Question:
Key West residents are fed up with the new breed of cruise passenger (trailer park trash) and how they turned the once unique island into a sleazy tourist trap full of "jewelry and T-shirt shops, bars and restaurants" Here’s a link to an article on CNN.com describing the latest uproar. http://tinyurl.com/32abg
Response:
Key West residents are fed up with the new breed of cruise passenger (trailer park trash) and how they turned the once unique island into a sleazy tourist trap full of "jewelry and T-shirt shops, bars and restaurants" Here’s a link to an article on CNN.com describing the latest uproar. http://tinyurl.com/32abg
I was actually in port that day, on the Zenith. It was an exhausting zoo. We spent some money in town, ate lunch at a local restaurant and high-tailed it back to the ship because it was just *too* touristy. Not my favorite port by a long shot. It was a nicer tourist trap than, say, Puerto Limon, but not anything like the fun we had in the rest of Costa Rica, Honduras or CocoCay. Jenrose
Response:
Key West residents are fed up with the new breed of cruise passenger (trailer park trash) and how they turned the once unique island into a sleazy tourist trap full of "jewelry and T-shirt shops, bars and restaurants"
So let me get this straight…. The ships put the jewelry and T-shirt shops there? And bars… weren’t there bars in Key West for the last hundred years or so? –Tom <—- NOT a fan of Key West… I’ll take Antigua or Barbados instead, any day
Response:
People who live in Key West just love to protest. Doesn’t anyone else remember when they tried to seceed from the Union because they didn’t like something or other?. Cause oh please like Key West wasn’t tacky before. I love Key West but I wouldn’t take this too seriously. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Key West residents are fed up with the new breed of cruise passenger (trailer park trash) and how they turned the once unique island into a sleazy tourist trap full of "jewelry and T-shirt shops, bars and restaurants" Here’s a link to an article on CNN.com describing the latest uproar. http://tinyurl.com/32abg
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Key West residents are fed up with the new breed of cruise passenger (trailer park trash) and how they turned the once unique island into a sleazy tourist trap full of "jewelry and T-shirt shops, bars and restaurants" So let me get this straight…. The ships put the jewelry and T-shirt shops there? And bars… weren’t there bars in Key West for the last hundred years or so? –Tom <—- NOT a fan of Key West… I’ll take Antigua or Barbados instead, any day
Lots of them back in the ’60s. The town was a naval base, and just "loved" the Navy — and the feeling was mutual. One corrupt town!! the cops had to purchase their jobs, and collected the extortion money. One of the favorite stories was of one of their finest pulling over a driver and writing a ticket — To "Must Wear Glasses" Some of the antics of the town were toned down after a few "Dungaree Liberty" exercises during which sailors were led by their Chiefs in a physical reorganization of the town. Question — Are the ships using the piers at the original Naval Base or the Annex on the North side.
Response:
People who live in Key West just love to protest. Doesn’t anyone else remember when they tried to seceed from the Union because they didn’t like something or other?. Cause oh please like Key West wasn’t tacky before. I love Key West but I wouldn’t take this too seriously.
They weren’t happy about ’something or other’?? The guvm’t set up a border inspection unit on US 1 just at the entrance to the Keys in Florida City, trying to stop drug flow, in April 1982, I believe. Thousands of people were stranded in their cars for hours on the 18-mile stretch to Key Largo with no facilities, no restaurants, no gas stations, no water….. and traffic was backed up more than a hundred miles toward Key West on the two-lane road. They decided that, since the border search was saying that the Keys weren’t in the US, they would form their own country. The flag was quit pretty – we used to fly one on our boat – and the official drink was rum. Don’t know if they got much farther than that…. http://www.conchrepublic.com/ "We seceded where others failed." Chris
Response:
Maybe the tourists are hurting their Fantasy Fest and all the other activities there that involve topless people. I’m pretty sure that those aren’t passengers off the cruise ships. And I’m sure the Greed that National Geographic cited was the result of the cruise passengers too. Take the nine million and go back to body painting. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – So let me get this straight…. The ships put the jewelry and T-shirt shops there? And bars… weren’t there bars in Key West for the last hundred years or so? –Tom <—- NOT a fan of Key West… I’ll take Antigua or Barbados instead, any day
Response:
Key West residents are fed up with the new breed of cruise passenger (trailer park trash) and how they turned the once unique island into a sleazy tourist trap full of "jewelry and T-shirt shops, bars and restaurants" Here’s a link to an article on CNN.com describing the latest uproar. http://tinyurl.com/32abg
I was there. Sat at Angelina’s Pizza and watched the nuttiness. The sad thing is it wasn’t really *that* more crowded than usual in March. The protesters have a point — 10 years ago, people drove down or flew in, and stayed a couple weeks. They went fishing, diving, ate at several restaurants, shopped at the interesting boutiques that once lined Duval St. (Now, sadly, replaced by Ripoff T-shirt shops and national chains.) Everyone got their little piece of the tourism pie. Now people are here for four hours. They get on the Conch Train and have a drink at Sloppy Joe’s or Margaritaville. They buy one of those retarded "I Love to Fart" T-shirts from the rip-off T-shirt shops. Then they go back to the ship and complain about how tacky Key West has become. There are only a handful of people who benefit from this mass tourism — and, naturally, they’re the ones calling the shots. There’s still plenty of the "old Key West" to be found, but now you have to go look for it. Here’s a big list of places to explore in Key West http://home.bellsouth.net/p/PWP-KeyWestGuide
Response:
Everyone got their little piece of the tourism pie.
