PVSA/Jones Act - Is this allowed or possible?

I was looking at a short cruise for September on Princess and noticed two possible cruises that would work for our schedule. Although the ship stops in Vancouver, I am not sure if that would make these two cruises possible to book as a back to back.

The itineraries are:

September 22 - September 23

Golden Princess

Seattle to Vancouver

Back to Back

September 23 - September 26

Golden Princess

Vancouver to Los Angeles

Thank you to anyone who knows more about the PVSA who can answer this question!

My opinion...no. This is the equivalent of a cruise from Seattle to Los Angeles. In order to do that, the ship would have to visit a far foreign port, but there are none in that area.

Sorry, that would violate the PVSA. You would be sailing from Seattle to LA. If you got off in Vancouver and changed to another ship, either that day or another, you would be legal.

No you must actually change ships to qualify with that iteniary. :(

Sorry, that would violate the PVSA. You would be sailing from Seattle to LA. If you got off in Vancouver and changed to another ship, either that day or another, you would be legal.

No you must actually change ships to qualify with that iteniary. :(

Thank you for clearing this up. I guess it looks like the September 24 Vancouver to San Francisco does not violate the PVSA.

No problem with Vancouver to San Francisco and no problem if it was the same to USA ports if a Canadian port was one of the stops. Problem happens when two different USA ports involved for embarkation and disembarkation.

Keith

No problem with Vancouver to San Francisco and no problem if it was the same to USA ports if a Canadian port was one of the stops. Problem happens when two different USA ports involved for embarkation and disembarkation.

Vancouver is not a Distant Foreign Port under the PVSA and therefore you could not do the cruise. However if you care to find another way from Seattle to Vancouver....even on another ship or cruise line you would be OK.

It is illegal.

Best way to figure out West coast legal/illegal.

It is only legal to board a US port and end in a Canadian port on the West Coast.

It is illegal to board one US port and end in a different US port on the West Coast.

It is illegal.

 

Best way to figure out West coast legal/illegal.

 

It is only legal to board a US port and end in a Canadian port on the West Coast.

 

It is illegal to board one US port and end in a different US port on the West Coast.

It is unlikely, but you can go from one US port to another if you visit a distant foriegn port. The closest qualifying ports would be in South America.

Right. It's not how many itineraries you combine but the fact you embarked in one US city and disembarked in another, regardless whether the ship disembarked or embarked other passengers along the way. If you do this, you have to go to a FAR foreign port. Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean don't qualify as "far."

Hope you are having a wonderful time this week:):):)

I'm actually looking at almost the same trip. However, we're going to take the Golden from Seattle to Vancouver on Sept. 22nd, stay overnight in Vancouver and then take the Star Sept. 24-26 to San Francisco.

I checked with my TA and he checked with a Princess supervisor who said we would be in compliance with the PVSA.

Seems like a good opportunity to spend some time in Vancouver checking out the city.

I'm actually looking at almost the same trip. However, we're going to take the Golden from Seattle to Vancouver on Sept. 22nd, stay overnight in Vancouver and then take the Star Sept. 24-26 to San Francisco.

 

I checked with my TA and he checked with a Princess supervisor who said we would be in compliance with the PVSA.

 

Seems like a good opportunity to spend some time in Vancouver checking out the city.

This is no problem. It is prefectly legal

Princess needs to reposition the ship from Seattle to California (LA or SF), switching from Alaksa cruise season to the Mexico/California/Hawaii cruise season.

But it can't take passengers Seattle (USA) to LA/SF (USA) as this is two different US ports, without visiting a distant foreign port (which is not practical or close to do unless you want to detour via Aruba or South America), under the US PVSA.

So they split it into two PVSA legal voyages - Seattle to Vancouver (Canada, so legal), and Vancouver (again, Canada) to LA/SF. Passengers can go on one OR the other, but not both, or they would be doing a Seattle to LA/SF, two different US ports with no distant foreign port.

The PVSA is a major reason Princess does the one day cruises, as they do not want to sail passenger empty (no revenue) Seattle to LA/SF.

As other said, you can change ships, and all is good (although some will say it is not, but that situation was clarified years ago as legal).

