been a nightmare.. the locals did not liked the massive number of people and it is terrible for the lagoon- BUT! it has finally happen.. from what I know the plans are to build a new cruise dock on another part outside in main land. We'll see