Heads Up If you Have to Get Off Early!

[knittinggirl]

Cabs do not charge PP but are metered and one price for all in the cab

 

Shuttles charge a fixed rate PP, this sounds like the transportation you used

 

In lots of ports it cost more to use a shuttle over a cab because of the PP price

In Fort Lauderdale, last April, we got a $3 extra charge for the second person in our taxi. Once we stopped at our destination, the cab driver pushed a button on the meter, and the fare jumped by $3.

[WestfieldTraveler]

I know that the OP did not have insurance so the question is moot for them, but in order to use insurance that has the "go to any hospital" option, what is usually the standard needed to allow that? I know from discussing with our taxi driver from St. Martin that as there are no hospitals equipped to deal with serious issues there, France will fly the person back to Paris, etc., for such treatment.

 

So, with no seats on a flight available, would one turn to your travel insurance company and say "get that private jet here ASAP"?

Edited June 25, 2014 by WestfieldTraveler
typo

[mollyeilis]

And then wait 2+ hours for a confirmation. I'm switching airlines when possible ...

 

FYI, United is a bit slow between the "you want a reservation" confirmation email and the "you have a reservation" email. With reservations using miles it's been a matter of an hour or two (and one time more) between the two. Not always, but sometimes.

[LindaO]

Although you had a harder time than you would have liked, I am glad things eventually worked out.

 

So, in an emergency, I wonder what would happen if you got off the ship with a tote bag, backpack, whatever, of stuff you absolutely needed and simply did not get back on again. What would the cruise line do with your luggage? Would they fine you the $300 to get it back? Cruise ships leave people behind in ports all the time. It's not like they send out a search party for them. How would the ship authorities know the pax did not "miss" the ship? And I do not see how there could be any customs implications if you departed a US port and "missed" the ship at a different US port, though I understand the PVSA implications.

 

Of course I understand how "missing" the ship in a foreign country could be a huge problem, but for a US citizen in at a US port?

 

You are not fined by the cruise ship, but rather by the US Government. The ship is only collecting the fine. The Government has the ability to collect the fine, we call know that.

 

Miss the ship in a foreign port, you may not have to pay the fine, because the collecting agencies are in the US. The OP's problem was that this ship went from Fort Lauderdale to Charleston and then on to Bermuda. If they had waited to leave the ship in Bermuda there would not have been an agency of the US Government to collect the fee or impose the fine (read below.)

The Passenger Vessel Services Act of 1886 (sometimes abbreviated to PVSA, Passenger Services Act, or PSA) is a protectionist piece of United States legislation which came into force in 1886 relating to cabotage. Essentially, it says:

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. As a result, all vessels engaged in the coastwise trade have been required to be coastwise-qualified (i.e., U.S.-built, owned and documented). Under the Passenger Vessel Services Act of 1886 (46 U.S.C. § 55103), non-coastwise-qualified vessels cannot transport passengers directly between U.S. ports. Generally, a passenger is any person carried on a vessel who is not directly and substantially connected with the operation of such vessel, her navigation, ownership, or business. The precise definition of what constitutes a U.S. port ("coastwise point") includes artificial islands and similar structures, as well as to mobile oil drilling rigs, drilling platforms, and other devices attached to the seabed of the Outer Continental Shelf for the purpose of resource exploration operations, and the anchored warehouse vessels that supply drilling platforms.[1]

The handful of U.S.-flagged cruise ships in operation are registered in the U.S. to permit cruises between the Hawaiian Islands, or from the continental U.S. to Hawaii.

The Passenger Vessel Services Act, however,

 

• does not prohibit foreign-flagged ships departing from and returning to the same U.S. port
  
• does not prohibit foreign-flagged ships departing from a U.S. port, visiting a distant foreign port, and then continuing to a second U.S. port. However, in order to embark in a U.S. port and disembark in a second U.S. port, the vessel must visit a distant foreign port outside of North America (Central America, Bermuda. the Bahamas, and all of the Caribbean except Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao, count as part of North America).
  
