why did carnival change the ports out of jacksonville? I loved key west. Have no desire to do freeport. we were going to take the fasination next yr. now I think we will have to rethink Our plans

As far as I know Key West will be on the itinerary for the 5 day cruises on the Fascination out of Jacksonville. They rotate the itineraries. I was just looking at one for myself in March 2009.

Dwayne

Someone told me that they saw in the newspaper where Key West was going to be dropped as a port by all the ships. That sounds kind of strange, has anyone heard anything about this?

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Key West was going to be dropped as a port by all the ships

I haven't heard that. But I have read newspaper articles about many Conchs growing weary of all the cruise passengers clogging up the place and the loss of Key West's 'charm'.

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Originally posted by Larry in Miami:
Someone told me that they saw in the newspaper where Key West was going to be dropped as a port by all the ships. That sounds kind of strange, has anyone heard anything about this?

They'd better be careful what they wish for. If the new rule that's propose by Homeland security goes into effect they'll be wishing for some of that business back again.

I've got to imagine those that don't depend on tourist for an income don't like that many people all over the place.

I will see if I can find the article she was talking about.

Here is the story about Key West.

So it is the proposed rule change as Rich alluded to. Funny how many of us have already forgotten about that or only were thinking of the west coast and Ensenada.

It is a profoundly stupid rule change. The one guy quoted in the news article got it right...they are using a shotgun approach for something that is at most a small issue. And as for NCL and their original whining, all I can say is that come this May we can say "and then there was one" for their ships in Hawaii.

Well key west was one of my favorite ports. If they eliminate it They will truely be doing a disservice to a great city. I was planning on doing a cruise that stopped in key west. Dont see myself driving there so a cruise ship is the way to go. Not a good idea in my view.

It would be a shame, hopefully this won't go through.

As a frequent cruiser to Key West, and "land visitor" also. I have heard some moaning from locals about cruisers, but the truth is cruisers bring in money !! This is and island soley dependent on tourist dollars, and has been devasted by Hurricane evacuations over the last few years. Like Neil as often said here a few moaners or complainers shouldn't spoil a cruise or a cruise destination. I read the same proposal the NCL had slid through during the Christmas break, and it would be horrible for many new cruise itineraries to benefit a very few. Hopefully this injustice will be corrected soon. If I can find a link to contact someone, will that be allowed to be posted here ?

I was in Key West last week on my cruise and something that I was told by a trolley driver is that the locals hate the noise from the drivers microphones. He pointed out some elderly men sitting on a porch and said they will sit there for hours waiting to catch them using their mikes. They will take pics, etc. to to get the trolley drivers in trouble. I thought it was nuts, but sure enough when we passed by several hours later, they were still sitting there! Personally I don't see how it is such a huge deal, You are only talking about a few hours of the day where cruise ships are concerned...jmo

I can relate to the noise factor. If you lived in that location & had the constant announcements over the loudspeakers to contend with you might understand the irritation.

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He pointed out some elderly men sitting on a porch and said they will sit there for hours waiting to catch them using their mikes.

Must have been a meeting of the local "I need a life" chapter. Sounds like this rotten old woman in my neighborhood growing up - whenever we'd go out and play baseball in a vacant lot she'd come out and sit on her porch just waiting for our ball to get in her yard. Then she'd take it and go inside. Guess who's windows got a good soaping every Halloween?

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Originally posted by mojomom:
I was in Key West last week on my cruise and something that I was told by a trolley driver is that the locals hate the noise from the drivers microphones. He pointed out some elderly men sitting on a porch and said they will sit there for hours waiting to catch them using their mikes. They will take pics, etc. to to get the trolley drivers in trouble. I thought it was nuts, but sure enough when we passed by several hours later, they were still sitting there! Personally I don't see how it is such a huge deal, You are only talking about a few hours of the day where cruise ships are concerned...jmo

I can kind of understand where they are coming from. If I paid 1 million plus for a home and had tours driving past all time it would get rather old. The trolly driver on my last trip there told us he could not talk on his PA while going through a certain residential area but he could not stop us from making as much noise as we could. I'm sure this sort of thing is what is annoying. I know I would not want a trolly full of drunken idiots going down my street screaming at my house several times a day.

On the other hand it is a big boost to the economy of the city and a lot of businesses would surely close if the ships left.

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Originally posted by Larry in Miami:
I can kind of understand where they are coming from. If I paid 1 million plus for a home and had tours driving past all time it would get rather old. ...........

If I was going to spend a million dollars on a home, I would be smart enough not to buy it in a tourist town. In Key West you would have to expect a gazillion tourists coming through... That is like the people who buy a house in the approach path of a large airport and then complain about the airplane noise and protest the airport.

LOL....the meeting of I wich I had a life club....good one Dave. Like any tourist, the locals and love and hate the tourists, want the almighty dollar, bemoan the commercialization of their town. It is still a great get away, and you can have any kind of vacation you want there, a quickie cruise day, 3 days of constant partying, a week away from everyone....ahhhh, I need to make a reservation.

The cruise ships stopping at Key West are a more recent thing & I suspect the people who have noise complaints have been there long before the cruise ships have created the problems.

Yes, I would say most of them were there long before the ships. I know people that have been down there for years.

But times do change...

I lived in Key West and owned/operated a Cookie Company on Duval Street back in the 80's. I remember vividly the day the FIRST cruise shipped came to town. It was the savior of many a business, I can assure you. Back then the ships came in twice a week and usually only one or two ships.

Fast forward to present day. One to four ships in town EVERY day, somewhere around 10,000 people and nearly every shop in town fighting for your dollar.

I remember that while living there (I was there for 12 years), the sound of the Conch Train and the Trolley signaled 'new money' arriving, for which we were all grateful.

The people who don't want the noise ruining their time in paradise should realize that someone, somewhere, sometime THEY have made noise that bothered other people. If you live in a city the size of Key West, I think you should expect congestion and noise when the money spenders arrive! Maybe they should buy a place on Sunset Island where the trains and trolleys and tourists can't go.

Just my opinion -- I love Key West, I visit every cruise I can. I'd hate for the ships to stop visiting.