venice cruise ship ban

Venice bans cruise ships from historic centre

• Published 1 April 2021

Italian authorities have approved a ban on cruise ships entering the historic centre of Venice.

The country's culture minister said on Wednesday that the decision came in response to a request from UN cultural body Unesco.

Large ships will now have to dock at the city's industrial port until a permanent solution is found.

Critics argue the ships cause pollution and erode the foundations of the city, which suffers from regular flooding.

• Covid: Will cruise ships return to Venice?

Venice crash reignites cruise ship row

On Wednesday, Italian ministers agreed that large cruise and container ships would no longer be able to enter the city's Giudecca canal, which leads to the historic St Mark's Square.

Culture Minister Dario Franceschini hailed the move, which he described as "a correct decision, awaited for years".

The government will hold a "call for ideas" for an alternative cruise terminal in the city.

Cruise ships are currently unable to enter Venice due to coronavirus restrictions but their absence since has been credited with improving water quality in the lagoons.

Pressure to pass a ban on large vessels mounted in 2019 after a cruise ship crashed into a harbour in the city, injuring five people. However, no permanent solution was found.

Previous initiatives to stop cruise ship traffic have also failed. In 2013, the government banned ships weighing more than 96,000 tonnes from the Giudecca canal, but the legislation was later overturned.

Other plans to divert cruise ships from the centre of Venice were announced in 2017 but were never fully implemented.

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Venetians are trying to find solutions to stop the exodus from their city (from 2018)

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Venice, Italy, to ban cruise ships after years of protests from locals, environmentalists

ROME — Italy on Tuesday banned big cruise ships from sailing into Venice after years of rallying cries from residents, culture bodies and environmentalists.

In what he called a "historic" day, Italian Culture Minister Dario Franceschini said the ban adopted by the Italian cabinet will take effect Aug. 1 and will cover the lagoon basin near St. Mark’s Square, Venice's most iconic landmark.

Ships will also be banned from St. Mark’s canal and the Giudecca Canal, a major marine artery that ships previously used to reach Venice's port.

The ban applies to ships weighing more than 25,000 tons, longer than 590 feet or with other characteristics that would make them too polluting or overwhelming for Venice’s marine environment. Cruise liners typically weigh four times the new limit and can reach more than 200,000 tons.

Franceschini said the government decided to act fast “to avoid the concrete risk” that the United Nations culture agency UNESCO , which protects the fragile city and its lagoon, would add Venice to its list of “ world heritage in danger .”

“It is a decision awaited by UNESCO, by all the people who have been to Venice at least once in their lives, by Italian and foreign travelers who were shocked to see these ships passing through the most fragile and beautiful places in the world,” Franceschini told reporters.

Venice is one of the world’s most famous tourism destinations, attracting an estimated 25 million visitors a year. Many of them come on cruise ships, straining the city’s already overcrowded tourism infrastructure and overwhelming its delicate marine environment.

Residents and environmentalists have battled for decades to stop cruise ships from coming into Venice to protect its ecosystems, fragile building foundations and cultural heritage, but change has been slow with the cruise ship industry being a major source of income for the city.

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Environmental activist Jane Da Mosto, executive director of the nonprofit group We Are Here Venice, told NBC News in a WhatsApp message Wednesday that she was glad the “nightmare of cruise ships in the city” was ending.

The Italian government earlier this year pledged to get cruise ships out of the Venice lagoon but did not provide a clear timeline. Last month, it said it was organizing bids for a workable alternative outside the lagoon as the first 92,000-ton cruise ship since the pandemic began sailed through Venice — to both jubilation and protests.

But now, the government said it “wanted to give a strong acceleration” to implement the move given the looming UNESCO review, Franceschini said in a statement.

In announcing the ban, the Italian government said it planned to build five docks that would be able to accommodate cruise liners away from the Venice lagoon at the mainland port of Marghera, a 10-minute boat ride from Venice.

At the moment, however, Marghera lacks suitable docking for cruise ships.

Giovanna Benvenuti, spokesperson for the cruise terminal in Venice, told NBC News it may take years to build the new docks in Marghera as authorities would have to dredge a canal that leads to the port first.

With cruise liners gone for the foreseeable future, Benvenuti said thousands of port workers will risk their jobs.

Cruise ship business accounts for 3 percent of the city's gross domestic product and around 4,000 jobs depend on it, according to the Venice Port Authority.

The Italian government promised compensation to those affected by the ban, namely shipping companies, terminal managers and service providers, but did not specify the amounts or the timeline.

“We welcome the decision by the government as we have been waiting and calling for 10 years for an alternative route for cruise liners,” Francesco Galietti, Italian director of the international cruise industry trade association CLIA, said.

Marco Gorin, head of moorers at Venice port, said he and his colleagues are sad, disappointed and angry.

“They have been talking about an alternative route for cruise liners for the past 10 years, and we were never against it," Gorin told NBC News. "But we didn’t expect the government to ban cruises without finding a solution first.”

He is worried about how the ban will affect thousands of people like him, whose livelihoods depend on the cruise ship industry.

“It will take years to build the new dockings,” Gorin said. “What will we do in the meantime?”

Claudio Lavanga reported from Rome, Yuliya Talmazan from London.

Claudio Lavanga is Rome-based foreign correspondent for NBC News.

Yuliya Talmazan is a London-based journalist.

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Italy’s Government to Ban Cruise Ships From Venice

In a landmark move, Italy’s cabinet on Tuesday declared the lagoon a national monument and banned large cruise ships from entering starting Aug. 1.

By Gaia Pianigiani and Emma Bubola

Italy announced on Tuesday that it was banning large cruise ships from entering Venice’s waters and was also declaring the city’s lagoon a national monument, in a move to protect a fragile ecosystem from the downsides of mass tourism.

The ban, demanded for decades by both Venice residents and environmentalists, will take effect on Aug. 1.

“The intervention could no longer be delayed,” Italy’s culture minister, Dario Franceschini, said in a statement.

In recent weeks, as cruise ships returned to Venice after the pause imposed by the pandemic, protesters in the city rallied on small boats and on the waterfront with “No big boats” flags. Last Sunday, they demonstrated during the Group of 20 summit for economic ministers that took place in the city, attracting international media attention.

