Cruising to Key West?

[BobbiSox]

I have family living in Key West and they have reported to me that cruise ships are no longer welcomed there. They just voted on that subject and that is the end result.  Does anyone know why Holland America would be offering this port as stop on their Caribbean cruises?

Edited November 27, 2020 by BobbiSox
left out cruise line

[Roz]

The vote was taken on Nov. 3.  There are restrictions on the size of ship and # of passengers allowed in port.  Lawsuits have been filed by the owner of the private pier and some businesses that depend on cruise ship traffic for their livelihoods.  I couldn't find an effective date for the referendum, so I guess there's been no final settlement.

[1025cruise]

Given all that is currently happening, my guess is that they haven't changed the itineraries yet.

[KirkNC]

All their itineraries are in flux, give it time.

[Hlitner]

I have posted lots of info under the Ports Key West category.  But to make the long story short the locals overwhelmingly supported 3 anti-cruise referendums during the Nov 3 elections.  In a nutshell the referendums will prohibit any ship with more then 1200 passengers from docking at Key West.  Other limitations make it likely there would not be more then one small ship on any day.  These referendums immediately become part of the city Charter but there is likely to be court battle over the legality of the restrictions.  What should concern cruisers is that over 60% of the voters were opposed to larger ships or too many cruise ship passengers.

 

Hank

[Cruzaholic41]

Think about why something like this would even go to a vote to begin with. This isn’t a new debate among locals in KW. COVID was just the final straw that broke the camel’s back. I know Margaritaville is fighting it because they own Pier B, but I think this is pretty much a done deal. 

[AtlantaCruiser72]

Itineraries, even those recently posted for sale, are decided months in advance of actually being published.  The vote was just 3 weeks ago and will face legal challenges.  If the final dust settles from all this and they cannot go to Key West they will substitute another port or sea day.  Until then it will remain on the schedule as originally planned.

 

Itinerary changes are common in the industry due to many factors.  It will all settle out eventually.

 

We all need to be a little more patient than usual right now.  There's a LOT the cruise lines are dealing with and some things will get higher priority than others, and changes/answers may not be instantly made available to the public. #patiencegrasshopperpatience

Edited December 1, 2020 by AtlantaCruiser72

[BobbiSox]

Thanks to everyone who has replied. I know I can come here to get the real scoop!

[Aquahound]

5 hours ago, BobbiSox said:

Thanks to everyone who has replied. I know I can come here to get the real scoop!

 

Key West is my home town.  You can thank this measure on greedy Duval St business owners.  About a decade ago, one of the city council members, who was also a local bar owner (Rick's/Dirty Harry's complex), pushed hard for a widening of the 7 mile long main ship channel that leads from the open ocean to Key West Harbor.  He wanted Oasis Class ships to be able to visit, which meant more income for his businesses.  However, widening a portion of the channel would have meant the destruction of miles of sea grass beds, which are turtle feeding grounds.  As you can imagine, this greed put a very sour taste in to the mouths of residents who understand that our #1 asset in the Keys is the marine environment.  It was put to a vote and failed, but the greed still persisted.

 

Fast forward to today, and locals saw an opportunity to say enough is enough.  Like someone else said COVID put the final nail in the coffin.  

 

In the past, locals just avoided the northern ends of Duval and Whitehead Streets during heavy cruise ship days.  This is an insurance policy against the greed that pushes for even more traffic.  

Edited December 1, 2020 by Aquahound

[rkacruiser]

I applaud the citizens of Key West for their environmental concerns as well as the congestion that takes place on cruise days.  But, as a Key West cruise visitor, as a very selfish reaction, it is a site that I will never be able to visit again.  I am not going to be able to drive the distance to and from Miami to get to visit Key West.  

[Hlitner]

We are in KW now spending a few days in one of our favorite places.  Just returned from dinner (at a favorite restaurant) where we had a long conversation with our waiter who is a long time KW resident.  His take on the 3 cruise referendums is similar to what Aquahound posted.  The locals were simply saying (with their vote) that enough is enough!    He said when thousands of cruisers are in town they simply walk up and down Duval Street and do not spend much money.  But they crowd the sidewalks and will sit in bars where they spend several hours nursing one drink.  The locals saw no reason to support this kind of thing and voted out the big ships.  We also learned that the pier over at the Naval Base was leased from the Navy by a private entity that had a contract with the City of Key West.  If what this waiter says is true,  the city is now on the hook for over $20 Million that was guaranteed to the contractor (who had a contract with the Navy).   This is the first time we heard this story so we cannot make a claim to the validity.  Our waiter said he voted against the cruise lines because he saw no reason to give them any support.  He pointed out that the restaurant where he works does not even open up until 5:30 so does not get any cruise business.  And his boss has no interest in opening for lunch to get a few dollars from cruisers.

