What cruise ship photobombed George Clooney’s lavish Venice wedding?

The bride wasn’t the only showstopper in George Clooney’s spectacular wedding in Venice on Saturday evening. The flotilla of celebrity- and paparazzi-toting boats, water taxis and gondolas in the Grand Canal suddenly came to a halt when the Norwegian Jade sailed into port and blocked their path.

“Guests who snuck into the #GeorgeClooneyWedding? None other than #NorwegianJade. Congrats to the happy couple!� Norwegian Cruise Lines’ @CruiseNorwegian tweeted Monday with a photo of the moment.

At least one news video showed the huge ship suddenly lumbering into the canal, temporarily delaying Clooney’s water taxi. By media accounts, the Hollywood actor calmly waved and smiled as he waited to proceed to marry London-based attorney Amal Alamuddin.

The website MozarellaMama.com, which covered the wedding, described what happened to Clooney on his way to tying the knot.

“A gigantic cruise ship, towering higher than the city of Venice, blocked the way. George’s taxis screeched to a halt, or whatever boats do when they have to stop suddenly, and it was a field day for the paparazzi. We all caught up to George’s taxi, making the area choppy with all the waves.

“By that time we were all shouting ‘George, George, George!!’ I must say, he is a natural — he remained cool, calm, collected, waved, smiled, and chatted with his guests. From high above the passengers on the cruise ship waved and took pictures of all of us. Finally the cruise ship passed we all charged forward and then there was a loud horn — a Venetian ferry boat blocked our way again. By this time it seemed like a floating circus.�

CBS News gave this account:

“There was one small water-borne glitch, however, on the wedding day. There was Clooney, all dressed up and on his way to get married, traveling down the world’s most elegant aisle — as it were. And there was a massive, ugly cruise ship blocking the way; allowing cruise ships into the lagoon is a great controversy in Venice.�

No matter. The couple married twice in Venice, once at a private ceremony for friends and family at the Aman Canal Grande Venice and later at a civil ceremony at the Ca’ Farsetti Palace.