“My heartbeat is so fast I could be having a heart attack,” said Tommaso Cacciari, an activist and spokesman for the No Big Ship Committee, responding to Tuesday’s announcement. “We have been fighting for 10 years, and now this victory feels almost unbelievable.”

In April , the government of Prime Minister Mario Draghi announced that it was planning to ban large cruise ships from the San Marco basin, the San Marco canal and the Giudecca canal, but no date for the ban was set. Also, the prohibition was conditioned on the building of a new port where tourists could disembark to visit the city, a project that could take years.

Tuesday’s decision removed that condition, so the ban could be enforced in weeks, not years.

Mr. Franceschini explained that the government had drafted the urgent decree to avoid “the real risk of the city being put on the blacklist of “ World Heritage in Danger ” sites established by UNESCO, the United Nations culture body.

In 2019, UNESCO warned Venice about the “damage caused by a steady stream of cruise ships.” Before a UNESCO World Heritage Committee beginning later this week that could have seen Venice added to the blacklist, the Italian government approved the decree making Venice’s waterways a national monument, a status usually given to artworks and historical buildings that puts the lagoon under enhanced state protection.

Over the last 10 years, Venice has been caught up in a clash between those representing the economic interests of cruise traffic — which employs thousands of people in the area — and others who want to protect a delicate environment from gigantic boats that disgorge tourists en masse .

The ban applies to ships that are either heavier than 25,000 tons, longer than 180 meters (about 590 feet), taller than 35 meters (about 115 feet), or that employ more than a set amount of fuel in maneuvering. The ban is such that even large yachts could be affected.

The government also decided to give power to the regional port authority to determine how five temporary docks can be built in Marghera, a nearby industrial port, while respecting maritime safety and environmental laws.

The intention to divert the cruise ships to the port of Marghera has raised eyebrows. The port is built for cargo ships and is not nearly as picturesque as the city’s lagoon. Moreover, the port’s channel is not large and deep enough for most cruise ships and would require major construction work.

Among the many projects considered by governments over the years, one envisioned a permanent passenger terminal at the Lido entrance to the lagoon. Activists considered that the best solution for the city and for the cruise industry.

Mr. Draghi’s cabinet also moved on Tuesday to establish compensation for sailing companies that will be affected by the ban and for other businesses connected to the cruise traffic inside the lagoon.

“It is a positive decision and could be the beginning of a new era,” said Francesco Galietti, national director for the Cruise Lines International Association. He added that the association has been asking for the temporary docking sites in Marghera since 2012.

The cruise industry is hoping, Mr. Galietti said, that the new docking sites would be ready in 2022, when tourists are expected to return en masse to cruises. This year, only 20 liners were expected to arrive in Venice.

Gaia Pianigiani is a reporter based in Italy for The New York Times.  More about Gaia Pianigiani

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Venice bans large cruise ships from historic city center, two years after canal boat crash

A big change will be in store when the European cruise industry returns to full throttle.

On Wednesday, the Italian government banned large cruise ships and container ships from entering Venice's city center, the BBC and Reuters reported.

Instead, they must dock at Porto Marghera, an industrial port about 6 miles from their previous stop at St. Mark's Square . The rule applies to passenger ships weighing more than 40,000 gross tons, according to the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Sustainable Transport . 

In a tweet , Culture Minister Dario Franceschini called the cruise ship ban a fair decision that has been awaited for years

Calls for a ban reached a fever pitch in 2019 when an out-of-control cruise ship rammed into a dock and a tourist river boat  on the Giudecca Canal, injuring five people. 

The Ministry of Transport described the cruise ship ban as a first step toward a definitive and structural solution to the problem of tlarge ships entering the city.

According to the ministry's website , the Port Authority of the Northern Adriatic Sea will try to find a sustainable solution that reconciles needs of business with that of protecting the city's heritage and its waterways.

In the past year, water quality in the Italian port city's famed lagoons has improved, a change linked to the year-long absence of large passenger ships after the cruise industry was shut down amid the coronavirus pandemic . Last month,  dolphins were even spotted in Venice's Grand Canal .  

A port call schedule on CruiseMapper.com lists only smaller river cruise ships stopping at Port Venice in April.

The ban on large cruise ships is the city's latest attempt to control overcrowding. In 2018, Venice announced a tax on all visitors passing through the city center , expanding on an earlier charge applied to overnight stays.

Before the pandemic, about 25 million people a year visited Venice, and about one-fifth of them spent the night in the city.

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Venice Bans Cruise Ships From Historic Center

Ships will have to dock at the city's industrial port until an alternative is decided on.

The Italian city of Venice officially banned cruise ships from the historic center this week, according to reports, the latest move in a years-long effort to force the large ships out of the beloved city.

On Wednesday, Italian ministers approved a ban that would bar large cruise ships and container ships from entering the city's Giudecca canal, which leads to St. Mark's Square, the BBC reported . Going forward, these ships will have to dock at the city's industrial port while officials consider alternative locations.

Italy's culture minister told the BBC the decision was made after a request by UNESCO.

"Anyone who has visited Venice in recent years has been shocked to see these ships, hundreds of metres long and as tall as apartment buildings, passing through such fragile places," Culture Minister Dario Franceschini told Reuters on Thursday.

The ban is something the city has pursued for years as Venice combats overtourism , first announcing its intentions in 2013 to ban ships weighing more than 96,000 tonnes before that was overturned. In 2017, the city again announced its plans before trying yet again in 2019 , the same year a cruise ship collided with a dock and tourist boat, injuring four people.

Last year, some Italian cruise ships had agreed to steer clear of the city.

The absence of large ships and hordes of tourists, as well as lessened boat traffic due to the COVID-19 pandemic in general, cleared up the famed canals and led to better air quality. Earlier this month, a pair of striped dolphins were even spotted before officials worked to direct them back to the sea.

Currently, the city — along with much of the rest of Italy — remains on lockdown . Venice is in the "red zone," where non-essential stores have been forced to close and residents are only allowed to leave home for work or health reasons.

