The extravagant pre-wedding cruise for Mukesh Ambani’s younger son, Anant, has sparked outrage among locals in Portofino and Genoa, Italy. The four-day luxury cruise, which traveled from Palermo to the south of France and back, included stops in Rome, Portofino, Genoa, and Cannes for a series of extravagant parties. The cruise which began on May 29, disrupted daily life in these picturesque cities, causing access issues and sleepless nights for residents due to loud parties.
Despite Portofino’s history as a celebrity wedding hotspot, locals felt the scale and exclusivity of the Ambani event were unprecedented and disrespectful. Local businesses, though offered compensation, found the short notice and disruption offensive. The cruise, which featured entertainment from the Backstreet Boys and Katy Perry, saw the picturesque village of Portofino effectively shut down, preventing residents and other tourists from accessing the bay.
The lavish celebration, part of a series of events leading to Anant’s wedding to Radhika Merchant on July 12, has drawn criticism on social media and from local entrepreneurs, who cited significant setbacks to tourism-dependent livelihoods. Social media was flooded with complaints about the inaccessibility of Portofino's main attractions during the event. Many locals and tourists voiced their frustration over being excluded from public spaces due to the private celebration. Additionally, Genoa residents were kept awake by loud music as the cruise ship docked early in the morning, with police reportedly failing to address the noise complaints.
Offensive bad mannered wedding party.
By people from a country that is witnessing economic inequality that is worse than the colonial era. pic.twitter.com/1UPzTKJi3p
— Neha Dixit (@nehadixit123) June 5, 2024
Andrea Miroli, manager of the renowned restaurant Il Puny, criticised the organisers for their lack of consideration for local businesses and their patrons. Nearly a dozen restaurants were offered between €7,000 and €10,000 to cater the event, featuring dishes like focaccia, paneer tikka, and beetroot goat cheese kebab. However, Andrea Miroli was irked by the last-minute request to serve lobster sandwiches, stating, “We were offered €10,000 just 20 days before the event. I find this offensive, bad-mannered, and incorrect. I have my customers and an illustrious history to protect.”
Local residents and tourists voiced their frustration on social media about being denied access to key areas in Portofino, a village known for hosting celebrity weddings. Despite numerous celebrities and billionaires celebrating in Portofino, this event marked the first time the area was completely shut down for a private party.
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One user on X remarked, “Many other celebrities and billionaires have celebrated in Portofino, none of them have ever removed access to the main point for others.” Another tourist echoed this sentiment, lamenting the inability to see Portofino's main attractions due to the private event. “Many billionaires have come to party here, but no one has ever taken away access to the main part of the city. Who do they think they are? They can’t just come in, throw their party, and make it difficult for people to do their daily chores,” the user wrote.
“I couldn’t see the main attractions of Portofino this weekend due to a private event organised by an Indian or Pakistani billionaire for his spoiled son. There have been many events hosted by billionaires in the past, but none have ever closed the area,” a tourist posted.
“As a local tour guide in Portofino, it is disheartening to see our city closed for a private event. Our livelihood depends on tourism, and this weekend was a huge setback,” said a local guide.
Local businesses, while usually welcoming high-profile events for the economic boost, found the Ambani celebration's impact overwhelming.
In Genoa, the cruise ship arrived early on June 2, blaring loud music that disturbed residents. Despite complaints to local police at 4:30 a.m., no action was taken. “The behaviour of the organisers was absurd,” a local firefighter said. “They kept half of Genoa awake with the high, unjustified volume for most of the night before it stopped at dawn.”
Mukesh Ambani, Asia's richest man, is known for his opulent lifestyle, but this event has left a sour impression among the affected Italian locals.
