A trip stopping at Key West is on by bucket list of Disney cruises that I want to take. However in reading this article I see that ships the size of Disney's stopping at the small port are a hot button issue currently.
According to the article during this past election in November Key West voted heavily in favor to place restrictions on cruise ships that would effectively ban larger cruise ships such as the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder. The vote placed the restrictions into the Key West charter, but with the cruise industry still on COVID shutdown, the enforcement of the new local legislation left enforcement up in the air.
The issue is now being taken up in the Florida State Senate with "Florida Senate Bill 426: State Preemption of Seaport Regulations." The bill filed on January 5, 2021 by Senator Jim Boyd, aims to give the State of Florida oversight of Florida's seaport regulations such as the regulation of commerce in state seaports, and to provide exceptions. Boyd's bill includes language preventing a local government from restricting or regulating commerce in a Florida seaport.
While I really want to make this port of call in the future, I also think that local governments have a better handle on if their ports and environments are being overwhelmed by the visitors that come through. Key West is not that big, and part of its charm is the slow, laid back, historic vibe. If the citizens believe that the cruise industry is effecting the quality of life on the island in a negative manner, I think that they know better than random Senator Joe that is only interested in tourist dollars.
What are your thoughts?
