Latest news from HAL (Alaska, Canada/NE)

[Reagan0712]

4 hours ago, TourGypsy said:

They already have folks booked on the 2022 cruises, so it will be interesting to see how they do this.

 

Yes it will. I am one of those booked on a 2022 Land-Sea in June and there was not an overabundance of cabins available when I booked my cruise several months ago.

[TourGypsy]

2 minutes ago, Reagan0712 said:

Yes it will. I am one of those booked on a 2022 Land-Sea in June and there was not an overabundance of cabins available when I booked my cruise several months ago.

I am as well - but in August.  And there weren't very many cabins on my cruise either.

 

[kangforpres]

Well we should no within a few weeks if the PSVA will be temporary amended this year so ships can sail north out of Seattle directly to Ketchikan, via the Internationally water protected Inside passage and then South staying at least 12 miles south of Vancouver island going back to Seattle.

 

If the cruise Industry does indeed pull this off, well then Canada may have shot themselves in the foot with an empty hypodermic needle.

[drowelf]

21 minutes ago, kangforpres said:

To my understanding, the US has asked this of Canada also called a "Technical Stop" and Canada has said NO! My TA told be this morning the US countered with OK, how about just mooring in a Canadian harbor? Canada again said NO! So as much as I love Canada and always respected it as a Nation State I think they are being a little over zealous and down right petty about this.

Its their country and they have the right to make the rules that they feel are best for their citizens. At this point they don't want cruise ships in their waters. I may not like it, but I'll accept it.  

[VennDiagram]

15 minutes ago, kangforpres said:

sail north out of Seattle directly to Ketchikan, via the Internationally water protected Inside passage

 

The careful timing required to successfully  transit Seymour Narrows may make your plan unworkable.

 

 

Edited February 25, 2021 by VennDiagram

[T8NCruise]

21 minutes ago, kangforpres said:

Well we should no within a few weeks if the PSVA will be temporary amended this year so ships can sail north out of Seattle directly to Ketchikan, via the Internationally water protected Inside passage and then South staying at least 12 miles south of Vancouver island going back to Seattle.

 

If the cruise Industry does indeed pull this off, well then Canada may have shot themselves in the foot with an empty hypodermic needle.

What would you have had Canada do given Covid was out of control in the US especially and we citizens deserve to be protected?  We are not the only country to close borders and stop cruise ships from entering ports.  What is your solution?

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, kangforpres said:

To my understanding, the US has asked this of Canada also called a "Technical Stop" and Canada has said NO! My TA told be this morning the US countered with OK, how about just mooring in a Canadian harbor? Canada again said NO! So as much as I love Canada and always respected it as a Nation State I think they are being a little over zealous and down right petty about this.

Oh, boo hoo, I don't get my vacation, because they want to protect their citizens, how petty.

45 minutes ago, kangforpres said:

Well we should no within a few weeks if the PSVA will be temporary amended this year so ships can sail north out of Seattle directly to Ketchikan, via the Internationally water protected Inside passage and then South staying at least 12 miles south of Vancouver island going back to Seattle.

 

If the cruise Industry does indeed pull this off, well then Canada may have shot themselves in the foot with an empty hypodermic needle.

Not going to happen, as even Murkowski admitted last week.  There's also that little problem about the CDC Conditional Sail Order.

[wander]

Well, as we have learned before and had "pounded into our heads" the past years, we cannot always what we read in newspapers and hear on the TV or radio, but- on the evening news in Seattle, WA they had a picture of a HAL ship and a story of the pending economic loss to the Pacific NW with Alaska cruises being cancelled or put in great doubt.  They did say however that at this time there were intense negotiations in process over the potential suspension of the Passenger Services Act (or whatever the correct wording is) requirements for the summer of 2021.  

[mame42]

My question is how does the cancellation of the 2021 Zaandam Canada/NE sailings affect the 2022 GWV?  I cannot imagine gearing up for a world cruise with only test sailings and one Caribbean cruise before departure.

[Lady Arwen]

13 hours ago, T8NCruise said:

What would you have had Canada do given Covid was out of control in the US especially and we citizens deserve to be protected?  We are not the only country to close borders and stop cruise ships from entering ports.  What is your solution?