 

Hank

 

[Aquahound]

3 hours ago, Hlitner said:

also learned that the pier over at the Naval Base was leased from the Navy by a private entity that had a contract with the City of Key West.  If what this waiter says is true,  the city is now on the hook for over $20 Million that was guaranteed to the contractor (who had a contract with the Navy).   This is the first time we heard this story so we cannot make a claim to the validity. 

 

That’s an interesting take. The only contract I’m familiar with is with Ed Swift, another selfish local business owner who runs Old Town Trolly and the Conch Trains....one of the few other businesses that benefits from cruise ships. This is a local hypocrite who, despite ongoing noise complaints about his Conch Train bells, filed an injunction against MTV Real World several years ago when they were filming next to his house. He’s yet another reason locals are fed up. 

[AtlantaCruiser72]

5 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

I applaud the citizens of Key West for their environmental concerns as well as the congestion that takes place on cruise days.  But, as a Key West cruise visitor, as a very selfish reaction, it is a site that I will never be able to visit again.  I am not going to be able to drive the distance to and from Miami to get to visit Key West.  

There’s an amazing invention called an airplane. Airplanes fly in and out of Key West multiple times a day, every day of the year, and multiple airlines fly their planes there ....... 🤣😂🤣

 

Smart Alec Hat now being taken off and going back to our regularly scheduled programme 😷🤓😷

 

Why not fly down and stay 3-4 days? FYI - American Airlines currently has 2 flights a day from Miami to Key West.  Pre-Covid it was up to 4 or 5 flights a day depending on season.  You could easily fly Cincinnati - Miami - Key West, stay a few days pre cruise, then fly Key West - Miami, hop on a cruise from Miami or Ft. Lauderdale, then fly home.  HAL even offers reasonably priced transfer to/from Port Everglades and Miami airport.
 

Problem solved 👍

Edited December 2, 2020 by AtlantaCruiser72

[Roz]

Flights to KW are expensive, as are hotels to stay there.  A cruise was a relatively inexpensive way for me to visit KW, one of my favorite ports.  

[Copper10-8]

14 hours ago, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

There’s an amazing invention called an airplane. Airplanes fly in and out of Key West multiple times a day, every day of the year, and multiple airlines fly their planes there ....... 🤣😂🤣

 

Smart Alec Hat now being taken off and going back to our regularly scheduled programme 😷🤓😷

 

Why not fly down and stay 3-4 days? FYI - American Airlines currently has 2 flights a day from Miami to Key West.  Pre-Covid it was up to 4 or 5 flights a day depending on season.  You could easily fly Cincinnati - Miami - Key West, stay a few days pre cruise, then fly Key West - Miami, hop on a cruise from Miami or Ft. Lauderdale, then fly home.  HAL even offers reasonably priced transfer to/from Port Everglades and Miami airport.
 

Problem solved 👍

 

You haven't lived until you've flown Cape Air from Key west to FLL in a Cessna 402. Had a great time zipping through the clouds seated adjacent el capitan. Only 55 min though, beats driving the Overseas Hwy (US1) 😉

 

 

[Hlitner]

7 hours ago, Roz said:

Flights to KW are expensive, as are hotels to stay there.  A cruise was a relatively inexpensive way for me to visit KW, one of my favorite ports.  

I do not think you want to hear this, but what you posted is part of why many in KW do not want cruisers from the larger mass market ships.  Yes, KW is a pretty expensive tourist town although there are ways to vacation here and keep the cost down.  But a majority of the folks in this city want to attract the tourists that have real money to spend and are not particularly happy with the streets full of low spending cruisers.   It is not unique to Key West.  There are Caribbean islands such as St Barts that try to keep the larger mass market ships out while they reluctantly welcome a few of the higher end vessels (with folks who have money to spend).  At dinner last night (in Key West) our waiter did admit that the negative to not having larger ships is that some folks come here on a cruise and later return on a land trip.  But he also said that most locals were happy to be rid of the crowds of low spending folks who pack the city on busy cruise days.

 

We have noticed a trend here in the past twenty or so years that we have been coming to this place.  Many low priced junk stores have been replaced with nicer boutiques (although there are still plenty of junk places).  The quality of dining has also improved as the town attracts higher end spenders who are willing to drop a few bills for dinner.  This morning when I walked past the old Diamonds International Store on Duval Street the store was empty and had a big For Sale sign.  Perhaps this is a symbol of better days to come when the cruise oriented stores are replaced by more cute locally owned boutiques.