Alison Fox is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure. When she's not in New York City, she likes to spend her time at the beach or exploring new destinations and hopes to visit every country in the world. Follow her adventures on Instagram .

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Italian Government Officially Bans Cruise Ships in Venice

• Written by Dima Stouhi
• Published on July 22, 2021

The Italian government has announced the permanent ban of large cruise ships in the Venetian lagoon, after several years of protests, petitions, and threats of being put on UNESCO ’s endangered list. The ban will be effective as of August 1st, 2021, and will prohibit ships exceeding 180 meters in length or weighing 25,000 tons from entering the lagoon, hoping to sustain Venice's historic canals, waterways, and public squares.

The Venice cruise ships have already been a source of controversy for years, with an ongoing campaign led by the ' No Grandi Navi ' (No Big Ships) protest group and petitions by international architects and artists. Many regulations have been put in place over the years to reduce the number of ships arriving in Venice . However, as these ships provide significant contributions to the economy, there was never a substantial decision.

A few years ago, over 50 leading figures from architecture, art, film and fashion - Including Norman Foster , the director of London's National Gallery Nicholas Penny, and the director of the Guggenheim Foundation Richard Armstrong, have signed a petition pleading Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and the Italian Minister of Culture and Tourism, Dario Franceschini to keep large cruise ships out of Venice . The petition was created by the UNESCO -backed Association of the International Private Committees for the Safeguarding of Venice , and explains that not only are the ships are an "aesthetic intrusion" to the city, but they also create a "probable risk of catastrophe" to the fragile Lagoon surrounding Venice.

The city has been battling rising water levels and floods for centuries. In November 2019, Venice has been inundated with the city's worst floods in half a century; Photographs and videos showed the city’s iconic St Mark’s Square underwater, with a 2-meter-high surge threatening irreparable damage to historic sites such as Saint Mark’s Basilica. There are several factors that make Venice particularly prone to flooding, such as rising sea levels around the coastal city due to climate change, and the sinking of the city itself by approximately one millimeter per year due to the soft, moving terrain on which it is built.

Venice is currently hosting it's 17th International Architecture Exhibition, La Biennale Di Venezia from May 22 to November 21, 2021. Titled How Will We Live Together? The exhibition is curated by Hashim Sarkis and features 112 participants from 46 countries, with 60 national participants in the Giardini and the Arsenale.

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Venice Bans Large Cruise Ships. Here's Why That's a Controversial Move

The decision is more controversial than you might think

In 2019, UNESCO warned that Venice could be irrevocably damaged if the local government refused to ban large cruise ships from the centrally located San Marco basin, the San Marco canal, and the Giudecca canal. The organization eventually threatened to add the coastal city to its blacklist of endangered World Heritage Sites. Fortunately for Venice's UNESCO status, the government has finally taken action.

After years of protests by environmental and cultural conservation groups, Venice will officially ban large cruise ships—those longer than 590 feet and heavier than 25,000 tons—beginning Aug. 1. But the move is a largely controversial one.

Venice is one of the most touristed cities in Italy, with some 1.5 million passengers arriving by some 400 cruise ships each year (before the pandemic, that is). One of the arguments for the ban is that these large ships could potentially damage the city's fragile ecosystem of canals. Another is that the ships contribute greatly to overtourism—Venice's pedestrian streets along the canals are often utterly mobbed by tourists.

On the opposite side of the aisle, local businesses are protesting the decision to ban the ships, saying they will suffer without the big crowds.

Ultimately, both proponents and opponents of the large cruise ship ban have flaws in their arguments.

Venice will still be open to cruise ships in general, but they will have to dock outside the city at less picturesque ports. The scenario is not unlike Rome's—cruise ships that add the Eternal City to their itineraries actually dock nearly 40 miles away in Civitavecchia. Cruise ships provide shuttles from the port to the Italian capital.

The issue right now is that there are no ports near Venice that are a good fit for large cruise ships. However, the Italian government has authorized the construction of temporary docks in nearby Marghera, a cargo port some 13 miles outside Venice, and a permanent dock elsewhere along the coast.

As such, Venice will still attract hoards of cruise ship tourists, which means that overtourism will likely still be a major problem. On the flip side, there will still be plenty of business to shops and restaurants. Plus, the legislation that includes the ban also provides government aid for affected businesses.

The only direct benefit of the large cruise ship ban is that Venice's ecosystem will get a much-needed break from the ships, which is a pretty strong reason to support the ban overall.

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Venice Bans Cruise Ships Entering City Centre Starting From August 1

Venice announces a ban on all large cruise and container ships from entering the historic city centre and St Mark’s Square to prevent further damage to the city’s delicate foundations, and to avoid making the list of World Heritage Sites ‘in danger’.  

What is Happening?

• Earlier this year in April , the Italian city of Venice announced a ban on large cruise and container ships from entering the Giudecca canal, which leads into the city centre and most notably, the historic St Mark‘s Square. 
• Despite the decision, cruise ships have returned in recent weeks after pandemic restrictions were lifted. 
• Now, Italian authorities have finally made it official and will be banning all large cruise ships from entering the city centre from August 1 onwards as part of “an important step for the safeguarding of the Venetian lagoon” and protect the “environmental, artistic and cultural heritage of Venice“ said in a government statement.
• The new ban, which applies to ships weighing more than 25,000 tons, more than 590 feet long, or more than 115 feet high , will be rerouted through the Venice lagoon, and dock at the industrial port of Marghera instead, at least until a permanent solution is found for an alternative cruise port. 
• The decision for the cruise ship ban was in response to UN body UNESCO’s draft proposal to place Venice on the endangered World Heritage List – a similar recommendation was given to the Great Barrier Reef that the Australian government managed to delay , which cited cruise ships to be a main consideration factor. 
• It’s been known that passing ships have been destabilising Venice‘s already fragile foundations and rattle the underwater wooden piles that provide the structure of the “Floating City”. Additionally, the water splashes from when ships pass through the narrow canals have been causing ancient bricks and stone to crumble and deteriorate. 
• The government of Italy had been hesitant to stop cruise traffic as they generate billions of euros for the economy and support a substantial workforce in the local cruise industry.  
• Following the ban, the government has said to compensate the industry for any cancellations and to help pay lay-off benefits for 42,000 local workers currently employed. 