Don’t forget the obvious fact that the entire State of Florida is the nation’s biggest (in terms of people who visit) tourist trap. The fact that the key west is so small does not help things either. -Heather Remove CanOspam to email http://members.aol.com/nookeybear/index1.htm
Response:
They have NOTHING to complain about. Do you have any idea what a hotel room costs in that town? They get top dollar (New York/San Francisco rates) and have high occupancy. Try and get a room at the Hyatt or Hilton for less than $300 a night. You MIGHT be lucky to get one at the Holiday Inn La Concha downtown for around $200. The cruise passengers are just gravy. We fill their bars and restaurants from 10:00 A.M. on with tourists that would otherwise not be able to go there.
Response:
Key West residents are fed up with the new breed of cruise passenger (trailer park trash) and how they turned the once unique island into a sleazy tourist trap full of "jewelry and T-shirt shops, bars and restaurants"
And what is Key West bitching about, anyway? Grand Cayman had 7 ships in port when we were there. Talk about madhouse… Jenrose
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Actually most of the year the hotels stay quite full. Having stayed there for a week each year for the past 10 or so years, I soon found that for the same or even lower price, there are some great B & B’s with a lot more character. ie., the Heron House and the Gardens, two of my favorites. The whole protest story is way overblown.The original poster is just trying to take a slap at 99% of this NG that enjoy the cruising lifestyle at reasonable prices ie. the mass market cruise lines (he took a cut rate deal on Carnival MANY MANY years ago and expected the Normandie maybe.) He wants you to feel unwanted there, which is not the case. Most people in Key West take it for what it is, and realize that the ships only bring additional revenue and don’t take away from the hotel tourist trade. Nothing will change there, in fact it will only get worse. jt – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -They have NOTHING to complain about. Do you have any idea what a hotel room costs in that town? They get top dollar (New York/San Francisco rates) and have high occupancy. Try and get a room at the Hyatt or Hilton for less than $300 a night. You MIGHT be lucky to get one at the Holiday Inn La Concha downtown for around $200. The cruise passengers are just gravy. We fill their bars and restaurants from 10:00 A.M. on with tourists that would otherwise not be able to go there.
Response:
And what is Key West bitching about, anyway? Grand Cayman had 7 ships in port when we were there. Talk about madhouse…
Stingrays filed a class action lawsuit against the cruise industry charging them with negligence contributing towards their obesity …from overeating due to all the excursions … Be seeing you In the Village Number 6
Response:
Oh they are not. That is just some of that idiot Paul’s garbage. Do yourself a favor and killfile him and you won’t see it unless someone forwards his rantings. Key West people are weird folks and proud of it. The redneck crap is just that, rantings from a complete bigoted idiot. Jim
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Key West residents are fed up with the new breed of cruise passenger (trailer park trash) and how they turned the once unique island into a sleazy tourist trap full of "jewelry and T-shirt shops, bars and restaurants" Here’s a link to an article on CNN.com describing the latest uproar. http://tinyurl.com/32abg I was actually in port that day, on the Zenith. It was an exhausting zoo. We spent some money in town, ate lunch at a local restaurant and high-tailed it back to the ship because it was just *too* touristy. Not my favorite port by a long shot. It was a nicer tourist trap than, say, Puerto Limon, but not anything like the fun we had in the rest of Costa Rica, Honduras or CocoCay. Jenrose
Response:
Key West residents are fed up with the new breed of cruise passenger (trailer park trash) and how they turned the once unique island into a sleazy tourist trap full of "jewelry and T-shirt shops, bars and restaurants"
Strangely my Jimmy Buffet Island has a song that is anti-trailer. The quality of the cruise ship passenger is sinking with the discount fare. I love boats but hate the high pitched honking sound of the Long Island housewife.
