I recently took a short cruise on Celebrity Silhouette with two ports of call – Bimini, in the Bahamas, and Key West, Florida.
While Bimini has one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen, my wife and I specifically chose this itinerary for the Key West stop. The southernmost island in the Florida Keys is a special place for us – we used to live there, we met each other there, and we got married on the beach there.
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It’s difficult, and expensive, to go to Key West for a full vacation these days, but on the rare occasion we find a cruise itinerary that stops at the island, we jump at the chance to visit some of our favorite places.
Of course, Key West isn’t quite as special to everyone who cruises. But the tropical U.S. town at the end of US-1 is an extremely popular destination for cruisers, and for a few reasons.
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First, as I mentioned, it’s expensive to visit Key West. Flights into the island’s tiny airport tend to be pricey, and hotels are extremely expensive due to the limited supply of places to stay. Airbnb and other short-term rentals are mostly illegal without a special license that is almost impossible to get.
In fact, the entire three-night cruise for our family of four (including meals, entertainment, and more) was roughly the same price that a three-night hotel stay at a mid-level Key West hotel would have cost.
Second, it’s a very safe island, especially compared with some of the popular ports cruise ships visit in the Caribbean. You can simply walk around the town and explore, knowing that American laws apply, your cell phone works, and the crime rate is very low. I could go on, but the point is that Key West is a fan-favorite cruise port for many travelers.
However, the first time we cruised into Key West after moving away from the island, I learned a valuable lesson.
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Celebrity Summit often docks in Key West.
Image Source: Daniel Kline/TheStreet
One big difference in Key West
In most cruise ports, getting on and off the ship, as well as in and out of the port area, is a simple matter of showing or scanning your ship card.
However, in Key West, to get back on the ship – specifically, to get back into the cruise port area – adults need to present a government-issued ID like a driver’s license. Most cruise lines make this clear several times on your way out of the ship, and on my first cruise to Key West, a security officer fortunately reminded us at the last minute.
We had simply planned to go to the beach for a couple hours on that particular trip, so I assumed I could leave my wallet in the in-room safe and simply bring my ship card and a small amount of cash for any incidentals.
In my case, it was nothing more than an inconvenience of running back to my room on the 11th floor while my wife and kids waited near the gangway. But if I hadn’t been paying attention to the security officer’s warnings, it would have made getting back on the ship far more complicated.
Expect this requirement in other US ports
To be clear, this isn’t just a Key West rule. It can be enforced at any U.S. cruise port. Alaska cruises have been popular for some time, and several popular ports on the East Coast are increasingly being used as stops, not just as origination ports. New Orleans and Charleston are two examples.
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If you’ve only cruised to international destinations, you might not expect this. Foreign ports generally don’t ask for a valid driver’s license unless you’re renting a vehicle, and you’re generally encouraged to leave your passport on the ship when in port.
However, it’s worth noting that you can be asked for your ID at any port, and there are some reports of passengers being asked for it, although the vast majority of reports indicate a ship’s card is all that is typically needed when outside of the United States.
Of course, most people who get off the ship will have their wallet in their pocket or will otherwise have their ID somewhere on them. But that isn’t always the case, especially if you’re used to simply taking your ship card as your primary means of identification.
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