Key West is set to reopen for
cruise arrivals, with the first visit occurring this Sunday with a call from the Royal Caribbean's Empress of the Seas.
The port has been closed to
cruise ships since Hurricane Irma struck the Florida Keys on Sept. 9.
Key West will be the first port
to reopen among destinations that were slammed by Hurricane Irma.
A Coast Guard spokesman said the
ports in St. Croix and San Juan remain closed in the wake of Hurricane
Maria, which passed over those areas this week. St. Thomas and St. Maarten,
islands wrecked by Hurricane Irma, also are closed to cruise ships.
Cruise visitors to Key West will
have the place largely to themselves. Authorities in the Keys are asking
overnight visitors to postpone immediate vacation plans throughout the island
chain. Key West has set an Oct. 20 target date to reopen for general tourism.
"However, that date may be advanced," a statement said.