You might also like: Sea Level Rise Projection Map – Venice

Featured image by: Wikimedia Commons

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After Banning Cruise Ships, Venice Puts a Cap on Day Trippers

By Marianna Cerini

Venice has often been likened to an open-air museum—and starting next year, it might feel like one, too.

On August 21, the local administration of La Serenissima announced that, from the second half of 2022, it will limit the number of visitors to its narrow calli and iconic piazzas. To regulate access, the city will introduce electronic turnstiles at different entry points, a dedicated booking app, and an entrance fee of €3 to €10 (about $3.50 to $11.80) for anyone visiting for the day (costs will vary depending on the season). Residents, students, and commuters will be exempt from the added cost, as will travelers who book stays in local hotels (who already pay a city tax of up to €5 a night).

The measure is the latest effort to preserve Venice’s fragile ecosystem, and curb the overtourism it suffered from in pre-pandemic years. It follows the ban on large cruise ships that came into effect on August 1, and the recent decision by the Italian government to make the lagoon a national monument , so as to place it under enhanced state protection.

“We want to reposition Venice as a place people don’t just come to for a few hours, but experience for a few days, and with a deeper awareness of its urban, social, and cultural fabric,” says Simone Venturini, Venice’s Tourism Councilor. “By introducing a ticketing system we can limit crowds, shift away from the ‘day-tripper model’ that’s been so detrimental to the city, and hopefully win back the overnight guests that have stopped coming because of overtourism.”

Plans to tax visitors to Venice aren’t new , nor is the turnstile idea, which was briefly implemented in 2018. But following Italy’s reopening to tourism this past summer, Venturini says that this time they’re here to stay. “We’ve spent the past two years developing a long-term strategy to make tourism more sustainable both for those who visit and those who live in Venice. I’m confident that this integrated approach is going to ensure a better future for our city.”

Francesco Pugliese, owner of boutique hotel Avogaria , in the Dorsoduro district, agrees. “It was time to do something drastic,” he says. “And if that means turning Venice into a gated destination, I am ok with it. We need a filter or we’re going to collapse. That’s the reality of things.”

It’s a dire statement, but a quick look at the figures backs it up.

In early August some 85,000 people passed through Venice’s historical city center —whose population is 55,000—in a day. In 2019, there were peaks of 110,000. Before the pandemic, around 30 million tourists arrived annually, 73 percent of which were daily visitors (including cruise passengers) but only made 18 percent of its tourism economy. Meanwhile 70 percent of Venetians have left Venice in the past 70 years.

“It’s unsustainable,” Pugliese says. “Our streets, squares, and palazzos aren’t structurally built to cope with such high volumes of people—especially when so many come only to take a selfie in St. Mark’s Square .”

For Gioele Romanelli, owner of design-forward apartment-hotel Casa Flora , institutional regulations over the flow of visitors could also benefit the way visitors engage with Venice. “Venice isn’t just monuments and sights. It’s locals too—artisans, family-owned restaurants , artists, and local shops. When you’re here for a day, you don’t really have time to explore any of that. I think a slower, more discerning and responsible way of seeing the city can only be positive.”

But the ‘limited entry’ has also drawn criticisms from locals. Some residents, as well as Italian media and politicians, have described the move as the next step towards turning Venice into a “theme park.”

Monica Sambo, a Venice City Councilor and head of the local Democratic Party council group, believes turnstiles and daily fees won’t make a difference in improving the city’s tourism industry.

“Turnstiles don’t really limit arrivals—you’d have to place them everywhere around the city’s access points, which isn’t currently in the pipeline. If anything, it’ll just mean visitors will enter from areas that may have escaped the crowds until now, transforming those into new busy spots, likely with very long lines to get in. The extra fee doesn’t resolve the mass tourism issue either. Sure, some people might be deterred from coming in just for a day-trip, but is that enough to create a more sustainable ecosystem?”

Either way, change has to happen, and fast.

“We need to rethink how everyone approaches Venice,” Romanelli says. “The city is so much more than what it’s become today. Whatever method we use to highlight that is good for me.”

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Cruise passengers shuttled into Venice by motor boat to dodge big ships ban

Move by Norwegian Cruise authorised by city’s port authority despite plans to curb daytrippers

A cruise company has circumvented a ban on its ships entering the Venice lagoon by shuttling passengers into the famous city centre on small motor boats.

Norwegian Gem, a vessel of just under 300 metres long and owned by Norwegian Cruise, anchored outside the Venice Lido early on Saturday morning. It then launched several motor boats which between them dropped about 1,500 passengers off in St Mark’s Square before picking them up again in the evening.

The move, which was authorised by Venice’s port authority, is reportedly part of an experiment after the Italian government last year banned ships weighing more than 25,000 tonnes from docking in the Unesco world heritage site.

It followed years of protests which pitted environmentalists, who saw the vessels as damaging to Venice’s fragile lagoon, against those who worried it would affect an economy dependent on tourism.

Most cruise companies have since rerouted to ports in Trieste or Ravenna, from where passengers who want to see Venice can make a bus journey of about two hours. A handful are making use of Marghera, a nearby industrial area, which has been repurposed for cruise ships as a temporary measure.

Norwegian Gem was only transiting through Venice when it dropped passengers off for the day on boats provided by the city’s port authority.

Venice’s governors had no influence over the matter, but Simone Venturini, the city’s tourism councillor, has warned against “hit and run” tourism and hoped the Norwegian Gem tactic wouldn’t set a precedent. “It’s not the type of tourism we want for the city,” he told the local press.

Italy barred huge ships from using the Giudecca canal to enter Venice’s historic centre in July 2021. The 25,000-tonne limit means only small passenger ferries and freight vessels can use the canal. The decision followed years of protests against cruise ships and a warning from Unesco that Venice was at risk of being put on the world heritage endangered list unless the vessels were permanently banned.

