Key West could vote no mega ships

[firefly333]

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/23213-key-west-could-ban-big-cruise-ships.html

 

I dont know how many ships carnival has stopping in key west. I was booked feb 7th 2021 on rcl to stop there .... now maybe not. It's on the ballot in Nov.

[Moviela]

I don't think it is a local question. People are free to go anywhere in the USA, and control of international traffic is reserved by the Federal Government. Last time I was in Key West it was public land in the state of Florida. 

 

It is not a private island, so the locals cannot yell at visitors "Get off my lawn."

[firefly333]

This only applies to cruise ships over a certain capacity. If they vote no, i dont see how you say cruise ships can go where they want it's the usa. 

 

I'm confused by your reply to the link 

[bitemyfly]

The residents and  commerce do have a say . And it been brewing for a while now.

sorta like Venice .. too many people dumped into a small space .. they will address it via ecology..  

[JT1962]

If all 3 amendments pass, this would prevent most, if not all, ships from the mainstream cruise lines from docking since they gave a capacity over 1,300 guests.

[jimbo5544]

Hope they think wisely before voting.

[Stick93]

8 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

Hope they think wisely before voting.

Yup wise voting - a virtue both sides agree  the other is incapable of. 
On this topic however tourist dollars make up that whole area. If the ships don’t come they lose 100s of thousands to millions of people who buy and do stuff. Always amazes me at every port people buy anything and everything that isn’t nailed down. All that and excursions keep locals in business. 
The one time I was in key west I was struck by the non-hospitality we saw on the streets. It’s seemed someone was running the show and if you did want what they were selling they got a bit nasty. Was a bit weird as it’s America there! 

[bitemyfly]

Well I fish down there several times a year. The local commerce say cruise ship people don’t realy spend much ? I have no clue .. but if you go to hogs breath bar Or Irish Kevin’s you will se the notifications.

 

[Saint Greg]

If I recall correctly I read the ships depart Key West early because of one of these votes on cruise ships messing up their sunsets. So this isn’t that surprising. 
 

I wanted to go back and do a Key West bar hop. Last time I tried to see all the sites and was only able to hit one bar due to the early departure. But maybe that bar hop won’t happen since this would eliminate all carnival ships.

 

Edited July 13, 2020 by Saint Greg

[tidecat]

I was there on February 25 with two other ships - one from Celebrity, one from Silversea - and it did not feel crowded at all. Honestly it sounds like COVID-19 has influenced their judgment. Since Carnival typically runs 4-day Key West/Cozumel cruises, a ship has to leave early to be able to arrive at Cozumel by Noon the next day. It really wouldn't be possible to run the itinerary in reverse order because it would put the ship in Cozumel around 2:00 or 3:00 PM on Day 2.

[PhillyFan33579]

3 hours ago, Moviela said:

I don't think it is a local question. People are free to go anywhere in the USA, and control of international traffic is reserved by the Federal Government. Last time I was in Key West it was public land in the state of Florida. 

 

It is not a private island, so the locals cannot yell at visitors "Get off my lawn."

Not sure where you are from but in this country local governments can pass and enforce their own local laws. 

[jimbo5544]

1 hour ago, Saint Greg said:

If I recall correctly I read the ships depart Key West early because of one of these votes on cruise ships messing up their sunsets. So this isn’t that surprising. 
 

I wanted to go back and do a Key West bar hop. Last time I tried to see all the sites and was only able to hit one bar due to the early departure. But maybe that bar hop won’t happen since this would eliminate all carnival ships.

 

Great way to experience KW is the Duval st romp

[jimbo5544]

2 hours ago, Stick93 said:

Yup wise voting - a virtue both sides agree  the other is incapable of. 
On this topic however tourist dollars make up that whole area. If the ships don’t come they lose 100s of thousands to millions of people who buy and do stuff. Always amazes me at every port people buy anything and everything that isn’t nailed down. All that and excursions keep locals in business. 
The one time I was in key west I was struck by the non-hospitality we saw on the streets. It’s seemed someone was running the show and if you did want what they were selling they got a bit nasty. Was a bit weird as it’s America there! 

