7 common cruise pitfalls and how to sail around them

[CtheW0rld]

not specifically related to HAL (which os OK, according to the mods), but an interesting read:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37446347/ns/travel-tips/

[world~citizen]

not specifically related to HAL (which os OK, according to the mods), but an interesting read:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37446347/ns/travel-tips/

What a great post.

The thing is, there is not one absurdity in this article that has not been defended, and sometimes passionately, by members of CC.:eek:

Thanks for referencing it.

Smooth sailing...

[Vic The Parrot]

Just ask Shirley Ann Schultz, a sales assistant in Tampa, Fla. When she boarded a recent cruise, the ship’s security confiscated a five-inch knife she uses to prepare food. “Then, a couple of hours later, they handed us a steak knife — with a six-inch blade,” she says.




Is this woman for real ?? :eek:


WHY would anyone need to bring thier own cutlery with them is beyond me.

[LSEA]

Interesting. I'm with you Vic the Parrot - What sort of food prep was the lady planning?

[world~citizen]

Just ask Shirley Ann Schultz, a sales assistant in Tampa, Fla. When she boarded a recent cruise, the ship’s security confiscated a five-inch knife she uses to prepare food. “Then, a couple of hours later, they handed us a steak knife — with a six-inch blade,” she says.




Is this woman for real ?? :eek:


WHY would anyone need to bring thier own cutlery with them is beyond me.

We will probably never know why she had the knife. I think the point is they gave her another (perhaps nastier one?)

Interesting. In France it is not uncommon to have a jack knife in your pocket or purse for cutting up cheese or bread...a cultural thing. I wonder if they have to surrender them on ships?

Smooth sailing...

[TracieABD]

Interesting post. Thanks for sharing it.

[Travalot]

Well, I knew about the Jones Act, but that was interesting about being denied boarding. Does that mean they would deny boarding in Skagway if you missed the boat in Juneau? Or does it only matter with embarkation?

[Berk987]

We travel with 4 kids under the age of 6. I often travel with a small OXO paring knife. Don't like those Army Swiss gadgets. I use it to cut up fruit for my kids. I do keep it safe and wrapped in a small towel and when flying, it is in wrapped up and in our water bottle so no one will get injured. Sometimes I also travel with a peeler to peel the skin off fruit before cutting it up with my paring knife.

[CaveDiving]

Well, I knew about the Jones Act, but that was interesting about being denied boarding. Does that mean they would deny boarding in Skagway if you missed the boat in Juneau? Or does it only matter with embarkation?

Hi Travalot,

The law being discussed is not the Jones Act, which deals only with cargo, but rather the Passenger Vessel Services Act. It says that a non US vessel cannot embark passengers from one US port and disembark them at another US port without stopping at a distant (read non-northamerican) foreign port.

So if the cruise you mention from Juneau ends in Vancouver, that is not a US port and there is no problem. If the cruise is a round trip originating and ending at the same US port, the foreign port included does not need to be "distant".

This is why RT cruises from Seattle, which stop in Alaska, include a stop in Vancouver and RT cruises from San Diego, which stop in Hawaii, include a stop in Ensenada.

Scott & Karen

[earl_m]

Great post, Thank you!!

[rich_cathybrock]

Hi Travalot,

The law being discussed is not the Jones Act, which deals only with cargo, but rather the Passenger Vessel Services Act. It says that a non US vessel cannot embark passengers from one US port and disembark them at another US port without stopping at a distant (read non-northamerican) foreign port.

So if the cruise you mention from Juneau ends in Vancouver, that is not a US port and there is no problem. If the cruise is a round trip originating and ending at the same US port, the foreign port included does not need to be "distant".

This is why RT cruises from Seattle, which stop in Alaska, include a stop in Vancouver and RT cruises from San Diego, which stop in Hawaii, include a stop in Ensenada.

Scott & Karen

Absolutely correct, Scott & Karen - this is also the reason that cruises originating in the US either need to run round trip to the same port or need to terminate outside of the US. It is really a shame - think about it - unlike the Med where cruise passengers enjoy itineraries with a broad array of port stops (if you are going only one way, you can see a whole lot more) here in the States, cruises are limited in itinerary. How neat would a NY to FLA, or Florida Trans Canal to California be? They don't exist and this arcane law is the reason why.