At the same time, the Italian government issued a call for bids for the construction of a terminal outside the Venice lagoon equipped to accommodate ships weighing more than 40,000 tonnes.

Francesco Galietti, director of the Italy unit for the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), said the ban had left the industry “in limbo”.

“Venice used to be a home port, which meant people would come one or two days in advance and spend time in Venice [before starting a cruise], book a hotel and eat in the local restaurants. That was the old world,” he added.

“The Norwegian episode shows that there is an ongoing struggle for Venice to remain a home port. Everything is in a state of flux and we are trying to understand what the new normal looks like.”

If the experiment by Norwegian becomes the norm, it is unclear whether cruise passengers would be obliged to pay a landing charge that Venice leaders will enact from 16 January 2023.

The fee targets day-trippers, who will have to go online to book the day on which they plan to visit Venice, paying between €3 (£2.50) and €10 a person, depending on how busy the city is on their chosen day.

Transgressors risk fines as high as €300 if they are stopped and unable to show proof that they booked and paid with a QR code.

About 80% of tourists in Venice come just for the day.

In 2019, the last full year of tourism before the pandemic, 19 million day-trippers visited Venice and provided just a fraction of the revenue compared with those staying for at least one night.

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No, Cruise Ships Have Not Been Banned from Venice

Is it really the end for cruises to Venice? Quite a few major media outlets over the past few days have suggested as much, citing a translation of comments by an Italian transport minister.

NBC's Today show , for example, and the largest newspaper in the UK , stated flat out that cruise ships had been banned from the iconic destination.

But you may not want to cancel your plans for a Venice cruise just yet. The reality of the situation is far less definitive, according to longtime industry watchers.

"Despite headlines to the contrary … currently there is no change [to Venice cruise calls]. Just talk of it," said Mike Driscoll, editor of Cruise Week.

As of now, not only is there no ban on cruise ships arriving in Venice, it's far from certain there will be a ban anytime soon, Driscoll said. Yes, in the wake of a recent cruise ship accident near Venice's famed St. Mark's Square, at least some Italian officials are talking about making changes to the way cruise ships arrive in Venice, he said. But what those changes will be, if anything, and when they might take effect, is still up in the air. Nothing official has been decided.

Discussions Are Ongoing

The recent stories were sparked by comments by Danilo Toninelli, the Italian Minister for Transport. Speaking in the Italian Parliament last week, Toninelli discussed plans to change the route that at least some big cruise ships take into the Venice area and the locations where they dock. Some changes could take effect as soon as September, he suggested.

But as Driscoll notes, various factions of the Italian government have been talking about such changes for years, with little to show for it.

Toninelli, notably, also wasn't talking about an outright ban on cruise ships visiting Venice — just a ban on at least some ships sailing close to the historic center of the city.

"There were two other times the government was set to ban cruise ships from the city center, and it never happened," Driscoll said, referring to previous, similar pronouncements of coming changes to cruise ship routings in Venice that occurred in 2013 and 2017.

Cruise ships currently arrive in Venice via the Guidecca Canal, which cuts through the heart of the city's historic area past St. Mark's Square. Driven by complaints from local Venetians, who cite concerns about safety and damage to building foundations, government officials for many years have discussed rerouting at least some arriving vessels to a secondary, less-scenic approach through the Malamocco Inlet, Marghera Channel and Vittorio Emanuele III Channel.

Officials also have discussed changing the docking location for some ships to the mainland Fusina and Lombardia terminals, which are several miles away from the historic island area of Venice. Most cruise vessels visiting Venice currently dock at the Marittima port area, which is located at the western end of Venice's main island area near the causeway that connects to the mainland.

As of now, such plans are still the subject of discussions between government officials, cruise lines and other stakeholders.

In a statement that called stories of a cruise ship ban in Venice "misreported," the main trade group for the cruise industry, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), said Toninelli "has set up a working group to look at alternative solutions which could see some ships rerouted to the mainland Fusina and Lombardia terminals, until the end of the year, but no decision has been made."

A meeting between cruise lines, the Venice harbor master and Venice's Port Authority to discuss the topic is scheduled for Aug. 23.

"Discussions concerning the future of cruise ships using the Giudecca Canal have been ongoing for several years, and those discussions continue today without any conclusion," the trade group said.

The cruise industry has expressed its support for moving large ships away from the Guidecca Canal since 2012. But there are hurdles to making the change, including the need to dredge parts of the alternate route that has been proposed.

There also are hurdles to moving the docking location for ships to the mainland terminals. The berths at the terminal are not ready to receive cruise ships and are too small for large ships. To be used in a significant way, they will require substantial investment.

But Changes Could Be Coming

The bottom line for cruisers, industry watchers say, is that significant changes to the way cruise ships arrive in Venice are unlikely to happen soon.

"In the short term, if you have a cruise booked that visits Venice, don't panic," said Colleen McDaniel, editor-in-chief of Cruise Critic , the world's largest cruise planning website. "You're likely still going to visit this incredible city. As of now, no changes have been announced, and it's likely any conversations about rerouting will take quite some time, as concerns about large cruise ships in Venice have been under discussion for years."

Driscoll, too, said the thinking in the cruise industry is that, for now, "cruisers shouldn't worry about their Venice cruises." Few, if any, sailings are likely to be impacted in the near term, he said.

Still, changes of some sort are likely on the way.

"This is a different level of pressure for [change] that we're seeing," Driscoll said, noting increased awareness of issues surrounding overtourism in the city. While big cruise ships arriving in Venice have been problematic for years, only recently has it caught on with international media, which is important as that's putting pressure on politicians to act, he said.

The accident in June involving an MSC Cruises ship, MSC Opera, that crashed into a quay near St. Mark's Square and damaged a docked Uniworld river cruise vessel, has aroused the public not just in Venice but around the world to call for changes, he noted.

"What's different now is the level of public backlash, particularly following the imagery of the MSC Opera scraping the stationary Uniworld River Countess," Driscoll said. "The collision was picked up in social media worldwide [and] a protest in early June following that collision attracted thousands of marchers, notable because the city itself has a population of only 260,000."

