Cruise Ship as Transportation

[cdlu]

I am looking for information on how to use cruise ships as transportation to a vacation destination and back. TIA for any information.

[paul929207]

There are a number of cruises that start in one port and end in another. I assume you are looking for some time between the two cruises to vacation.

 

The most obvious would be the TransAtlantic. Each spring there are a number of ships moving from North America (mostly the Caribbean) to Europe. In the fall these ships generally come back to North America. Of course that means several months in Europe between crossings. There is also the Queen Mary 2 that does crossings between England and NYC.

[johneeo]

I am looking for information on how to use cruise ships as transportation to a vacation destination and back. TIA for any information.

 

Where do you want to start, end, and finish up?

[Keith1010]

Yes, in general, if you want to take a ship to a destination that could involve a crossing or just say a cruise that starts at one port and ends in another location.

 

Do you have a destination in mind?

 

Keith

[cdlu]

Looking at the cruise ship possibility to see if it might be cheaper than airfare to Cozumel from US. No certain dates in mind; just started researching. I was reading an article by a traveler that talked about this.

[Scrapnana]

Cruising would be nicer but I doubt cheaper than flying to Cozumel.

[paul929207]

Looking at the cruise ship possibility to see if it might be cheaper than airfare to Cozumel from US. No certain dates in mind; just started researching. I was reading an article by a traveler that talked about this.

I am not aware of any cruises that begin or end in Cozumel. If you could get permission to get off there and board another cruise some time later, you would have to pay the entire price for both cruises.

[Philob]

I am not aware of any cruises that begin or end in Cozumel. If you could get permission to get off there and board another cruise some time later, you would have to pay the entire price for both cruises.

 

Plus that pesky PSVA "may" make the trip no doable.

 

Since I know nothing about cept what I read here, I'll let others debate if this applies or not.

 

:D

[njhorseman]

Plus that pesky PSVA "may" make the trip no doable.

 

Since I know nothing about cept what I read here, I'll let others debate if this applies or not.

 

:D

 

There's no debate. The PVSA prohibits a foreign-flagged cruise ship from transporting passengers from one US port to another US port with making a port call at a distant foreign port. It's perfectly legal to transport passengers from a US port to a foreign port, or from any foreign port to a US port. A one way cruise from any US port to Cozumel or any foreign port is perfectly OK, as is a one way cruise from Cozumel to a US port.

[navybankerteacher]

You might be able to take a cruise ship to Cozumel. assuming you got approval from the line, which is obvious doable as entertainers regularly board and debarked halfway through cruises --- but it is virtually certain to cost a lot more than flying.

 

We take trans-Atlantic repositioning cruises and wind up paying a lot less than a business class or first class seat would cost ----- for a lot more comfortable accomodation and better food; but I don't think that is the kind of thing you are looking for.

[OCruisers]

Cruising would be nicer but I doubt cheaper than flying to Cozumel.

 

Think you're going to find that it's a "no can do" from Cozumel.

 

LuLu

~~~~

[toberman]

Think you're going to find that it's a "no can do" from Cozumel.

 

LuLu

~~~~

 

I agree - Have never heard of a cruise from US to MX one way.. always have to return on the same ship.

 

There's no debate. .

 

But, as always with horeseman... there's 'no debate'. Not even a discussion.

[FTLcruisers]

Looking at the cruise ship possibility to see if it might be cheaper than airfare to Cozumel from US. No certain dates in mind; just started researching. I was reading an article by a traveler that talked about this.

 

You would then have to pay for 2 cruises - one to get to Cozumel and one to get back to the US!

[kitty9]

You'd have to get permission from the cruise line and Mexico to see if it's possible. Then you'd have to pay two full cruise fares because ships don't sell partial cruises. The cheapest cruise that includes Cozumel could run you more than $600 for an inside cabin, so double that because you'll pay for both cruises.

[sail7seas]

You might be able to take a cruise ship to Cozumel. assuming you got approval from the line, which is obvious doable as entertainers regularly board and debarked halfway through cruises --- but it is virtually certain to cost a lot more than flying.

 

We take trans-Atlantic repositioning cruises and wind up paying a lot less than a business class or first class seat would cost ----- for a lot more comfortable accomodation and better food; but I don't think that is the kind of thing you are looking for.

 

Maybe entertainers are exceptions as 'employees' or crew/staff?

[smeyer418]

Maybe entertainers are exceptions as 'employees' or crew/staff?

 

 

The PSVA covers passengers not employees who work in the operation of the ship. which covers entertainers but not front office employees from the Home office...

[sail7seas]

The PSVA covers passengers not employees who work in the operation of the ship. which covers entertainers but not front office employees from the Home office...

 

 

So is that a Yes? :confused:

 

Employees can board/debark in ports passengers would not be permitted due to PVSA?