One would think particularly in a bad economy, someone would get this lifted to open up opportunities. I just don't get it...

[jtl513]

... or Florida Trans Canal to California be? They don't exist and this arcane law is the reason why.Oh, but they do exist, every spring. And every fall from CA to FL. All that is needed is that the cruise stop in Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao or Cartegena, all of which qualify as distant foreign ports. Ours from Ft Lauderdale to Los Angeles stopped in Cartegena.

[rich_cathybrock]

Didn't realize the key to it was a stop outside of the country in between. Still, it's a shame that one can't cruise up and down the east coast. Thanks for clarifying for me.

[RuthC]

Didn't realize the key to it was a stop outside of the country in between.
Not so much "outside of the country" as outside the continent. That's essentially the difference between a "near" and a "distant" foreign port.

[DizzyDallasDi]

Not so much "outside of the country" as outside the continent. That's essentially the difference between a "near" and a "distant" foreign port.

Now I'm really confused. How do the Alaska cruises RT from Seattle accomplish this since all stops are in North America?

[maxout]

Now I'm really confused. How do the Alaska cruises RT from Seattle accomplish this since all stops are in North America?

Because they meet the criteria of returning to the same port they originated at.

A cruise (non US Flag Vessel) from one US port to a different US port, require the distant (non-North American) port stop.

[DizzyDallasDi]

Because they meet the criteria of returning to the same port they originated at.

A cruise (non US Flag Vessel) from one US port to a different US port, require the distant (non-North American) port stop.

Ya know what, I'm just going to get on and off the ship when I'm supposed to and leave the confusing maritime laws to the experts at the cruise lines. :D It's enough to make me want to spend my hard earned dollars at the martini bar. :cool:

[BruceMuzz]

Absolutely correct, Scott & Karen - this is also the reason that cruises originating in the US either need to run round trip to the same port or need to terminate outside of the US. It is really a shame - think about it - unlike the Med where cruise passengers enjoy itineraries with a broad array of port stops (if you are going only one way, you can see a whole lot more) here in the States, cruises are limited in itinerary. How neat would a NY to FLA, or Florida Trans Canal to California be? They don't exist and this arcane law is the reason why.

One would think particularly in a bad economy, someone would get this lifted to open up opportunities. I just don't get it...

You "just don't get it" because you don't understand that Cabotage laws like the Passenger Vessel Services Act of 1886 (PVSA) also apply to International Carriers other than Cruise Ships.

The only reason why the major American airlines are still in business is the PVSA. If the law was removed, all the foreign airlines would take over the domestic routes that United, American, Delta, and Continental currently dominate, overcharge for - and have a monopoly on.
Those foreign airlines would do it cheaper and better, quickly putting the American Flag Carriers into permanent bankruptcy. But how many of the 20.8 million Americans currently directly employed by the US Airline industry would lose their jobs in the process? And the USA would no longer have any national air carriers.

The only reason why NCL America and a few small coastal Cruise Lines are in business is the PVSA. If the law was removed, those ships could no longer have any chance to compete with foreign ships. The foreign companies would move in immediately and the Americans would all be out of business in a week. Only about 20,000 Americans would lose their jobs on this one.

The only reason that America still has a few merchant marine companies left is the PVSA. Due to the regulations, foreign shipping lines find it very difficult and expensive to move freight and petroleum between California and Hawaii, Guam, and American Samoa. American shipping companies like Matson and STX have the monopoly - and do it with very high prices - explaining why it is so expensive to live in places like Hawaii. Lift the PVSA, and those companies with their 143 commercial ships are bankrupt. Another 75,000 American jobs gone forever.

I personally support the idea of lifting the PVSA. If the American companies can't compete with the rest of the world - too bad for them.
But I seriously doubt that any American Congressman or President would dare to do such a thing - especially in a bad economy.

[world~citizen]

You "just don't get it" because you don't understand that Cabotage laws like the Passenger Vessel Services Act of 1886 (PVSA) also apply to International Carriers other than Cruise Ships....

Wow!

Great post.

Smooth sailing...

