Seward to Los Angeles...can I do this?

I understand the Jones Act/PSVA that prevents a foreign-flagged ship from carrying passengers between two U.S. ports without visiting a "distant foreign port" in between. I also understand that Vancouver doesn't qualify as a distant port.

My question is about a "sort of back-to-back" itinerary. Would it be legal to take a PRINCESS cruise from Seward to Vancouver, stay at a hotel for one night in Vancouver, and then board RCI's Jewel for its Pacific Coastal cruise from Vancouver to Los Angeles?

IMO, it's two separate voyages, with an overnight in Vancouver in between. But I'm wondering if anyone has actually done this. I certainly don't want to book two one-way flights only to find out a few days before we're supposed to leave that we can't do it.

No problem, it's two different cruises.

I understand the Jones Act/PSVA that prevents a foreign-flagged ship from carrying passengers between two U.S. ports without visiting a "distant foreign port" in between. I also understand that Vancouver doesn't qualify as a distant port.

 

My question is about a "sort of back-to-back" itinerary. Would it be legal to take a PRINCESS cruise from Seward to Vancouver, stay at a hotel for one night in Vancouver, and then board RCI's Jewel for its Pacific Coastal cruise from Vancouver to Los Angeles?

 

IMO, it's two separate voyages, with an overnight in Vancouver in between. But I'm wondering if anyone has actually done this. I certainly don't want to book two one-way flights only to find out a few days before we're supposed to leave that we can't do it.

as long as you are not boarding the 2nd cruise the same day i don't see any problems.

Bill

as long as you are not boarding the 2nd cruise the same day i don't see any problems.

 

Bill

That's absolutely fine to do since it is on 2 different vessels.

perfectly fine. had you been on the same ship it would be a problem.

They are correct, changing ships make the PVSA a non issue.

No problems. You don't even have to change cruise lines. Two options: Just change ships in Vancouver on the same day or even better, book a hotel for a couple of days and then take a different ship for the second leg.

We like to take the 1 day Golden from Seattle to Vancouver, stay a few days, and then take the 3 day Island or Coral down to LA. On Princess this counts as two cruises. On RCI you would only get 4 cruise day credits for a similar itinerary.

I'm curious, even if you did B2B on the same ship, i.e. board in Seward, end in Vancouver, then reboard the same ship the same day to Los Angeles, wouldn't that be ok? As you are clearing customs in Vancouver, I doubt that anyone cares if you spend one week or one hour in Vancouver. You would be on 2 separate voyages. I really don't know the answer, but these cruises aren't "closed loop," so you would have to re-clear customs in L.A. I would think that for legality sake you would be considered just as all the other passengers boarding in Vancouver. Not sure if you'd have to take your luggage off then back on.

Interesting question.

I'm curious, even if you did B2B on the same ship, i.e. board in Seward, end in Vancouver, then reboard the same ship the same day to Los Angeles, wouldn't that be ok? As you are clearing customs in Vancouver, I doubt that anyone cares if you spend one week or one hour in Vancouver. You would be on 2 separate voyages. I really don't know the answer, but these cruises aren't "closed loop," so you would have to re-clear customs in L.A. I would think that for legality sake you would be considered just as all the other passengers boarding in Vancouver. Not sure if you'd have to take your luggage off then back on.

Interesting question.

I believe it would be considered one cruise, even if you get off the ship and clear customs. Otherwise it would be a simple matter to circumvent the PVSA.

I believe it would be considered one cruise, even if you get off the ship and clear customs. Otherwise it would be a simple matter to circumvent the PVSA.

I'm curious, even if you did B2B on the same ship, i.e. board in Seward, end in Vancouver, then reboard the same ship the same day to Los Angeles, wouldn't that be ok? As you are clearing customs in Vancouver, I doubt that anyone cares if you spend one week or one hour in Vancouver. You would be on 2 separate voyages. I really don't know the answer, but these cruises aren't "closed loop," so you would have to re-clear customs in L.A. I would think that for legality sake you would be considered just as all the other passengers boarding in Vancouver. Not sure if you'd have to take your luggage off then back on.

Interesting question.

It is not allowed. The cruise lines will not even allow you to book it that way. If you do succeed in booking it by trying something like 2 different travel agents it will catch up with you when it comes time to sail you will either not be allowed to board or fined.

I'm curious, even if you did B2B on the same ship, i.e. board in Seward, end in Vancouver, then reboard the same ship the same day to Los Angeles, wouldn't that be ok? As you are clearing customs in Vancouver, I doubt that anyone cares if you spend one week or one hour in Vancouver. You would be on 2 separate voyages. I really don't know the answer, but these cruises aren't "closed loop," so you would have to re-clear customs in L.A. I would think that for legality sake you would be considered just as all the other passengers boarding in Vancouver. Not sure if you'd have to take your luggage off then back on.

Interesting question.

Everything that I have read doing a B2B as you suggested would violate the PVSA. It is not how the cruised was sold or booked, but how the cruise was actually taken by the passenger. In the end the same (non US flag) ship will have transported you from one US port to another US port without the distant foreign port visit by that ship. The fact that you ended on cruise and cleared customs in Vancouver and then begin a new voyage does not pass PVSA requirements because it being the same ship. I have had a few online discussions with a lawyer on the subject and asked what would happen in a similar situation, starting in Seward and left the ship and stayed in Vancouver for a period of time (say a week or two), continuing on LA or other US port on the same ship... would that be a violation? His opinion was that the CBP could consider it a violation... it would be all up to them and legal if they wished to enforce it... very much a grey area. In a practical sense however, the longer you were off the ship in between cruises, the less likely it would attract any attention.

Sometimes it appears the CBP as a whole division dedicated to prevent some cruiser from stringing too many B2Bs together and create a PVSA violation!;):)

 

My question is about a "sort of back-to-back" itinerary. Would it be legal to take a PRINCESS cruise from Seward to Vancouver, stay at a hotel for one night in Vancouver, and then board RCI's Jewel for its Pacific Coastal cruise from Vancouver to Los Angeles?

Is Princess sailing from Seward now? I thought they used Whittier?

It would be nice if they would revise or repeal the old PVSA. It is rather silly to have rules that protect and industry that does not exist. (American cruise ship building)

As you are clearing customs in Vancouver, I doubt that anyone cares if you spend one week or one hour in Vancouver.

On our recent B2B2B cruises, on our Seattle to Vancouver leg, we did NOT clear customs in Vancouver. We were issued in-transit cards & left via the crew exit & passed directly thru the terminal and into Canada. Upon our return we passed thru the terminal all the way to US Immigration & then back on board. It was similar in Honolulu, although we were 'officially' already in USA.

BTW - we travelled on Aussie passports, but our understanding that makes no difference.

Different ship = OK (even if same cruiseline)

Different day = OK