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Travel to Jamaica by boat?

Norveilex

By Norveilex,
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Norveilex

Norveilex

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Are there any companies that provide boat rides from the USA to Jamaica? I don't mean cruises, but using a boat as a mode of transportation. I want to do some traveling this year and I'm really afraid of flying. So, I'm trying to learn as much about boat travel as I can.

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njhorseman

njhorseman

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1) Plan cruise with cruiseline that includes a stop in Jamaica

2) Pack lightly

3) Get off the boat in Jamaica with all your stuff

4) Done!

 

It's not that simple:

 

a) You must give advance notice the cruise line in order to disembark in a port of call as they will have to arrange with local immigration and customs authorities to clear you, just as the authorities would if you entered the country by airplane.

 

b) You will pay the full cruise fare despite taking only part of the cruise.

 

c) You will have to find a cruise (for which you will again pay full fare...so now you've paid double fare) that is willing to allow you to embark in Jamaica to return to the US. Cruise lines are increasingly refusing to allow passengers bound for the US on what would normally be a closed loop cruise originating in a US port to embark in a foreign country. The reason is that US CBP is requiring that all passengers have to be cleared upon arrival in the US as if the cruise originated in a foreign country. This means individual passport or documentation checks by CBP for all passengers prior to the ship being cleared for disembarkation. This can casuse hours of delay in the disembarkation process.

 

The real answer to the OP's question is a simple "no". They are looking for a ferry, not a cruise, and there is none.

Edited by njhorseman
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Nitemare

Nitemare

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Only one problem with this. How does the OP get back home?

 

don't think I saw that he wanted to go home. Someone else will have to help with that! :)

 

It's not that simple:

 

a) You must give advance notice the cruise line in order to disembark in a port of call as they will have to arrange with local immigration and customs authorities to clear you, just as the authorities would if you entered the country by airplane.

 

b) You will pay the full cruise fare despite taking only part of the cruise.

 

c) You will have to find a cruise (for which you will again pay full fare...so now you've paid double fare) that is willing to allow you to embark in Jamaica to return to the US. Cruise lines are increasingly refusing to allow passengers bound for the US on what would normally be a closed loop cruise originating in a US port to embark in a foreign country. The reason is that US CBP is requiring that all passengers have to be cleared upon arrival in the US as if the cruise originated in a foreign country. This means individual passport or documentation checks by CBP for all passengers prior to the ship being cleared for disembarkation. This can casuse hours of delay in the disembarkation process.

 

The real answer to the OP's question is a simple "no". They are looking for a ferry, not a cruise, and there is none.

 

I expect he'd have to pay the full fare. But what IF he got off in Jamaica and never got back onboard (like I proposed)? They aren't going to send the crew after him, so voila, I got him there by boat!

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njhorseman

njhorseman

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don't think I saw that he wanted to go home. Someone else will have to help with that! :)

 

 

 

I expect he'd have to pay the full fare. But what IF he got off in Jamaica and never got back onboard (like I proposed)? They aren't going to send the crew after him, so voila, I got him there by boat!

 

Voila, you've advised him to illegally enter the country. His being allowed to enter Jamaica for a few hours on a day visit as the result of his being a cruise ship passenger does not allow him to stay in the country indefinitely. Once he misses the ship he's in violation of the law.

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Kartgv

Kartgv

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Could someone start a cruise that stops in Jamaica, get prior permission to debark in Jamaica and then (with permission) reboard another ship a week or 2 later back to the original port?

 

That would be a great way to travel :D

 

It WAS a great way to travel, but unfortunately is no longer available. Our first cruise together was in 1981 on the Starward, and that's exactly what we did. Boarded in Florida - when we stopped in Jamaica (Ocho Rios) a group of about 40 of us got off the ship and spent a week in villas at a great small resort on the most beautiful perfect little beach we've ever seen. A week later, the ship came back around and we got back on and finished the cruise. Everyone who did it absolutely loved it, but we haven't seen anything similar offered since the mid-80's.

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Nitemare

Nitemare

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Voila, you've advised him to illegally enter the country. His being allowed to enter Jamaica for a few hours on a day visit as the result of his being a cruise ship passenger does not allow him to stay in the country indefinitely. Once he misses the ship he's in violation of the law.

 

Oh.

 

I didn't notice that the OP required this to be legal.

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njhorseman

njhorseman

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Oh.