Cruise ships also have become the poster child for overcrowding in Venice, despite only accounting for a small percentage of the more than 20 million tourists that visit the city each year. The majority of Venice's visitors come by land. Notably, cruise ship visits also have been on the decline in recent years. There were just 1.43 million cruise passenger movements in Venice in 2017, down from 1.82 million in 2013, according to CLIA, which cites numbers from Venice-based research firm Risposte Turismo. The number of cruise calls over the same span dropped from 548 to 466.

The decline has occurred, in part, because the cruise industry since 2014 has voluntarily refrained from bringing ships over 96,000 gross register tons to the city. That's less than half the size of the industry's biggest vessels such as Royal Caribbean's new, 228,081-ton Symphony of the Seas .

For now, executives at major cruise companies are taking recent developments in stride.

"We don't expect to see any major changes [to Venice routings] in the near term, but this is government and the government can do anything they want to do," Frank Del Rio, the president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, told Wall Street analysts last week during a conference call to discuss second quarter earnings. The company is the parent of Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

Del Rio said that, even if changes to routings are ordered by the Italian government, it shouldn't have a huge impact on the company and cruisers.

"There are several alternative berths in and around Venice that, should it come down to the bigger ships not being able to embark and disembark guests in the same place that they do today, are alternatives that can work for the industry," Del Rio said.

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Venice (Marghera, Italy)

Cruise port schedule, live map, terminals, news.

Region Mediterranean - Black Sea

Local Time 2023-11-15 10:54

Venice (Venezia) is a major seaport in the Adriatic (northeastern Italy) and one of Italy's most visited ferry and cruise ports serving turnaround operations (roundtrip Mediterranean itineraries) and also connecting to North Africa and Middle East. The city is the capital of Veneto (one of Italy's 20 regions) and has population over 260,000.

Venezia was established in the 7th century as a cluster of total 124 island settlements. Current-day Venice City is spread across 118 isles ( Venetian Islands ) separated by canals and interlinked by 400+ bridges. All these isles are in the Venetian Lagoon - a bay between the mouths of two rivers (Po and Piave). The entire Venetian Lagoon and part of Venezia are designated as UNESCO Site.

Venice City is currently served by two cruise ports - Porto Venice (locode ITVCE, for smaller ships and riverboats) and Porto Marghera (for large liners).

• Marghera was developed to serve as the city's commercial/cargo and industrial port (outside downtown) and is one of Europe's largest coastal industrial zones.
• On April 9, 2022, was inaugurated Marghera's provisional dock/temporary berthing facility (at Liguria Quay/EUR 1,9 million project) dedicated to cruise liners.

The Port is managed by AdSPMAS/Autorita di Sistema Portuale del Mare Adriatico Settentrionale/Porti di Venezia e Chioggia (Port Authority of Venice and Chioggia).

(IMPORTANT) Port Venice cruise ship ban

On July 13, 2021, Italy permanently banned large cruise ships from entering the Venice Lagoon (via Giudecca Canal) and docking at downtown terminals. The ban (effective since August 1, 2021) prohibits all vessels with GT 25,000+ tonnes.

• As an alternative cruise port is being developed Port Marghera, with expected completion in 2021-Q4. By this ban, only small-sized vessels ( passenger ferries , cargo ships, riverboats) can navigate the Giudecca and enter Venice's downtown.
• In July 2021, Costa and MSC replaced Venice (as homeport) with other Italian ports. Passengers were actually collected at Venice, then via buses transported to a different Italian port ( Trieste or Monfalcone).

In mid-June 2020, RCI-Royal Caribbean replaced Venice (as homeport) with Ravenna . The change affected the Rhapsody of the Seas ' Mediterranean schedule 2021 (May 1 through October 23). Ravenna is approx 144 km (90 mi road distance) to the south from Venice, or ~2,5 hours drive (via SS309 / Ravenna-Chioggia road).

• The itinerary change was explained with "increased concerns regarding the future of cruising in Venice Italy due to port congestion and the ability to control port traffic".
• Customers with already purchased through RCI airfare received complimentary shuttle bus transportation (pre- and after-cruise). Optionally was offered purchasing bus transfers from both the Ravenna cruise terminal and/or the Venice Marco Polo Airport.

In September 2023, Fulvio Lino Di Blasio (Port Authority's President) announced that cruise ships will be allowed to use Stazione Marittima di Venezia starting in 2027-Q2. The new plan grants entry to relatively smaller vessels (with max volume 60,000 GT-tons and max length 250 m/820 ft). Like the big liners, they will be also banned from the San Marco basin (Guidecca Channel route) and instead will access Stazione Marittima using the Vittorio Emanuele III Channel route.

The larger cruise ships will continue to visit Venice via Port Marghera.

Fincantieri Marghera shipyard

Fincantieri (one of the world's largest shipbuilding companies ) owns the merchant shipbuilding yards Monfalcone (near Trieste ), Marghera (Venice), Sestri Ponente ( Genoa ), Ancona , Castellammare di Stabia (near Naples ) and Palermo Sicily . The company also owns the naval shipyards Riva Trigoso (Genoa) and Muggiano ( La Spezia ).

Next are listed all cruise ships constructed at the Marghera yard, by the year built.

