Key West...RCCL still selling it; anything happening?

[Needz2Cruise]

We're booked on a 5 nighter on Brilliance out of Tampa in May '21 that includes stops at Key West and CocoCay. Key West was a good part of why we booked this itinerary (well before last year's elections). Seeing that RC ships are too big for Key West, I'm a little surprised that Royal, and others, are still selling itineraries that include Key West. Is anything going on with this, court appeals, delay in implementation, etc.? I'm inclined to think that they'll pull a fast one and replace KW with Nassau at the last minute, since we'll be at Coco on the same sailing. If that's the case, we'll bail on this one. Final payment is coming up in a few weeks. Any insight or logical guesses are welcome...

[njkruzer]

19 minutes ago, Needz2Cruise said:

We're booked on a 5 nighter on Brilliance out of Tampa in May '21 that includes stops at Key West and CocoCay. Key West was a good part of why we booked this itinerary (well before last year's elections). Seeing that RC ships are too big for Key West, I'm a little surprised that Royal, and others, are still selling itineraries that include Key West. Is anything going on with this, court appeals, delay in implementation, etc.? I'm inclined to think that they'll pull a fast one and replace KW with Nassau at the last minute, since we'll be at Coco on the same sailing. If that's the case, we'll bail on this one. Final payment is coming up in a few weeks. Any insight or logical guesses are welcome...

We also have a cruise with Key West scheduled.  April 2022.  I expect a change.  The only thing I can think of is that are scheduled at the Navy pier which I don't think was included in the referendum.  Though I might be wrong about that.

[firefly333]

41 minutes ago, njkruzer said:

We also have a cruise with Key West scheduled.  April 2022.  I expect a change.  The only thing I can think of is that are scheduled at the Navy pier which I don't think was included in the referendum.  Though I might be wrong about that.

I'm booked april 2021 and expecting to be cancelled. There isnt a reason to replace ports if they have expectations to cancel ...but I know nothing.

 

I think they dont know at this pt which ports will be open to worry about ports. 

Edited January 3, 2021 by firefly333

[njkruzer]

Just now, firefly333 said:

I'm booked april and expecting to be cancelled. There isnt a reason to replace ports if they have expectations to cancel ...but I know nothing.

Yes, but we're more than a year away. And if we're still not sailing by 2022 there will be more problems other than which port we can sail to.

[firefly333]

41 minutes ago, njkruzer said:

Yes, but we're more than a year away. And if we're still not sailing by 2022 there will be more problems other than which port we can sail to.

I still dont expect them to get busy changing ports until they resume sailing. Sorry. I think right now they are in survival mode. 

[njkruzer]

2 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I still dont expect them to get busy changing ports until they resume sailing. Sorry. I think right now they are in survival mode. 

You're right.  Since our cruise isn't for 15 mos. not an issue for us yet.  Also I think there is a lawsuit pending by the owner of the private pier against the city challenging the ban.

[livingonthebeach]

36 minutes ago, njkruzer said:

You're right.  Since our cruise isn't for 15 mos. not an issue for us yet.  Also I think there is a lawsuit pending by the owner of the private pier against the city challenging the ban.

Correct, the owner of Pier B is challenging the ban.  Mallory Pier and the Navy Pier are run by the City and the ban prevails for those two piers. 

[LB_NJ]

Personally, if you are cruising  out of a Florida port you are better off adding some time before or after the cruise and doing a full overnight or 2 in Key West if possible.  There is enough to see and do for a couple of days.  

 

Also, they really do not have to tell you about port changes before the cruise departs.  They have done mid cruise port changes before.  I expect a lot of that with the shifting sands of the virus.  Other countries will open and close their ports at random.  Many Caribbean countries require travelers to quarantine for several days so I am not even sure how ships will let passengers and crew off the ships.

 

I do not expect cruising to get anywhere near normal until at least November of this year.  I have FCC expiring (otherwise I would not book ANYTHING) so I have to decide on something between December 2021 through March 2022.  I figure the further out the better. 

[Piepkorn]

In my news feed this morning, there was an article about Florida Senate Bill 426 which would prevent the local government from imposing restrictions.    So maybe some light at the end of the tunnel?    https://disneycruiselineblog.com/2021/01/florida-senate-bill-426-targets-key-west-cruise-ban/

[WeMissSeaView]

At least Vision class and Radiance class could still go to Key West if it opens back up.

[njkruzer]

1 minute ago, WeMissSeaView said:

At least Vision class and Radiance class could still go to Key West if it opens back up.

I think they still have more than the number of passengers allowed.  1300?

[WeMissSeaView]

37 minutes ago, njkruzer said:

I think they still have more than the number of passengers allowed.  1300?

But that would not matter if the if the State rules against it.

[bouhunter]

On 1/3/2021 at 11:46 AM, Needz2Cruise said:

I'm a little surprised that Royal, and others, are still selling itineraries that include Key West.

They're selling all kinds of cruises and itin's that are never going to happen.........

[orville99]

Cruise ships are serviced by three separate terminals. Mallory Pier is owned and operated by the City of Key West; the Outer Mole Pier is federally owned and operated by the City through a lease agreement with the U.S. Navy; and Pier B is operated by Pier B Development Corporation through a lease agreement with the State of Florida. The city's restrictions on cruise ships apply equally to all three ports.

[livingonthebeach]

Looks like the ban might be overturned as there is a proposed bill which if passed by the Florida House and Senate and signed into law by the Governor takes away the ability of local governments to impose regulations on any of the state’s 15 seaports, including restrictions on the size and types of vessels and the number of passengers.

[njkruzer]

2 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

Looks like the ban might be overturned as there is a proposed bill which if passed by the Florida House and Senate and signed into law by the Governor takes away the ability of local governments to impose regulations on any of the state’s 15 seaports, including restrictions on the size and types of vessels and the number of passengers.

I've seen that but I would see the other 14 seaports objecting losing their authority over their own ports.  Can you see Miami or Tampa or Port Canaveral not objecting,.

[livingonthebeach]

1 minute ago, njkruzer said:

I've seen that but I would see the other 14 seaports objecting losing their authority over their own ports.  Can you see Miami or Tampa or Port Canaveral not objecting,.

 

Miami, being the largest cruise port in the world and wanting to remain in that position, it's unlikely they would ever impose restrictions as to the size of a cruise ship or number of passengers.  

[njkruzer]

3 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

Miami, being the largest cruise port in the world and wanting to remain in that position, it's unlikely they would ever impose restrictions as to the size of a cruise ship or number of passengers.  

Agree. The issue is whether they would want to cede authority to the state, which is what the proposed law seems to imply.