Alaska to Fort Lauderdale question

[BarbaraP]

Can I take a cruise ship from Alaska to Vancouver stay on the ship and go from Vancouver to Fort Lauderdale without breaking any laws?

[TracieABD]

It depends... the Jones Act can be very tricky to negotiate. Have you checked with Princess or your TA?

[beg3yrs]

If your ship stops in Colombia or Aruba you'll be meeting the requirements of the PVSA (the Jones Act doesn't apply to people).

It's likely your ship is embarking people in Los Angeles and going on to Fort Lauderdale so I suspect you've got one of those stops is already in your itinerary. Oh yeah, I just re-read your post, you're getting on in Vancouver so yes, regardless of the stops you should be OK.

[reedprincess]

Can I take a cruise ship from Alaska to Vancouver stay on the ship and go from Vancouver to Fort Lauderdale without breaking any laws?

Should be no problem, as the one way, Whittier to Vancouver is no problem, and you'll visit foreign distant port requirement on the Vancouver to Ft Lauderdale segment (Panama Canal) to satisfy the PVSA requirements - that's why Los Angeles to Ft Lauderdale or vice versa are OK with the Passenger Vessel Services Act, they hit the foreign distant port requirement.

 

Of course, you should verify this with Princess, but it shouldn't be a problem.

And it's the PVSA that governs this, not the Jones Act, BTW.

[TracieABD]

If your ship stops in Colombia or Aruba you'll be meeting the requirements of the PVSA (the Jones Act doesn't apply to people).

It's likely your ship is embarking people in Los Angeles and going on to Fort Lauderdale so I suspect you've got one of those stops is already in your itinerary. Oh yeah, I just re-read your post, you're getting on in Vancouver so yes, regardless of the stops you should be OK.

Oops... my bad. It is the PSVA. And in spite of reading and rereading its mandates, I still have difficulty getting my head around the finer points.

[thinfool]

Yes you can.

[Essiesmom]

Should be no problem, as the one way, Whittier to Vancouver is no problem, and you'll visit foreign distant port requirement on the Vancouver to Ft Lauderdale segment (Panama Canal) to satisfy the PVSA requirements - that's why Los Angeles to Ft Lauderdale or vice versa are OK with the Passenger Vessel Services Act, they hit the foreign distant port requirement.

 

Of course, you should verify this with Princess, but it shouldn't be a problem.

And it's the PVSA that governs this, not the Jones Act, BTW.

 

Just to clarify further, you will visit a distant foreign port on your itinerary, either Cartagena, Colombia or Aruba (usually) to satisfy that. You will be going through the Panama Canal, but that does not satisfy the distant foreign port requirement, as it is in Central America, not another continent. EM

[Shmoo here]

Can I take a cruise ship from Alaska to Vancouver stay on the ship and go from Vancouver to Fort Lauderdale without breaking any laws?

By "Alaska to Vancouver" do you mean from a US port to Vancouver for the Alaska part? Or does that cruise begin in Vancouver? And the following cruise is Vancouver to Ft Lauderdale?

 

That would make a difference in the answer.

[Kamloops50]

Yes you can but the criose lines lines computer may flag it as illegal.

[reedprincess]

Just to clarify further, you will visit a distant foreign port on your itinerary, either Cartagena, Colombia or Aruba (usually) to satisfy that. You will be going through the Panama Canal, but that does not satisfy the distant foreign port requirement, as it is in Central America, not another continent. EM

Yes, as I noted, as all one way Panama Canal cruises have to visit a distant foreign port to satisfy the PVSA requirements to transport from one USA port to another USA port. They don't do a one way that doesn't visit the distant foreign port. Since that's the likely route (I'm doubting they're going around South America route), the itineray does satisfy the PVSA requirements ..

[Shmoo here]

Yes, as I noted, as all one way Panama Canal cruises have to visit a distant foreign port to satisfy the PVSA requirements to transport from one USA port to another USA port. They don't do a one way that doesn't visit the distant foreign port. Since that's the likely route (I'm doubting they're going around South America route), the itineray does satisfy the PVSA requirements ..