Response:
Golly, Jim, do you mean that I am not alone in identifying Paul as a "Class A" troll? — DG in Cherry Hill, NJ
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Oh they are not. That is just some of that idiot Paul’s garbage. Do yourself a favor and killfile him and you won’t see it unless someone forwards his rantings. Key West people are weird folks and proud of it. The redneck crap is just that, rantings from a complete bigoted idiot. Jim Key West residents are fed up with the new breed of cruise passenger (trailer park trash) and how they turned the once unique island into a sleazy tourist trap full of "jewelry and T-shirt shops, bars and restaurants" Here’s a link to an article on CNN.com describing the latest uproar. http://tinyurl.com/32abg I was actually in port that day, on the Zenith. It was an exhausting zoo. We spent some money in town, ate lunch at a local restaurant and high-tailed it back to the ship because it was just *too* touristy. Not my favorite port by a long shot. It was a nicer tourist trap than, say, Puerto Limon, but not anything like the fun we had in the rest of Costa Rica, Honduras or CocoCay. Jenrose
Response:
I’ve been doing land based stays in Key West for a number of years. Tourism has always had a love hate relationship with this island city going back to the wrecker days. Tourism brings in money, but when that tourism kicks up a fuss about something they find offensive a little bit more of the island dies. I’m not just talking about cruise ship passengers who just want to buy a T-shirt, have a drink at Sloppy Joes or Margarittaville and get back on the ship. The same thing happened in New York’s Greenwich Village. People with money and not an artistic or eccentric bone in their bodies decided it would be nice to live there. Property rates went up and poof, first thing to go was half of the island’s artist population. Hippies followed suite and first thing you know, Sunset Celebration was no logner about loving your fellow man but about entertaining the tourist. Somebody thought it wasn’t good for tourism and poof, the tattoo parlors were replaced by GAP and Benneton on Duval. Trailers on Green St near Duval were hid behind a concrete wall and yet that wasn’t good enough, they were pressured out. Somebody else thought the people living on Houseboat Row were an eyesore. So what Hurricane Georges didn’t remove were encouraged to find other dockage. In the past during Fantasy Fest, public toplessness or bottomlessness got a slap on the wrist. The overexposed were given one size covers everything Fantasy Fest T-shirts and politely asked to cover up. Body painters were considered covered since they were wearing paint. Somebody complained and not Fantasy Fest revelers showing too much skin find themselves fined and compelled to spend a night in the hoosgow. Thank God I had the pleasure of meeting Nancy Forrester on of Key West’s few remaining artists. I learned a lot about the island from her. I learned about the backstreets and places to hunker down when the island is over run by cruise people and other land based tourists. If I tell then they won’t be secret places anymore. I would never visit Key West on a cruise ship, because after a day of snorkeling, sunning etc Key West has one of the most interesting night life scenes I’d miss on a cruise ship. I grew up on the New Jersey shore at a Summer vacation destination. I only knew of the love and hate of vacationers very well. The money that came with Summer was good. The trash, traffic jams, loud stereos on the beach, more trash, weekend maniacs on the bay all this led me to yearn for labor day when they all went home. I can relate to folks in Key West. I think the secret is that when you live in Paradise you have to be very careful how you promote it and who you let visit. If you don’t, then it won’t be Paradise anymore, just another tourist trap. — To email me, Edit "xt" from my email address. Brian M. Kochera "Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once!" View My Web Page: http://home.earthlink.net/~brian1951
Response:
I think the secret is that when you live in Paradise you have to be very
careful how you promote it and who you let visit. Very true… unfortunately in that "pact with the devil" most "locals" don’t get a vote. In my home-town [also a tourist destination] "influential" business people promoted expansion of tourism, etc. Now, many of the same folks complain about the "infestation" that has led to the disappearance of the "feel" of the original community. Why didn’t they listen to "locals" warnings then? Could it be that it’s all about their personal profits/losses and has nothing at all to do with what’s good for preservation of the town or the community?
