Advice on Transportation from Vancouver to Seattle... Apparently B2B Hawaii & Alaska Violates Jones Act!

[CruiszBug]

Hello, All! I booked a fabulous vacation for 2022 that was cancelled by Royal and in honor of our 40th anniversary year, I re-booked the same itinerary for this coming April-May 2023. Flying to HNL to visit Aulani and board Ovation for the Hawaii/Transpacific to Vancouver. Then continuing on to Alaska for 8 nights ending in Seattle. Never once did my TA or Royal mention this would violate the PVSA provision of the Jones Act. I did not know that despite booking two separate cruises, it is looked at as one long cruise between two American ports. Yikes! So now they tell me, lol🤨!

 

Their solution was to add the 17 day leg from Australia to HNL... uhm, nope! I found something better, I hope. Celebrity Solstice is sailing from Seattle on 12 May 2023 returning to Seattle on 19 May. We  would have to disembark Ovation in Vancouver on the 11th of May. Find transportation to Seattle and accommodations for one night. (I've tentatively booked Pan Pacific in Vancouver and Courtyard Marriott Pioneer Square in Seattle.) Any ideas on the best way to reach Seattle? I thought it would be pretty easy, but post-covid is proving challenging!

[Ozark_Kid]

13 minutes ago, CruiszBug said:

Hello, All! I booked a fabulous vacation for 2022 that was cancelled by Royal and in honor of our 40th anniversary year, I re-booked the same itinerary for this coming April-May 2023. Flying to HNL to visit Aulani and board Ovation for the Hawaii/Transpacific to Vancouver. Then continuing on to Alaska for 8 nights ending in Seattle. Never once did my TA or Royal mention this would violate the PVSA provision of the Jones Act. I did not know that despite booking two separate cruises, it is looked at as one long cruise between two American ports. Yikes! So now they tell me, lol🤨!

 

Their solution was to add the 17 day leg from Australia to HNL... uhm, nope! I found something better, I hope. Celebrity Solstice is sailing from Seattle on 12 May 2023 returning to Seattle on 19 May. We  would have to disembark Ovation in Vancouver on the 11th of May. Find transportation to Seattle and accommodations for one night. (I've tentatively booked Pan Pacific in Vancouver and Courtyard Marriott Pioneer Square in Seattle.) Any ideas on the best way to reach Seattle? I thought it would be pretty easy, but post-covid is proving challenging!

We will be joining you on Ovation.  We also had this cruise canceled last year.  We were disappointed to find that we could  not do a b2b this time too.  

I will follow this because we want to find a way to Seattle too.  So far I have not found a reasonable way.

[Tlbecker1]

Have you considered taking Amtrak?  Rent a car? Fly?

[boogybaby]

Hi, we are flying sky west from Seattle to Vancouver so it must operate in reverse could this be an option for you, Janice 

[SilkySal]

Amtrak IMO.

[jenncren]

I agree, Amtrak.  We did it in 2019, the ride was beautiful.

[Merion_Mom]

Just FYI:  It's the PVSA, not the Jones Act.

[Diver2014]

This may seem beneath a lot of people but Greyhound has 5 trips a day from Vancouver to Seattle starting at $27 one way.  I've taken it many times when I went to college in Bellingham.  It takes just over 4 hours. 

[bigeck]

9 minutes ago, Diver2014 said:

This may seem beneath a lot of people but Greyhound has 5 trips a day from Vancouver to Seattle starting at $27 one way.  I've taken it many times when I went to college in Bellingham.  It takes just over 4 hours. 

I had the bus booked and I'm sure it as called The Bolt Bus. Possibly a different one you booked.

Everything was cancelled due to covid. 

Seemingly, the scenery is amazing

Edited January 3, 2023 by bigeck

[bigeck]

This had me thinking. I'm on Ovation for the last Alaska cruise in Sept '24 from Seattle to Vancouver and staying on to Hawaii. 

Just off the phone and the agent says it's ok.

I booked direct with Royal

[cruisin from florida]

We rented a car one-way from Vancouver to Seattle a few years back at the end of our southbound cruise. We were able to get great nonstop flights in and out of Seattle, and this was the best solution we found. Note: there were 3 couples splitting the cost.

[CruiszBug]

2 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

Just FYI:  It's the PVSA, not the Jones Act.

Yes, I mentioned that in the body of my text.

[CruiszBug]

3 hours ago, Tlbecker1 said:

Have you considered taking Amtrak?  Rent a car? Fly?

Considered Amtrak first because that is how we got to Vancouver back in 2019 Northbound. However, due to personnel shortages there is only one southbound and it leaves at 5 PMish getting to Seattle at 10Pmish. Then we still have to find transport to Pier 91 the next morning. Flying is costly plus we have luggage to consider. Then once we are at SEA-TAC we have to get all the way over to Pier 91.

