While preparations for the 2021 edition of Italy’s Sanremo Music Festival continue, it’s still not clear sort of audience the show may have — or indeed, if there will be a live audience at all. But now Italian media are reporting there may be a pandemic-safe solution. Organisers are said to be looking at quarantining the Sanremo audience in a cruise ship, docked at the local port.

The proposal has reportedly come from the Costa Cruises, who are offering their flagship vessel, the Costa Smeralda. The ship has a maximum occupancy of 6,554 and boasts 11 restaurants.

Media are reporting that the plan will be to house around 3000 to 4000 people on the ship, along with Sanremo’s artistic team. The passengers will be quarantined on the ship for two weeks prior to the start of the show and will remain based there during Sanremo week. From 2 March, they’ll be transported to shore, then bussed to the Ariston Theatre for the daily Sanremo shows.

Italy currently has a variety of restrictions, including curfews, and limits on stores and restaurants. While spending three weeks on a cruise ship may feel somewhat restrictive, it may also offer passengers a chance to take a break from the limits of everyday life.

The Sanremo bubble is said to be a similar idea to the NBA Bubble. In this situation, teams in the American NBA basketball league moved to Disney World hotels to enable the remaining games of the 2019-2020 season to be played without fear of a Covid outbreak.

Earlier in the year, cruise ships were at the centre of many Covid-19 outbreaks, with some describing such vessels as “floating petri dishes”. However, more is now known about how to minimise the spread of Covid.

To date, the Sanremo cruise ship bubble is still a proposal. Broadcaster RAI have yet to comment on whether it will, in fact, be used for Sanremo 2021.

Casa Sanremo will be hosted at the Palafiori Convention Centre

The Palafiori Convention Centre has again been confirmed as the home of Casa Sanremo. With the Ariston Theatre limited in size, the Palafiori will be the base for Sanremo technical staff, record company representatives, the media centre, along with radio and television broadcasting facilities.

The convention centre is located close to the Ariston Theatre, a five-minute walk from the Sanremo location.

Casa Sanremo will be run in full compliance with anti-Covid restrictions. As a result, broadcast events are unlikely to include a studio audience.

The lineup of Sanremo 2021 was confirmed earlier in the month. It features returning Eurovision acts Ermal Meta and Francesca Michielin as well as hot band Måneskin.

Sanremo 2021 will begin on 2 March, with the grand final on Saturday 6 March.

What do you think? Should Sanremo quarantine its audience on a cruise ship? Or should they forgo the audience entirely? Tell us your thoughts below!

Read more Italy Eurovision news here

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sucof
sucof
3 years ago

Amadeus also confirmed that perhaps the ship will be used to protect the public. Breaking news: Sanremo 2021, Elodie will be one of the women of the Festival and as regular guests every evening on stage there will be Achille Lauro and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. It is the official announcement of Amadeus. «Elodie will be with me, she will be one of the women of the festival. Last year she was in the race, this time she will be co-host for one evening. She has a very strong audience, she is beautiful, witty, funny, ironic. Achille Lauro will instead be a… Read more »

Last edited 3 years ago by sucof
Purple Mask
Purple Mask
3 years ago

Silly question: Couldn’t they all be vaccinated?

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
3 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

Well, I did admit that it was a “silly question.”

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
3 years ago

It might be interesting to see if it works or not, scientifically. It might cost a small fortune though.

Marcelo
Marcelo
3 years ago

Costa? Cruises? Italy? Isn’t this the same company which made headlines back in 2012 when one of their ships capsized alongside the Italian coastline? The Costa Concordia one?

Didn’t know they were still operating. Good for them, I guess. I hope they paid all the reparations tho.

sucof
sucof
3 years ago
Reply to  Marcelo

Costa cruises has been one of the largest cruise operators in the world for decades.

