jaredhamburg

As someone who normally spends half the year in them I am always well aware of how hotels are “cleaned” and have learned to suspend my normal beliefs in order to stay sane. 

You would think that if they would send an email describing a room category change that they would send an email describing A WHOLE FREAK'N SHIP CHANGE!!! I'm sure there's a room category change in there, too! WOW!! TOTAL BAIT AND SWITCH! SO WRONG ON SO MANY LEVELS!! It's like you think your booking the concierge floor at the Hyatt and you end up at the free morning buffet Best Western Plus and free use of the house phone to arrange your own activities (a la concierge)! TOTALLY WRONG WRONG WRONG! 
I hope that @Mattor Doug Parker, Cruise Radio News, will cover this on their next podcast.

Please find below the plans we have for our walking tour.....
We will take a walking tour of Key West. We should arrive in the Mallory Square area when leaving the ship.  There are fun shops, artisans, food, and even an aquarium here.  We will grab some wonderful key lime pie at Kermit's Key Lime Pie Shoppe (431 Front Street # 2, Key West, FL, 33040). We will leave Mallory square and walk SE down Duval Street (this street is supposed to have fun shops and eateries along the way) until we reach the end of the street and hook a left on South Street (SE direction-ally) to visit the Southernmost point in the continental US buoy (this walk should take about 1.30 miles). Once we get pictures of a see the buoy, we will NE back on Whitehead Street basically heading back where we came.  The Hemingway House & Museum (907 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 3040) will be along our way back on the right (east side of the street) right before Olivia street (about a 2,000 foot walk).  Admission is $15/adult and $6/child over 5 (cash only).  Across the street from it is also the Key West Lighthouse (938 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 33040).   For the lighthouse, admission is $12/adult and $5/child over 6. Then, we will walk up Whitehead Street (going NW), and turn right (going east) on Fleming Street, then turn right on Duval Street (next major street).  We should be able to walk right down to Margaritaville - Key West for a snack and drinks.  I know it is cheesy, but I love listening to Jimmy Buffet as I plan the trip and really want to go there and have a cheeseburger and margarita. If we want more to do, we can take Duval Street up (going NW) back up to Greene Street, hook a right (going NE) and Papa's Pilar Rum Distillery (Hemingway Rum Company) will be on the right (south side) right after Simontim Street.  They give hourly tours for $10/person.

We're going on 9/18 (hopefully)!

Please find below the plans we have for our walking tour.....
We will take a walking tour of Key West. We should arrive in the Mallory Square area when leaving the ship.  There are fun shops, artisans, food, and even an aquarium here.  We will grab some wonderful key lime pie at Kermit's Key Lime Pie Shoppe (431 Front Street # 2, Key West, FL, 33040). We will leave Mallory square and walk SE down Duval Street (this street is supposed to have fun shops and eateries along the way) until we reach the end of the street and hook a left on South Street (SE direction-ally) to visit the Southernmost point in the continental US buoy (this walk should take about 1.30 miles). Once we get pictures of a see the buoy, we will NE back on Whitehead Street basically heading back where we came.  The Hemingway House & Museum (907 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 3040) will be along our way back on the right (east side of the street) right before Olivia street (about a 2,000 foot walk).  Admission is $15/adult and $6/child over 5 (cash only).  Across the street from it is also the Key West Lighthouse (938 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 33040).   For the lighthouse, admission is $12/adult and $5/child over 6. Then, we will walk up Whitehead Street (going NW), and turn right (going east) on Fleming Street, then turn right on Duval Street (next major street).  We should be able to walk right down to Margaritaville - Key West for a snack and drinks.  I know it is cheesy, but I love listening to Jimmy Buffet as I plan the trip and really want to go there and have a cheeseburger and margarita. If we want more to do, we can take Duval Street up (going NW) back up to Greene Street, hook a right (going NE) and Papa's Pilar Rum Distillery (Hemingway Rum Company) will be on the right (south side) right after Simontim Street.  They give hourly tours for $10/person.