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve been doing land based stays in Key West for a number of years. Tourism has always had a love hate relationship with this island city going back to the wrecker days. Tourism brings in money, but when that tourism kicks up a fuss about something they find offensive a little bit more of the island dies. I’m not just talking about cruise ship passengers who just want to buy a T-shirt, have a drink at Sloppy Joes or Margarittaville and get back on the ship. The same thing happened in New York’s Greenwich Village. People with money and not an artistic or eccentric bone in their bodies decided it would be nice to live there. Property rates went up and poof, first thing to go was half of the island’s artist population. Hippies followed suite and first thing you know, Sunset Celebration was no logner about loving your fellow man but about entertaining the tourist. Somebody thought it wasn’t good for tourism and poof, the tattoo parlors were replaced by GAP and Benneton on Duval. Trailers on Green St near Duval were hid behind a concrete wall and yet that wasn’t good enough, they were pressured out. Somebody else thought the people living on Houseboat Row were an eyesore. So what Hurricane Georges didn’t remove were encouraged to find other dockage. In the past during Fantasy Fest, public toplessness or bottomlessness got a slap on the wrist. The overexposed were given one size covers everything Fantasy Fest T-shirts and politely asked to cover up. Body painters were considered covered since they were wearing paint. Somebody complained and not Fantasy Fest revelers showing too much skin find themselves fined and compelled to spend a night in the hoosgow. Thank God I had the pleasure of meeting Nancy Forrester on of Key West’s few remaining artists. I learned a lot about the island from her. I learned about the backstreets and places to hunker down when the island is over run by cruise people and other land based tourists. If I tell then they won’t be secret places anymore. I would never visit Key West on a cruise ship, because after a day of snorkeling, sunning etc Key West has one of the most interesting night life scenes I’d miss on a cruise ship. I grew up on the New Jersey shore at a Summer vacation destination. I only knew of the love and hate of vacationers very well. The money that came with Summer was good. The trash, traffic jams, loud stereos on the beach, more trash, weekend maniacs on the bay all this led me to yearn for labor day when they all went home. I can relate to folks in Key West. I think the secret is that when you live in Paradise you have to be very careful how you promote it and who you let visit. If you don’t, then it won’t be Paradise anymore, just another tourist trap. — To email me, Edit "xt" from my email address. Brian M. Kochera "Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once!" View My Web Page: http://home.earthlink.net/~brian1951
Response:
In my home-town [also a tourist destination] "influential" business people promoted expansion of tourism, etc. Now, many of the same folks complain about the "infestation" that has led to the disappearance of the "feel" of the original community. Why didn’t they listen to "locals" warnings then? Could it be that it’s all about their personal profits/losses and has nothing at all to do with what’s good for preservation of the town or the community?
Of course the same could be said about the locals. Much of these things have the undertone of "I am here, but I wouldn’t want anyone to enjoy what I am enjoying". Seldom do you get from outside of an area clambering NOT to be let in. — Addendumb: What lawyers add to contracts to mess up a perfectly good working relationship with an editor. (stolen from Dan Ferber on nasw-freelance list)
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The quality of the cruise ship passenger is sinking with the discount fare.
Quality is defined by the user. The user defines himself by his definition of Quality. Ask Pirsig. I love boats but hate the high pitched honking sound of the Long Island housewife.
A bit irritating.
Response:
Stingrays filed a class action lawsuit against the cruise industry charging them with negligence contributing towards their obesity …from overeating due to all the excursions …
Hope they win. Is Skippy Da Parrot Numbskull lead attorney?
Response:
I think the secret is that when you live in Paradise you have to be very careful how you promote it and who you let visit. If you don’t, then it won’t be Paradise anymore, just another tourist trap.
Tell Turks and Caicos. Quick.
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How true! The March issue of "National Geographic Traveler" magazine put Key West in its "Getting Ugly" category, ranking it third from last among 115 international travel destinations for what it called crowding, poor planning and greed.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I think the secret is that when you live in Paradise you have to be very careful how you promote it and who you let visit. If you don’t, then it won’t be Paradise anymore, just another tourist trap. Tell Turks and Caicos. Quick.
Response:
<< Quality is defined by the user. The user defines himself by his definition of Quality. Ask Pirsig. Zensational
Response:
This is my notice that I will no longer reply to "Paul", but that I disagree with anything that he floats as the "truth".
