Key West - Fort Zachary from Naval Pier

[mareed]

Can anyone tell me exactly how to get to Fort Zachary and then back to the ship in Key West when docked at the Naval Pier? We're considering this on our upcoming cruise, but I can't quite figure it out.

I believe I've read reports of people who have done this and have tried searching the boards, but can't tell how much walking is involved and how it would work. I've also been to Key West and docked at the Naval pier, but didn't pay attention, but hopefully my previous experience will help me understand if someone can explain it!

I think that the tram/trolley that takes you from the ship to Mallory Square will make an extra stop at the entrace to Fort Zachary Park. Is that right? If so, do they do make this stop every time or do you need to let someone know when you board so they know to stop. If this is correct, how long is the walk from the park entrance to the beach?

What about the return to the ship? I assume we'd walk from the beach/park back to the park entrance. From there, how do we get back to the ship? Is the park entrance close to where the tram/trolley stops before entering the navy base and they check everyone's id's? Last trip, I saw some people waiting there that I assumed were waiting to go back to the ship, but if all the tram/trolleys are full, how would they ever get back?

 

[mkmommy]

Sorry I don't have the answer but another question.

Is DCL docking at the Naval Pier all the time , and how would you find out?

 

[OMG Andrea]

We live in the area and you can even walk to Ft Zach from the Navy pier. I'm assuming you mean the Outer Mole Navy Pier and not Pier B near the Westin hotel.

You are literally steps away from Ft Zach if that is the case. You will exit the ship & will see the Eco Discovery Center on your right. Ft Zach is essentially on the other side of that building

 

[abja09]

I am taking a cruise on the Wonder in February and we dock at Pier B. I am traveling with my DS10 and we want to go to the shipwreck museum. Can we just walk from the ship or do we need to take the trolley? On the map everything looks so close.

 

[bbn1122]

We went to Ft. Zachary Taylor Beach in April 2010 when we sailed on the Magic.
We walked from the port and it was a lot further than we thought it would be. See if you can take a trolley or cab there. The shoreline was rocky, water shoes are a good thing here.

We went straight down just cut over from the ship it kind of off Duval. We looked at a map before we went.

I do not remember the exact route.

We did not go to the Fort, but that looks very interesting.

The beach had shade, chairs for rent, playground, bathrooms, food concession etc.

 

[bbn1122]

We walked back....and no I.D.s were checked back then.

 

[OMG Andrea]

I am taking a cruise on the Wonder in February and we dock at Pier B. I am traveling with my DS10 and we want to go to the shipwreck museum. Can we just walk from the ship or do we need to take the trolley? On the map everything looks so close.

From Pier B you can definitely walk to the Shipwreck museum. Not from the Navy pier, but definitely from Pier B.

We went to Ft. Zachary Taylor Beach in April 2010 when we sailed on the Magic.
We walked from the port and it was a lot further than we thought it would be. See if you can take a trolley or cab there. The shoreline was rocky, water shoes are a good thing here.

We went straight down just cut over from the ship it kind of off Duval. We looked at a map before we went.

I do not remember the exact route.

We did not go to the Fort, but that looks very interesting.

The beach had shade, chairs for rent, playground, bathrooms, food concession etc.

That's Pier B - sounds like that is what the RP means, not the Navy pier. I definitely recommend a trolley if you are going from Pier B to Ft Zach. Good snorkeling at Ft Zach, but yes it is very rocky.

 

[mareed]

On my cruise, Disney Wonder Nov. 25, we are docking at the Navy (Old Mole) Pier. In my experience on 2 previous cruises to Key West, if there is another ship there on the same day, then Disney gets the Navy Pier, and the other ship gets the Pier B near Mallory Square. This may not be the case every time though!

I'm getting information from these sources, and they would likely help answer questions of where Disney's ship is docking for other dates:
http://www.keywestcity.com/eGov/apps/document/center.egov?view=item;id=9491

http://www.cruiseportinsider.com/keywestschedule2013.html

http://ports.cruisett.com/schedule/United_States_Of_America/336-Key_West_Florida/November_2013/.

Not completely consistent because one of them doesn't show the Wonder at all on Nov. 25, but there is obviously Carnival Freedom there the same day, and they are docking at Pier B and the Wonder will be at the Navy Old Mole Pier.

Walking to Fort Zachary from Pier B is very different from walking from Navy Mole Pier, and I'm trying to discover if it's possible from Navy Pier. When docking at Navy Pier, I know there is additional security because in Oct 2013 they had to check ID's of everyone on the tram returning to the ship before we entered the Navy base. Because of that, I'm concerned that we wouldn't be allowed to walk back to the Wonder from Fort Zachary even if it was easy walking distance.

Does anyone have very recent experience docking at Navy Mole Pier and going to Fort Zachary for a few hours? If so, how did you get back to the ship?

 

[mareed]

We live in the area and you can even walk to Ft Zach from the Navy pier. I'm assuming you mean the Outer Mole Navy Pier and not Pier B near the Westin hotel.

You are literally steps away from Ft Zach if that is the case. You will exit the ship & will see the Eco Discovery Center on your right. Ft Zach is essentially on the other side of that building

Yes, we're definitely at Outer Mole Navy Pier, so it's great to confirm that it really is quite close as I thought.

