Cruising "local": Would you support it?

[jasbo49]

I keep thinking it would be great having more options to cruise on the West Coast of the U.S., where I live. If you live on the East Coast, maybe you feel the same way about cruises there.

 

How does everyone here feel about a Cruise the U.S.A. Movement? I'm not an isolationist who says the rest of the world can go suck eggs. Just recognizing that there are plenty of U.S. economies that could benefit from the cruise dollars we all spend. And there are countless places we could all stand to see -- not instead of, but along with, St. Thomas, Cozumel, Puerto Vallarta and Bora Bora.

 

Other than Alaska cruises, which are firmly established and don't need any promotion here, there are only a few roundtrip cruises that go to visit West Coast ports. I noticed Princess, Disney and Celebrity have a few, but they're kind of steep. I wonder if there were more, would the price come down?

 

I'll let Easterners speak for themselves, but here on the Left Coast, you have legitimate cruise ports in Seattle, Astoria, Ore., San Francisco, L.A., Santa Barbara and San Diego.

 

I'd sure like to see these cruises gain popularity so they might come down in price -- and so they might become a source of income for our port cities, many of which could use a shot in the arm.

 

So what do you think? Would you like to cruise a little more U.S.A.? Or are you happy with most of your cruising being outside the country?

 

Jim

[paul929207]

We like to go to different places, so no, we would not be excited about more US cruise.

 

Also, your post seems to imply that St Thomas is ont in the US. It is a US territory.

[cruisemom42]

Nope.

 

I've seen a fair amount of the USA (not by cruise ship), but I am more interested in cruises to other parts of the world.

[calliopecruiser]

Nope; while I may start or end a cruise (almost) locally to minimize my pre- and post-cruise travel, I'm not interested in seeing ports by ship that I could more cheaply drive or fly to. In fact, I want sea days, not port-intensive cruises.

[spookwife]

why would I want to? I can fly or drive for about the same cost.. and have.

 

I have lived on Both Coasts and have done PLENTY of vacations within a few hours drive of home

[mtwingcpa]

Actually, yes, I would be interested in seeing more US ports. I've done the left coast several times, but never the east. Part of the problem is that the PVSA makes it difficult for foreign flagged ships to do domestic coastal routes without foreign port stops (Los Angeles to Vancouver is OK, Miami to New York is not).

[Mom2B&Z]

We're Canadians, but US cruises would not interest us at all. We cruise to get away from snow and ice, so the Caribbean is what attracts us. I wouldn't do a New England/east coast of Canada cruise either, just because we can drive to these places so easily and tend to spend most of our vacation budget on our winter trip.

Interesting idea though.

[navybankerteacher]

Most US port cities are better seen on land tours -- also, ever since successful unions forced the cost of US flag ships out of competition, virtually all cruise lines are foreign flagged - meaning that, under current law, they must always hit a foreign port between US ports.

 

Yes, the maritime unions won good terms for their members -- similar to the press unions in New York -- effectively wiping out both domestic industries.

[calliopecruiser]

Actually, yes, I would be interested in seeing more US ports. I've done the left coast several times, but never the east. Part of the problem is that the PVSA makes it difficult for foreign flagged ships to do domestic coastal routes without foreign port stops (Los Angeles to Vancouver is OK, Miami to New York is not).

 

I thought they could do closed loop US cruises, as long as passengers didn't stay in any of the intervening port? So an LA-LA or Miami-Miami would be OK, even if all the port stops are in the US.

[OCruisers]

We would LOVE cruise lines sailing on 10 - 14 day cruises (roundtrip) out of Charleston,SC or JAX... both ports are very convenient for us.

[NoobCruise]

I was born and raised in California and have lived near San Francisco and Monterey most of my life, except a few years when my husband was in the USCG and we were stationed in Oregon. My daughter lives in San Diego, a brother and sister in the LA area and another sister in Seattle. We've pretty well toured out the west coast ports running back and forth visiting family. I probably would not cruise the west coast unless it's taking me somewhere else. Alaska is booked and we've cruised Mexico. I've done numerous land trips through Mexico and Canada. Hawaii, well, been there too and I'd rather fly there and spend the time there rather than have 8 sea days crossing the Pacific. We've also travelled the east coast extensively on land trips. 'm much more interested in touring other countries now, most of which I'll fly to the east coast or over seas to cruise.

 

Sorry, probably not the answer you were looking for.

[deladypilot]

I think it would all depend on where it stopped and what there was to do and see there. Im not into the beach scene when I go on cruises, I look for the local history. To me going to any country and just going to the beach would be like going to the beach here. To me, you havent seen a destination until you learn about its history and culture (my opinion, not others).

 

While the cruise itself is the big destination to me, I do love getting off the ship and seeing the local sights.

 

NCL does 1 trip a year (I think its 1) that starts in Boston and stops several places going down the Eastern seaboard on its way to Florida. Looks like it would be an interesting trip. Boston, NY, Baltimore, Charleston are some of the stops. All historical places. I would enjoy that one once I think. After that probably not

[kitty9]

I thought they could do closed loop US cruises, as long as passengers didn't stay in any of the intervening port? So an LA-LA or Miami-Miami would be OK, even if all the port stops are in the US.

 

No, what you say would violate the PVSA. It states that a stop must be made in a distant foreign port, and being a closed loop cruise has nothing to do with that law.

[SPacificbound]

I have traveled the US extensively and I have no interest in US cruises. When I travel in the US, which I do frequently, I fly to what I want as my starting point, rent a car and keep going, and that can be from San Diego to San Francisco (as an example). If I am going to NYC I want a week in NYC. So no, can't see US cruising being attractive to me. JMHO :cool:

[loubetti]

Let me ask you a pertinent question:

 

Where would YOU like to depart from; visit in between and return to? Would you like to depart from; Seattle, go down the west coast, stop somewhere in between and end up in LA?

