[possibly] odd question

[retired rascal]

We are booked on the repositioning Panama Canal cruise on the Pearl next fall. We booked to embark from Los Angeles. Before docking in L.A., the ship sails down from Vancouver and makes a port call in San Francisco. We would love to board there rather than in L.A. Has anyone embarked on a cruise on NCL from a port other than one designated for embarkation????? Thanks for any info!!!

[Don Haynes]

No, its not possible with the Jones Act. For a international cruise ship to go from one US port to another US port, a foreign port has to be visited. So one cannot go from San Franciso to LA, unless for example, the ship visited either Canada or Mexico on the same itinerary. There is a reason why cruise ships visit Mexico or Canada on their way to Hawaii. There is a reason why cruise ships reposition to and from the Alaskan market visit Canada from Seattle.

[retired rascal]

We are going on the whole cruise through Mexico, Canal, South America etc. to Miami. Our question is....can we embark from a port that is a 'stop' rather than a designated embarkation port....of course we know there'd be an extra charge. It's a case of driving 1 1/2 hours vs. 8. Much easier to be able to board in S.F. for the remainder of the international cruise. Sorry for the confusion.

[newmexicoNita]

I agree with Don, I do not think it can be done.

 

Nita

[Bennett'sCruise]

I highly doubt the cruiseline would allow it ... I think the Jones Act does play a part. The ships have scheduled embark/debark points ... between those points there has to be a foreign port ... to do what you want to do, you will have embarked in SF (US port) and be a part of the debark port, LA ... although you will be continuing on to a PC cruise, you would still have to clear the ship as LA is the scheduled debark port.

Besides all that ... your assigned stateroom for your PC cruise is most likely being used for the West Coast repo cruise just before yours.

There are tons of other probs with doing what you want to do.

You've booked a wonderful cruise with great ports on a beautiful ship. Just drive down the day before and enjoy waking up in the morning in San Pedro to start your cruise .... :)

 

~dianne

[Cuizer2]

No, its not possible with the Jones Act. For a international cruise ship to go from one US port to another US port, a foreign port has to be visited. So one cannot go from San Franciso to LA, unless for example, the ship visited either Canada or Mexico on the same itinerary. There is a reason why cruise ships visit Mexico or Canada on their way to Hawaii. There is a reason why cruise ships reposition to and from the Alaskan market visit Canada from Seattle.

 

This is not correct. First of all, it is the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA), not the Jones Act. Second it is against the PVSA to transport passengers between two US ports if they board on one and disembark at the other. If the passengers do not disembark, then the PVSA does not come into play. Otherwise a ship would have to visit Fanning Island between every Hawaiian port and would have to visit Canada between every Alaskian port. However, there is nothing wrong with boarding a ship in San Francisco, continuing to Los Angeles and then continuing with the cruise through the Panama Canal. Finally a stop in Canada or Mexico does not meet the requirements of the PVSA.

 

A non-US flagged ship cannot transport passengers between two US ports without a stop in a DISTANT foreign port. Neither Mexico nor Canada qualifies. So, a ship doing a round trip from Los Angeles to Hawaii must make a stop at a foreign port - any foreign port. However, a ship doing just a one way must begin or end in a foreign port. That is why the one way cruises to Hawaii begin or end in Ensenada or Vancouver, Canada.

 

So, if there was an empty cabin when the ship docked in San Francisco, then this would be possible. If there is no empty cabin, then this would not be possible.

[CruisnGram]

We are going on the whole cruise through Mexico, Canal, South America etc. to Miami. Our question is....can we embark from a port that is a 'stop' rather than a designated embarkation port....of course we know there'd be an extra charge. It's a case of driving 1 1/2 hours vs. 8. Much easier to be able to board in S.F. for the remainder of the international cruise. Sorry for the confusion.

 

I think that Don is correct here. If they take on passengers other then at the designated point of embarkation, they are subject to a fine of $300 per person.

 

Sorry.

 

CG

[CruisnGram]

Second it is against the PVSA to transport passengers between two US ports if they board on one and disembark at the other.

 

But isn't this what the OP wants to do? He will board in SF and disembark in LA. Two different American ports.

 

CG

[Cuizer2]

More info on the PVSA ...

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passenger_Services_Act

 

http://www.trans-inst.org/3.html

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=776977

 

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/passenger-cruise.htm

 

The Passenger Vessel Services Act has not been interpreted to restrict domestic port calls as long as the domestic port call is part of a trip that includes foreign destinations and the U.S. port calls are intermediary stops. This means that foreign-flagged vessels are currently entitled to make as many U.S. port calls as they choose, provided that these calls are part of an international route and that passengers who embark at a U.S. port do not permanently disembark at a different U.S. port. Additionally, the U.S. Customs Service has interpreted the Passenger Vessel Services Act to allow a foreign vessel to make as many intermediary U.S. port calls as it chooses, and disembark passengers at a different U.S. port, as long as the vessel makes a port call at a distant foreign port such as Aruba.

[Cuizer2]

But isn't this what the OP wants to do? He will board in SF and disembark in LA. Two different American ports.

 

CG

 

The OP is on a cruise leaving from Los Angeles and going through the Panama Canal. The OP wants to join that cruise in San Francisco. The OP is not looking to leave the ship (other than as typical port stop) in Los Angeles. As long as the OP boards the ship in Los Angeles before it leaves, and continues with the cruise through the Panama Canal, the OP could do it. However, it is all dependent on there being an unoccupied cabin when the ship docks in SF and NCL's willingness to oblige.

 

If the OP wanted to go from SF to LA and get off in LA, that would not be possible. Or more accurately, it would violate the PVSA.

 

We are booked on the repositioning Panama Canal cruise on the Pearl next fall. We booked to embark from Los Angeles. Before docking in L.A., the ship sails down from Vancouver and makes a port call in San Francisco. We would love to board there rather than in L.A.

[Arwenmark]

But isn't this what the OP wants to do? He will board in SF and disembark in LA. Two different American ports.

 

CG

 

Actually I believe the cruise he is taking disembarks in Miami doesn't it?

[sjbdtz]

I also think the answer is no, but for a different reason.

 

If San Fran is not an embarkation port, it's unlikely they'll have security, check-in personnel, etc.

 

 

Secondly, it's rare that they sail empty....so there are probably either TA's doing familiarization trips from VCVR to LA, or they may be doing a crew training.....

 

That said....why not ASK them?