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Golly, Jim, do you mean that I am not alone in identifying Paul as a "Class A" troll? — DG in Cherry Hill, NJ Oh they are not. That is just some of that idiot Paul’s garbage. Do yourself a favor and killfile him and you won’t see it unless someone forwards his rantings. Key West people are weird folks and proud of it. The redneck crap is just that, rantings from a complete bigoted idiot. Jim Key West residents are fed up with the new breed of cruise passenger (trailer park trash) and how they turned the once unique island into a sleazy tourist trap full of "jewelry and T-shirt shops, bars and restaurants" Here’s a link to an article on CNN.com describing the latest uproar. http://tinyurl.com/32abg I was actually in port that day, on the Zenith. It was an exhausting zoo. We spent some money in town, ate lunch at a local restaurant and high-tailed it back to the ship because it was just *too* touristy. Not my favorite port by a long shot. It was a nicer tourist trap than, say, Puerto Limon, but not anything like the fun we had in the rest of Costa Rica, Honduras or CocoCay. Jenrose
Response:
Key West residents are fed up with the new breed of cruise passenger (trailer park trash) and how they turned the once unique island into a sleazy tourist trap full of "jewelry and T-shirt shops, bars and restaurants" Here’s a link to an article on CNN.com describing the latest uproar. http://tinyurl.com/32abg
Response:
Key West residents are fed up with the new breed of cruise passenger (trailer park trash) and how they turned the once unique island into a sleazy tourist trap full of "jewelry and T-shirt shops, bars and restaurants" Here’s a link to an article on CNN.com describing the latest uproar. http://tinyurl.com/32abg
I was actually in port that day, on the Zenith. It was an exhausting zoo. We spent some money in town, ate lunch at a local restaurant and high-tailed it back to the ship because it was just *too* touristy. Not my favorite port by a long shot. It was a nicer tourist trap than, say, Puerto Limon, but not anything like the fun we had in the rest of Costa Rica, Honduras or CocoCay. Jenrose
Response:
Key West residents are fed up with the new breed of cruise passenger (trailer park trash) and how they turned the once unique island into a sleazy tourist trap full of "jewelry and T-shirt shops, bars and restaurants"
So let me get this straight…. The ships put the jewelry and T-shirt shops there? And bars… weren’t there bars in Key West for the last hundred years or so? –Tom <—- NOT a fan of Key West… I’ll take Antigua or Barbados instead, any day
Response:
People who live in Key West just love to protest. Doesn’t anyone else remember when they tried to seceed from the Union because they didn’t like something or other?. Cause oh please like Key West wasn’t tacky before. I love Key West but I wouldn’t take this too seriously. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Key West residents are fed up with the new breed of cruise passenger (trailer park trash) and how they turned the once unique island into a sleazy tourist trap full of "jewelry and T-shirt shops, bars and restaurants" Here’s a link to an article on CNN.com describing the latest uproar. http://tinyurl.com/32abg
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Key West residents are fed up with the new breed of cruise passenger (trailer park trash) and how they turned the once unique island into a sleazy tourist trap full of "jewelry and T-shirt shops, bars and restaurants" So let me get this straight…. The ships put the jewelry and T-shirt shops there? And bars… weren’t there bars in Key West for the last hundred years or so? –Tom <—- NOT a fan of Key West… I’ll take Antigua or Barbados instead, any day
Lots of them back in the ’60s. The town was a naval base, and just "loved" the Navy — and the feeling was mutual. One corrupt town!! the cops had to purchase their jobs, and collected the extortion money. One of the favorite stories was of one of their finest pulling over a driver and writing a ticket — To "Must Wear Glasses" Some of the antics of the town were toned down after a few "Dungaree Liberty" exercises during which sailors were led by their Chiefs in a physical reorganization of the town. Question — Are the ships using the piers at the original Naval Base or the Annex on the North side.
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People who live in Key West just love to protest. Doesn’t anyone else remember when they tried to seceed from the Union because they didn’t like something or other?. Cause oh please like Key West wasn’t tacky before. I love Key West but I wouldn’t take this too seriously.
They weren’t happy about ’something or other’?? The guvm’t set up a border inspection unit on US 1 just at the entrance to the Keys in Florida City, trying to stop drug flow, in April 1982, I believe. Thousands of people were stranded in their cars for hours on the 18-mile stretch to Key Largo with no facilities, no restaurants, no gas stations, no water….. and traffic was backed up more than a hundred miles toward Key West on the two-lane road. They decided that, since the border search was saying that the Keys weren’t in the US, they would form their own country. The flag was quit pretty – we used to fly one on our boat – and the official drink was rum. Don’t know if they got much farther than that…. http://www.conchrepublic.com/ "We seceded where others failed." Chris
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Maybe the tourists are hurting their Fantasy Fest and all the other activities there that involve topless people. I’m pretty sure that those aren’t passengers off the cruise ships. And I’m sure the Greed that National Geographic cited was the result of the cruise passengers too. Take the nine million and go back to body painting. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – So let me get this straight…. The ships put the jewelry and T-shirt shops there? And bars… weren’t there bars in Key West for the last hundred years or so? –Tom <—- NOT a fan of Key West… I’ll take Antigua or Barbados instead, any day
Response:
Key West residents are fed up with the new breed of cruise passenger (trailer park trash) and how they turned the once unique island into a sleazy tourist trap full of "jewelry and T-shirt shops, bars and restaurants" Here’s a link to an article on CNN.com describing the latest uproar. http://tinyurl.com/32abg
I was there. Sat at Angelina’s Pizza and watched the nuttiness. The sad thing is it wasn’t really *that* more crowded than usual in March. The protesters have a point — 10 years ago, people drove down or flew in, and stayed a couple weeks. They went fishing, diving, ate at several restaurants, shopped at the interesting boutiques that once lined Duval St. (Now, sadly, replaced by Ripoff T-shirt shops and national chains.) Everyone got their little piece of the tourism pie. Now people are here for four hours. They get on the Conch Train and have a drink at Sloppy Joe’s or Margaritaville. They buy one of those retarded "I Love to Fart" T-shirts from the rip-off T-shirt shops. Then they go back to the ship and complain about how tacky Key West has become. There are only a handful of people who benefit from this mass tourism — and, naturally, they’re the ones calling the shots. There’s still plenty of the "old Key West" to be found, but now you have to go look for it. Here’s a big list of places to explore in Key West http://home.bellsouth.net/p/PWP-KeyWestGuide
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Everyone got their little piece of the tourism pie.
