Linking a Pacific Coastal +Alaska 7-day cruise

[PSR]

Question for Crew News (per your public profile) or anyone else: I see that a NORTHERN (San Diego to Vancouver) Pacific Coastal cruise can be linked to a 7-day (or longer, I assume) Alaska cruise.

 

In the past, I had inquired with HAL if I could do an Alaskan cruise linked to a SOUTHERN (Vancouver to San Diego) Pacific Coastal and was told "no" because of the Passenger Services Act (which I though I understood). Is this because the Southern one is traveling TO the US, rather than FROM the US?

 

Thanks for any information.:confused:

 

Penny

[DaveOKC]

Question for Crew News (per your public profile) or anyone else: I see that a NORTHERN (San Diego to Vancouver) Pacific Coastal cruise can be linked to a 7-day (or longer, I assume) Alaska cruise.

 

In the past, I had inquired with HAL if I could do an Alaskan cruise linked to a SOUTHERN (Vancouver to San Diego) Pacific Coastal and was told "no" because of the Passenger Services Act (which I though I understood). Is this because the Southern one is traveling TO the US, rather than FROM the US?

 

Thanks for any information.:confused:

 

Penny

 

Does not make sense to me. On your Southern route did you start out on the Alaska portion from Vancouver or Seattle?

[richwmn]

Question for Crew News (per your public profile) or anyone else: I see that a NORTHERN (San Diego to Vancouver) Pacific Coastal cruise can be linked to a 7-day (or longer, I assume) Alaska cruise.

 

In the past, I had inquired with HAL if I could do an Alaskan cruise linked to a SOUTHERN (Vancouver to San Diego) Pacific Coastal and was told "no" because of the Passenger Services Act (which I though I understood). Is this because the Southern one is traveling TO the US, rather than FROM the US?

 

Thanks for any information.:confused:

 

Penny

The key is where YOU start your cruise. If YOU start in a US port you can not end in another US port without going to a FAR (non N American/Caribbean) port. If you start in a Foreign port, it doesn't matter where YOU end up.

 

If the Northern Route is starting in San Diego and ending in Vancouver there is no violation. If it ends in Seattle there would be.

 

If the Southern Route started in Vancouver there would also be no problem but starting in Seattle would not allow you to stay on to San Diego.

[Crew News]

Question for Crew News (per your public profile) or anyone else: I see that a NORTHERN (San Diego to Vancouver) Pacific Coastal cruise can be linked to a 7-day (or longer, I assume) Alaska cruise.

 

In the past, I had inquired with HAL if I could do an Alaskan cruise linked to a SOUTHERN (Vancouver to San Diego) Pacific Coastal and was told "no" because of the Passenger Services Act (which I though I understood). Is this because the Southern one is traveling TO the US, rather than FROM the US?

 

Thanks for any information.:confused:

 

Penny

 

I have done a northbound San Diego to Alaska via Vancouver the past two years and will be doing the same in 2017. The cruises were NOT linked and we had to obtain new stateroom key cards just prior to disembarking in Vancouver on the way to Alaska. We had the same staterooms and were counted as in-transit passengers. Of course you may have to switch staterooms if the stateroom you wish is not available for both portions (Alaska and Pacific Coastal).

 

As far as I know, you can indeed book a southbound cruise from Alaska to San Diego BUT the Pacific Coastal portion must begin in Vancouver.

 

There are some one-day cruises between Seattle and Vancouver that may be HAL's method to comply with the law.

 

I would make sure you stress this to HAL when you call them next.

[chengkp75]

I am assuming that both the Northern cruise the OP refers to and the ones that Crew News mentions, include Alaskan cruises that end in Vancouver. If so, then there is no problem, as the two cruises together (whether linked bookings or not) are considered by CBP to be a "foreign" cruise (one that begins or ends in a foreign port.

 

For the Southern cruise the OP asks about, as others have said, it all depends on where the cruise starts. If the Alaska cruise is Seattle - Vancouver, and then a Vancouver to San Diego, this would not be allowed. If the Alaska portion was Vancouver - Vancouver, then the two cruises together are again a "foreign" cruise, and no problem.

 

As stated, HAL and Princess sometimes do a 1 night cruise between Seattle and Vancouver, to cover Seattle round trip Alaska cruises. Therefore, you could do a San Diego to Vancouver, not do the one night cruise and get yourself and baggage to Seattle, and then do a Seattle round trip to Alaska. Not sure if they do the reverse, allowing a Seattle round trip Alaska, get off in Seattle, travel to Vancouver, and take the Vancouver to San Diego. It would be allowed, just not sure if they do it that way.

[DaveOKC]

I have done a northbound San Diego to Alaska via Vancouver the past two years and will be doing the same in 2017. The cruises were NOT linked and we had to obtain new stateroom key cards just prior to disembarking in Vancouver on the way to Alaska. We had the same staterooms and were counted as in-transit passengers. Of course you may have to switch staterooms if the stateroom you wish is not available for both portions (Alaska and Pacific Coastal).

 

As far as I know, you can indeed book a southbound cruise from Alaska to San Diego BUT the Pacific Coastal portion must begin in Vancouver.

