Posted on 11/05/2020 10:40:33 AM PST by Capt. Tom
Many communities around the world are suffering economic damage due to the lack of cruise ships visiting the areas and providing the necessary boost to local economies. While these communities are scrambling to get cruise ships back in town, the residents of Key West, Florida, have now taken a different route.
The Key West Committee for Safer Cleaner Ships has been campaigning not to ban ships completely from the islands in southern Florida but to shrink the cruise ship tourism footprint in Key West.
Cruise ships are the backbone of the local economy, however, not all the effects of visiting cruise ships are positive ones. While 597,000 cruise ship passengers filled Duval Street in 1999, in 2019, 910,000 cruise ship passengers from 417 ships visited the community of 24,000.
During the past few months of the pandemic, however, cruise ship travel has ceased. Once the locals saw the changes that came with a lack of cruise ships in the port and healthier, cleaner, and clearer water, the burden the ships place on the local environment was one of the main reasons for Key West residents to demand action from their local government.
Three New Rules Passed During the election vote for the presidency, the locals voted in three different rules. These were:
Limit the number of daily cruise ship visitors at 1,500 – Limiting daily disembarkations will lower the risk of an infectious disease outbreak that would overwhelm our limited health infrastructure.
Prohibit cruise ships with 1,300 passengers or more from docking – Large cruise ships have a higher risk of infectious disease outbreak than small ships. Small ships carry fewer people and can be sanitized more easily after an outbreak.
Give docking priority to cruise lines that have the best health and environmental records – According to scores by the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program and records of environmental violations, cruise ships will be prioritized. This will further reduce the risk of an infectious disease outbreak.
While it would seem that the locals are destroying their economy, one of the reasons they believe not to be the case is this: Construction orders through 2024 show that 45% of all new ships being built would qualify to call on Key West after the referenda.
Key West Not the First to Ban Ships In recent years, more and more cities and countries have placed bans on ships to enter certain areas, or implemented varied restrictions on the types of ships that may use port facilities.
Cannes, France, has banned large cruise ships from the port unless they make significant concessions to environmental factors; the nearby town of Saint Raphael has made a similar decision.
Santorini in Greece has placed a maximum of 8,000 cruise passengers per day to visit the famous scenic town on the edge of a volcano. And last but not least, Venice in Italy has now banned large cruise liners from entering the old canal system. This comes after an MSC ship crashed with a river vessel in the town in 2019.
With the arrival of more and larger ships worldwide, it is no surprise that communities are coming together to see what the trade-off would be. The facts are clear, while cruise ships bring in a significant amount of money for the local economy, environmental damage should be avoided. Different communities will need to find the balance that works not only for their own economies, but also to protect their natural resources and local infrastructure.
While the residents of Key West can be commended for seeking a middle ground, it would be interesting to hear what the large cruise lines have to say on this issue.
One court case is already coming, that between the owner of the pier, and the city, the Miami Herald reports. Cruise Hive will continue to update this important issue so you know what to expect when setting sail for Key West.
Yes I have been to Key West many times and to the Fort Jefferson in the Tortugas.
The drive is one of the 10 best in the U.S. well worth it.
We took the fast cat there and it still took quite a bit of time.
The fort is huge and has a history.
Beautiful water everywhere.
Mallory Square at sunset is a must/
“Cruise ships transit port-to-port at night. Sight-seeing during the day then back to the ship for dinner and show. A couple of drinks and to bed.”..............................
I have been on many cruises and only spent an unscheduled one night at the dock.
It happened this way:
We were in Bermuda on the “Serenade of the Seas” and Hurricane ‘Nicole formed and was bearing down on the Island.
We left Bermuda early and cranked it up and arrived in Boston a day early ahead of the storm.
WE had the option of getting off the ship or staying onboard. We stayed onboard overnight until the next day as did most of the passengers who had plane and hotel reservations , and had arranged vehicular pickups for the next day.-Tom
We visit Casa Marina, quite nice.
“Love the drive, this is one of my Islamorada favs”
Cheeca looks very nice and will look into it, thanks.. We have stayed before at the Lime Tree resort in Layton mm 68.
Thanks all. I’m stoked.
There's a restaurant above the water from there, great sunsets - Latitudes. https://www.sunsetkeycottages.com/key-west-restaurants/latitudes/
It was as 12-night cruise from Barcelona with a two-day one overnight port of call to Venice.
-PJ
I think it is a nice drive down from Miami. Have a nice night or two and dinner. See the Cuban boat museum. Fly out. Anyhow...
Last time we went to the Keys we took our boat and went around Key West in it. Really a kool way to see her.
Kool. we did it on a Jet ski.
Then you know how beautiful the water can be.
My wife got startled by a 2 ft nurse shark :)
You should have tried the Conch sup, worth the trip all by its self.
“I have been on many cruises and only spent an unscheduled one night at the dock.”
I only remember one night in port; Venice
I had that on Grand Turk. Just not a fan. But I can see how people would like it. On Key West, my excursion was a tour of a hot sauce factory near one of those distilleries. That was kind of fun.
“I have been on many cruises and only spent an unscheduled one night at the dock.”
Same here. Med cruise starting in ‘Rome’. Greece, Croatia, France, Spain, Ft. Lauderdale.
We did The Canal East-West then West-East. Fantastic. Too bad they closed it.
I havent read that but yes some probably do...
How they think cruising will open while everything else is locked down forever by the dictator-for-life and his heir, I dont know...
I should have left out of Venice Oct 20...
Their choice but I believe that eliminates all of the big lines. Hope the city didn't issue bonds to finance port facilities.
Tennessee Nana wrote: “How they think cruising will open while everything else is locked down forever by the dictator-for-life and his heir, I dont know...”
Some are terrified by the decision to reopen in Florida. They believe they will have to run a gauntlet of infected people to make it to the ship.
Some truly believe that a strict lockdown for a couple of months will be sufficient to defeat the virus.
Some think everyone should wear a mask, every where, at all times.
Basically, most are in their later years and they recognize how vulnerable they are.
However, pointing out that it is mostly the elderly who are vulnerable can earn yourself probations from posting there.
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