Florida Governor Signs Law Lifting Key West Cruise Ship Ban

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has officials signed a new law that lifts all bans on larger cruise ships from entering the Port of Key West.

According to Keys Weekly, Key West voters approved new regulations for the cruise industry on the island last November, but Florida lawmakers recently voted to override the city’s local referendum limiting which vessels can sail into port.

The rules initially passed by the local government limited the number of passengers and crew disembarking from ships daily at 1,500 and banned any vessels carrying more than 1,300 people from docking in Key West.

The new law signed by Governor DeSantis bans local authorities from passing any referendums limiting maritime commerce. In response, the Key West City Commission scheduled a meeting for July 6 to consider the city’s direction on cruise ships moving forward.

The Key West ban would have eliminated larger ships from entering the port, impacting major cruise lines such as Carnival, Disney, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean.

In other Key West news, the annual Hemingway Days Festival, celebrating Ernest Hemingway’s life and work, is scheduled for July 20-25, 2022.