possible to start or end a cruise mid cruise?

[jenahfor]

My daughter is working in Ketchikan this summer.  I would like to take a cruise and visit with her.   While many ships stop in Ketchikan, few, if any, start or end there.  Does anyone know of a cruise line that would allow be to either begin or end my cruise in that port and not do a round trip option?  I seem to be hitting a brick wall. 

[Heidi13]

6 minutes ago, jenahfor said:

My daughter is working in Ketchikan this summer.  I would like to take a cruise and visit with her.   While many ships stop in Ketchikan, few, if any, start or end there.  Does anyone know of a cruise line that would allow be to either begin or end my cruise in that port and not do a round trip option?  I seem to be hitting a brick wall. 

 

You would have to check with each specific cruise line of interest.

 

Another primary consideration is compliance with the US PVSA. Boarding or disembarking in Ketchikan would require a cruise out of Vancouver. You cannot board a Foreign-Flag cruise ship and disembark in another US port, unless it visits a distant foreign port, of which their are none in Alaska.

 

Contraventions of US PVSA result in fines of over $800 pp. 

[skybluewaters]

2 hours ago, jenahfor said:

My daughter is working in Ketchikan this summer.  I would like to take a cruise and visit with her.   While many ships stop in Ketchikan, few, if any, start or end there.  Does anyone know of a cruise line that would allow be to either begin or end my cruise in that port and not do a round trip option?  I seem to be hitting a brick wall. 

 

You can get off the ship in Ketchikan by testing positive for Covid the day before you arrive there.  You could then quarantine in your daughter's residence.  But I wouldn't recommend it.  😛

[AKStafford]

This one ends in Ketchikan: https://www.expeditions.com/itineraries/wild-alaska-escape-juneau-to-ketchikan/

[GTJ]

To avoid cabotage issues, best to either (1) travel on a cruises that originate or terminate at Vancouver, or (2) travel on U.S. flag vessels.

 

I imagine that your plan would be best accomplished by boarding a round-trip cruise at Vancouver, and where Ketchikan is the penultimate port before the vessel returns to Vancouver. There are several vessels that offer these itineraries, including, among others, (in 2022) Zuiderdam, Koningsdam, Celbrity Eclipse, and Disney Wonder. You will pay the full fare and simply alight two days early (making for a 5-night cruise instead of a 7-night cruise).

 

After visiting in Ketchikan, return to the lower 48 by traveling on the Alaska Marine Highway to Bellingham. It is 2-nights, with the vessel Matanuska departing Ketchikan every Monday afternoon at 3:00 p.m., arriving Bellingham on Wednesday morning at 8:00 a.m. In addition, the vessel Kennicott departs Ketchikan every other Thursday at 3:00 p.m., arriving Bellingham on Saturday at 8:00 a.m. (Fares start at $342 per person, plus accommodations starting at $151 per stateroom, plus meals.)

 

Assuming that you start and conclude at Seattle or the Seattle airport, travel via Quick Coach Lines from the Seattle city center airport to the port in Vancouver; from port in Bellingham, travel by Amtrak or Greyhound Lines to the Seattle city center, then light rail to Seattle airport (or taxi from port to Four Points hotel, then Bellair Airporter Shuttle to Seattle airport).

[don't-use-real-name]

1 hour ago, GTJ said:

To avoid cabotage issues, best to either (1) travel on a cruises that originate or terminate at Vancouver, or (2) travel on U.S. flag vessels.

 

I imagine that your plan would be best accomplished by boarding a round-trip cruise at Vancouver, and where Ketchikan is the penultimate port before the vessel returns to Vancouver. There are several vessels that offer these itineraries, including, among others, (in 2022) Zuiderdam, Koningsdam, Celbrity Eclipse, and Disney Wonder. You will pay the full fare and simply alight two days early (making for a 5-night cruise instead of a 7-night cruise).

 

After visiting in Ketchikan, return to the lower 48 by traveling on the Alaska Marine Highway to Bellingham. It is 2-nights, with the vessel Matanuska departing Ketchikan every Monday afternoon at 3:00 p.m., arriving Bellingham on Wednesday morning at 8:00 a.m. In addition, the vessel Kennicott departs Ketchikan every other Thursday at 3:00 p.m., arriving Bellingham on Saturday at 8:00 a.m. (Fares start at $342 per person, plus accommodations starting at $151 per stateroom, plus meals.)

 

Assuming that you start and conclude at Seattle or the Seattle airport, travel via Quick Coach Lines from the Seattle city center airport to the port in Vancouver; from port in Bellingham, travel by Amtrak or Greyhound Lines to the Seattle city center, then light rail to Seattle airport (or taxi from port to Four Points hotel, then Bellair Airporter Shuttle to Seattle airport).

Don't forget that Ketchikan has an International airport - flights to Seattle and Anchorage

[jenahfor]

On 6/2/2022 at 1:46 PM, skybluewaters said:

 

You can get off the ship in Ketchikan by testing positive for Covid the day before you arrive there.  You could then quarantine in your daughter's residence.  But I wouldn't recommend it.  😛

 

funny you say that she mentioned she saw people recently getting off a cruise with their luggage, and then added that they had recently tested positive for covid.   We actually laughed that a false positive may be what is needed.