Key West Welcomes First Post-Irma Cruise Ship

Two weeks after Hurricane Irma ripped a path of destruction through the Florida Keys, the first cruise ship has returned to Key West.

On Sunday, Royal Caribbean’s Empress of the Seas became the first vessel to call upon the south Florida destination after it closed to all visitors.

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While Key West escaped some of the worst damage by Hurricane Irma, all of the Florida Keys were hit hard. The region was closed to visitors as people worked to restore power, repair damage and try to return to some semblance of normalcy.

Key West Mayor Craig Cates, who was on hand to greet the ship and its passengers, said he struggled with deciding what was an appropriate time to bring back visitors.

"Being a tourist-based economy, we need our visitors to come to town, and that is our primary economy," said Cates in a press statement. "They come here to see our beautiful resources, our beautiful town and architecture—and the servers, the bartenders, the hostesses, everybody, depends on them. The people need to go back to work, and this is a huge part of our recovery."

Cates acknowledged that while many areas in Keys were still facing harsher post-Irma realities, in the end, he said tourism benefits everyone in the region.

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"We understand and we are compassionate about their situation," said Cates. "But a lot of them work here. We're in this together." (h/t USA Today)

Some 900 guests were on board the 1,840-passenger vessel as it called upon Key West. The city has lifted its curfew and a number of local business opened to visiting cruise ship guests.

Charles Fraga, the manager of Key West’s famed Sloppy Joe’s said the first ship was a good “test run” for area businesses.  

“We’re definitely hoping that this is the start to the return to things as they were,” Fraga told The Miami Herald.

In addition to the port, Key West International Airport has also reopened for commercial service. Most hotels in the area have also re-opened for business and county and tourism officials from Monroe County have announced they are planning to meet on Monday to discuss formally “re-opening” the Florida Keys to tourists.

Additionally, Dry Tortugas National Park, located 70 miles west of Key West, will also reopen on Monday, according to the National Park Service. This will be the first time it welcomes visitors since it closed in advance of Hurricane Irma. Most, including the campground, will open on a limited basis.

Key West has also announced it will resume ferry service on October 28.

Follow @MonicaPoling