• (1991) Pacific Dawn, Costa Classica
• (1993) MS Statendam, MS Maasdam, Costa Romantica
• (1994) MS Ryndam
• (1995) Sun Princess, Carnival Destiny-Sunshine
• (1996) MS Veendam, Dawn Princess
• (1997) MS Rotterdam
• (1998) Sea Princess, Disney Magic
• (1999) MS Volendam, Carnival Triumph-Sunrise, Disney Wonder
• (2000) MS Zaandam, MS Amsterdam
• (2000) P&O Oceana, Carnival Victory-Radiance
• (2001) MS Zuiderdam, plus two cruiseferies (Pride of Hull, Pride of Rotterdam)
• (2002) MS Oosterdam, Carnival Conquest
• (2003) Carnival Glory, Costa Fortuna, Costa Magica
• (2004) MS Westerdam, Carnival Valor, P&O Arcadia
• (2005) Costa Concordia, Carnival Liberty
• (2006) MS Noordam, Costa Serena, Carnival Splendor
• (2007) MS Eurodam, Queen Victoria, Carnival Freedom, P&O Ventura
• (2008) Ruby Princess, Costa Luminosa, Costa Pacifica
• (2009) MS Nieuw Amsterdam, Carnival Dream, Costa Deliziosa, P&O Azura
• (2010) Queen Elizabeth, Costa Favolosa, Carnival Magic
• (2011) Costa Fascinosa, Carnival Breeze
• (2013) Royal Princess
• (2014) Regal Princess, Costa Diadema
• (2015) P&O Britannia, Ponant Le Lyrial, Viking Star
• (2016) MS Koningsdam, Carnival Vista, Seabourn Encore, Seven Seas Explorer, Viking Sea
• (2017) Majestic Princess, MSC Seaside, Viking Sky, Viking Sun, Silver Muse
• (2018) MS Nieuw Statendam, Carnival Horizon, MSC Seaview, Viking Orion, Seabourn Ovation
• (2019) Sky Princess, Costa Venezia, Carnival Panorama, Viking Jupiter
• (2020) Enchanted Princess, Costa Firenze, Scarlet Lady, Seven Seas Splendor
• (2021) MS Rotterdam, MSC Seashore, Valiant Lady, Viking Venus
• (2022) Discovery Princess, MSC Seascape, Resilient Lady, Norwegian Prima, Cunard-tbn, Viking Mars, Viking Neptune
• (2023) Norwegian Viva, MSC Explora 1, Virgin-tbn, Princess-tbn
• (2024) NCL-tbn, MSC Explora 2
• (2025) NCL-tbn, MSC Explora 3, Princess-tbn
• (2026) NCL-tbn, MSC Explora 4
• (2027) NCL-tbn

The list of brands/shipowners includes CCL-Carnival , MSC , Costa , Princess , HAL-Holland America , Virgin , P&O (UK and Australia) , Disney , Viking OCEAN , Ponant .

Port Venice

Porto di Venezia is a seaport in northeastern Italy, ranked Italy's 8th largest commercial port and also among the largest and most important cruise ports in southern Europe (Mediterranean Sea). As shipping volumes, in 2006 the port handled around 30,937 million cargo tons and over 1,453 million passengers (ferry and cruise).

Port Venice is currently the 2nd largest Mediterranean cruise port (after Barcelona ) by passenger volumes. However, due to environmentalist campaigns (since Concordia's sinking in 2012) to stop large-sized liners in Venice (vessels over 10 decks high), Port Venice started progressively to lose ship calls. In 2017, their number dropped over 10% - from 529 (in 2016) to 470. Cruiseship passenger numbers decreased by 11,4% (to around 1,4 million), which resulted in an income fall. Since the mid-1990s, cruising tourism is an important income source for the city and its citizens.

Environmentalists demand larger cruise vessels to stop navigating along Guidecca Canal to reach the seaport, as the route takes them within just 300 m (1000) ft of Piazza San Marco (St Mark’s Square). Besides the visual impact, other concerns are the damage caused by marine diesel engine pollution and the vessels' water displacement. New port regulations will require cruise ships to reduce emissions by switching to LSDO (lower-sulfur diesel fuel) before entering Venice Lagoon .

The controversy over whether cruise ships should be allowed into Venice was heightened right after Costa Concordia ship's capsizing near Giglio Island. Following the accident, the government issued a law banning cruise liners with gross tonnage over 96,000 GT from navigating the Guidecca Canal. The number of smaller cruise vessels (over 40,000 GT) along the channel was limited to 5 per day. In 2014, this law came into effect, just to be thrown out 2 months later by the Venice Court of Appeal.

In mid-June, 2017, over 18,000 Venetians voted in an unofficial referendum about banning large cruise vessels that navigate near St Mark Square. Activists set up a total of 60 polling booths, where 17,874 citizens voted to eject the ships which produce waves shaking the city's wooden foundations.

• In September 2017, three of the world's largest cruise companies ( Carnival , Royal Caribbean , MSC ) run shipping simulations on large liners navigating the Vittorio Emanuele III Channel route (Stazione Marittima) as a proposed alternative to the banned Guidecca Channel route.
• Since November 2017, Venice seaport access (through Giudecca Canal) is denied to cruise liners with GT tonnage over 100,000 tons. Instead, the vessels are rerouted to Port Marghera, from where passengers are ferried to downtown.

Since September 2019, Venice City charges day-trippers a tax of up to EUR 10 / USD 11 pp, which brings tens of millions of EUR annually. Of the ~24 million tourists in 2019, ~15 million were day-trippers. The new tourist tax (entrance fee) was approved by the Italian Government and contained in the country's 2019 budget. The new charge is included in the cost of hotels, trains, buses and cruise ship tickets. The tax ranges between EUR 2.50 to EUR 10 per person, depending on arrival time (low or high season).

Regularly scheduled cruiseferries link Venice City with Ancona and also with Slovenia ( Piran ), Croatia ( Pula , Rovinj , Umag, Porec) and Greece ( Kerkyra-Corfu , Igoumenitsa , Patras ).

• Venice-Piran route is served by Venezia Lines with 1 weekly crossing (travel time 2,5 hours).
• Venice-Pula route is served by Venezia Lines (4 weekly crossings) and Atlas Kompas (3 weekly crossings), travel time is 3 hours.
• Venice-Porec route is served by Venezia Lines (7 weekly crossings) and Atlas Kompas (5 weekly crossings), travel time is 3-3,5 hours.
• Venice-Rovinj route is served by Venezia Lines (7 weekly crossings) and Atlas Kompas (3 weekly crossings), travel time is 2,5-3,5 hours.
• Venice-Umag route is served by Venezia Lines (1 weekly crossing) and Atlas Kompas (1 weekly crossing), travel time is 2,5-3,5 hours.
• Venice-Corfu route is served by Minoan Lines (2 weekly crossings, time 26,5 hours) and ANEK Superfast (1 weekly crossing, time 25 hours).
• Venice-Igoumenitsa route is served by Minoan Lines (2 weekly crossings, time 28,5 hours) and ANEK Superfast (2 weekly crossings, time 25,5 hours).
• Venice-Patras route is served by Minoan Lines (3 weekly crossings, time 30,5 hours) and ANEK Superfast (2 weekly crossings, time 32 hours).
• Venice- Ancona route is served by Minoan Lines with 2 weekly crossings (travel time 6,5 hours).