Cannot argue against what you say.  If the vote goes one way, two sides win, if it goes the other way two sides lose, but it is their choice.

[jimbo5544]

12 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Not sure where you are from but in this country local governments can pass and enforce their own local laws. 

Two separate things.  KW can certainly determine whether ships stop there (which was the point) but the poster was also correct in that we in these United States can freely travel to any state (or city).

[PhillyFan33579]

1 minute ago, jimbo5544 said:

Two separate things.  KW can certainly determine whether ships stop there (which was the point) but the poster was also correct in that we in these United States can freely travel to any state (or city).

Understand your point, but the issue a lot of locals have is they don’t want cruise ships coming there. I have several friends who own houses down there and none of them are in favor of cruise ships stopping there. Of course I tell them they really aren’t locals since they all live in the Tampa area and own second homes down there. 

[xDisconnections]

4 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

If I recall correctly I read the ships depart Key West early because of one of these votes on cruise ships messing up their sunsets. So this isn’t that surprising. 
 

I wanted to go back and do a Key West bar hop. Last time I tried to see all the sites and was only able to hit one bar due to the early departure. But maybe that bar hop won’t happen since this would eliminate all carnival ships.

 

They do take the sunset at Mallory Square pretty seriously there. 

[Moviela]

3 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Not sure where you are from but in this country local governments can pass and enforce their own local laws. 

 

They can pass all the laws they want for issues that fall within their jurisdiction. Can they pass a law to build a border check point on the highway? Can they pass a law that only native born islanders can own property? They tried both of these in the distant past.

 

I would invite you to read The Commerce Clause of the Constitution. It allows the Congress to regulate commerce between the states and is viewed as a restriction on the regulatory authority of the states. I cannot think of a reason to restrict the interstate commerce of the cruise lines and the passengers they carry. 

[Castaway Cowgirl]

[Castaway Cowgirl]

I thought key west was its own country.  😎

[beerman2]

5 hours ago, xDisconnections said:

They do take the sunset at Mallory Square pretty seriously there. 

And it is a gorgeous sunset at that!

[naxer]

KW has always been one of my favorite stops.  And cruising is the only way I can afford it--I looked into it a couple years ago.  I live in a small (summer) tourist town and understand the feelings of the locals.  I would miss it, but respect their decision.  Someplace else will probably develop to fill the niche.  

Edited July 13, 2020 by naxer

[PhillyFan33579]

4 hours ago, Moviela said:

They can pass all the laws they want for issues that fall within their jurisdiction. Can they pass a law to build a border check point on the highway?

Interesting you mention setting up check points on the highway since that is exactly what Florida did several months ago to help control the spread of COVID-19 from known hot spots. Sort of ironic considering the current COVID-19 numbers in Florida right now. That’s pretty much all they talk about on local news stations these days.  
 

If cruise lines fell under interstate commerce laws, this wouldn’t be an issue. 

[jimbo5544]

9 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Understand your point, but the issue a lot of locals have is they don’t want cruise ships coming there. I have several friends who own houses down there and none of them are in favor of cruise ships stopping there. Of course I tell them they really aren’t locals since they all live in the Tampa area and own second homes down there. 

Understand 

[ontheweb]

3 hours ago, Castaway Cowgirl said:

I thought key west was its own country.  😎

And the residents of Key West definitely feel that way!😎

[Saint Greg]

10 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Understand your point, but the issue a lot of locals have is they don’t want cruise ships coming there. I have several friends who own houses down there and none of them are in favor of cruise ships stopping there. Of course I tell them they really aren’t locals since they all live in the Tampa area and own second homes down there. 

 

Well of course they don't want it. That's where they go for their vacations. The local business owners is who I would ask. Are the locals going to pay for all of the museum tours and fill the bars and restaurants on a weekday year round? Nope. They just don't want thousands of people dropped off in town when there's nothing in it for them. It would be a  bad move for Key West businesses.

 

Edited July 13, 2020 by Saint Greg