Don’t forget the obvious fact that the entire State of Florida is the nation’s biggest (in terms of people who visit) tourist trap. The fact that the key west is so small does not help things either. -Heather Remove CanOspam to email http://members.aol.com/nookeybear/index1.htm
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They have NOTHING to complain about. Do you have any idea what a hotel room costs in that town? They get top dollar (New York/San Francisco rates) and have high occupancy. Try and get a room at the Hyatt or Hilton for less than $300 a night. You MIGHT be lucky to get one at the Holiday Inn La Concha downtown for around $200. The cruise passengers are just gravy. We fill their bars and restaurants from 10:00 A.M. on with tourists that would otherwise not be able to go there.
Response:
Key West residents are fed up with the new breed of cruise passenger (trailer park trash) and how they turned the once unique island into a sleazy tourist trap full of "jewelry and T-shirt shops, bars and restaurants"
And what is Key West bitching about, anyway? Grand Cayman had 7 ships in port when we were there. Talk about madhouse… Jenrose
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Actually most of the year the hotels stay quite full. Having stayed there for a week each year for the past 10 or so years, I soon found that for the same or even lower price, there are some great B & B’s with a lot more character. ie., the Heron House and the Gardens, two of my favorites. The whole protest story is way overblown.The original poster is just trying to take a slap at 99% of this NG that enjoy the cruising lifestyle at reasonable prices ie. the mass market cruise lines (he took a cut rate deal on Carnival MANY MANY years ago and expected the Normandie maybe.) He wants you to feel unwanted there, which is not the case. Most people in Key West take it for what it is, and realize that the ships only bring additional revenue and don’t take away from the hotel tourist trade. Nothing will change there, in fact it will only get worse. jt – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -They have NOTHING to complain about. Do you have any idea what a hotel room costs in that town? They get top dollar (New York/San Francisco rates) and have high occupancy. Try and get a room at the Hyatt or Hilton for less than $300 a night. You MIGHT be lucky to get one at the Holiday Inn La Concha downtown for around $200. The cruise passengers are just gravy. We fill their bars and restaurants from 10:00 A.M. on with tourists that would otherwise not be able to go there.
Response:
And what is Key West bitching about, anyway? Grand Cayman had 7 ships in port when we were there. Talk about madhouse…
Stingrays filed a class action lawsuit against the cruise industry charging them with negligence contributing towards their obesity …from overeating due to all the excursions … Be seeing you In the Village Number 6
Response:
Oh they are not. That is just some of that idiot Paul’s garbage. Do yourself a favor and killfile him and you won’t see it unless someone forwards his rantings. Key West people are weird folks and proud of it. The redneck crap is just that, rantings from a complete bigoted idiot. Jim
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Key West residents are fed up with the new breed of cruise passenger (trailer park trash) and how they turned the once unique island into a sleazy tourist trap full of "jewelry and T-shirt shops, bars and restaurants" Here’s a link to an article on CNN.com describing the latest uproar. http://tinyurl.com/32abg I was actually in port that day, on the Zenith. It was an exhausting zoo. We spent some money in town, ate lunch at a local restaurant and high-tailed it back to the ship because it was just *too* touristy. Not my favorite port by a long shot. It was a nicer tourist trap than, say, Puerto Limon, but not anything like the fun we had in the rest of Costa Rica, Honduras or CocoCay. Jenrose
Response:
Key West residents are fed up with the new breed of cruise passenger (trailer park trash) and how they turned the once unique island into a sleazy tourist trap full of "jewelry and T-shirt shops, bars and restaurants"
Strangely my Jimmy Buffet Island has a song that is anti-trailer. The quality of the cruise ship passenger is sinking with the discount fare. I love boats but hate the high pitched honking sound of the Long Island housewife.