• does not prevent a ship from taking on passengers at a U.S. port and then returning them to another U.S. city by ground or air, or vice versa, as long as the cruise ship returns to its departing point without stopping (a "cruise to nowhere"), or stops in at least one distant foreign port.
  

In accordance with this law, cruise lines that operate foreign-flagged vessels are fined $300 for each passenger who boarded such a vessel in one U.S. port and left the vessel at another port. The cruise lines typically pass this cost on the passengers who "jump the ship". Exemptions are available in the case of family emergencies etc.[/url]

 

 

NOTE TO OP... please check out this web site

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/709

 

 

Which states:

NOTE: If a passenger is charged a fee by a cruise line for disembarking the vessel before the cruise itinerary is over, for example at a different U.S. point than where the passenger embarked the vessel, that is a contractual matter between the cruise line and the passenger and does not involve CBP. As such, passengers should contact the cruise line directly to discuss the fee. Any individual may file a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the CBP port that assessed the PVSA penalty against the cruise line to determine whether the cruise line paid the penalty. CBP may only respond to the FOIA request once the penalty action is closed.

Although I believe in your case the cruise line did pay the fine, they may not have, and it is your right to question the process. It would be worth it to maybe receive a refund. That web site does offer you all the information you need to question the process. Good LUCK!!

 

Edited June 26, 2014 by LindaO

[Merion_Mom]

You are not fined by the cruise ship, but rather by the US Government. The ship is only collecting the fine. The Government has the ability to collect the fine, we call know that.

 

Miss the ship in a foreign port, you may not have to pay the fine, because the collecting agencies are in the US. The OP's problem was that this ship went from Fort Lauderdale to Charleston and then on to Bermuda. If they had waited to leave the ship in Bermuda there would not have been an agency of the US Government to collect the fee or impose the fine (read below.)

The Passenger Vessel Services Act of 1886 (sometimes abbreviated to PVSA, Passenger Services Act, or PSA) is a protectionist piece of United States legislation which came into force in 1886 relating to cabotage. Essentially, it says:

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. As a result, all vessels engaged in the coastwise trade have been required to be coastwise-qualified (i.e., U.S.-built, owned and documented). Under the Passenger Vessel Services Act of 1886 (46 U.S.C. § 55103), non-coastwise-qualified vessels cannot transport passengers directly between U.S. ports. Generally, a passenger is any person carried on a vessel who is not directly and substantially connected with the operation of such vessel, her navigation, ownership, or business. The precise definition of what constitutes a U.S. port ("coastwise point") includes artificial islands and similar structures, as well as to mobile oil drilling rigs, drilling platforms, and other devices attached to the seabed of the Outer Continental Shelf for the purpose of resource exploration operations, and the anchored warehouse vessels that supply drilling platforms.[1]

The handful of U.S.-flagged cruise ships in operation are registered in the U.S. to permit cruises between the Hawaiian Islands, or from the continental U.S. to Hawaii.

The Passenger Vessel Services Act, however,

 

• does not prohibit foreign-flagged ships departing from and returning to the same U.S. port
  
• does not prohibit foreign-flagged ships departing from a U.S. port, visiting a distant foreign port, and then continuing to a second U.S. port. However, in order to embark in a U.S. port and disembark in a second U.S. port, the vessel must visit a distant foreign port outside of North America (Central America, Bermuda. the Bahamas, and all of the Caribbean except Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao, count as part of North America).
  
• does not prevent a ship from taking on passengers at a U.S. port and then returning them to another U.S. city by ground or air, or vice versa, as long as the cruise ship returns to its departing point without stopping (a "cruise to nowhere"), or stops in at least one distant foreign port.
  