3 hours ago, boogybaby said:

Hi, we are flying sky west from Seattle to Vancouver so it must operate in reverse could this be an option for you, Janice 

Looked at flights but they are cost prohibitive due to amount of luggage, wheelchair, and another shuttle to the ship.

3 hours ago, SilkySal said:

Amtrak IMO.

I wish.... maybe I'll get lucky and they will restart morning trips heading south.

2 hours ago, jenncren said:

I agree, Amtrak.  We did it in 2019, the ride was beautiful.

It sure was... pre-covid. Now it's like a red-eye going south.

1 hour ago, Diver2014 said:

This may seem beneath a lot of people but Greyhound has 5 trips a day from Vancouver to Seattle starting at $27 one way.  I've taken it many times when I went to college in Bellingham.  It takes just over 4 hours. 

Looked at the Quick Coach since they used to transport from Canada Place to Pier 91, but they do not go there are this time.

1 hour ago, bigeck said:

I had the bus booked and I'm sure it as called The Bolt Bus. Possibly a different one you booked.

Everything was cancelled due to covid. 

Seemingly, the scenery is amazing

 

[CruiszBug]

2 hours ago, bigeck said:

This had me thinking. I'm on Ovation for the last Alaska cruise in Sept '24 from Seattle to Vancouver and staying on to Hawaii. 

Just off the phone and the agent says it's ok.

I booked direct with Royal

Yes, I was led to believe that as well. Until whoever's job it is to check such things got caught up and notified the executive office. We've been booked for months with no problem. Suddenly it's a problem. (Don't know why the booking was allowed in the first place?) The way it was explained to me was on a B2B they only look at the embark point and debark point. If it is a foreign registered ship (Ovation is) you cannot start and end at an American port, which you are. I mistakenly thought since Ovation from Hawaii was terminating at Vancouver, we were covered. Apparently not, since we are staying onboard for Alaska back to Seattle. Maybe it's different for the reverse itinerary? But I would triple check before investing money in flights, etc... Especially if your RCL agent is not well-versed in that obscure law.

Edited January 3, 2023 by CruiszBug

[CruiszBug]

58 minutes ago, cruisin from florida said:

We rented a car one-way from Vancouver to Seattle a few years back at the end of our southbound cruise. We were able to get great nonstop flights in and out of Seattle, and this was the best solution we found. Note: there were 3 couples splitting the cost.

We currently have a one-way rental car reserved from Vancouver to Seattle. As well as two hotel rooms. One in Vancouver. One in Seattle. I am hedging my bets all over the place, lol! If Amtrak starts back during the morning we will stay in a hotel near King Street station in Seattle. For now, my current plan involves us disembarking Ovation at Canada place and staying the night at Pan Pacific right there at the port. Then I must get up at the crack of dawn to take the light rail from the waterfront to the Vancouver airport to pick up our rental car. Driving back to Pan Pacific to load up our luggage and our special needs daughter. We will have to stow her wheelchair as part of the luggage which has me worried for the space it will take up... Four + hours on the road to Seattle. Drop everyone off at Pier 91. Return the car to the local rental agency and Uber back to Pier 91! Get onboard and find an adult beverage, lol....

[Tlbecker1]

31 minutes ago, CruiszBug said:

Then we still have to find transport to Pier 91 the next morning. Flying is costly plus we have luggage to consider. Then once we are at SEA-TAC we have to get all the way over to Pier 91.

 

 

We live in Oregon and have taken the train to Seattle many times, we are also familiar with flying there.  We also just use Uber/Lyft to get to the port from the hotels/train station/airport.

Safe travels and I hope you are able to figure out the particulars and enjoy your trip.

[bigeck]

21 minutes ago, CruiszBug said:

Yes, I was led to believe that as well. Until whoever's job it is to check such things got caught up and notified the executive office. We've been booked for months with no problem. Suddenly it's a problem. (Don't know why the booking was allowed in the first place?) The way it was explained to me was on a B2B they only look at the embark point and debark point. If it is a foreign registered ship (Ovation is) you cannot start and end at an American port, which you are. I mistakenly thought since Ovation from Hawaii was terminating at Vancouver, we were covered. Apparently not, since we are staying onboard for Alaska back to Seattle. Maybe it's different for the reverse itinerary? But I would triple check before investing money in flights, etc... Especially if your RCL agent is not well-versed in that obscure law.

Thanks. I'll try again.

Quantum leaves for Alaska 4 days earlier. That would give me 2 days in Seattle and 2 in Vancouver which would be a bonus. Might change for that

 

[CruiszBug]

1 minute ago, bigeck said:

Thanks. I'll try again.