MOSE - Venice flood barrier project

MOSE project is designed to protect Venice and Venetian Lagoon from flooding caused by high tides (up to 3 m / 10 ft). The integrated system consists of rows of large mobile gates at 3 inlets (Lido, Malamocco and Chioggia) through which Adriatic Sea water enters and leaves the Venetian Lagoon.

These gates are able to temporarily isolate the lagoon from the sea during high tides as they open and close separately thus controlling the water flow.

MOSE system's control center is in Venice's Arsenal, where 9 people constantly monitor the lagoon's conditions. The monitoring staff's training started in 2011 by simulating real-time flood defense operations. During that period was also collected data about water levels, waves, water pressure, and fresh river flood.

Flooding due to high tides mires Venice during winter months. During high tide forecasts, sirens all over the city sound a warning, and real-time information is provided (online and via mobile phones). Other measures are setting up temporary elevated platforms in city parts with heavy pedestrian traffic. High tides usually last 2 1/2 hours. The flood of November 4, 1966, saw water levels reaching up to 194 cm (6 ft). This was the end of the agriculture in the lagoon and also resulted in the death of the majority of its plants. Previously, the lagoon was a winemaking region.

The Mose barrier concept was first proposed in 1988. The consortium Venezia Nuova was contracted by Italy's Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport. Construction works (simultaneously at all 3 lagoon inlets) started in 2003. The project also included other anti-flood measures - coastal reinforcement, raising quaysides, and lagoon improvements. The project was 85% completed in 2014. In 2016, the gates arrived and were inserted into their concrete foundations.

The project's total cost was EUR 5,4 billion (GBP 3,9 billion), with its completion scheduled for 2020.

Construction works on the MOSE system were slowed due to investigations into corruption, with allegations of bribery and illegal political party financing. The investigation resulted in 35 arrests (in June 2014). Among the arrested was Consorzio Venezia Nuova's former president, who was accused of diverting funds to Venice's mayor for financing his campaign for office in 2010.

Construction works included pre-building concrete foundations (23,000 tons each) and then lowering them into the lagoon. Gates have spares (for each inlet), which allow being removed every 5 years (for maintenance) without interrupting the barrier's service. All hinges on the gates are equipped with a waterproof camera that permits removal operations to be accurately monitored and controlled.

The commercial harbor is impacted each time the gates are lifted. The amount of electricity used for the operations is also considerable.

According to CLIA (data 2019), in Italy, the ship cruise industry generates an annual turnover of ~EUR 16,2 billion (USD 19,1B / GBP 14B) and supports 120,000+ jobs (direct and indirect).

Venice cruise terminal

Port Venice is the leader not only in one traffic segment. It is the largest Mediterranean cruise port (in terms of annual passenger shipping numbers) and also main cargo port. Roundtrip cruise itineraries from Venice (homeport) go mainly to ports in Adriatic Sea (Croatia, Montenegro, Albania) and Aegean Sea (Greece and Turkey). Port Venice has 10 multifunctional (cargo) terminals and 6 dedicated cruise piers/passenger terminals.

Venice Cruise Port Terminal (VCT or Terminal Venezia Passeggeri) is Europe's 3rd busiest cruise port and world's 13th largest. Each year, Port Venice handles thousand cruise ship calls and over 1 million passengers. The seaport is located at the end of Venice (the road to the continental Italy, at the 4th km).

The seaport is in the Venetian Lagoon and the Porto di Lido channel links it to Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean). Over 20 cruise companies are hosted by Venice Cruise Terminal. Major companies, like NCL Norwegian Cruise Lines, Carnival, Royal Caribbean and MSC, homeport large-sized liners here.

The cruise port has 3 main quays, the biggest being Marittima. It has 3 passenger terminals with capacities to handle world's largest liners. The cruise port comprises TM Quay, Piave Quay (berth 117), Tagliamento Quay (berths 107, 109, 110, 112) and Isonzo Quay (berths 18 and 20). Two terminals serve smaller ships - San Basilio (berths 29 to 31) and Santa Marta (berths 24 to 28). All these docks are in the Giudecca Canal.

On November 8, 2017, was officially announced the decision to not allow Venice seaport access (through Giudecca Canal) to cruise liners of GT tonnage over 100,000 tons. Instead, the vessels are rerouted to Port Marghera, from where passengers are ferried to Venice.

Venice tours, shore excursions, hotels

City tours and shore excursions.

Venice is known to be the “Queen of the Adriatic”. It is one of the most romantic world cities. Venice can enchant anyone with its breathtaking palazzos, canals and beautiful bridges. This city is so spectacular, that you will need at least three days to enjoy some of its wonders. Spend a day in a gondola at the narrow channels and be amazed by Venice. Go to Murano, the Venetian glassmaking center, or visit some of the famous places near the St Marks Square:

• Basilica: the place where you can see Pala d’Oro. This famous altarpiece dates since 976. It is made of solid gold by the Byzantine goldsmiths and it has precious gems encrustations.
• Doge’s Palace: situated right to the Basilica. You can see the Council Hall, plaques of the Doges (all 76, except Doge 55) and the world-famous Bridge of Sighs (the last walking place for the criminals before their transfer from the palace into the jail).
• Campanile: dating since 912. The Campanile is the third building you have to see. There is astonishing city view from the top of it. This is not the exact original of the building, but a rebuilding with the original materials after its collapse in 1902.

From Venice City are offered tours to Bologna - located approx 130 km (80 ml) to the southwest. Train travel time is 1,5 hours.

Port Venice cruise ship schedule shows timetable calendars of all arrival and departure dates by month. The port's schedule lists all ships (in links) with cruises going to or leaving from Venice, Marghera, Italy. To see the full itineraries (ports of call dates and arrival / departure times) and their lowest rates – just follow the corresponding ship-link.

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