Hopefully someone has information about whether due to security we'd be allowed to walk back to the ship or if we'd be stuck in a logistical nightmare of having to walk back to Mallory Square in order to take a trolley back to the ship. Definitely don't want to find that due to security, we can't get back to the ship even though we can see it and it would be a short walk!

 

[OMG Andrea]

Yes, we're definitely at Outer Mole Navy Pier, so it's great to confirm that it really is quite close as I thought.

Hopefully someone has information about whether due to security we'd be allowed to walk back to the ship or if we'd be stuck in a logistical nightmare of having to walk back to Mallory Square in order to take a trolley back to the ship. Definitely don't want to find that due to security, we can't get back to the ship even though we can see it and it would be a short walk!

In October there was so much security due to Fantasy Fest, so you should be fine for this trip! Hopefully you are able to find out for sure soon, though!

 

[mrp4352]

We were on the 10/26 Wonder cruise and they did not allow people to walk back to the ship. you could only return via tram from Mallory Square - sorry!!

 

[abja09]

Thanks OMG Andrea! For the info on walking from Pier B to the shipwreck museum.

 

[mareed]

We were on the 10/26 Wonder cruise and they did not allow people to walk back to the ship. you could only return via tram from Mallory Square - sorry!!

Great info - exactly what I was looking for! Even if it's not what I wanted to hear. Did you do this yourself?

So when you were done at the Fort, would you have to walk to Mallory Square? If so, any idea how long that walk is?

Or could you catch the tram going from the ship to Mallory Square? If so, how did you get the tram to stop? I assume once you got to Mallory Square, you'd join the line for the tram back to the ship, right? I really think this is what I want to do, but am concerned about how to get back to the ship!

Thanks for the info.

 

[mrp4352]

Great info - exactly what I was looking for! Even if it's not what I wanted to hear. Did you do this yourself?

So when you were done at the Fort, would you have to walk to Mallory Square? If so, any idea how long that walk is?

Or could you catch the tram going from the ship to Mallory Square? If so, how did you get the tram to stop? I assume once you got to Mallory Square, you'd join the line for the tram back to the ship, right? I really think this is what I want to do, but am concerned about how to get back to the ship!

Thanks for the info.

Sorry - we didn't do the fort. However, you had to use the shuttle service to/from the ship to Mallory Square. I know that ours didn't stop anywhere else - and I don't recall them making any announcements about the ability to stop anywhere else. Most of the trams were running packed when we saw them. (I watched from my verandah for part of the afternoon.)

That said, the Mallory Square tram stop for the ship is next to the trolley that runs all over the island, so it may be possible to use that one for your 'in Key West' transportation.

Sorry I couldn't be more help!

 

[mareed]

Sorry - we didn't do the fort. However, you had to use the shuttle service to/from the ship to Mallory Square. I know that ours didn't stop anywhere else - and I don't recall them making any announcements about the ability to stop anywhere else. Most of the trams were running packed when we saw them. (I watched from my verandah for part of the afternoon.)

That said, the Mallory Square tram stop for the ship is next to the trolley that runs all over the island, so it may be possible to use that one for your 'in Key West' transportation.

Sorry I couldn't be more help!

Thanks! I just misunderstood, and thought you meant that you couldn't walk back from Fort Zachary, but now understand that you meant you couldn't walk back at all. That's what I thought from my experience where they checked id's of everyone on the tram as we rode it from Mallory Square back to the ship.

Still pondering how to do this, and am now considering local cab to transport between Fort Zachary and Mallory Square as needed to catch the tram to/from the ship... Does anyone have experience with that? I found info for 2 cab companies:
FIVE SIXES CAB
Phone: 305-296-6666

FRIENDLY CAB
Phone: 305-292-1111 or (305) 292-3333

 

[dcassetta]

The shuttle driver may or may not announce this, but you can stop at the entrance before the secure Navy area and walk into Ft. Zachary. There is an entrance fee of a couple of dollars. The walk from the entrance gate to the beach area is less than 1/4 mile. To return to the ship, walk to the tented security area. The guards will stop you and make you wait for the next shuttle.

If you use google maps and key in Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park that will give you a good overview of both the outer mole and the park entrance. The park gate is where Angela and Quay come together.

If the ship docks at Mallory Square - take a cab or rent bikes.

 

[mareed]

The shuttle driver may or may not announce this, but you can stop at the entrance before the secure Navy area and walk into Ft. Zachary. There is an entrance fee of a couple of dollars. The walk from the entrance gate to the beach area is less than 1/4 mile. To return to the ship, walk to the tented security area. The guards will stop you and make you wait for the next shuttle.

This is wonderful information! On my last cruise, I think I saw some people waiting at the tent security area, but didn't know what they were there for. Our tram was full, and I know there were lines of people waiting to board at Mallory Square after ours left, so I wonder how you'd get back to the ship if all the trams are already full from Mallory Square as I expect they would be after a certain point in the day. I'm probably worrying and over-thinking it! I'll take phone # of taxi in Key West and worst case I'll call to have a taxi take me to Mallory Square where I can catch the tram back. Think I have my plan now!