In accordance with this law, cruise lines that operate foreign-flagged vessels are fined $300 for each passenger who boarded such a vessel in one U.S. port and left the vessel at another port. The cruise lines typically pass this cost on the passengers who "jump the ship". Exemptions are available in the case of family emergencies etc.[/url]

 

 

NOTE TO OP... please check out this web site

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/709

 

 

Which states:

NOTE: If a passenger is charged a fee by a cruise line for disembarking the vessel before the cruise itinerary is over, for example at a different U.S. point than where the passenger embarked the vessel, that is a contractual matter between the cruise line and the passenger and does not involve CBP. As such, passengers should contact the cruise line directly to discuss the fee. Any individual may file a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the CBP port that assessed the PVSA penalty against the cruise line to determine whether the cruise line paid the penalty. CBP may only respond to the FOIA request once the penalty action is closed.

Although I believe in your case the cruise line did pay the fine, they may not have, and it is your right to question the process. It would be worth it to maybe receive a refund. That web site does offer you all the information you need to question the process. Good LUCK!!

 

 

There is no fine for disembarking in a foreign port.

 

The law bars the cruise line from transporting you from one US PORT to another US PORT.

[Coralc]

It wouldn't surprise me if Royal Caribbean claimed they were all "family emergencies" and collected the $300 fine from the guest, whether the fine was actually levied by CBP or not.

 

It would be interesting to follow through and see if the fine was actually accessed and collected by CBP. I don't think the fine for early disembarkation is actually addressed in the passenger contract. :)

[SherriZ366]

Best advice is for the passenger who has to disembark early to contact Guest Relations ASAP.

[ehfl]

Blame congress. The cruise line has no choice in the matter.

[Coralc]

No...but CBP does, "Exemptions are available in the case of family emergencies etc." :)

[betsyl]

I'm probably not going to follow up further about what was done with the $600. We had the option to not get off and continue with our cruise but were afraid the situation at home would worsen and we'd be in the middle of the ocean with no options. And maybe we could have waited and disembarked in Bermuda if we had to but we may have had to purchase airfare instead of using miles which would have eaten up our $600 penalty. Anyway we did what we did. And learned from it. Also we were told by guest services that we had to pay the $600 to the Charleston Port Authority because Charleston wasn't a "regular" royal Caribbean port. And then it was the immigration guy that told me it was as the result of a law on the books since 1812. The fee was paid to our sea pass account so who knows. My point was to advise others that it's not that easy to get off the ship in the middle of a cruise.

[Coralc]

I'm probably not going to follow up further about what was done with the $600. We had the option to not get off and continue with our cruise but were afraid the situation at home would worsen and we'd be in the middle of the ocean with no options. And maybe we could have waited and disembarked in Bermuda if we had to but we may have had to purchase airfare instead of using miles which would have eaten up our $600 penalty. Anyway we did what we did. And learned from it. Also we were told by guest services that we had to pay the $600 to the Charleston Port Authority because Charleston wasn't a "regular" royal Caribbean port. And then it was the immigration guy that told me it was as the result of a law on the books since 1812. The fee was paid to our sea pass account so who knows. My point was to advise others that it's not that easy to get off the ship in the middle of a cruise.

 

I know Betsy, I just think it is interesting. There is no reason to question things like that during a stressful situation. I'm glad it eventually worked out okay and you were able to get home as necessary.

 

And thanks for sharing the information. :)

[LindaO]

There is no fine for disembarking in a foreign port.

 

The law bars the cruise line from transporting you from one US PORT to another US PORT.

 

Excuse me for using the word 'fine' rather than penalty. My mistake.

[Merion_Mom]

Excuse me for using the word 'fine' rather than penalty. My mistake.

 

No, you were giving incorrect information, and I just wanted the right info out there.

 

There is no fine, no penalty, no violation of the PVSA or any other law, if a person boards any ship in a United States port and disembarks OUTSIDE OF the United States.

 

If, as you wrote, Betsy had disembarked in Bermuda, she would have violated no law and thus would have been exposed to no sanctions or penalties.

