The gondola ride in the Venetian is probably my favorite thing in Las Vegas.
At $16/person, this gondola is a whole lot less expensive than the ones in Venice. You also don't have the smell of vaporettos and pidgin poop when you ride. (Note: We took the indoor canal tour as the outdoor one was closed. I'd still probably stick with the indoor ride to avoid traffic noise ruining the ambiance.)
Our gondolier, Salvatore, had a better singing voice than many of the Vegas acts that we saw during the week, and the architectural charm of the resort canal is truly charming.
If you're in Las Vegas with your sweetie and looking for a place far removed from the QR-code sweatshirt-wearing pornographic card flickers that flood The Strip, this is the place to go. Duck into the Venetian, have a romantic and elegant evening, and forget that just outside is one of the sleaziest streets in America.