 

No foreign ports in between?

 

There is a significant reason for me asking this.

 

Your post was just a bit confusing, or you have no clue how this business / regulations works, or you just have money to throw away, which most of us do not.

 

Do you want to cruise between one US port and another, with only other US ports in between?

 

If so, let me know your stock broker!

 

Why the heck do you think the SS United States is rusting away in Philadelphia?

[JDinWA]

I thought they could do closed loop US cruises, as long as passengers didn't stay in any of the intervening port? So an LA-LA or Miami-Miami would be OK, even if all the port stops are in the US.

 

No, for a non-US-registered ship, the law states: "If the passenger is on a voyage solely to one or more coastwise ports and the passenger disembarks or goes ashore temporarily at a coastwise port, there is a violation of the coastwise law." ("Coastwise" = a port in the U.S., its territories, or possessions)

 

Closed loop is okay, as long as there is a nearby foreign port stop included.

 

source: http://cfr.vlex.com/vid/4-coastwise-transportation-passengers-19649025

[loubetti]

No, what you say would violate the PVSA. It states that a stop must be made in a distant foreign port, and being a closed loop cruise has nothing to do with that law.

 

Bingo! You got it. My answer above was challenging to the OP, as you had better know the facts. You're not doing R/T USA voyages without foreign ports without huge, huge costs incurred.

 

That's why I told the OP that the SS United States rusts away in Philadelphia.

 

The unions killed her, and our government, that throws money away like toilet paper can't even save her.

 

[loubetti]

No, what you say would violate the PVSA. It states that a stop must be made in a distant foreign port, and being a closed loop cruise has nothing to do with that law.

 

Bingo! You got it. My answer above was challenging to the OP, as you had better know the facts. You're not doing R/T USA voyages without foreign ports without huge, huge costs incurred.

 

That's why I told the OP that the SS United States rusts away in Philadelphia.

 

The unions killed her.

 

[Karysa]

If you could do a closed loop cruise I would think that it would be quite popular with Americans with chronic health conditions who find travel health insurance unavailable to them or simply too expensive.

[Starry Eyes]

The most interesting US itineraries would not be allowed by PVSA.

 

If not for PVSA, I might be I tempted to do certain US cruises. I can imagine NE residents cruising one way from say NYC to Port Canaveral, spending some time at the parks, then flying home. or vice versa.

 

I would consider visiting cities on the gulf rather than same old west Caribbean ports.

 

But again, PVSA prevents foreign flagged ships from using the itineraries I might design.

[jasbo49]

OK, it appears that:

 

1. Nobody really wants to cruise the coasts.

 

2. There are legal issues that I don't come close to grasping.

 

3. I once again underestimated some posters' ability to insult and turn ugly.

 

Not my first bad idea, and it probably won't be my last.

 

Jim

[cruising cockroach]

Have a gander at the prices for sailing down the AICW

 

http://www.americancruiselines.com/ships/American-Spirit-

[calliopecruiser]

Well, from my research on the PVSA (I'm not American, so I researched it when I first read about it because I found it curious), I found this information: "Foreign flag vessels are restricted from a practice known as coastwise trade. Coastwise trade entails picking up cargo or passengers from one point in the United States and discharging them at another point in the U.S. For example, an Argentinean-flagged cruise ship picks up passengers in Miami then sails to various ports of call, including Bermuda, Charleston, South Carolina, and Annapolis, Maryland before returning to Miami. While passengers may leave the vessel to see the U.S. ports, they must return to the ship before it sails. If the ship sails before everyone is on board, that would be a violation of the law forbidding coastwise trade because they would have transported a passenger between two different U.S. ports." (https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/709)

 

I figured the Customs and Border Protection folk are pretty trustworthy about such information.

[crooooze]

So in defense of the OP and from the perspective of a cruiser, I actually think it's a good idea.

 

Whether or not it's practical or violates a law is irrelevant. This is just a hypothetical discussion. The OP probably isn't about to start lobbying cruiseline CEOs or government heads.

 

There are water ferries all over the place to take you on short hops. Just imagine how cool it would be if the water ferry went longer distances and was a cruise ship. Granted, it most likely wouldn't be one of those 6,000 passenger monster ships.

 

People who love cruising take cruises to nowhere. We already established on another thread that many cruisers love sea days to relax or enjoy ship activities.

 

So, I'd be willing to bet that those same people who wanted to go 700 miles up or down the coast would certainly take one of these "cruise ferries" instead of driving.

(Obviously assuming there was a way for the pricing to be reasonable...)

[Happy ks]

Have a gander at the prices for sailing down the AICW

 

http://www.americancruiselines.com/ships/American-Spirit-

 

Now, that's my idea of a great cruise experience on a USA coast :) Prices may be a bit on the high side, but what a great journey.

 

We love West Coast cruising, have done 2 so far. One all the way up to Vancouver, the other up the coast as far as San Francisco, then down to Ensenada for a day (kind of a throw away day...very pleasant to lay around and read, nowhere to go ;)). We've done plenty of Baja cruises (3/4 day) and a few Mexican Riviera days (will not do that again unless the ports change). A really nice one was a 5 night where we went to Cabo San Lucas, we really liked that one...but not a USA cruise.

 

But we're not fun in the sun, gotta get a tan kind of people. We look forward to a Canada/new England cruise in the future and would certainly do a northbound repo again. Our next little cruise is from Vancouver to LA, no stops, but we'll be in VAN for a couple days pre cruise.