Key West Votes to Limit Number of Cruise Passengers and Ship Size

[chill6x6]

I have alwayed enjoyed stopping at Key West! The restaurants and bars are really a lot of fun to us!  Most places are very walkable which is what is great about Key West.  Its a shame there won't be any more stops there, at least for any ship I'll be on or have ever BEEN on.  I can't see how they WON'T miss the revenue.  I bet we spend $200-$300 while in port including one of the trolleys, eating, a few drinks, a couple of attractions, and souvenirs.  

[firefly333]

3 minutes ago, pc_load_letter said:

I've never been to Key West. How dependent are they on cruises? Is there enough car based tourists to sustain the economy?

 

For instance on the west coast, Catalina has been hurting tremendously since there are no cruises coming.

There is both a trolley and a hop on hop off bus, I'd say most affected. If you drive there why pay for a bus tour? I'd say hurts them the most.

 

Nassau has bars and restaurants... no big loss to me. Hemingway's house best thing, and the descendants of his 6 toed cats. But how many times do you want to see same thing. It's a very small island with a junk beach.

[EmmasNana]

The only reason we wanted to go back is because we were married there 25 years ago. We were supposed to get married in Nancy's Garden but things didn't work out. Later, we tried to find the garden but never did. We thought we would try to find it when we were supposed to be there in May, but guess not.

[skrufy]

4 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I've been to key west both driving and cruise ship. If you arent a drinker, not much to do. Lol I saw the library and homes and stuff, southernmost pt a few times. Beautiful drive, but hotels during winter season crazy high and traffic awful. 

 

Wouldnt miss it as a cruise ship stop. I kept asking which way the vote was leaning but maybe no one in florida knew. Cutting back on incoming money right now when money is tight idk if it's a smart move.

The Key West population follows the beat of a different drum. Remember back when they wanted to form their own country. Key West, a nice port stop, but not a cruise breaker here. 

[BlerkOne]

Save the Bales!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I think they will regret it. The rich and famous might like it, but will drive the prices up for everyone and many businesses are dead when the cruise ships aren't in town. Not enough people to keep them open, so they have rolling shutdowns.

[bury me at sea]

I enjoy Key West tremendously and have booked several cruises specifically to go there.

 

On the other hand I fully understand if the residents aren't so thrilled with cruisers.

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, skrufy said:

The Key West population follows the beat of a different drum.

I remember how popular the gay pride parade has always been, though I'm not sure during covid. Yes they march to the beat of a different drum. But again to me that's like clapping at sunset, something more to be enjoyed driving there than during a cruise. 

 

The election here 2 years ago was a school bond, which only property owners would pay for. All the renters voted for it of course. Passed. But someone has to pay the piper for costs to run key west. See how it goes. Of course its nicer to not have cruise ships if you are a resident. And from a cruise standpoint I think most of key west is missed, the events and flavors hitting it for a few hours. Just not the same as driving 

[ProgRockCruiser]

2 hours ago, pc_load_letter said:

I've never been to Key West. How dependent are they on cruises? Is there enough car based tourists to sustain the economy?

 

For instance on the west coast, Catalina has been hurting tremendously since there are no cruises coming.

The linked story stated that 7% of the tourist-related revenue comes from cruisers.

 

I dunno how accurate that it, and whether it also includes the "Port fees".   

 

Regarding car-based tourists: in non-COVID times there was a good string of tourists from Miami and beyond heading to the Keys, including Key West, most weekends in the fall/winter/spring.  I imagine that is the type of tourists Key West is looking to keep - folks that spend money for two or three or four days on hotel rooms, restaurant meals, and bars, and other stuff.

[jimbo5544]

1 hour ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

The linked story stated that 7% of the tourist-related revenue comes from cruisers.

 

I dunno how accurate that it, and whether it also includes the "Port fees".   

 

Regarding car-based tourists: in non-COVID times there was a good string of tourists from Miami and beyond heading to the Keys, including Key West, most weekends in the fall/winter/spring.  I imagine that is the type of tourists Key West is looking to keep - folks that spend money for two or three or four days on hotel rooms, restaurant meals, and bars, and other stuff.

When the pie gets small enough, even a small

amount hurts.  It think you are correct on where the revenue comes from.  Without the details, it is hard to know.  Even of cruise revenues are small in comparison, it could entice cruisers to come for land based in the future.   Especially in this crazy world now.  

[jimbo5544]

5 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

 

My guess would be HMC.

Good point, but doubt they could add another ship until they had a pier. 

[broberts]

1 hour ago, firefly333 said:

...

The election here 2 years ago was a school bond, which only property owners would pay for. All the renters voted for it of course. Passed. But someone has to pay the piper for costs to run key west. ...

 

Up our way landlords pay property taxes which are presumably included in the rent. I've yet to meet a landlord that does not include all costs in the rental amount. In other words renters also pay "pay the piper".

[firefly333]

8 minutes ago, broberts said:

 

Up our way landlords pay property taxes which are presumably included in the rent. I've yet to meet a landlord that does not include all costs in the rental amount. In other words renters also pay "pay the piper".

I've rented out some condos I had in florida which didnt cover all my costs. Some came out of my pocket. As a landlord sometimes you charge the going price and hope for appreciation. I've owned and flipped and rented out about 30 properties since I was early 20s and I'm now retired at 70. How much actual real experience do you have to say that owners always are able to rent and cover all their expenses? 

[broberts]

9 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I've rented out some condos I had in florida which didnt cover all my costs. Some came out of my pocket. As a landlord sometimes you charge the going price and hope for appreciation. I've owned and flipped and rented out about 30 properties since I was early 20s and I'm now retired at 70. How much actual real experience do you have to say that owners always are able to rent and cover all their expenses? 

