It would seem that the problem is the cruise industry itself. The companies have become arrogant and dismissive of the ports of call. You can even see it in the design of the newer mega ships: the emphasis is not on where they can take you, but what you can spend on board. Itineraries ⬇️ Customer service ⬇️ Cabin prices ⬆️ Drink prices ⬆️
Nice video and a break from the regular cruise news. Anything new with the proposed restrictions in Bar Harbor or Ketchikan or Juneau? I mean, I get it, bigger and bigger ships, more ships, more people...I can see how a local could feel like a sardine, even if they're not from Sardinia. 😂
Venice is smart to restrict access to the Lagoon . . . a cruiser can still visit Venice, but will have to do so preceded by a couple hour's bus ride (each way) from Trieste or Fusini. Hint: if you wish to visit Venice as part of a cruise itinerary, choose a line/ship which docks in Trieste; it's a far nicer port from which, even if you're not going to Venice, you can disembark and walk directly into the beautiful city of Trieste. Santorini - we took a back to back Med cruise in the Fall of 2022 which visited Santorini on each leg. The experience could not have been more polar opposites. The first leg's call on Santorini (aboard a 2/3 full 750 passenger Regent Seven Seas ship) occurred when the only other ship in port was a regional cruise line's 48 passenger vessel; the crowd was remarkably manageable and zero lines existed for the Gondola down to the tender back to the ship. On the second leg, two megaships were also in port - the crowds were horrendous, and even several hours prior to the last tender, the Gondola line was very long. For the sake of an enjoyable experience which is unforgettable for all good reasons, I would truly hope the city would limit cruise visitors to no more than one megaship per day. [PS - even on our first leg, that shot of the open walkway to the picturesque blue domed church . . . not sure what time of day that footage was shot but even on our first leg described above, it was TEEMING with people!] Amsterdam - honestly, the appeal of the city is somewhat limited for us. We spent a day & a half after disembarking in Aug 2022 during which we took in the Anne Frank home and Corrie Ten Boom home. It is a beautiful city, but if you're looking for a Scandinavian city with that old world charm & appeal that is a haven for & welcomingly caters to tourists, go to Bruges. All that said, Amsterdam is a BIG city fully capable of accommodating an influx of cruise passengers - the question for the city is how long are they going to pander to the tiny niche Climate Alarmist nuts vs. the commercial interests whose livelihoods depend on tourism, who pay the taxes and who employ thousands in the city. Barcelona is another city I'd recommend staying AFTER a cruise for a couple days. It's a beautiful city which warrants more than a half day's time ashore. We chose an all-day Gaudi tour visiting six of the more significant buildings in which he had a hand or was the lead architect incl., of course, quite a bit of time at Sagrada Familia. The other half day we took a tour of La Rambla and the Gothic Quarter.
It's a combination of cruise line greed (mega-ships), over-tourism, and eco-political activists that want to do away with cruising regardless. The latter will carry weight in locales where the political powers in charge align with the eco-activists. That will still leave plenty of cruise destinations and new ones that cotton to the activists. Unfortunately, the other problems will lead to a sub-par, overpriced experience for cruisers. I don't relish the idea of mega-ships that are just floating barges with a massive shopping mall and hotel casino on top. That makes for a soulless journey, and if the destination is just an overcrowded tourist trap, why?
Good video with good editing, content and professional. Reminds me of a Rick Steves show.
It would seem that the problem is the cruise industry itself. The companies have become arrogant and dismissive of the ports of call. You can even see it in the design of the newer mega ships: the emphasis is not on where they can take you, but what you can spend on board.
Itineraries ⬇️
Customer service ⬇️
Cabin prices ⬆️
Drink prices ⬆️
Thanks for the updates Captain Corey 👍
Nice video and a break from the regular cruise news. Anything new with the proposed restrictions in Bar Harbor or Ketchikan or Juneau? I mean, I get it, bigger and bigger ships, more ships, more people...I can see how a local could feel like a sardine, even if they're not from Sardinia. 😂
Sadly, the ships are getting too large.
Venice is smart to restrict access to the Lagoon . . . a cruiser can still visit Venice, but will have to do so preceded by a couple hour's bus ride (each way) from Trieste or Fusini. Hint: if you wish to visit Venice as part of a cruise itinerary, choose a line/ship which docks in Trieste; it's a far nicer port from which, even if you're not going to Venice, you can disembark and walk directly into the beautiful city of Trieste.
Santorini - we took a back to back Med cruise in the Fall of 2022 which visited Santorini on each leg. The experience could not have been more polar opposites. The first leg's call on Santorini (aboard a 2/3 full 750 passenger Regent Seven Seas ship) occurred when the only other ship in port was a regional cruise line's 48 passenger vessel; the crowd was remarkably manageable and zero lines existed for the Gondola down to the tender back to the ship. On the second leg, two megaships were also in port - the crowds were horrendous, and even several hours prior to the last tender, the Gondola line was very long. For the sake of an enjoyable experience which is unforgettable for all good reasons, I would truly hope the city would limit cruise visitors to no more than one megaship per day. [PS - even on our first leg, that shot of the open walkway to the picturesque blue domed church . . . not sure what time of day that footage was shot but even on our first leg described above, it was TEEMING with people!]
Amsterdam - honestly, the appeal of the city is somewhat limited for us. We spent a day & a half after disembarking in Aug 2022 during which we took in the Anne Frank home and Corrie Ten Boom home. It is a beautiful city, but if you're looking for a Scandinavian city with that old world charm & appeal that is a haven for & welcomingly caters to tourists, go to Bruges. All that said, Amsterdam is a BIG city fully capable of accommodating an influx of cruise passengers - the question for the city is how long are they going to pander to the tiny niche Climate Alarmist nuts vs. the commercial interests whose livelihoods depend on tourism, who pay the taxes and who employ thousands in the city.
Barcelona is another city I'd recommend staying AFTER a cruise for a couple days. It's a beautiful city which warrants more than a half day's time ashore. We chose an all-day Gaudi tour visiting six of the more significant buildings in which he had a hand or was the lead architect incl., of course, quite a bit of time at Sagrada Familia. The other half day we took a tour of La Rambla and the Gothic Quarter.
OMG! The end of cruising? What are they going to with all of the cruise ships?😮
I don’t mind this been to most of these destinations already. Had my wedding in Santorini in fact. 😂
It's a combination of cruise line greed (mega-ships), over-tourism, and eco-political activists that want to do away with cruising regardless. The latter will carry weight in locales where the political powers in charge align with the eco-activists. That will still leave plenty of cruise destinations and new ones that cotton to the activists. Unfortunately, the other problems will lead to a sub-par, overpriced experience for cruisers. I don't relish the idea of mega-ships that are just floating barges with a massive shopping mall and hotel casino on top. That makes for a soulless journey, and if the destination is just an overcrowded tourist trap, why?