Cruise Ships Banned in Key West

[Wookie]

Everyone wants their share of the cruise money. the real cost to KW will not bee seen for a while. then and only then they will find how much of their economy is based ont he cruise industry. and I have never seen anyone spend only 20 bucks in KW. I dont think that is even possible to do. One or 2 sites alone is 20 bucks. I would guess the avg would be more around 50-100. 20$ is a bit optimistic only for those that want the ships to go.

As I see the math a 2500passenger ship is about 50K a head fee for the 20 dollar thing. and another 200K per ship in tourist spending per ship per day. thats real money.

I'd be more than happy to send you the study commissioned by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council if you'd like.

 

[Wookie]

Everyone wants their share of the cruise money. the real cost to KW will not bee seen for a while. then and only then they will find how much of their economy is based ont he cruise industry. and I have never seen anyone spend only 20 bucks in KW. I dont think that is even possible to do. One or 2 sites alone is 20 bucks. I would guess the avg would be more around 50-100. 20$ is a bit optimistic only for those that want the ships to go.

As I see the math a 2500passenger ship is about 50K a head fee for the 20 dollar thing. and another 200K per ship in tourist spending per ship per day. thats real money.

But you are right. The August 2020 data shows that cruisers spend $9.34 an hour while in Key West.

 

[Rick Brant]

I've been to Key West twice on a cruise and a number of times via driving. We did a ton of stuff on our cruise port days. No diving but we walked the entire town and paid to go into several attractions, ate multiple snacks and drank at least one beer each time. There are certain attractions -- Hemingway's house, Customs House Museum, and the Little White House come to mind immediately -- that I suspect derive the majority of their visitors from cruises. Week-long visitors will go to them but only once, and that won't be enough to keep them going.

Cruises have a bad reputation but in my experience many of the people on cruises have a genuine interest in the local history and specialties. Some cruisers pay good money for guided visits and usually the guides are locals. Many cruisers make a habit of eating a local meal despite having free meals waiting on-board. The environmental issues -- which have very slowly been getting better -- should be where the focus is in my opinion. I believe cruisers will pay more for boats that are environmentally sound and the technology is here already. Having grown up in south Florida I can say with certainty that cruise ships are not even in the top ten of things that have devastated the coral as well as the Everglades in my lifetime.

And finally I will say that if you have a non-diving spouse a cruise is a good way to visit multiple Caribbean dive locations on a budget.

 

[NAM001]

But you are right. The August 2020 data shows that cruisers spend $9.34 an hour while in Key West.

9.34 and hour is hard to swallow. If that is net then ok perhaps but it can not be gross. once again a ship with 2500 passengers onshore spending 50 each is 125k a day per ship. A couple of hats and shirts and the white house with a 6 toed cat Hemmingway tour is an easy hundred when mixed with lunch a couple of drinks hits 100-200 very fast. I think those that put out the 9.34 did so to show a desired no fiscal benefit for them being there. I suspect the fiscal reality is much different . Again the only real measurement will be when the books are closed for 2021. As far as environmental costs of a ship inport goes the anchoring out is a reasonable step. but the health claim is really out there IMO. It may very well torn out that with out the cruise ships more people will take the drive to KW and replace the cruise ship loss.

If the article numbers correct a ship docking must be 70K a day. No matter what that equates to jobs.

 

[NAM001]

Key West was a better place before the cruse ships started to port. Now Key West is so overcrowded, overpriced and commercialized, it's not a fun or relaxing place anymore.

I agree totally. but remove the cruise ships and the same elements are still there only they arrive by car. My biggest detraction for driving there is the parking. I get a kick on the comments regarding justification of health reasons when there are chickens running the streets. KW has suffered the same problems as any condo community has. things are fine until you have to deal with the association. Then things suck. KW survived solely from the military until it moved out. For survival they chose developement for tourism. Cant have it both ways.

 

[Jay Adams]

Multiple uses of limited resources by different users with different perspectives...it is always a difficult discussion.

AMEN

 

[Wookie]

I agree totally. but remove the cruise ships and the same elements are still there only they arrive by car. My biggest detraction for driving there is the parking. I get a kick on the comments regarding justification of health reasons when there are chickens running the streets. KW has suffered the same problems as any condo community has. things are fine until you have to deal with the association. Then things suck. KW survived solely from the military until it moved out. For survival they chose developement for tourism. Cant have it both ways.

The military presence is actually increasing. MARSOC just built a complex on Fleming Key. JIATF has all but taken over truman annex aside from the port facility. The CG has 7 new response cutters and 2 400 footers. Day trippers are coming by bus from Miami.

 

[RKO]

remove the cruise ships and the same elements are still there only they arrive by car.

So true, especially between Christmas and New Year, RT 1 "Overseas Hwy" will be a 90 mile backup. Traffic is so bad heading south that Card Sound road is backed up for miles, this goes on for about 10 days. A trip from Key Largo to Key West will take about 2 1/2 to 3 hour drive, the same trip during the holidays will take 6 hours. This is one of the reasons I head back to NYC area for the holidays, less people, less traffic.

 

[NAM001]

My wife and I have discussed many times going back to KW, its iffy at best. Our only saving grace is that I can get military housing there for about 60 a day. You cant touch that anywhere on the island. And with mil housing no parking issues. do they have uber drivers there?

 

[Wookie]

My wife and I have discussed many times going back to KW, its iffy at best. Our only saving grace is that I can get military housing there for about 60 a day. You cant touch that anywhere on the island. And with mil housing no parking issues. do they have uber drivers there?

Yes. Uber was even on base when I left.