B2B Seattle/Vancouver/Los Angeles Problem

[CruisePrincess6]

We are interested in booking a b2b starting in Seattle and ending in Los Angeles. First cruise is one day from Seattle to Vancouver. Second Vancouver to Los Angeles. Princess tells me this can't be done. Is there any way to make this work since we would like to spend some time in Seattle?

[Working 2 Cruise]

We are interested in booking a b2b starting in Seattle and ending in Los Angeles. First cruise is one day from Seattle to Vancouver. Second Vancouver to Los Angeles. Princess tells me this can't be done. Is there any way to make this work since we would like to spend some time in Seattle?

 

The problem is the PVSA Act. The reason Princess won't let you do this is because it's illegal. I'm sure others will clarify further. Bottom line, no way!

[FritzG]

We tried to book a similar itinerary last year, and it can't be done. If you take the one day trip to Vancouver and switch ships to return to the US that could work. I don't remember if you had to wait one day to board another ship or not, but you can't stay on the same ship and do this itinerary.

[nukesubsailor]

We are interested in booking a b2b starting in Seattle and ending in Los Angeles. First cruise is one day from Seattle to Vancouver. Second Vancouver to Los Angeles. Princess tells me this can't be done. Is there any way to make this work since we would like to spend some time in Seattle?

 

The only way to do this would be if you traveled on two different ships.

It is illegal to sail on the same ship from one American port to another American port unless the ship visits a DISTANT foreign port. Vancouver does not qualify as a distant foreign port.

We ran into this catch once when we wanted to catch a ship in L.A., ride it to Vancouver then stay onboard to go to Alaska. We ended up having to get off in Vancouver and spend the night. The next day we got on a different ship for an Alaskan cruise.

[XBGuy]

Am I correct in guessing that your plan was to fly to Seattle, visit for a few days and, then, commence the Seattle, Vancouver, Los Angeles cruise? If you really want to spend a few days in Seattle, and I certainly agree that it is a great city to visit, then I think your next best bet is to travel overland (Train? Bus?) to Vancouver and just skip that one day cruise. I think it's about a 3 hour bus ride from Seattle to Vancouver. Of course, then you will also have to arrange transportation from the bus/train station to the port, but I would think that a taxi would be fairly easy to get. Other than than, then, obviously, your choice is to fly directly to Vancouver and visit Seattle another time.

 

:(

[Pam in CA]

We are interested in booking a b2b starting in Seattle and ending in Los Angeles. First cruise is one day from Seattle to Vancouver. Second Vancouver to Los Angeles. Princess tells me this can't be done. Is there any way to make this work since we would like to spend some time in Seattle?

It's a violation of US law, the PVSA (Passenger Vessel Services Act.) The only way to make it work is to stay overnight in Vancouver and board a different ship the next day or board the ship in Vancouver.

 

The PVSA in simple terms:

 

-- If you board a ship in one US port and disembark the same ship at another US port, the ship, and you, must go to a "far" foreign port. The nearest "far" foreign port is South America. It has nothing to do with nationality and doesn't matter how many B2Bs between initial embarkation and final disembarkation. A passport is required for all passengers. Violations are $300/passenger. Cruise lines are fined if they knowingly allow passengers to violate the law.

 

-- If you board a ship in one US port and disembark the same ship at the SAME US port, it's called a "closed loop" cruise. The ship, and you, must go to a "near" foreign port. A "near" foreign port is Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, and Central America. A passport is not required and passengers can board using a certified birth certificate and photo ID.

Edited March 23, 2016 by Pam in CA

[beg3yrs]

What nobody has yet mentioned is this is true for ships not flagged in the USA. If the ship was flagged/registered as a US vessel, it would not be a violation of the PVSA. The PVSA also applies to aircraft. You won't see Lufthansa or British Airways flying passengers within the US.

 

Good luck finding a US flagged cruise ship though ... :rolleyes:

[LeeW]

We have done this several times. Sail from Seattle to Vancouver. Get off ship and stay a day or two. Take a different ship down to LA. If you happen to find a different ship going south on the same day you get to Vancouver you can take that - just can't sail on the same ship.

 

As others have said, what you are trying to do is illegal and subjects Princess to fines. So even if you succeed in booking it they will cancel it. The PVSA is also the reason that ships don't sail from Seattle to Alaska one way. They all start in Vancouver.