OP states that the second cruise is Vancouver to Ft Lauderdale. That doesn't fall under the PVSA law, and no distant foreign port is required.

 

BUT, OP is proposing a B2B starting in "Alaska" to Vancouver. It depends on the start point of that cruise whether it's legal under the PVSA, or not.

[reedprincess]

OP states that the second cruise is Vancouver to Ft Lauderdale. That doesn't fall under the PVSA law, and no distant foreign port is required.

 

BUT, OP is proposing a B2B starting in "Alaska" to Vancouver. It depends on the start point of that cruise whether it's legal under the PVSA, or not.

It's legal either way. And Alaska, being a USA state, is obviously a USA starting port. So, ship is transporting the passenger between two different USA ports, as they're not changing ships in Vancouver or spending a night thete, so the Canal portion, with its distant foreign port, satisfies the PVSA requirement that transport between two USA ports (Alaska and Ft Lauderdale), requires a stop at a distant foreign port.

 

If OP was beginning in Vancouver, and not in Alaska, then no worries. But they're beginning in Alaska (assuming Whittier as that's the embarkation port for Princess in Alaska, unless they're paying for a full cruise but boarding elsewhere)., and ending in Ft Lauderdale - Vancouver is immaterial as they're neither beginning nor ending there but rather are in transit. They're sailing Alaska to Ft Lauderdale, and thus need a distant foreign port - which is satisfied by the Canal cruise itself, as it will stop in ay least Colombia, Aruba, etc..

 

As noted above, they should verify with Princess, but the itineray satisfies the PVSA...

[Shmoo here]

It's legal either way. And Alaska, being a USA state, is obviously a USA starting port. So, ship is transporting the passenger between two different USA ports, as they're not changing ships in Vancouver or spending a night thete, so the Canal portion, with its distant foreign port, satisfies the PVSA requirement that transport between two USA ports (Alaska and Ft Lauderdale), requires a stop at a distant foreign port.

 

If OP was beginning in Vancouver, and not in Alaska, then no worries. But they're beginning in Alaska (assuming Whittier as that's the embarkation port for Princess in Alaska, unless they're paying for a full cruise but boarding elsewhere)., and ending in Ft Lauderdale - Vancouver is immaterial as they're neither beginning nor ending there but rather are in transit. They're sailing Alaska to Ft Lauderdale, and thus need a distant foreign port - which is satisfied by the Canal cruise itself, as it will stop in ay least Colombia, Aruba, etc..

 

As noted above, they should verify with Princess, but the itineray satisfies the PVSA...

I was just pointing out that the OP said the first cruise was "Alaska to Vancouver". I've seen many people refer to Alaska cruises as "Alaska" cruises, regardless if it actually starts in Alaska, or not.

 

And, since the Vancouver/Ft Lauderdale cruise doesn't require that distant foreign port, it may be there might not be one.

[beg3yrs]

I was just pointing out that the OP said the first cruise was "Alaska to Vancouver". I've seen many people refer to Alaska cruises as "Alaska" cruises, regardless if it actually starts in Alaska, or not.

 

And, since the Vancouver/Ft Lauderdale cruise doesn't require that distant foreign port, it may be there might not be one.

 

Interesting point about Vancouver/Ft Lauderdale not requiring a distant foreign port. However, the only Princess cruise (I ignored one for this month) I find that has these start and end points does stop in Colombia. Another segment beginning in Los Angeles and ending in Ft Lauderdale is being sold as well, thus the stop in Colombia is required.

 

All this is likely moot as the previous leg of the Island does start in Whittier and for OPs journey the Colombian stop would be necessary regardless. His journey probably won't be flagged as illegal.

[lstone19]

And, since the Vancouver/Ft Lauderdale cruise doesn't require that distant foreign port, it may be there might not be one.

 

 

Unlikely because Princess usually sells that positioning cruise as a Pacific Coastal Vancouver-L.A., Vancouver-Ft. Lauderdale, and L.A.-Ft. Lauderdale. So the distant foreign port will be needed for those boarding in L.A.

