Key West Residents Vote in Favor of Curtailing Cruise Ship Traffic

Key West, Fla., residents voted in favor of limiting the size of cruise ships and total number of passengers that can visit the popular, quirky island.

Voters passed three referendums that limited cruise ship visitors to a total of 1,500 per day; prohibited ships with a capacity of 1,300 or more from disembarking passengers; and giving priority to cruise lines with the best environmental and health records.

The first two passed by just over 60 percent of voters, while the environmental referendum passed by 81 percent.

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“This is a historic day for the people of Key West and for all who love this island city. By huge margins, voters rejected the large budget cruise ships that have overcrowded our streets and damaged our marine environment for the past 30 years,” said Arlo Haskell, treasurer of the Key West Committee for Cleaner, Safer Ships. “With a pandemic indelibly linked to cruise ships still spreading around the world, Key West has wisely chosen to protect itself and reset its relationship with the industry.

“Now Key West has a golden opportunity to become the premier small-ship destination in the Caribbean,” he continued. “As Key West turns its focus to small ships that can happily coexist with the overnight visitors that power our tourist economy, it will foster a more supportive business environment for our diverse, locally owned hotels, restaurants, and retail businesses, and it will only enhance our appeal as a destination to travelers from all over the world. This is a major moment in Key West’s history, and an event that will be celebrated for years to come.”

For the record, the City of Key West said this: “The referenda passed and is now part of the City’s charter. We will abide by the charter.”

However, the island is bracing for the legal challenges that are to come, some already in the works.

The day after the vote, American Airlines announced plans to increase service to Key West.