 

I never claimed ALL landlords covered all expenses. It isn't material. The post I responded to seemed to suggest that renters approved a school bond because they would not pay for it. I simply corrected this misapprehension.

 

As to my experience, my family has been involved in real estate and property management for a similar period.

[Saint Greg]

50 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

Good point, but doubt they could add another ship until they had a pier. 

 

I wonder if they can work out a schedule with less ships now. Some fantasy class ships gone. Radiance on the west coast. Mardi Gras and Celebration aren't scheduled to go to Key West or HMC. As someone else mentioned Tampa ships heading west wouldn't use HMC.

 

Edited November 4, 2020 by Saint Greg

[jimbo5544]

5 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

 

I wonder if they can work out a schedule with less ships now. Some fantasy class ships gone. Radiance on the west coast. Mardi Gras and Celebration aren't scheduled to go to Key West or HMC. As someone else mentioned Tampa ships heading west wouldn't use HMC.

 

I have not read the details of what they voted on.  i do remember in a conversation when it was first posted being added on the ballot, but the obvious thing would the restriction of both size and the number of people.  The last time we were there on a cruise, we were there on the Pride.  I remember it being pretty much over sized at the pier, but it was a long while back.  Long way of saying, I do not know.

[sanmarcosman]

3 hours ago, skrufy said:

The Key West population follows the beat of a different drum. Remember back when they wanted to form their own country. Key West, a nice port stop, but not a cruise breaker here. 

Yes, The Conch Republic. My sister is a Conch, born at the Key West Naval Hospital. The businesses there will miss the cruise revenues as will the city coffers.

Edited November 4, 2020 by sanmarcosman

[Moviela]

I have some bad news or the voters in Key West. Unless they join the communist party and annex themselves to Cuba, they cannot control how Americans arrive, how many, or how much they spend. It is a federal question, and cruise ships are protected by the commerce clause of the constitution. They can vote to remove steeples from churches because they block the sunset, or outlawing the Easter Bunny, and limiting Starbucks to a nickle a cup. None of those would be upheld, and this nonsense will not be either.

[firefly333]

21 minutes ago, Moviela said:

I have some bad news or the voters in Key West. Unless they join the communist party and annex themselves to Cuba, they cannot control how Americans arrive, how many, or how much they spend. It is a federal question, and cruise ships are protected by the commerce clause of the constitution. They can vote to remove steeples from churches because they block the sunset, or outlawing the Easter Bunny, and limiting Starbucks to a nickle a cup. None of those would be upheld, and this nonsense will not be either.

Yes, I posted earlier they do not control the port, the state does. 

[Saint Greg]

1 hour ago, jimbo5544 said:

I have not read the details of what they voted on.  i do remember in a conversation when it was first posted being added on the ballot, but the obvious thing would the restriction of both size and the number of people.  The last time we were there on a cruise, we were there on the Pride.  I remember it being pretty much over sized at the pier, but it was a long while back.  Long way of saying, I do not know.

 

I'm talking about sending ships to HMC not Key West.

[TNcruising02]

I've been to Key West twice.  Both times were cruises that stopped there.  While it was nice, I could take it or leave it.  I am fine with another stop replacing it.  When I cruise, I like to get out of the United States and have new experiences.

[jimbo5544]

33 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

 

I'm talking about sending ships to HMC not Key West.

lol, ahhhh.  Well now, it might work, but I think they will be using all their private islands to the max for a while.  After that, who knows. 

[Joebucks]

I laugh at all of the people who say this won't impact the businesses. Have any of you been on a cruise before? Ever been by the port and see people buying loads of souvenirs, food, drinks, etc? Ask any business if they wouldn't want more people entering on a daily basis. I feel bad for them, who are already hurting due to COVID.

 

This was done by the elites. They simply don't want the "riff raff" of cruisers in Key West. Many people cannot afford to fly into or stay there, so this was their only avenue. Limiting to 1500 guest capacity ships only means they still want those high end cruisers in there.

[xDisconnections]

47 minutes ago, Joebucks said:

I laugh at all of the people who say this won't impact the businesses. Have any of you been on a cruise before? Ever been by the port and see people buying loads of souvenirs, food, drinks, etc? Ask any business if they wouldn't want more people entering on a daily basis. I feel bad for them, who are already hurting due to COVID.

 

This was done by the elites. They simply don't want the "riff raff" of cruisers in Key West. Many people cannot afford to fly into or stay there, so this was their only avenue. Limiting to 1500 guest capacity ships only means they still want those high end cruisers in there.

😉

[BlerkOne]

5 hours ago, Moviela said:

I have some bad news or the voters in Key West. Unless they join the communist party and annex themselves to Cuba, they cannot control how Americans arrive, how many, or how much they spend. It is a federal question, and cruise ships are protected by the commerce clause of the constitution. They can vote to remove steeples from churches because they block the sunset, or outlawing the Easter Bunny, and limiting Starbucks to a nickle a cup. None of those would be upheld, and this nonsense will not be either.

 

Of course they can. Jacking port fees and taxes should help. Removing the dock should do it.

[BlerkOne]

2 hours ago, Joebucks said:

 

 

 

This was done by the elites. They simply don't want the "riff raff" of cruisers in Key West. Many people cannot afford to fly into or stay there, so this was their only avenue. Limiting to 1500 guest capacity ships only means they still want those high end cruisers in there.

 

All the tshirts shops will have to convert to Lamborghini dealers. OTOH Key West ain't Monaco.