It seems their vacation is more important than Canada keeping it’s citizens safe.  If the shoe were on the other foot, you can bet the response would be entirely different.  The PVSA is a United States law, so that’s on them.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

3 hours ago, mame42 said:

My question is how does the cancellation of the 2021 Zaandam Canada/NE sailings affect the 2022 GWV?  I cannot imagine gearing up for a world cruise with only test sailings and one Caribbean cruise before departure.

I agree with you ..

[KirkNC]

2 hours ago, Gail & Marty sailing away said:

I agree with you ..

Keep your fingers and toes crossed Marty!

[knittinggirl]

I'm a little confused about a technical stop. 

 

I read years back, that they used to stop  at Ensenada in the middle of the night for 30-45 minutes to fulfill the PSVA.

 

w/o the PSVA the cruise line could use their tenders for boat tours, and the locals would be out all that excursion money.

[chengkp75]

10 minutes ago, knittinggirl said:

I'm a little confused about a technical stop. 

 

I read years back, that they used to stop  at Ensenada in the middle of the night for 30-45 minutes to fulfill the PSVA.

 

w/o the PSVA the cruise line could use their tenders for boat tours, and the locals would be out all that excursion money.

Yes, years back the "technical stops" were allowed, but in 2007, CBP changed their interpretation of what constitutes a "foreign voyage", and decided that a "technical stop" did not meet the "intent" of the PVSA, while it did meet the "letter" of the law, so they disallowed "technical stops".

 

[Roger88]

18 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

Yes, years back the "technical stops" were allowed, but in 2007, CBP changed their interpretation of what constitutes a "foreign voyage", and decided that a "technical stop" did not meet the "intent" of the PVSA, while it did meet the "letter" of the law, so they disallowed "technical stops".

 

I see no problems with technical stops really. I mean if the ship needs to have a technical stop its totally fine with me.. as long as it doesnt stop in the middle of nowhere lol 

[knittinggirl]

Years ago, my sister took a circle Hawaii cruise, and she was grumped because they had to waste two days going to a dip sh*t island.  I think now, Pride of America is the only cruise that doesn't need a foreign port, because Pride is US flagged, and has a US crew.  I tried to explain the PSVA, and she couldn't understand why they didn't get rid of such an old law.  I don't understand why they don't make exceptions, especially when Canada's forbidding the cruises.

[JeffElizabeth]

Lots of local rules have changed in my state because of Covid-19.  Why can't they temporarily suspend a required docking? 

[highscar]

Circle Hawaii in March San Diego to San Diego made a stop in Ensenada Mexico. Service call passengers stayed on board. 

[drowelf]

37 minutes ago, JeffElizabeth said:

Lots of local rules have changed in my state because of Covid-19.  Why can't they temporarily suspend a required docking? 

Its not a local law, if it does change, its going to require Congress to amend it and I have not see anything about it being a priority at this point. I think there are lot more serious issues for Congress to deal with, than a small segment of the tourism industry. While there would be some benefit to Alaskans, the major benefactor would be cruise lines, which pay little or no US Income Taxes. 

[chengkp75]

43 minutes ago, JeffElizabeth said:

Lots of local rules have changed in my state because of Covid-19.  Why can't they temporarily suspend a required docking? 

Major operative word in your first sentence is "local".  Local rules can be changed by a local jurisdiction, because it only applies to those within that locality.  Federal laws that are changed, are changed for everyone.  And, as I say continuously, it is the Passenger, not Cruise, Vessel Services Act, so it covers thousands of vessels, other than cruise ships, in the US, and hundreds of thousands of US jobs.

[Lady Arwen]

1 hour ago, chengkp75 said:

Major operative word in your first sentence is "local".  Local rules can be changed by a local jurisdiction, because it only applies to those within that locality.  Federal laws that are changed, are changed for everyone.  And, as I say continuously, it is the Passenger, not Cruise, Vessel Services Act, so it covers thousands of vessels, other than cruise ships, in the US, and hundreds of thousands of US jobs.

You have the patience of a saint!  You have explained the PVSA requirements daily, sometimes two or three times a day, and you quietly and respectfully continue to do so.  Thank you so much for being our  Cruise Critic marine/cruiseline expert and for being a really decent human being.