Big News for Venice!

Over the past year Venice has been umming and erring on whether to let Cruise Ships over a certain gross tonnage transit the Guidecca Channel. The maximum tonnage set by the authorities was set at 96,000 Gross tonnage meaning that many of the cruise lines with ships based and calling in to Venice had to move. Celebrity Cruises had the larger Solstice Class ships calling in, and last year for the first time, has decided to base the Ventura out of Venice and Geona.

Since the banning much smaller ships have had to be used to do Venice, which ultimately asks the question do you go for the ship or the itinerary. There is nothing wrong with smaller ships but it does have an ongoing affect with the facilities it can offer.

I think the best example to show you what I mean is, Ventura which is currently one of the bigger family ships totalling 115,000 gross tons. Offering facilities spanning across a vast pool deck and private spa, lots of restaurants and bars and entertainment venues. She also had a large amount of staterooms that would hold 3 or 4 passengers.

Ventura has been replaced with Oceana, now don’t get me wrong I have sailed on Oceana and she is a beautiful ship however built in 2000 she is much older than Ventura, she is also only 77,000 gross tons so a fair bit smaller. One could argue that this offers a more intimate cruise experience but looking back at the market Ventura attracted the family market whereas Oceana is limited in 3 and 4 berth staterooms.

2015 itineraries are out and on sale but this could case another shake up as the larger liners move back to Venice for 2016/2017.

So what’s more important to you, the size of the ship or the itinerary?