PS - the Vancouver cruise ship industry thanks the US for the PVSA - as it prohibits one-way Seattle to Anchorage(Whittier) trips, but allows Vancouver to Anchorage (Whittier) trips, as Vancouver is not a US port.

 

 

 

PS - the Vancouver cruise ship industry thanks the US for the PVSA - as it prohibits one-way Seattle to Anchorage(Whittier) trips, but allows Vancouver to Anchorage (Whittier) trips, as Vancouver is not a US port.

Big high five on that one. Without the PVSA, Vancouver wouldn't be half the port it is today. Ironic, since it was put in place to protect US jobs and the US shipping industry :rolleyes:

Hope you are having a wonderful time this week:):):)

Big high five on that one. Without the PVSA, Vancouver wouldn't be half the port it is today. Ironic, since it was put in place to protect US jobs and the US shipping industry :rolleyes:

Law of unintended consequences

Ensenada also loves the Jones Act.

So long as you change ships in Vancouver, you don't have to stay for 24hrs before resuming your voyage - I did this last May, changing from the Sapphire coastal to the Golden Alaska. However, although the ships were side by side at dock, I had to go through Canadian immigration, then US immigration pre-clearance, (although my baggage was moved for me) - it was the first weekend of the season for Canada Place, there were four ships in town, and it was crazy - I was very glad to be at the front of the rush and it was still stressful - our sailing was delayed three hours because passengers could not board fast enough (I heard tales of queueing for four hours just to get inside the terminal, and not a taxi to be had) - this was Canada Place's fault, not Princess, and I hope it doesn't happen every year, it quite put me off doing this itinerary again, although everything else about the cruises was wonderful.

It also meant that my plans to go out and spend a few hours sightseeing in Vancouver were immediately scrapped as I didn't want to leave the ship once I'd achieved boarding - that was a shame as I had been looking forward to that.

It is unlikely, but you can go from one US port to another if you visit a distant foriegn port. The closest qualifying ports would be in South America.

OK - but for the most part people asking these questions are not going to South America. This is pretty easy rules to follow along Mexico, West Coast and Alaska cruises.

So long as you change ships in Vancouver, you don't have to stay for 24hrs before resuming your voyage - I did this last May, changing from the Sapphire coastal to the Golden Alaska. However, although the ships were side by side at dock, I had to go through Canadian immigration, then US immigration pre-clearance, (although my baggage was moved for me) - it was the first weekend of the season for Canada Place, there were four ships in town, and it was crazy - I was very glad to be at the front of the rush and it was still stressful - our sailing was delayed three hours because passengers could not board fast enough (I heard tales of queueing for four hours just to get inside the terminal, and not a taxi to be had) - this was Canada Place's fault, not Princess, and I hope it doesn't happen every year, it quite put me off doing this itinerary again, although everything else about the cruises was wonderful.

It also meant that my plans to go out and spend a few hours sightseeing in Vancouver were immediately scrapped as I didn't want to leave the ship once I'd achieved boarding - that was a shame as I had been looking forward to that.

My wife and I were on that fiasco, we ended up on three ships in ten days, it sure helped, catching the almighty Elite status!! ;) :D

Cato :)

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4th cruise - Golden Princes, 12 June 2010, 7 day Alaska. (Golden Anniversary Cruise)

5th Cruise - Island Princess, 04 October 2010, Vancouver - Los Angeles, Repositioning

6th cruise - Sapphire Princess, 05 January 2011, 10 day Mexican Riviera. LA to LA.

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To put some things into perspective, the "nearest" far port on the West Coast that would satisfy the PVSA is Fanning Island in the Republic of Kiribati, which is about 1,000 miles south of Hawai'i. NCL used to have to sail there on their Hawaiian itineraries until they got their ship(s) US-flagged.

To put some things into perspective, the "nearest" far port on the West Coast that would satisfy the PVSA is Fanning Island in the Republic of Kiribati, which is about 1,000 miles south of Hawai'i. NCL used to have to sail there on their Hawaiian itineraries until they got their ship(s) US-flagged.

Actually, Colombia or Ecuador are in South America and closer than Fanning Island. I think Aruba is considered "far" as well. That's why the LA or SF to FLL cruises are legal. :)

Maybe, but if we're talking Seattle to Los Angeles (as the OP wanted to do), Fanning Island would work better than sailing to Ecuador... (and back). ;)