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Key West Could Ban Big Cruise Ships :-(

SpeedNoodles
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USCG Teacher Pinnacle

USCG Teacher

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, sk8erguy1978 said:

That's actually on my bucket list. Fly into FLL or MIA and drive the rest of the way. I'd probably fly back from Key West vs drive back.

This is my #2 U.S. bucket list trip, preceded only by taking Coast Starlight from LA to Seattle in a sleeper car, then driving back along the PCH.  Route 1 through the Keys looks like an amazing once in a lifetime type of trip.

USCG Teacher Pinnacle

USCG Teacher

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, RCVoyager said:

I've done the drive both ways.  It was way cool, and I hope to do it again 1 day.  The only caveat to my endorsement is that we had no traffic issue driving either direction.  I have read of traffic nightmares when there is an accident or some other trouble.

Yes, good point.  I'd imagine just sitting on the bridge baking in the sun could have a major influence on the enjoyment factor!

51 minutes ago, sk8erguy1978 said:

I'd love to do any train sleeper anywhere!

I've been fortunate enough to take a few through Europe, but I've never done Amtrak or Via.  I hope to correct that discrepancy sooner rather than later.  Having a son who is into trains will probably help to push the timeline along!

sk8erguy1978 Pinnacle

sk8erguy1978

Posted
Posted
40 minutes ago, USCG Teacher said:

I've been fortunate enough to take a few through Europe, but I've never done Amtrak or Via.  I hope to correct that discrepancy sooner rather than later.  Having a son who is into trains will probably help to push the timeline along!

I did look into Amtrak from NY to FL vs airfare for a cruise. The price was a bit much so we passed. I'd be more into it than my wife anyway. Someday I'll do something.

Ampurp85 Pinnacle

Ampurp85

Posted
Posted

I actually hate Key West, don't get me wrong the drive there is beautiful. But I always seem to luck out and go when drunken youths exist. Then for the quality everything seems to be expensive. I wouldn't even go back if it was a port stop, that would be a ship day.

I love a good train ride, did one from Germany to Switzerland almost a decade ago. It was beautiful and relaxing. Wanted to do another but more awesome stuff keeps coming up. Now with COVID, trains have become a better option.

CruisePirate Emerald

CruisePirate

Posted
Posted
6 minutes ago, Jill said:

Key west is overrated. Go half way to marathon or islamorada. Much better experience. Key west is like the Daytona or Panama City of the Keys. Fun for a few hours but that’s about it. I’m a Floridian so I can say such things! ?

You forgot to say one thing.  "In my opinion"

I think it depends on what you enjoy spending your time doing, both areas have alot to offer.

I'm a Florida native for over 55 years, some of which were in Key West and now currenty in the Daytona area. So I can also say such things. 

Jill Pinnacle

Jill

Posted
Posted
10 hours ago, CruisingIsLikeCrack said:

You forgot to say one thing.  "In my opinion"

I think it depends on what you enjoy spending your time doing, both areas have alot to offer.

I'm a Florida native for over 55 years, some of which were in Key West and now currenty in the Daytona area. So I can also say such things. 

Yes in my opinion ? I love the Keys, just not key west. 

monctonguy Pinnacle

monctonguy

Posted
Posted

Ship with more than 1300 passengers would be banned..that would eliminate pretty much all of the major cruise line ships..even the old small ones.

 

I really lied Key West nd was hoping to make it back there again some time on a cruise stop...but looks like it wont be in the cards. I would imagine ppl will vote for that to pass.

 

too bad.

twangster Pinnacle

twangster

Posted
Posted
8 minutes ago, monctonguy said:

...but looks like it wont be in the cards.

It hasn't been voted on yet.  There has always been an anti-ship faction at work in Key West.  They are trying to use the virus to accomplish that which they couldn't before.  Time will tell if it passes into a local ordinance.

jaredhamburg Diamond

jaredhamburg

Posted
Posted
4 minutes ago, monctonguy said:

This virus will be the excuse to end many things that we used to enjoy.....at this point, nothing surprises me or is unexpected in the name of Covid or social distancing or whatever term they come up with next.

I agree 100%.  Even if it is not to blame, it will be the excuse for all the changes central planners wish to make....

GrandmaAirplane Diamond

GrandmaAirplane

Posted
Posted
21 hours ago, sk8erguy1978 said:

That's actually on my bucket list. Fly into FLL or MIA and drive the rest of the way. I'd probably fly back from Key West vs drive back.

That’s exactly what we did for an extended long week-end birthday trip:

Flew into MIA, picked up a convertible, drove down the Keys to Key West, and flew back from EYW. 
We spent 3 nights midway down the keys, snorkeled with baby nurse sharks and spotted a seahorse, then spent a couple of nights in Key West. We didn’t even have to pay a one-way drop-off fee for the rental car. It was the best short vacation that we have ever taken!

I can see how many residents of KW would prefer the smaller cruise ships, rather than the behemoths.

DunkelBierJay Pinnacle

DunkelBierJay

Posted
Posted

Seems like if cruising ever resumes (I am beginning to wonder)...that the ports that welcome cruise ships will have a boom and the ones who don't will soon be jealous and then reverse their decisions. There is no way I would drive all the way to Key West for Sloppy Joes and a tour of Hemingway's house to see the six toed cats.

GrandmaAirplane Diamond

GrandmaAirplane

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, DunkelBierJay said:

Seems like if cruising ever resumes (I am beginning to wonder)...that the ports that welcome cruise ships will have a boom and the ones who don't will soon be jealous and then reverse their decisions.

