Tourist taxes

[Mervyn and Trish]

Most world heritage sites encourage you to use public transport when visiting, so with this in mind I don’t think most cruise ship passengers would be so inconvenienced as to have to use public transport in and out of Venice… from different ports. I also think that cruise lines could reschedule excursions that take in evening/late night visits, thus giving passengers a different experience of Venice and at the same time avoid the daytime stampede.

I may well be talking a load of old cobblers, but, hey ho.

Fortunately we've been in the good old days. Part of the experience was the sail in and sail out. It was a joy stepping off the ship and just wandering. I'm not sure we'd bother these days to dock in an industrial port and spend an hour on a coach getting there. But I'm sure others will. Our best visit was when we stayed for a week.

[Onelife]

Having only been to Venice a couple of times I would be prepared to get ferried in by coach or train. I think it would just be a case of acclimatising to a new way of visiting Venice…those new to cruising would be none the wiser, therefore thinking long term, it probably will be the way to go.

[oldbluefox]

For a city which relies largely on tourism I believe they have to be very careful not to drive their visitors away. Much has been spoken about the effects of large cruise ships but whenever we have been there and witnessed the wash churned up by their smaller boats compared with cruise ships slowly being towed in by tugs I do wonder what is causing the most damage or are they being used as part of the argument to reduce the number of tourists?

[Onelife]

For a city which relies largely on tourism I believe they have to be very careful not to drive their visitors away. Much has been spoken about the effects of large cruise ships but whenever we have been there and witnessed the wash churned up by their smaller boats compared with cruise ships slowly being towed in by tugs I do wonder what is causing the most damage or are they being used as part of the argument to reduce the number of tourists?

I think this is a question for our nautical expert Frank

[Mervyn and Trish]

For a city which relies largely on tourism I believe they have to be very careful not to drive their visitors away. Much has been spoken about the effects of large cruise ships but whenever we have been there and witnessed the wash churned up by their smaller boats compared with cruise ships slowly being towed in by tugs I do wonder what is causing the most damage or are they being used as part of the argument to reduce the number of tourists?

That was my thought too. We watched a Princess ship come in and there wasn't a ripple. But the Vaporetti moor with only one rope and keep their prop thrashing right by the threatened foundations. All day every day.

In P&O's case they appear to have made their decision not to go now they have to moor outside the lagoon.

[Onelife]

I don’t know which ship/vessel would cause the most damage but the law of physics would suggest vessels with deeper hulls will displace more water?

[Mervyn and Trish]

Speed is a major factor too. The wash from a speedboat causes far more disturbance than a very slow moving cruise ship. And with the vaporetti it's not the speed at all but the props thrashing right against the foundations of the buildings.

[Stephen]

Those gondola’s can can get a nip on when they want to as well

[Ray B]

The last time we took a gondola through the canels was about 45 years ago, if I remember correctly he looked a miserable sod while standing on the back rowing.

[Onelife]

The last time we took a gondola through the canels was about 45 years ago, if I remember correctly he looked a miserable sod while standing on the back rowing.

What were you expecting Ray….a rendition of “One Cornetto”?

[Mervyn and Trish]

For the money they charge I'd expect the entire works of Vivaldi from a full orchestra.