[Sailkeywest]

Thank you for posting this enlightening article. I do feel 'jipped' having to pay to use the sauna and spa jacuzzi! My cruise is costing us approx $2500 pp without air or any extras, I feel nickel and dimed when they try to tell me that I can't use a warm spa in Alaska during our trip.

Also, I am vehemently opposed to the retreats and such that convert otherwise usable free deck space into lounger rental areas in which nobody can use that lounger or area of the deck for the entire cruise. You can't even walk through these areas to see the view!

I do feel that I am getting value for our $$$ from HAL because I have read that they do have a great deal of free deck space in which to wander. I also <3 the size of our suite and veranda, ty HAL for that :)

[jtl513]

Also, I am vehemently opposed to the retreats and such that convert otherwise usable free deck space into lounger rental areas in which nobody can use that lounger or area of the deck for the entire cruise. You can't even walk through these areas to see the view! That's only true on one ship, the Eurodam (soon to be on the Nieuw Amsterdam) and it's a very small fraction of the total deck space. Actually you can go through the "edge" of the Retreat to go up the stairs to a better view from atop the Crow's Nest.

While the Retreat takes away a tiny amount of deck space, the roof of the Silk Den/Tamarind adds several times as much.

[luvcruisn']

Thank you for posting this enlightening article. I do feel 'jipped' having to pay to use the sauna and spa jacuzzi!

I understand that there is a charge for the jacuzzi in the spa, but I thought the saunas were still free on HAL ships. They were on the Prinsendam and Zuiderdam on my last cruises.

[Aruba]

Those foreign airlines would do it cheaper and better, quickly putting the American Flag Carriers into permanent bankruptcy. But how many of the 20.8 million Americans currently directly employed by the US Airline industry would lose their jobs in the process? And the USA would no longer have any national air carriers.

20.8 million Americans are directly employed by the US airline industry?? Wow, that's about one out of every 11 working-age adults. I wouldn't have guessed it was that high.

[world~citizen]

20.8 million Americans are directly employed by the US airline industry?? Wow, that's about one out of every 11 working-age adults. I wouldn't have guessed it was that high.

I Googled it.

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics says U.S. airlines employed 557,674 full-time and part-time workers at the end of 2009, down more than 170,000 from the end of 1999.

Employment at U.S. airlines peaked at 753,647 jobs in 2000 and has been on a steady decline since, except for a small rise in jobs in 2004 and 2007.

Perhaps he means directly and indirectly employed??

[Firemans_Flame]

I understand that there is a charge for the jacuzzi in the spa, but I thought the saunas were still free on HAL ships. They were on the Prinsendam and Zuiderdam on my last cruises.

The sauna was free on the Rotterdam last week.

[Sailkeywest]

Perhaps I stand corrected? Those pretty saunas with the tiled chairs? *confused*

[CtheW0rld]

Perhaps I stand corrected? Those pretty saunas with the tiled chairs? *confused*

those are the thermal spa or thermal suite. some such nonesense.

[woodofpine]

The logic of the cargo and passenger protection laws are hard to figure in the present market. But they once made more sense protectively. With respect to marine transit though there is very little long distance (non-vacation) passenger transit happening in the US anymore - so what's to protect. It is my understanding that the permissibility of the coast to coast canal cruise routes is an arcane exception to the arcane general rule so I'd not extrapolate much from it.

Bucemuzz - I have to disagree with your bias though that the foreign air carriers would promptly bankrupt US carriers as "cheaper and better". That's - so - American self-loathing. As a matter of fact, USA air travel - both before and after deregulation - was far cheaper here than in Europe - for a generation. When the EU finally deregulated, all kinds of bedlam resulted including bankruptcies of Sabina, Swissair, etc. Strikes at British Airways sound like the superior setup. Sure airfares in China are cheap - but we're not really comparing apples to apples there and african airlines... I'll keep our safety record thank you. As for hyper-cheap Europeans fares (most aren't), but know what Ryanair's customer satisfaction ranking is like? Neither do they, they don't give a rat's patoot. Southwest isn't frightened.

Americans love to diss USA business and labor but both Toyota and Honda get more productivity per man hour here than back in Japan.

[retiredkid]

thanks to o/p for sharing the link.
It has led to a very interesting thread. ;)