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The Caribbean island Key West was initially called "Bone Key" (Cayo Hueso) honoring the Indian skeletons found by the Spaniards on its shores when they landed here for the first time in the 16th-century. The USA bought Cayo Hueso from Spain in the early-19th-century, and eventually, the name was Americanized to Key West. Cruise ship tourists may easily explore the downtown on foot and see Duval Street, Mallory Square, visit the Aquarium, Mel Fisher Museum, Audubon House, Hemmingway's House. Key West cruise ship passengers, who number some 820,000 a year among the island's 3 million visitors, disembark at Mallory Square, a Navy pier near the Westin Resort.
Key West Cruise Ship Schedule
Keep an eye on your belongings while you're downing a rum drink or frosty brew, or while singing along with the whole bar to a Jimmy Buffett or Kenney Chesney classic. In 2023, ACL-American Cruise Lines included Key West as a call port of its 7-night/8-day "Florida Gulf Coast and Keys" itinerary. The roundtrip from Tampa was specifically designed for ACL's newbuild catamarans (Coastal Cats) and was first operated by American Glory in 2023. The move to secede was short-lived but remains a point of pride for Key Westers, who still fly the blue "Conch Republic" flag in the subtropical heat and ocean breezes. Key West was first settled in 1822 and by 1886 had become America's richest city per capita. Compact, cozy and adorable, the city's Old Town neighborhood is filled with cottages with gingerbread-topped porches, Victorian compounds, sidewalk cafes, cigar stands and T-shirt shops.
Night Repo - Panama CanalDetails
To see the full itineraries (ports of call dates and arrival / departure times) and their lowest rates – just follow the corresponding ship-link. There are an entire slew of Key West activities that you may be able to do to enhance your visit. But, that all depends on what time your cruise ship docks and departs. On this ACL ex-Florida voyage, on days 3 and 4 the ship stays in Key West overnight. This allows tourists to explore Key West City on Day 3 (with a complimentary guided tour to the Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum) and the Dry Tortugas National Park on Day 4 (visiting Fort Jefferson/Civil War prison).

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So, access to this area is restricted and requires all cruise passengers to go through a security checkpoint. But, to make things go smoother, you should make sure to have your ID and cruise card at the ready. And, since this is the closest dock to Fort Zachary Taylor State Park, you can walk right over to the best beach on the island.
Night Fire And Sunset SoiréesDetails
Or, Historic Tours of America provides free transportation service to and from the cruise ship; this is the only way to get back to the Outer Mole. Key West is a Port of Call for several cruise lines, including Carnival and Disney. Since then, the number of ships to visit Key West has grown exponentially. Port Key West cruise ship schedule shows timetable calendars of all arrival and departure dates by month. The port's schedule lists all ships (in links) with cruises going to or leaving from Key West, Florida.
ACL-American Cruise Lines' newest voyage makes a second stop in Punta Gorda
American Glory cruise ship docks in Punta Gorda - Wink News
American Glory cruise ship docks in Punta Gorda.
Posted: Tue, 02 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
So, the cruise ships are a point of contention for some people on the island. Now, we will just have to wait and see how everything eventually plays out on the political stage. And, with COVID and of course weather that comes up, the schedules for the cruise ships change often. The first/principal (Fisherman Wharf) is within walking distance from downtown. The second (Outer Mole Pier) is a free trolley bus ride away from downtown.
History of Key West and Cruise Ships
Residential throughout, every sign, window and awning in Old Town must pass scrutiny of the city-appointed Historic Architectural Review Commission.
ACL-American Cruise Lines christens American Glory ship in Key West Florida
Located directly in front of the Opal Resort and Marina at Mallory Square makes this is a great starting location to explore downtown Key West. And, no transportation is needed to get to and from Pier B as it is in the middle of it all already. Also, the Key West Police Department reports are filled with lost-and-found property reports from visitors.
Key West is an island, or Key, that is just two miles long by four miles wide, so all the essentials are near the docks -- bars, restaurants, shopping, scuba diving and beach-going. Mallory Square, on the waterfront near the docks, has restaurants, shops and public restrooms. Cruise ships usually dock at either Pier B, near the Truman Annex, or the Navy-owned Outer Mole pier, near Fort Zachary Taylor State Park.

Located at Mallory Square right off front street, really close to Duval Street, a great starting point for exploration of the downtown area. And, no transportation is needed to get to and from downtown Key West from this pier. While federal agents were trying to stymie drug smugglers, Keys residents decried the roadblock as a tourism disaster as well as disrespectful to its people. But Key West's mayor and his supporters failed to sway a federal court in Miami to lift the roadblock. Soon after, he read a proclamation at Mallory Square declaring the Keys no longer a part of the U.S. and demanding $1 million in foreign aid.
But the island city is a breeze to explore by walking, bike, scooter or even pedicab. Famous residents have included Pulitzer Prize-winner Ernest Hemingway, whose home on Simonton Street is now a museum where six-toed cats roam the grounds, pool and living quarters. Key West was also a home away from home for President Harry Truman, whose one-time respite from Washington, D.C., is the "Little White House," a museum by the waterfront. As of 2022, cruise ships of all sizes will continue to visit Key West.
The privately run Pier B will host virtually all cruise ships visiting the island. The two city-controlled docks (Outer Mole and Mallory Square) will only host smaller ships with up to a 1300 person capacity. Most cruise ships in Key West dock at The Fisherman Wharf (aka Mallory Pier/Mallory Square). Alternatively, the cruise port has two more berths - Outer Mole Pier (Truman Waterfront Park) and Margaritaville Resort (near Mallory Square). There are three docks that the cruise ships will dock at, and they are listed below.
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