Venice cruise ship restrictions overturned

Cruise ships could be returning to Venice in the near future, after restrictions on the vessels were recently overturned by an Italian court.

The ban - enacted in November following a recent petition to the Italian government (including signatures from several Hollywood celebrities) to prevent damage to the city which could be potentially caused by larger vessels - prevented ships of more than 90,000 gross tons from altogether passing through the city and limited the passing of smaller vessels (between 40,000 and 96,000 tons) to five per day.

Recent pressure from Italian tourism groups, citing projected economic impacts and potential job losses from the restrictions, preceded the overturning of the ban, according to a report in the U.K.’s Daily Mail.

Cruise Lines International Association was quoted in the report as stating that larger ships belonging to its members will avoid the city altogether through 2015, as itineraries had already been established.