 

There are some one-day cruises between Seattle and Vancouver that may be HAL's method to comply with the law.

 

I would make sure you stress this to HAL when you call them next.

 

I think generally you have to book these two cruises separately (unless HAL happens to offer a combined cruise), since the majority of time the Pacific Coastals are only offered as "guarantee" cabins (since most are part of a longer cruise).

 

We did this once Southbound, and we had to take two separate cruises. The first was a Seattle to Seattle Alaska cruise, so we were not able to stay onboard for the next leg two legs - Seattle to Vancouver (1 day) and then Vancouver to San Diego (4 days). Rather, we had to travel on our own to Vancouver and catch a different HAL ship for the Coastal portion. Quite silly of course, but those are the rules.

[geoherb]

My understanding is that you're not allowed to book the same ship if it starts in one U.S. port and ends in another U.S. port without going to a distant foreign port. Vancouver doesn't count. I'm not sure how Crews News is being allowed to sail from San Diego to Alaska on the same ship without it being a violation of the Passenger Vessels Services Act.

[DaveOKC]

My understanding is that you're not allowed to book the same ship if it starts in one U.S. port and ends in another U.S. port without going to a distant foreign port. Vancouver doesn't count. I'm not sure how Crews News is being allowed to sail from San Diego to Alaska on the same ship without it being a violation of the Passenger Vessels Services Act.

 

I think it is because he is ending up in Vancouver, Canada.

[PSR]

I think generally you have to book these two cruises separately (unless HAL happens to offer a combined cruise), since the majority of time the Pacific Coastals are only offered as "guarantee" cabins (since most are part of a longer cruise).

 

We did this once Southbound, and we had to take two separate cruises. The first was a Seattle to Seattle Alaska cruise, so we were not able to stay onboard for the next leg two legs - Seattle to Vancouver (1 day) and then Vancouver to San Diego (4 days). Rather, we had to travel on our own to Vancouver and catch a different HAL ship for the Coastal portion. Quite silly of course, but those are the rules.

 

We did the Seattle-Seattle one in the past, and I think this is the one I asked the HAL PCC about-whether we could combine those 3 to travel to San Diego. The answer was "no" because of the PVSA. Also seeing the clarification in post #8, I think I understand the reasoning now. Complicated! Thank you all for your information.:)

 

Penny

Edited July 7, 2016 by PSR
correction

[frankc98376]

We did coastal and first Alaska in 2014 and got one cruise card for the entire voyage. Had the disembarkation date for the second week on it. Our PCC linked the records so was treated like a collectors on board. We were able to book the same cabin for both legs. Those that were on B2B had a cocktail party, lunch in the PG and comp PG dinner the first night of the second leg.

[CaveDiving]

Question for Crew News (per your public profile) or anyone else: I see that a NORTHERN (San Diego to Vancouver) Pacific Coastal cruise can be linked to a 7-day (or longer, I assume) Alaska cruise.

 

In the past, I had inquired with HAL if I could do an Alaskan cruise linked to a SOUTHERN (Vancouver to San Diego) Pacific Coastal and was told "no" because of the Passenger Services Act (which I though I understood). Is this because the Southern one is traveling TO the US, rather than FROM the US?

 

Thanks for any information.:confused:

 

Penny

 

This sounds to me like a misunderstanding of the PVSA. (The Passenger Vessel Services Act.) The law has nothing to do with whether a voyage is from or to the US, but simply states that it is unacceptable to board a passenger vessel at one US port and disembark at a different US port unless the passenger vessel has stopped at a “distant” foreign port. IIRC, a “distant” foreign port is defined as a port not in North Amercica or the Caribbean. I believe the Southern voyage mentioned by the OP might well involve boarding in Vancouver (not a US port) while the Northern voyage involved boarding in San Diego and disembarking in Seattle ( both US ports.) This would imply the southern voyage might well be acceptable and the Northern one, Unacceptable. If on the other hand, the Southern voyage embarked from Seattle and finally disembarked in San Diego,, it would also be unacceptable.

 

Scott & Karen

[Crew News]

My understanding is that you're not allowed to book the same ship if it starts in one U.S. port and ends in another U.S. port without going to a distant foreign port. Vancouver doesn't count. I'm not sure how Crews News is being allowed to sail from San Diego to Alaska on the same ship without it being a violation of the Passenger Vessels Services Act.

 

Just for clarification, the Pacific Coastal from San Diego made stops in Victoria, Seattle, and then Vancouver. Our Pacific Coastal in May 2017 stops in Victoria, skips Seattle, and then stops Vancouver before continuing on to Alaska.

[jtl513]

I'm not sure how Crews News is being allowed to sail from San Diego to Alaska on the same ship without it being a violation of the Passenger Vessels Services Act.

It's fine as long as the final debarkation is in Vancouver, and not a US port. SAN > YVR > AK > YVR is okay, but SAN >YVR > ANC is not. Edited July 8, 2016 by jtl513

[rafinmd]

The other possibility with HAL would be a coastal starting or ending in San Diego with an Alaska cruise that starts or ends in Seward. That definitely violates the PVSA. Same for a cruise tour where you embark or disembark the ship in Skagway.

 

 

Roy