Norwegian Dawn Met in Key West By Protesters

Seatrade news is reporting at least 200 people put down their drinks to protest the arrival of another cruise ship.

The controversy over whether to allow cruise ships in the liquor license capital of the country has not died down since the pandemic. Seatrade news reported yesterday that unhappy residents were waiting when the Norwegian Dawn arrived from Tampa.

Safer Cleaner Ships, which organized Thursday morning's protest, has vowed to fight on. The group objects to big ships on environmental grounds.

The Florida legislature last year reversed a 2020 ballot measure that would have prevented the Dawn from docking reminding the local politicians that the State controls the ports.

Seatrade reported that Arlo Haskell, one of the Safer Cleaner Ships organizers, told protesters there were 420 cruise calls at Key West in 2019, with up to three ships a day bringing up to 12,000 passengers. He said at least one cruise ship called each day for 260 days that year. There would have been 490 calls in 2020 if not for the pandemic shutdown.