 

I didn't notice that the OP required this to be legal.

 

Oh, I forgot. This is the Internet, so we should assume there's a chance that someone who asks a question is looking to do something illegal, and it's our inalienable right to recommend all means, both legal and illegal, that can be used to accomplish the goal. :rolleyes:

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Nitemare

Nitemare

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Posted
Oh, I forgot. This is the Internet, so we should assume there's a chance that someone who asks a question is looking to do something illegal, and it's our inalienable right to recommend all means, both legal and illegal, that can be used to accomplish the goal. :rolleyes:

 

Look. if the OP has the proper papers, why can't he do this the way I suggested? Cruiseline gets paid, immigration is satisfied, OP gets to go to Jamaica until he is ready to leave.

 

Of course my original reply was tongue in cheek, but darn if some folks don't want to show how smart they are and rip things to pieces.

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Corby114

Corby114

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During a cruise on the Carnival Liberty Eastern Caribbean cruise in March 2011 I met an elderly woman who lived in St Thomas who joined our cruise midweek. She was assigned to sit at our table of ten as the eleventh person for the last three nights of our seven day cruise. She explained that she was afraid of flying and had made special arrangements with Carnival to travel back to Miami where she was visiting relatives. She told me that this wasn't the first time that she had traveled this way and that she also traveled from Miami to St Thomas numerous times. She was responsible to pay the full seven day cruise fare and also explained that the ship had to have a spare cabin available to be able to do this special voyage.

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njhorseman

njhorseman

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Look. if the OP has the proper papers, why can't he do this the way I suggested? Cruiseline gets paid, immigration is satisfied, OP gets to go to Jamaica until he is ready to leave.

 

Of course my original reply was tongue in cheek, but darn if some folks don't want to show how smart they are and rip things to pieces.

 

How is someone supposed to know if your reply was serious or tongue in cheek?

 

I don't know who you are.

 

I'm not a mind reader.

 

I can't see the expression on your face.

 

I can't hear your tone of voice.

 

That's why emoticons like :D , ;) and :p were created. Try using them if you want to be cute.

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navybankerteacher

navybankerteacher

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During a cruise on the Carnival Liberty Eastern Caribbean cruise in March 2011 I met an elderly woman who lived in St Thomas who joined our cruise midweek. She was assigned to sit at our table of ten as the eleventh person for the last three nights of our seven day cruise. She explained that she was afraid of flying and had made special arrangements with Carnival to travel back to Miami where she was visiting relatives. She told me that this wasn't the first time that she had traveled this way and that she also traveled from Miami to St Thomas numerous times. She was responsible to pay the full seven day cruise fare and also explained that the ship had to have a spare cabin available to be able to do this special voyage.

 

Unusual - to go from one US port to another, on a non-US flagged ship, without stopping at a distant foreign port.

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njhorseman

njhorseman

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Unusual - to go from one US port to another, on a non-US flagged ship, without stopping at a distant foreign port.

 

The PVSA does not apply to the Virgin Islands so it's not necessary to stop at a distant foreign port :

 

http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/trade/legal/informed_compliance_pubs/pvsa_icp.ctt/pvsa_icp.pdf

 

 

Application of the PVSA

 

1. Where Does the PVSA Apply?

 

The PVSA applies to the United States, including the island territories and possessions of the United States, e.g., Puerto Rico. See 46 U.S.C. § 55101(a). However, the

coastwise laws generally do not apply to the following: 1) American Samoa; 2) the

Northern Mariana Islands; 3) Canton Island; or 4) the Virgin Islands. See 46 U.S.C.

§ 55101(b).

 

BTW, although by law the PVSA does apply to Puerto Rico there is an exemption granted due to lack of US-flagged vessels to serve the island.

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njhorseman

njhorseman

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Another way to do this:

 

Miami to Havana

 

Havana to Jamaica

 

You still have the cruise ship issue for the second half, but you get to see Havana!

 

No and no.

 

The Miami to Havana ferry doesn't actually exist. It's a proposed service that would require changes to US law to operate. The federal government has so far refused to change the embargo to allow ferry service between the US and Cuba.

 

The Cuba/Jamaica cruise (per their FAQs) only permits disembarkation in the passenger's country of embarkation, so someone boarding in Cuba must disembark in Cuba and someone boarding in Jamaica must disembark in Jamaica. You can't board in Cuba and disembark in Jamaica.

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