Italy's tourism sector faced a severe blow on Thursday as rail strikes swept across the country, causing widespread disruptions on all rail lines, including high-speed trains.
Although the rail strikes have ended, Italy's troubles are far from over. On Saturday, July 15th, air traffic controllers and baggage handlers at all airports were planning to strike, leading to the proactive cancellation of numerous flights.
The 12-hour train strike, initiated by workers at Italo and state-owned Trenitalia, had a significant impact on trains throughout Italy. In Milano, for instance, 8 out of the 20 scheduled Trenitalia trains between 10:30 AM and 11:30 AM were canceled.
Originally intended to last longer, the strike duration was reduced by half following a decree issued by Italy's Transport Minister.
The strike, organized jointly by multiple unions, stemmed from an ongoing dispute regarding pay and working conditions. Unfortunately, Saturday's strike is already affecting the cruise industry, with at least one cruise line being forced to make substantial changes to its itinerary.
Oceania Cruises notified passengers scheduled to embark on the Oceania Vista ship this Saturday about the impact of the impending strike in Italy. In an email, they stated that due to "an impending strike in Italy which is likely to have far-reaching effects across the transport sectors," they are revising the voyage itinerary for the cruise. To accommodate passengers and allow them additional time to reach Trieste, the ship remained in Trieste until 6 PM on July 16th. Consequently, the scheduled stops in Split Croatia and Kotor Montenegro were canceled.
Princess Cruises and NCL-Norwegian Cruise Line were also grappling with the strike, as their ships, Enchanted Princess, Norwegian Breakaway, and Norwegian Epic, were scheduled to depart from Civitavecchia-Rome on Saturday.
The cruise industry, among other sectors, is feeling the impact of these strikes, highlighting the broad implications for tourism and travel in Italy.