 

Don't get me wrong!  DW and I love to cruise and we also enjoy the smaller cute ports.  But we also understand that what makes this cute communities thrive are free spending tourists who come for multiple days, not day trip cruisers.  Having cruised all over the world we have seen too many small town ports ruined by cruise ship visits and it is a darn shame.  Few folks who live here in KW want to see this town turned into another Charlotte Amalie.

 

Hank

[rkacruiser]

17 hours ago, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

There’s an amazing invention called an airplane. Airplanes fly in and out of Key West multiple times a day, every day of the year, and multiple airlines fly their planes there ....... 🤣😂🤣

 

 

😆!  Living in the community where the Wright Brothers lived, I have heard of this amazing device that flies through the air.  You are correct.  If I wished a Key West vacation, such is possible without the help of arriving by whatever ship.  

 

9 hours ago, Roz said:

Flights to KW are expensive, as are hotels to stay there.  A cruise was a relatively inexpensive way for me to visit KW, one of my favorite ports.  

 

A consideration to be sure.  And, for me, if I chose to drive there rather than fly, en route costs would become a factor.  There are other ocean-type destinations closer to where I live than Key West that hold as much of an attraction for me as Key West, i.e. Virginia Beach.  For a Winter visit, Key West would win though.  

[gkbiiii]

11 hours ago, Roz said:

Flights to KW are expensive, as are hotels to stay there.  A cruise was a relatively inexpensive way for me to visit KW, one of my favorite ports.  

What the locals are saying, if you don't have money, don't bother to come!

[AtlantaCruiser72]

5 hours ago, gkbiiii said:

What the locals are saying, if you don't have money, don't bother to come!

I interpret it as - We want tourists that spend enough money in our city so that we can pay our rents, keep the lights on and feed our families.
 

2 for $8 t-shirts bought by mass market cruisers ain’t gonna cut it.

[Roz]

I'm sorry I'm a lower income individual. 😢

[Rotterdam]

Good for Key West residents in blocking these mega ships.  The environmental impact alone is reason to stop the shops.

I've been to KW several times over the years but never on a cruise. I've always taken a February holiday of 10 to 14 days in a hot climate( NYC resident here). In the carib we would fly to san Juan then island hop to St Croix. st thomas, st maarten etc. Staying in small hotels on the beach for 3-4 days on each island. We loved having fresh caught fish grilled for us at the hotels. small beach bars where we could live in bathing suits all week.  Then everything got bigger & better and basically washed away the local flavor.

Living in NYC my neighborhood became hip. exclusive shops took over the mom & pop stores, unique & individual art galleries along with food stores and basic living needs like dry cleaners & hardware stores and small local restaurants.

Now the exclusive stores have closed and the only ones left are Christofle, LVMH etc....no customers & many empty stores. Not only were the stores lost but also the QUALITY IN TGE REDIDENTS LIFE.

People get brainwashed & Disney-ized. Even being on most of the mega ships is no different than a corporate floating mall w no relation to being at sea.

Stay strong key west

[KirkNC]

Does anyone know when the ban is actually effective?  My understanding was there was a court challenge and I would assume a stay would be in place until that case is resolved.

[Aquahound]

15 hours ago, gkbiiii said:

What the locals are saying, if you don't have money, don't bother to come!

 

I'm not sure where you live or if your hometown has any reliance on tourism, but if you do, you will understand that tourists who spend money are always preferred.  I can't think of any tourist town that prefers low or no spenders.  When a giant Carnival ship pulls in to KW, the city gets it's $12 per person in port charges, but then most of the passengers only buy beer and t-shirts...if anything at all.  

 

I will say though....I'm as big a fan of cruising as anyone here, so I certainly do understand the disappointment.

 

[gkbiiii]

1 hour ago, Aquahound said:

 

I'm not sure where you live or if your hometown has any reliance on tourism, but if you do, you will understand that tourists who spend money are always preferred.  I can't think of any tourist town that prefers low or no spenders.  When a giant Carnival ship pulls in to KW, the city gets it's $12 per person in port charges, but then most of the passengers only buy beer and t-shirts...if anything at all.  

 

I will say though....I'm as big a fan of cruising as anyone here, so I certainly do understand the disappointment.

Well like Palm Beach Island, most of the home owners are multi-millionaires who only use their vacation homes in season.

1 hour ago, Aquahound said:

 

 

[gkbiiii]

11 hours ago, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

I interpret it as - We want tourists that spend enough money in our city so that we can pay our rents, keep the lights on and feed our families.
 

2 for $8 t-shirts bought by mass market cruisers ain’t gonna cut it.

Try that crap, on Palm Beach Island!