I don’t see this move by Key West as an “all or nothing” move. I honestly don’t see KW banning *all* cruise ships.

There is a local cost, not least of which is environmental, to having huge cruise ships come in, with a relatively massive number of cruise ship guests descend on a small locale all at once. Maybe this pause in cruising will permit communities, like Key West, to re-assess the benefits and impacts of unrestrained tourism; and give them the chance to bring in policies that favour a more sustainable level of tourism.

Key West and Venice, Italy, IMO are more than justified in making this type of reassessment at this point in time.

They won’t be the only ones... and that can actually be a good thing, both the people who live in these ports of call and for the cruisers who will have the pleasure of visiting these locales.

cruisellama Pinnacle

cruisellama

Posted
Posted
On 7/12/2020 at 9:56 AM, SpeedNoodles said:

I do hope that this doesn't come true.  I've been wanting to visit Key West via cruise ship - I really don't want to drive all of the way down there one day!

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/23213-key-west-could-ban-big-cruise-ships.html?fbclid=IwAR1fwhOm4Osa3Lejta-w4sIPE1Ckp83Tk_Rq1xprRZvfc2gCiIkGkRZB5M4

Hope not   Key West is a great stop.   Its a long drive, even if you live in FL, we found cruising there to be a great way to sample the locale.

cruisellama Pinnacle

cruisellama

Posted
Posted
21 hours ago, USCG Teacher said:

This is my #2 U.S. bucket list trip, preceded only by taking Coast Starlight from LA to Seattle in a sleeper car, then driving back along the PCH.  Route 1 through the Keys looks like an amazing once in a lifetime type of trip.

Really is a nice place.  Great restaurants.

DunkelBierJay Pinnacle

DunkelBierJay

Posted
Posted
38 minutes ago, GrandmaAirplane said:

I don’t see this move by Key West as an “all or nothing” move. I honestly don’t see KW banning *all* cruise ships.

There is a local cost, not least of which is environmental, to having huge cruise ships come in, with a relatively massive number of cruise ship guests descend on a small locale all at once. Maybe this pause in cruising will permit communities, like Key West, to re-assess the benefits and impacts of unrestrained tourism; and give them the chance to bring in policies that favour a more sustainable level of tourism.

Key West and Venice, Italy, IMO are more than justified in making this type of reassessment at this point in time.

They won’t be the only ones... and that can actually be a good thing, both the people who live in these ports of call and for the cruisers who will have the pleasure of visiting these locales.

At those numbers, if Empress calls and is at capacity, even she is too big to go there.

GrandmaAirplane Diamond

GrandmaAirplane

Posted
Posted
35 minutes ago, DunkelBierJay said:

At those numbers, if Empress calls and is at capacity, even she is too big to go there.

And if the referendum vote is carried, that will entirely be their decision... and it may not be such a bad thing for *them*. 
 

PhillyLady Diamond Plus

PhillyLady

Posted
Posted

It seems that Key West has always thrived on tourism, and after the hurricane a few years ago, they were practically begging folks (especially cruises) to come back.

It is not really clear from the article WHY they want to limit guests.  Venice, I can understand, due to the age and fragility of the city, but Key West is a lot of bars down one big road.

They may not like the financial results if they get their wish granted.

WAAAYTOOO Pinnacle

WAAAYTOOO

Posted
Posted

Charleston, SC has had a similar love/hate relationship with cruising.  Obviously, Royal doesn't cruise out of Charleston, but it does call on Charleston from time-to-time (most notably from Bayonne) and there are locals there who despise the cruisers.  I think it's basically the "old money" that is trying to close down Charleston to cruising and it could be the same in KW....I don't know enough about the politics of KW to know who is pushing that agenda.  So those who benefit from cruise $$ are not the same ones who would champion the loss of cruise $$.

GrandmaAirplane Diamond

GrandmaAirplane

Posted
Posted
32 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Charleston, SC has had a similar love/hate relationship with cruising. 

Quebec City has a similar dynamic, love/hate relationship with cruising. Since it’s only such a limited seasonal occurrence, it’s tolerated there. If the season was a little longer, or more ships start coming in, that tolerance would evaporate very quickly, and their continued presence would indeed become a political issue here too. 

Cruisers tend to overlook the fact that local residents do find the high influx of ‘day tourists’ a stressor, without necessarily being on the compensating “economic benefits” end of things. The garbage alone left behind is staggering.

wstephensi Diamond Plus

wstephensi

Posted
Posted
16 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Charleston, SC has had a similar love/hate relationship with cruising.  Obviously, Royal doesn't cruise out of Charleston, but it does call on Charleston from time-to-time (most notably from Bayonne) and there are locals there who despise the cruisers.  I think it's basically the "old money" that is trying to close down Charleston to cruising and it could be the same in KW....I don't know enough about the politics of KW to know who is pushing that agenda.  So those who benefit from cruise $$ are not the same ones who would champion the loss of cruise $$.

Not the old money.  New money is the problem in Charleston.  All those rich Yankees bought up all the houses down town and are afraid their views of the USS York Towne  will be ruined.  Charleston has had a love hate relationship with tourism for a long time.  Take it from me, worked my way through grad school giving carriage tours.  Lived there most my life.  Graduated from The Citadel and MUSC.  Lived down town.  Got old money friends.  Old mayor built the tourist industry from nothing in the '70 to what it is today.  New mayor seems to be trying to reverse Mayor Joe's work. 

 

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