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Seward to Hawaii ... Can it be done?

FreshOffTheBoat

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FreshOffTheBoat

FreshOffTheBoat

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I know this has sort of been asked but I am not exacly sure, hoping someone can help me.

 

I am wondering can I book the Radiance from Seward to Vancouver then do a B2b to Hawaii, or is this not possible because of the Jones Act (or whatever it is called). Does it matter on your nationality, what if you got off the Radiance and boarded the Rhapsody in Vancouver?

 

I am trying to figure out if it is at all possible to do Alaska / Hawaii b2b.

 

If anyone could help it would be appreaciated.

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FreshOffTheBoat

FreshOffTheBoat

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From what I recall you cannot do that.

 

BUT, if you get off Radiance and board Rhapsody, you CAN do it because it's a different vessel.

 

I think I'd rather spend more time on the Radiance though! Beautiful ship :)

 

Can anyone else maybe confirm if getting off Radiance and boarding Rhapsody would work?

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Gonzo70

Gonzo70

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From what I recall you cannot do that.

 

BUT, if you get off Radiance and board Rhapsody, you CAN do it because it's a different vessel.

 

 

Correct.

 

The law involved is the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA), not the Jones Act (which involves the transportation of goods, not people).

 

One cannot do a back-to-back cruise where the first cruise starts in one U.S. city and the second cruise ends in a different U.S. city unless a DISTANT foreign port is visited at some point in between (no ports in Canada qualify as a DISTANT foreign port). As such a back-to-back that starts in Alaska and ends in Hawaii would not be legal.

 

You would be able to switch to a different ship in Vancouver and then proceed to take a cruise to Hawaii. The PVSA does not prohibit this since different vessels are involved and each itinerary in isolation is in compliance with the PVSA.

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Gonzo70

Gonzo70

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I know Carnival does repositioning cruises like that....no reason you couldn't book both the last leg of the Alaskan route and the 1st leg of the new, Hawaiian route!

 

Uh, it would be ILLEGAL! Isn't that reason enough?

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Sequim88

Sequim88

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Technically not a B2B but rather Consecutive Cruises. Get off one and clear customs, collect luggage and then go check in for next one. Strictly reading wording of Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA) when different vessels are involved it would not apply.

No foreign vessels shall transport passengers between ports or places in the United States, either directly or by way of a foreign port, under a penalty of $200 (now $300) for each passenger so transported and landed.

Vessels, plural, in the above applies broadly to "all non-US Flag vessels" as a group and not specifically the number of vessels a person elects to cruise on. Once transported to Vancouver any subsequent cruise is a new "transport" and in this case to Hawaii would not be between two US ports.

 

Now, a true B2B (same ship) and not completely disembarking would be a whole different thing.

 

I would say try to book the two separate cruises and if not permitted they will tell you. And if they allow it and it is not compliant with the PVSA they can eat the $300 fine.

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Gonzo70

Gonzo70

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I would say try to book the two separate cruises and if not permitted they will tell you. And if they allow it and it is not compliant with the PVSA they can eat the $300 fine.

 

That would not be wise. The cruise line is unlikely to "eat" the $300 fine. When the issue is discovered, the involved passengers would in all likelihood be made to cancel one of the two cruises and the passengers would probably be made to "eat" any expenses involved (i.e. booked plane tickets, nonrefundable hotels etc.). There can be additional repercussions beyond the $300 fine (which is per/person), such as the ship being barred from calling at U.S. ports for a period of time.

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ainoh

ainoh

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I know this has sort of been asked but I am not exacly sure, hoping someone can help me.

 

I am wondering can I book the Radiance from Seward to Vancouver then do a B2b to Hawaii, or is this not possible because of the Jones Act (or whatever it is called). Does it matter on your nationality, what if you got off the Radiance and boarded the Rhapsody in Vancouver?

 

I am trying to figure out if it is at all possible to do Alaska / Hawaii b2b.

 

If anyone could help it would be appreaciated.

 

Yes you can. You are doing two cruises.

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Sequim88

Sequim88

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The following from US Customs repeatedly refers to "a vessel" (singular). Radiance & Rhapsody are two differen ships with two distinct itineraries that are individually compliant with PVSA - so two totally different "transports". Can't see where it would be any problem.

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

 

To lean to the side of caution perhaps make them even more distinct by booking as to completely separate reservations on completely different dates. Best case of all would involve overnight stay in Vancouver.

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Gonzo70

Gonzo70

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Why would this act apply to non US citizens though?

 

Has nothing to do with citizenship - has to do with protecting US businesses. It is the same type of law that prohibits foreign airlines from transporting people from one U.S. city to another (i.e. you can fly British Airways from New York to London, but not from New York to Miami).

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brfan

brfan

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While I was waiting in the lounge to get off the Rhapsody after an Alaska cruise (Seattle to Vancouver) this past September, another couple mentioned that they had also booked the next cruise, which was the Vancouver to Honolulu repo. However they had received a call from Royal Caribbean telling them they had to cancel either the Alaska cruise or the Vancouver to Honolulu cruise as they could not do both. They opted for the Alaska cruise and I believe Royal Caribbean reimbursed them for the cost to change their flights (I'm sure they did that because it was their error to book both cruises to begin with).

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