Embarking in San Deigo instead of Mexico?

[gourmetlover]

Has anyone ever gotten on a day late?

[AlanAllyn]

If you are talking about the Solstice to Seattle, you will not be allowed to embark in San Diego. That would result in a violation of the Passenger Vessel Service Act which prohibits foreign flagged ships from transporting passengers from one US port to another without stopping in a distant foreign port. That is why the previous cruise from Honolulu ends in Ensenada and this one begins there.

 

It would not be a violation if you were to cruise from San Diego to Victoria, missing two days of the cruise. However, I be surprised Celebrity would allow you to do that, even paying full fare. Canada may not allow it because of the immigration problem in Victoria.

[dutchess43]

I believe it is time to throw out the PSVA(1886) along with the Jones act(merchant marine act 1920) it is more bothersome to present cruisers then when it was first established back in the day.

[cruisestitch]

Write your congressman. I'm sure they'll put it on an upcoming legislative agenda:)

[CruisinCindy]

Just this past October, we were able to board in San Francisco for our Panama Canal cruise which began in Seattle and ended in Ft. Lauderdale. It was the first port after leaving Seattle and we had no trouble making the arrangements. It is called making a "downline" request, and we just had to send a letter to Celebrity with our details and cruise information, and they sent back a letter of authorization. When the ship arrived in San Francisco, they were expecting us and we got our champagne welcome aboard, perfect way to get on without the crowds.

[Cruise Junky]

Just this past October, we were able to board in San Francisco for our Panama Canal cruise which began in Seattle and ended in Ft. Lauderdale. It was the first port after leaving Seattle and we had no trouble making the arrangements. It is called making a "downline" request, and we just had to send a letter to Celebrity with our details and cruise information, and they sent back a letter of authorization. When the ship arrived in San Francisco, they were expecting us and we got our champagne welcome aboard, perfect way to get on without the crowds.

 

Totally different if the OP is referring to Solstice. You did Panama and hit a foreign distant port so boarding in Seattle or San Francisco made no difference.

[Gonzo70]

Just this past October, we were able to board in San Francisco for our Panama Canal cruise which began in Seattle and ended in Ft. Lauderdale. It was the first port after leaving Seattle and we had no trouble making the arrangements. It is called making a "downline" request, and we just had to send a letter to Celebrity with our details and cruise information, and they sent back a letter of authorization. When the ship arrived in San Francisco, they were expecting us and we got our champagne welcome aboard, perfect way to get on without the crowds.

 

Most likely you stopped in Cartagena, Colombia? Any port in South America is considered a Distant Foreign Port and hence you can embark in one U.S. city and debark in a different U.S. city so long as the ship calls upon a Distant Foreign Port in between. Much different situation than the OP is speaking about; you cannot board in San Diego, CA and debark in Seattle, WA as the ship has not stopped at a Distant Foreign Port in between - hence it would be illegal because of the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA). Port calls in Canada and Central America are not deemed to be Distant Foreign Ports, but Near Foreign Ports, so even if the OP's cruise made a call in Canada it would not satisfy the PVSA.