Response:
Golly, Jim, do you mean that I am not alone in identifying Paul as a "Class A" troll? — DG in Cherry Hill, NJ
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Oh they are not. That is just some of that idiot Paul’s garbage. Do yourself a favor and killfile him and you won’t see it unless someone forwards his rantings. Key West people are weird folks and proud of it. The redneck crap is just that, rantings from a complete bigoted idiot. Jim Key West residents are fed up with the new breed of cruise passenger (trailer park trash) and how they turned the once unique island into a sleazy tourist trap full of "jewelry and T-shirt shops, bars and restaurants" Here’s a link to an article on CNN.com describing the latest uproar. http://tinyurl.com/32abg I was actually in port that day, on the Zenith. It was an exhausting zoo. We spent some money in town, ate lunch at a local restaurant and high-tailed it back to the ship because it was just *too* touristy. Not my favorite port by a long shot. It was a nicer tourist trap than, say, Puerto Limon, but not anything like the fun we had in the rest of Costa Rica, Honduras or CocoCay. Jenrose
Response:
I’ve been doing land based stays in Key West for a number of years. Tourism has always had a love hate relationship with this island city going back to the wrecker days. Tourism brings in money, but when that tourism kicks up a fuss about something they find offensive a little bit more of the island dies. I’m not just talking about cruise ship passengers who just want to buy a T-shirt, have a drink at Sloppy Joes or Margarittaville and get back on the ship. The same thing happened in New York’s Greenwich Village. People with money and not an artistic or eccentric bone in their bodies decided it would be nice to live there. Property rates went up and poof, first thing to go was half of the island’s artist population. Hippies followed suite and first thing you know, Sunset Celebration was no logner about loving your fellow man but about entertaining the tourist. Somebody thought it wasn’t good for tourism and poof, the tattoo parlors were replaced by GAP and Benneton on Duval. Trailers on Green St near Duval were hid behind a concrete wall and yet that wasn’t good enough, they were pressured out. Somebody else thought the people living on Houseboat Row were an eyesore. So what Hurricane Georges didn’t remove were encouraged to find other dockage. In the past during Fantasy Fest, public toplessness or bottomlessness got a slap on the wrist. The overexposed were given one size covers everything Fantasy Fest T-shirts and politely asked to cover up. Body painters were considered covered since they were wearing paint. Somebody complained and not Fantasy Fest revelers showing too much skin find themselves fined and compelled to spend a night in the hoosgow. Thank God I had the pleasure of meeting Nancy Forrester on of Key West’s few remaining artists. I learned a lot about the island from her. I learned about the backstreets and places to hunker down when the island is over run by cruise people and other land based tourists. If I tell then they won’t be secret places anymore. I would never visit Key West on a cruise ship, because after a day of snorkeling, sunning etc Key West has one of the most interesting night life scenes I’d miss on a cruise ship. I grew up on the New Jersey shore at a Summer vacation destination. I only knew of the love and hate of vacationers very well. The money that came with Summer was good. The trash, traffic jams, loud stereos on the beach, more trash, weekend maniacs on the bay all this led me to yearn for labor day when they all went home. I can relate to folks in Key West. I think the secret is that when you live in Paradise you have to be very careful how you promote it and who you let visit. If you don’t, then it won’t be Paradise anymore, just another tourist trap. — To email me, Edit "xt" from my email address. Brian M. Kochera "Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once!" View My Web Page: http://home.earthlink.net/~brian1951
Response:
I think the secret is that when you live in Paradise you have to be very
careful how you promote it and who you let visit. Very true… unfortunately in that "pact with the devil" most "locals" don’t get a vote. In my home-town [also a tourist destination] "influential" business people promoted expansion of tourism, etc. Now, many of the same folks complain about the "infestation" that has led to the disappearance of the "feel" of the original community. Why didn’t they listen to "locals" warnings then? Could it be that it’s all about their personal profits/losses and has nothing at all to do with what’s good for preservation of the town or the community?