 

 

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[Kamloops50]

Columbia is often used as port to take on fuel . Oil in olumbia is cheaper than ZFlorida.

[voljeep]

if princess sells/sails the cruise, it will comply...why is that so hard to understand???:confused:

 

disclaimer: unless the OP is seeking a waiver for a disembark/embark port...

[Thrak]

Oops... my bad. It is the PSVA. And in spite of reading and rereading its mandates, I still have difficulty getting my head around the finer points.

 

It's easy. The Jones Act applies to cargo. The PVSA (Passenger Vessel Services Act) applies to people. :D

 

PVSA says if you depart from a US port and return to the same US port (a closed loop cruise) you must stop along the way at a near foreign port - Canada and Mexico suffice. If you depart from a US port and end up at a different US port you must stop at a far foreign port - someplace not on the North American continent. Panama canal cruises often stop in Colombia (Cartagena) and/or Aruba which fulfill this requirement.

[lstone19]

if princess sells/sails the cruise, it will comply...why is that so hard to understand???:confused:

 

It can be hard to understand because two cruises that are legal on their own are not legal B2B. And the OP wants to do B2B. Example: Seattle - Vancouver is legal; Vancouver to Los Angeles. But the two of them B2B is not legal.

[Colo Cruiser]

I would think the first cruise will stop in LA to end the PC cruise and start a 3 or 4 day coastal to Vancouver. ( I realize the OP is booking the entire cruise to Vancouver)

Wouldn't they will need to disembark for 24 hours in Vancouver or change ships?

[Colo Cruiser]

if princess sells/sails the cruise, it will comply...why is that so hard to understand???:confused:

 

disclaimer: unless the OP is seeking a waiver for a disembark/embark port...

 

Incorrect.

Not sure why the need to be so condescending all the time..........however

It does happen. One can sometimes book an illegal cruise segment but eventually Princess will catch it.

Edited September 11, 2018 by Colo Cruiser

[XBGuy]

Incorrect.

Not sure why the need to be so condescending all the time..........however

It does happen. One can sometimes book an illegal cruise segment but eventually they will catch it.

 

It's happened to me.

 

I called Princess and worked with my very own Personal Cruise Consultant to book this back-to-back-to-back cruise:

 

 

• 7-day Alaska round trip cruise out of Seattle
  
• Overnight cruise from Seattle to Vancouver
  
• 5-day repositioning cruise from Vancouver to Los Angeles
  

I received e-mail confirmations and was ready to go.

 

The next day I received a telephone call from my same Personal Cruise Consultant advising that the booking was in violation of the Passenger Vessels Services Act of 1886. My cruise starting from one U.S. port and ending at a second U.S. port did not include a stop at a required "distant foreign port."

 

Disappointing, but I did learn some stuff.

 

As others have already indicated, I think that if the OP's cruise stops at Colombia or an ABC island, then he/she is probably OK. The best way of finding out is booking it and see if Princess calls back in a couple days,

[thinfool]

It can be hard to understand because two cruises that are legal on their own are not legal B2B. And the OP wants to do B2B. Example: Seattle - Vancouver is legal; Vancouver to Los Angeles. But the two of them B2B is not legal.

 

 

 

The OP is going to Ft Lauderdale which makes it compliant.

 

 

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[lstone19]

The OP is going to Ft Lauderdale which makes it compliant.

 

 

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Yes. But I was replying to someone who assumed that anything Princess sells can be combined B2B which is NOT true as the case I listed demonstrates. People who insist on spreading misinformation need to be nipped in the bud.

 

 

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[Kamloops50]

I would think the first cruise will stop in LA to end the PC cruise and start a 3 or 4 day coastal to Vancouver. ( I realize the OP is booking the entire cruise to Vancouver)

Wouldn't they will need to disembark for 24 hours in Vancouver or change ships?

 

As long as its booked as two cruises , they should be fine. If the Coastal from Vancouver was booked separately then it would be illegal.