TheDr Mistery
TheDr Mistery
3 years ago

I misread that it’s “San Marino audience” and I was intrigued by the idea as the solution of televoting question…

sucof
sucof
3 years ago

If this idea had been proposed by the Netherlands or Germany for their national events it would have been an excellent thing, instead it is in Italy so it is not good, then I would say to also add toto cutugno with the eurovision of rome of the 90s and the stereotype festival and cooked to perfection.
You guys are broken records!

Jake
Jake
3 years ago

What happens if someone has a false negative test. This seems like a very bad idea!

Nudiecrudi
Nudiecrudi
3 years ago

So many genial cruising voyages experts here. You guys have a future. ???
Cruising ships start every day their touristic tours, Costa Crociere and MSC ( two of the most important cruising companies) are over booked during these holidays.
So according to you multi talented experts RAI and Msc haven’t analysed the situation at all and have considered this option randomly?

Erik
Erik
3 years ago
Reply to  Nudiecrudi

Over booked? Yet we should avoid crowded places. Tell me again how safe they are

Nudiecrudi
Nudiecrudi
3 years ago
Reply to  Erik

You don’t have to wait for my news.
I think that you are one of the multi talented experts here and are very prepared on this item. Please show to us articles or websites were are reported covid cases in the cruising travels in the last months.

John
John
3 years ago

Is this the plot of World War Z Part II? Who thought of this idiocy? Cruise ships are petri dishes for viruses.

Frisian esc
Frisian esc
3 years ago
Reply to  John

I mean i guess they would all need to get a test before entering and nobody can enter the ship after that. If they finish that procedure without making mistakes it would be the safest option. But I mean the easiest way to have an audience for san remo would be giving an invitation to people who’ve had the vaccine i’d say.

Candy
Candy
3 years ago
Reply to  Frisian esc

Has it been confirmed that vaccinated people cannot transmit the virus? In addition to that, it would be very unfair, given that not everyone who wants to be vaccinated will have access to the vaccination within the next six months.

KESC
KESC
3 years ago

That cruise ship reminds me of the one in “The Suite Life on Deck” lol

Liam Lindsay
Liam Lindsay
3 years ago

There should be ZERO audience, if a country has restrictions/measures in regards to social settings (i.e concerts, restaurants etc) there should be no audience, it really is that simple. Italy is one of the worst affected countries, from this pandemic and now they are trying to put a Eurovision National Final audience in quarantine on a cruise ship, which mind you is one of the reasons why the virus became what it did, and now you want to test and try fate by putting thousands of people in a environment that infected thousands and killed by the tens. That’s complete… Read more »

IDK
IDK
3 years ago
Reply to  Liam Lindsay

I stopped reading at “Eurovision national final audience” leeeel gotta do your homework mate.

Anyways,I don’t think rai is seriously considering this option ????

Cameron
Cameron
3 years ago
Reply to  Liam Lindsay

Why should the Netherlands be given AQ in 2022? Just because they didn’t get a normal Eurovision hosting doesn’t mean that they should get special treatment, as much as I feel sorry for them that just isn’t fair on other countries

Denis
Denis
3 years ago

Do they also get paid for the amount of work they have to miss?

Milanolich
Milanolich
3 years ago
Reply to  Denis

Based on the price of the tickets for Sanremo I wouldn’t be surprised if all of them could just work remotely from the cruise ship, I believe they would have access to wifi

NscoN
NscoN
3 years ago

Likely they won’t choose this plan, but the fact itself that it is one of the confirmed options tells a lot about how Sanremo is important for us Italians and why our best artists are eager to be selected.

Erik
Erik
3 years ago

It’s an interesting idea do sure, but is it really possible to maintain good sanitation on a cruise ship?

Erasmus
Erasmus
3 years ago

correct me if I’m wrong, but Sanremo audience is usually full of rich and important people right?

NscoN
NscoN
3 years ago
Reply to  Erasmus

Mostly during the final night, but there are always tickets available for whoever wants to attend (although they are sold out veeery soon).

Ricky
Ricky
3 years ago

Where do I sign up? Haha