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve been doing land based stays in Key West for a number of years. Tourism has always had a love hate relationship with this island city going back to the wrecker days. Tourism brings in money, but when that tourism kicks up a fuss about something they find offensive a little bit more of the island dies. I’m not just talking about cruise ship passengers who just want to buy a T-shirt, have a drink at Sloppy Joes or Margarittaville and get back on the ship. The same thing happened in New York’s Greenwich Village. People with money and not an artistic or eccentric bone in their bodies decided it would be nice to live there. Property rates went up and poof, first thing to go was half of the island’s artist population. Hippies followed suite and first thing you know, Sunset Celebration was no logner about loving your fellow man but about entertaining the tourist. Somebody thought it wasn’t good for tourism and poof, the tattoo parlors were replaced by GAP and Benneton on Duval. Trailers on Green St near Duval were hid behind a concrete wall and yet that wasn’t good enough, they were pressured out. Somebody else thought the people living on Houseboat Row were an eyesore. So what Hurricane Georges didn’t remove were encouraged to find other dockage. In the past during Fantasy Fest, public toplessness or bottomlessness got a slap on the wrist. The overexposed were given one size covers everything Fantasy Fest T-shirts and politely asked to cover up. Body painters were considered covered since they were wearing paint. Somebody complained and not Fantasy Fest revelers showing too much skin find themselves fined and compelled to spend a night in the hoosgow. Thank God I had the pleasure of meeting Nancy Forrester on of Key West’s few remaining artists. I learned a lot about the island from her. I learned about the backstreets and places to hunker down when the island is over run by cruise people and other land based tourists. If I tell then they won’t be secret places anymore. I would never visit Key West on a cruise ship, because after a day of snorkeling, sunning etc Key West has one of the most interesting night life scenes I’d miss on a cruise ship. I grew up on the New Jersey shore at a Summer vacation destination. I only knew of the love and hate of vacationers very well. The money that came with Summer was good. The trash, traffic jams, loud stereos on the beach, more trash, weekend maniacs on the bay all this led me to yearn for labor day when they all went home. I can relate to folks in Key West. I think the secret is that when you live in Paradise you have to be very careful how you promote it and who you let visit. If you don’t, then it won’t be Paradise anymore, just another tourist trap. — To email me, Edit "xt" from my email address. Brian M. Kochera "Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once!" View My Web Page: http://home.earthlink.net/~brian1951
Response:
In my home-town [also a tourist destination] "influential" business people promoted expansion of tourism, etc. Now, many of the same folks complain about the "infestation" that has led to the disappearance of the "feel" of the original community. Why didn’t they listen to "locals" warnings then? Could it be that it’s all about their personal profits/losses and has nothing at all to do with what’s good for preservation of the town or the community?
Of course the same could be said about the locals. Much of these things have the undertone of "I am here, but I wouldn’t want anyone to enjoy what I am enjoying". Seldom do you get from outside of an area clambering NOT to be let in. — Addendumb: What lawyers add to contracts to mess up a perfectly good working relationship with an editor. (stolen from Dan Ferber on nasw-freelance list)
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The quality of the cruise ship passenger is sinking with the discount fare.
Quality is defined by the user. The user defines himself by his definition of Quality. Ask Pirsig. I love boats but hate the high pitched honking sound of the Long Island housewife.
A bit irritating.
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Stingrays filed a class action lawsuit against the cruise industry charging them with negligence contributing towards their obesity …from overeating due to all the excursions …
Hope they win. Is Skippy Da Parrot Numbskull lead attorney?
Response:
I think the secret is that when you live in Paradise you have to be very careful how you promote it and who you let visit. If you don’t, then it won’t be Paradise anymore, just another tourist trap.
Tell Turks and Caicos. Quick.
Response:
How true! The March issue of "National Geographic Traveler" magazine put Key West in its "Getting Ugly" category, ranking it third from last among 115 international travel destinations for what it called crowding, poor planning and greed.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I think the secret is that when you live in Paradise you have to be very careful how you promote it and who you let visit. If you don’t, then it won’t be Paradise anymore, just another tourist trap. Tell Turks and Caicos. Quick.
Response:
<< Quality is defined by the user. The user defines himself by his definition of Quality. Ask Pirsig. Zensational
Response:
This is my notice that I will no longer reply to "Paul", but that I disagree with anything that he floats as the "truth".
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Golly, Jim, do you mean that I am not alone in identifying Paul as a "Class A" troll? — DG in Cherry Hill, NJ Oh they are not. That is just some of that idiot Paul’s garbage. Do yourself a favor and killfile him and you won’t see it unless someone forwards his rantings. Key West people are weird folks and proud of it. The redneck crap is just that, rantings from a complete bigoted idiot. Jim Key West residents are fed up with the new breed of cruise passenger (trailer park trash) and how they turned the once unique island into a sleazy tourist trap full of "jewelry and T-shirt shops, bars and restaurants" Here’s a link to an article on CNN.com describing the latest uproar. http://tinyurl.com/32abg I was actually in port that day, on the Zenith. It was an exhausting zoo. We spent some money in town, ate lunch at a local restaurant and high-tailed it back to the ship because it was just *too* touristy. Not my favorite port by a long shot. It was a nicer tourist trap than, say, Puerto Limon, but not anything like the fun we had in the rest of Costa Rica, Honduras or CocoCay. Jenrose
Response:
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) Rumor has it that it’s the fish that are toxic in California and that is why they put the warning on reels. Seems dumb to me. Why not stamp all the fish? LZ