Quantum leaves for Alaska 4 days earlier. That would give me 2 days in Seattle and 2 in Vancouver which would be a bonus. Might change for that

 

That sounds like a good plan! The only reason I'm jumping through hoops is because I have excellent airfare back home to Florida and didn't want to lose that. I'm a little bummed because we just turned Pinnacle and will not get near the same benefits on Celebrity Solstice since we have never sailed with them. Still looking forward to our glorious adventure, though!

[crzndeb]

3 hours ago, bigeck said:

This had me thinking. I'm on Ovation for the last Alaska cruise in Sept '24 from Seattle to Vancouver and staying on to Hawaii. 

Just off the phone and the agent says it's ok.

I booked direct with Royal

If you are embarking in Seattle, and disembarking in Honolulu, then the agent you talked to is clueless. It IS in violation of the PVSA, and somebody will catch it and you will need to cancel one leg, or get on a different ship.

This has been an ongoing problem for years, every time the ships repo to Australia from Alaska. 
I just added the Hawaii and Alaska leg in Apr/May 2023, and my TA got an email I couldn’t do it. But I already had 3 legs booked from Sydney, so it’s an OK booking. Some agents will catch it when you book it.

 

Edited January 3, 2023 by crzndeb

[bigeck]

1 hour ago, CruiszBug said:

That sounds like a good plan! The only reason I'm jumping through hoops is because I have excellent airfare back home to Florida and didn't want to lose that. I'm a little bummed because we just turned Pinnacle and will not get near the same benefits on Celebrity Solstice since we have never sailed with them. Still looking forward to our glorious adventure, though!

I have a deck 12 balcony near the concierge lounge. Might not get in though. I looked at Celebrity but Quantum looks like a better deal.

 

[bigeck]

13 minutes ago, crzndeb said:

If you are embarking in Seattle, and disembarking in Honolulu, then the agent you talked to is clueless. It IS in violation of the PVSA, and somebody will catch it and you will need to cancel one leg, or get on a different ship.

 

I'll move to Quantum. Safer not taking any chances.

 

[taglovestocruise]

3 hours ago, bigeck said:

This had me thinking. I'm on Ovation for the last Alaska cruise in Sept '24 from Seattle to Vancouver and staying on to Hawaii. 

Just off the phone and the agent says it's ok.

I booked direct with Royal

You were given the wrong info. We had the same cruises booked last year. It would be considered a single trip Seattle to Honolulu and that would be the violation. In our case we ended up doing Ovation Seattle to Vancouver and then three days later boarded Quantum Vancouver to Honolulu.  You may be contacted by Royal within a week of boarding and told you can not do the B2B.  Royal is known for reps not being accurate, happy cruising.

[taglovestocruise]

6 hours ago, CruiszBug said:

Hello, All! I booked a fabulous vacation for 2022 that was cancelled by Royal and in honor of our 40th anniversary year, I re-booked the same itinerary for this coming April-May 2023. Flying to HNL to visit Aulani and board Ovation for the Hawaii/Transpacific to Vancouver. Then continuing on to Alaska for 8 nights ending in Seattle. Never once did my TA or Royal mention this would violate the PVSA provision of the Jones Act. I did not know that despite booking two separate cruises, it is looked at as one long cruise between two American ports. Yikes! So now they tell me, lol🤨!

 

Their solution was to add the 17 day leg from Australia to HNL... uhm, nope! I found something better, I hope. Celebrity Solstice is sailing from Seattle on 12 May 2023 returning to Seattle on 19 May. We  would have to disembark Ovation in Vancouver on the 11th of May. Find transportation to Seattle and accommodations for one night. (I've tentatively booked Pan Pacific in Vancouver and Courtyard Marriott Pioneer Square in Seattle.) Any ideas on the best way to reach Seattle? I thought it would be pretty easy, but post-covid is proving challenging!

We stayed at the Pan Pacific in Oct. 2022. You can get a one way car rental Vancouver to Seattle from under $180.00. A 7 passenger Van one way runs about $225.00, drop off would be at SEATAC.  That is for one day rental.    Have you thought about Quantum Honolulu to Vancouver, April 28th , spending three nights in Vancouver and then boarding Ovation Vancouver to Seattle May 11th.  We did the exact opposite in Sep/Oct 2022 and it worked out great. happy cruising

[neverbeenhere]

Quick Shuttle

[bigeck]

30 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

You were given the wrong info. We had the same cruises booked last year. It would be considered a single trip Seattle to Honolulu and that would be the violation. In our case we ended up doing Ovation Seattle to Vancouver and then three days later boarded Quantum Vancouver to Honolulu.  You may be contacted by Royal within a week of boarding and told you can not do the B2B.  Royal is known for reps not being accurate, happy cruising.

I had to cancel a cruise in 2015. Seattle to Vancouver then onto LA. Worked out good as I flew into San Fran and drove Highway 1 and went to Grand Canyon and Vegas. Then jumped on Jewel for a 7 night round trip. 

Edited January 3, 2023 by bigeck