[Cruisin' Chick]

Wouldn't another problem would be the need for customs in Cozumel? The airport would have agents, but the port (and if it's a tender port, that would cause another wrinkle, but we haven't been to this port in almost 20 years so I don't remember about this).

[Shmoo here]

So is that a Yes? :confused:

 

Employees can board/debark in ports passengers would not be permitted due to PVSA?

 

 

I'm going to say yes. On our Hawaii (LA roundtrip) cruise we had Hawaiian entertainers boarding with us in LA, and I saw them getting off in Hawaii.

[navybankerteacher]

Wouldn't another problem would be the need for customs in Cozumel? The airport would have agents' date=' but the port (and if it's a tender port, that would cause another wrinkle, but we haven't been to this port in almost 20 years so I don't remember about this).[/quote']

 

I imagine this would be the real sticking point (aside from cost, of course). Arrangements would have to be made for customs and immigration control, which must somehow be handled in the case of entertainers. I believe it has been correctly pointed out that the PVSA would not be a problem as a one way from a US port would not be barred. The cruise line, however would want full fare for their space even if you were de barking halfway through --- so a round trip would cost the equivalent of two full cruise fares, making it really problematic.

 

As recently as the 1950's and 60's you could sail effectively one way to Bermuda, and stay there for a week or so, then sail one way back, you would have to have a return ticket because Bermuda would not let you just come, people used to do that regularly, now the only passenger service is on round trip cruise ships; but I imagine there may be som occasional passenger carrying

cargo ships - hard to find, and probably harder to book with any convenient timing.

[njhorseman]

 

 

But, as always with horeseman... there's 'no debate'. Not even a discussion.

 

Opinions are subject to debate and discussion, facts aren't. If you think I've misstated the facts in my post please provide citations of the applicable laws, regulations as well as interpretive bulletins issued by US Customs and Border Protection, which is the government agency responsible for enforcing the PVSA.

[njhorseman]

The PSVA covers passengers not employees who work in the operation of the ship. which covers entertainers but not front office employees from the Home office...

 

It's not quite that simple. CBP has ruled that front office employees can be exempt from the PVSA and be treated just as if they were crew actually working on the ship. Here's one of several examples from page 10 of CBP's interpretive publication, which can be found at http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/trade/legal/informed_compliance_pubs/pvsa_icp.ctt/pvsa_icp.pdf

 

A Manager, Marine Hotel Operations traveling onboard to conduct an overall operational review, including food and beverage service, entertainment, housekeeping, and accounting is not a "passenger" within the meaning of 46 U.S.C. § 55103 and 19 C.F.R. § 4.50(b).

[BruceMuzz]

If everyone is finished speculating and guessing, I can explain how it works in actual practice.

 

Employees who sign on as crew are not subject to the PVSA regulations.

Cruise Line employees who travel with the ship (Shore-based employees and service engineers) are required to send a coastwise sailing request letter to CBP to get official permission to be exempted from PVSA. These requests are almost always automatically granted.

Any crewmember, company employee, service engineer, or passenger who wants to disembark in any port on planet earth must have the ship's Purser inform local Immigration and Customs officials. The officials will then inform the Purser when and where they plan to conduct the Immigration and Customs inspection for the disembarking people.

 

FYI - One of the few countries on Earth where people ar e NOT allowed to disembark in any port is the USA. There are many smaller US ports that do not have Immigration and Customs Officials. These ports do not allow crew, service engineers, or passengers to embark or permanently disembark the ship - except in cases of extreme emergency.

[ihavecats]

Well, let's do the math...

 

Cheapest cruise I could find to Cozumel was on 5-night on the Carnival Elation out of New Orleans. I see from your info you are from Arkansas, that's why I picked this port.

 

Gas to and from the port: about $100-150 depending on several factors

Parking at the port: ??? don't know how long you'd be gone, let's say at least $100

Cruise there: about $1100 for two people

Cruise back: about $1100 for two people

Gratuities for both cruises: about $250

 

Cruise total is about $2650+

 

Flight out of Little Rock: about $1200 for two, plus parking for a week, maybe $100 more. Flight total of about $1300.

 

Easy choice.

[ihavecats]

Well, let's do the math...

 

Cheapest cruise I could find to Cozumel was on 5-night on the Carnival Elation out of New Orleans. I see from your info you are from Arkansas, that's why I picked this port.

 

Gas to and from the port: about $100-150 depending on several factors

Parking at the port: ??? don't know how long you'd be gone, let's say at least $100

Cruise there: about $1100 for two people

Cruise back: about $1100 for two people

Gratuities for both cruises: about $250

 

Cruise total is about $2650+

 

Flight out of Little Rock: about $1200 for two, plus parking for a week, maybe $100 more. Flight total of about $1300.

 

Easy choice.

 

Oops! I realized I doubled the cruise price, so it should be $1100 total for both cruises. Still brings the cruise total to about $1550+, still more expensive than flying.