- A new luxury vessel launching in 2021, the S.S. La Venezia, will take its guests on a 8-day cruise of the Venetian lagoon at a starting price of $2,899 per person.
- The ship's interiors pay homage to Venice, as well as famed Italian design and textile house Fortuny.
- It has four decks, three of which are named after different islands in Venice, and is decorated with brightly-colored Murano glass.
- Italy, like most of the European Union, is currently off limits for most US travelers due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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A new 321-foot-long luxury cruise ship, the S.S. La Venezia, is setting sail in Northern Italy in 2021, with its elegant interiors and decor mirroring the city it's named after.
Source: Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
According to a Uniworld press release shared with Insider, much of the ship's aesthetic has also been inspired by famed textile company, Fortuny, and its legendary founder, Mariano Fortuny.
Source: Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
The ship was created in partnership with Fortuny, per Uniworld. There are gardens and exhibitions on board the vessel that showcase the textile company's work.
Source: Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
Per the company's website, the ship is divided into decks each named after islands in Venice — Burano, Murano, and Torcello.
Source: Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
It's fitting that part of the ship's decor includes brightly-colored Murano glass sculptures, a glass-making method unique to the Venice island of Murano. And the nods to Venice don't stop there.
Source: Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
In a statement shared with Insider, Uniworld's artistic director Toni Tollman said "every space has been crafted to expressly celebrate Venice."
Source: Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
The four restaurants and bars offer menu items created with locally-sourced produce. They also feature live music and specialty cocktails.
Source: Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
In addition to multiple bars and restaurants, the ship also has a fitness center and a space where guests can do their own laundry.
Source: Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
Tollman added that guests might also notice influences of Venice's "landmark bridges in the patterns of the fabrics."
Source: Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
The ship will sail the 8-day "Venice & the Gems of Northern Italy" cruise and several of Uniworld's longer travel packages that take travelers to other popular European cities like Milan, Zurich, and Innsbruck, according to Uniworld's website.
Source: Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
Prices to tour the Venetian Lagoon start at $2,899 per person and can cost as much as $17,000, per the company. The ship accommodates 126 guests.
Source: Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
As with many cities, the coronavirus pandemic decimated tourism in Venice. In July, Anna Momigliano of The New York Times reported that Venice tourism "may never be the same," but that it's not necessarily a bad thing.
Source: The New York Times
Per Momigliano, locals in Venice were hopeful that a shift away from tourism would encourage investment in the city's universities and research.
Source: The New York Times
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