Getting on in Ketchikan

[jeep1]

Have a question. Alaska cruise next year leaving from sea. Have a wedding day that ship leaves. Has anyone caught ship in Ketchikan? I would only miss one sea day Ketchikan is day 2. Just wondering if anyone has done this. Thanks in advance 

[SCX22]

The thread below has a lengthy discussion about why this wouldn't be possible.

 

[NavyVeteran]

It depends on your itinerary. It may or may not be legal under the Passenger Vessel Services Act.

• Round trip Seattle: It is not legal. Your cruise would be from one US port (Ketchikan) to a different US port (Seattle) without a distant foreign port.
• Round trip Vancouver: It is legal. Your cruise would be from a US port (Ketchikan) to a foreign port (Vancouver).
• Northbound Vancouver to Whittier: It is not legal. Your cruise would be from one US port (Ketchikan) to a different US port (Whittier) without a distant foreign port.

 

Note that a one-way cruise from one US port to another US port requires a distant foreign port. Any port in Canada is not a distant foreign port. A round trip cruise back to the same US port only requires a foreign port (such as Victoria). A cruise starting or ending in a foreign port is legal.

 

If you are on a round trip Vancouver port, you would need to get permission from Princess in advance to join the ship in Ketchikan. They would have to clear it with customs and immigration to make sure it was OK. If they approve it, you would not receive any money back for the days you would miss.

[jeep1]

It’s round trip sea but it goes to Victoria?

[Coral]

17 minutes ago, jeep1 said:

It’s round trip sea but it goes to Victoria?

Not legal. It would be Ketchikan to Seattle which is 2 US ports. Nope.

[startedwithamouse]

1 hour ago, jeep1 said:

Have a question. Alaska cruise next year leaving from sea. Have a wedding day that ship leaves. Has anyone caught ship in Ketchikan? I would only miss one sea day Ketchikan is day 2. Just wondering if anyone has done this. Thanks in advance 

It's not doable.

[Mike45LC]

Navy Vet, good analysis, great explanation!

[skynight]

As others mentioned. If it is a RT Seattle you can not do what you propose, board in Ketchikan and disembark in Seattle. Princess would deny you boarding if you showed up at the pier. It's a violation of the PVSA.