@monorailmedic did a really helpful podcast on Key West a couple of years ago. I found it EXTREMELY helpful.  Give it a listen (you can right from this page). It's about 20 minutes long.
https://www.cruisehabit.com/podcast/key-west-great-cruise-destinations-dont-have-be-far-away-episode-2

We did KW almost 4 yrs ago on Enchantment (Nov 2016)
Here are my takes.
1. Be prepared to wait a long time for that photo at the buoy.  We walked from Hemingway's house to it and there were about 100 people in line waiting to take a pic.  My husband and I looked at it, looked at the line, looked back at each other and said....nope!  I do actually have a picture of us in front of it from across the street with the 100 tourists waiting in line!
2.  Best restaurant to this day that we ate at in any port was in KW. https://blueheavenkw.com/    
It is such a cool place.  Order their Key Lime pie.  It is insane.  Basically as tall as your wrist to the top of your index finger.  The building has history.  
Through the years the property has hosted cock fighting, gambling and Friday night boxing matches refereed by Ernest Hemingway. 
The outdoor courtyard is paved with the slate pool table tops from the days the downstairs operated as a billiard hall and ice cream parlour.
A dance hall, a bordello and a playhouse have occupied the second floor. Today inside the Bordello Gallery above the restaurant, one can still peek through the sliding peep holes into the tiny rooms
3.  Beware it is an expensive place for buying any gifts.  It is an artisanal town, but expensive.
4. The roosters make that town so much fun!  They roam freely up and down the non-busy streets.  Our niece was our tour guide so she took us off the main streets for shortcuts.  
5.  KW is an open container city.  If you enjoy imbibing go to Fat Tuesday on Duval street.  You can get a drink in their re-fillable cup, walk the streets and it will make you feel more willing to spend that money on your souvenirs. 
 

Please find below the plans we have for our walking tour.....
We will take a walking tour of Key West. We should arrive in the Mallory Square area when leaving the ship.  There are fun shops, artisans, food, and even an aquarium here.  We will grab some wonderful key lime pie at Kermit's Key Lime Pie Shoppe (431 Front Street # 2, Key West, FL, 33040). We will leave Mallory square and walk SE down Duval Street (this street is supposed to have fun shops and eateries along the way) until we reach the end of the street and hook a left on South Street (SE direction-ally) to visit the Southernmost point in the continental US buoy (this walk should take about 1.30 miles). Once we get pictures of a see the buoy, we will NE back on Whitehead Street basically heading back where we came.  The Hemingway House & Museum (907 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 3040) will be along our way back on the right (east side of the street) right before Olivia street (about a 2,000 foot walk).  Admission is $15/adult and $6/child over 5 (cash only).  Across the street from it is also the Key West Lighthouse (938 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 33040).   For the lighthouse, admission is $12/adult and $5/child over 6. Then, we will walk up Whitehead Street (going NW), and turn right (going east) on Fleming Street, then turn right on Duval Street (next major street).  We should be able to walk right down to Margaritaville - Key West for a snack and drinks.  I know it is cheesy, but I love listening to Jimmy Buffet as I plan the trip and really want to go there and have a cheeseburger and margarita. If we want more to do, we can take Duval Street up (going NW) back up to Greene Street, hook a right (going NE) and Papa's Pilar Rum Distillery (Hemingway Rum Company) will be on the right (south side) right after Simontim Street.  They give hourly tours for $10/person.

If its on the internet, its true. 

The name SEAFACE makes me think of the look of the person on the Lido deck who has enjoyed their Deluxe Beverage Package too much that day.

The name SEAFACE makes me think of the look of the person on the Lido deck who has enjoyed their Deluxe Beverage Package too much that day.

The name SEAFACE makes me think of the look of the person on the Lido deck who has enjoyed their Deluxe Beverage Package too much that day.

The name SEAFACE makes me think of the look of the person on the Lido deck who has enjoyed their Deluxe Beverage Package too much that day.

And I am just here wishing I could complain about experiencing slow food service on a cruise ship.....

And I am just here wishing I could complain about experiencing slow food service on a cruise ship.....

And I am just here wishing I could complain about experiencing slow food service on a cruise ship.....

We always called that "ship faced"

The name SEAFACE makes me think of the look of the person on the Lido deck who has enjoyed their Deluxe Beverage Package too much that day.

The name SEAFACE makes me think of the look of the person on the Lido deck who has enjoyed their Deluxe Beverage Package too much that day.

The name SEAFACE makes me think of the look of the person on the Lido deck who has enjoyed their Deluxe Beverage Package too much that day.

You probably have to have your travel agent do it or call them directly.

Not to be a 'one up-er' but DH still drives to the department stores to make a payment. It nearly kills me each time, he's far too young to be averse to online payments. I want to ask if he needs to bust out the Rand McNally for directions on how to get there.

This is what annoys me so much through this whole process.  How things are done, which gatherings are limited, and how different businesses are treated has been inconsistent and unfair.  I would be thrilled to get back on a ship using the health standards pre-COVID-19.

This is what annoys me so much through this whole process.  How things are done, which gatherings are limited, and how different businesses are treated has been inconsistent and unfair.  I would be thrilled to get back on a ship using the health standards pre-COVID-19.

This is how casinos looked on day one, but cruise ships are under the kind of government scrutiny that made the McCarthy hearings seem trivial.