PVSA history question

[Shmoo here]

I'm sure @chengkp75probably knows this answer, but can anyone enlighten me on the changes to the PVSA that were proposed a number of years ago that didn't happen?  I believe one of them and to do with the number/length of foreign port visits.

 

 

Edited November 1, 2020 by Shmoo here

[chengkp75]

7 hours ago, Shmoo here said:

I'm sure @chengkp75probably knows this answer, but can anyone enlighten me on the changes to the PVSA that were proposed a number of years ago that didn't happen?  I believe one of them and to do with the number/length of foreign port visits.

 

 

If I remember right, it was in 2007, that NCL complained to CBP that the other cruise lines, cruising to Hawaii from the West Coast used a "technical" stop in Ensenada to fulfill the foreign port requirement of the PVSA.  They wanted this to become an actual port stop, during the daytime, with passengers allowed to go off the ship, to meet the "intent" of the law, not just the "letter" of the law.  CBP investigated it, took public comments, and came back that they thought the "intent" of the law required that a majority of port time should be spent in foreign ports in order to fulfill the Act.  This, of course, is not what NCL wanted, as it would be devastating to the Alaska cruise market, not only for them but for all lines, so NCL joined CLIA in requesting that this not be adopted, but instead CBP adopted NCL's original proposal, that the Ensenada port call had to be advertised as a port of call, and that passengers had to be allowed to go ashore, not just have the officials stamp the paperwork.