[Pam in CA]

What nobody has yet mentioned is this is true for ships not flagged in the USA. If the ship was flagged/registered as a US vessel, it would not be a violation of the PVSA.

Only one cruise ship sailing in US waters is US-flagged: NCL's "Pride of America" which cruises around Hawaii. That's why I didn't mention it. :)

[XBGuy]

Are there any ferries or other passenger vessels that run between Seattle and Vancouver? Maybe somebody with local knowledge would know.

[skynight]

We are interested in booking a b2b starting in Seattle and ending in Los Angeles. First cruise is one day from Seattle to Vancouver. Second Vancouver to Los Angeles. Princess tells me this can't be done. Is there any way to make this work since we would like to spend some time in Seattle?

Find some other way to get from Seattle to Vancouver, for example the Amtrak Cascades Train Service, or maybe a bus service. It isn't very far. As others have posted you can not go on the same ship from Seattle to Vancouver to L.A.. It is not allowed by U.S. law.

[martincath]

Are there any ferries or other passenger vessels that run between Seattle and Vancouver? Maybe somebody with local knowledge would know.

No commercial services - though you can go Seattle-Victoria, then Victoria-Vancouver by ferry, or I guess if funds are no object charter a small vessel yourself...

 

To OP, the suggestion above of finding a different way from Seattle-Vancouver is the most sensible thing to do. Buses from Bolt, Greyhound, Quickshuttle etc. run many times daily; Amtrak train twice a day is IMO the best method (cheap, best customs/immigration experience by far since it's at the station in Vancouver not at the actual border and of course you can wander about the train and get liquored up in the bistro car!)

 

Spend as long as you choose in Seattle, then get up to Vancouver on a very early morning bus or train day of cruise back to LA, or (best IMO) go up to Vancouver early enough before the cruise to hang about here too. It's at least twice as good as Seattle;-)

[Skai]

Only one cruise ship sailing in US waters is US-flagged: NCL's "Pride of America" which cruises around Hawaii. That's why I didn't mention it. :)

 

There are a few more U.S. flagged cruise ships that travel the inside waters of the U.S. -- Doing river cruises and various Western/Eastern seaboard routes(including Alaska).

 

American Eagle, American Spirit, American Star, Independence, Queen of the Mississippi, Queen of the West...

Edited March 24, 2016 by Skai

[2pbears]

We are doing this in September (18th). We have a one night cruise from Seattle to Vancouver on the Crown. We spend the night in Vancouver and the following day (September 19th) the Ruby sails from Vancouver to LA. Ideally we would have liked to stay onboard the Crown and sailed to LA without staying over but that is not permitted by the PVSA.

Edited March 24, 2016 by 2pbears

[Elitein85days]

Find some other way to get from Seattle to Vancouver, for example the Amtrak Cascades Train Service, or maybe a bus service. It isn't very far. As others have posted you can not go on the same ship from Seattle to Vancouver to L.A.. It is not allowed by U.S. law.

 

Take the Bolt Bus (http://www.boltbus.com). Cheap and actually pretty nice.

[notentirelynormal]

Or you could rent a car and drive up. It's only around 120 miles. A scenic drive, you can stop along the way, your luggage is secure and you come and go as you want.

[Robinsoncruiseso]

Not so sure if I agree with Vancouver being 2X as good as Seattle. Looks like the Hawks did a little better than the Canucks. Living in Washington and being closer to Vancouver than Seattle, I will agree that you should spend some time in both these wonderful cities. We take the Bolt bus for "day of" cruise travel as it arrives an hour earlier than Amtrak, plus you might be able to score a $1 ticket on the bus.

[VibeGuy]

As a local, I suggest renting a car. Alamo typically has decent rates for one-way rentals that you can drop directly at Canada Place. The bus is the bus, the train is nicer but two tickets are universally more than a rental when we've done it, and it's nice having a car to explore parts of Vancouver on our own schedule.

[ggprincess2004]

Princess runs a bus transfer from SeaTac to the pier in Vancouver. All you have to is 1. purchase the Princess transfers; 2. get yourself back to the baggage claim area at Sea Tac by about 8 am the morning of the Vancouver cruise. Your luggage will travel with you.

 

While you cannot do the cruise from Seattle to Vancouver, you can spend time in Seattle and still let Princess take care of getting you to the pier in Vancouver for the cruise to LA. We have taken the Princess transfer a number of times, and it is pretty painless.