 

The violation occurred because she boarded in Fort Lauderdale, FL (a U.S. port) and disembarked in Charleston, SC (another U.S. port).

 

The only "exception" in the PVSA is if the ship makes a stop/port call at what is legally called a "distant foreign port". No Caribbean or Mexican port qualifies, except the "ABC islands": Aruba, Bonaire & Curacao.

 

That is the reason that repositioning cruises (for example, the Explorer in November from NJ to FL), hit at least one of those ports.

[cruisnseas]

It wouldn't surprise me if Royal Caribbean claimed they were all "family emergencies" and collected the $300 fine from the guest, whether the fine was actually levied by CBP or not.

 

It would be interesting to follow through and see if the fine was actually accessed and collected by CBP. I don't think the fine for early disembarkation is actually addressed in the passenger contract. :)

 

It is addressed in the cruise ticket contract

 

Section 6

 

Passenger acknowledges that for certain voyages, such as a round-trip voyage commencing in a United States port, the Passenger must complete the entire voyage and that failure to do so may result in a fine or other penalty being assessed by one or more governmental agencies. Passenger hereby agrees to pay any such fine or penalty imposed because Passenger failed to complete the entire voyage and to reimburse Carrier in the event it pays such fine or penalty.

[cruisnseas]

Also, the guest relations staff was wrong. She likely didn't understand it because Royal rarely sails from one US port to another without a distant foreign port in between so she may have actually thought it was because Charleston was a different port for them. But she was wrong.

 

The fee/fine/penalty/whatever is NOT charged by Charleston and it wouldn't have mattered what US city you disembarked in. The law says quite simply if you leave from one US port and then get off in a DIFFERENT US port without going to a distant foreign port (a legally defined term and not every foreign port qualifies), there is a fine charged by the US government for violation o the PVSA.

[Envelope21]

This is all great information and something I have always been curious about. Thanks so much.

[cruisenfever]

Miss the ship in a foreign port, you may not have to pay the fine, because the collecting agencies are in the US. The OP's problem was that this ship went from Fort Lauderdale to Charleston and then on to Bermuda. If they had waited to leave the ship in Bermuda there would not have been an agency of the US Government to collect the fee or impose the fine (read below.)

Just to clarify, but had they disembarked in Bermuda there would have been no fine imposed. It would have been a legal debarkation.

[Coralc]

It is addressed in the cruise ticket contract

 

Section 6

 

Passenger acknowledges that for certain voyages, such as a round-trip voyage commencing in a United States port, the Passenger must complete the entire voyage and that failure to do so may result in a fine or other penalty being assessed by one or more governmental agencies. Passenger hereby agrees to pay any such fine or penalty imposed because Passenger failed to complete the entire voyage and to reimburse Carrier in the event it pays such fine or penalty.

 

Thank you cruisnseas for quoting and finding it in the passenger contract.

 

I guess what I was getting at, being generally suspicious by nature and also working for a government agency that levies fines (and knowing how much paperwork is involved to levy such fines)

 

I believe that Royal Caribbean is collecting and keeping the $300 p/p fine from the passenger before they even leave the cruise, and before the fine is levied by CBP. CBP does grant exemptions to the fine in cases of family emergencies, personal medical and for other reasons.

 

I have absolutely no evidence of this, but according to the contract, they also could (and should) bill the passenger when an actual fine is levied. The fine would not be collected by the CBP pier agent.

 

As I said, just curious about the whole issue. Thank you for your input. :)

[Illyria]

So then what happens if someone is on a cruise in Alaska and misses their ship in Skagway, so they rent a car and catch up with the ship in Ketchikan? Although I guess, though, the cruise line then knows that they got back on board and didn't just disembark...

[Iluvcruising2]

Many thanks for the useful information.

[betsyl]

One more comment - I just checked my RC account on line and they gave us 20 credits for the cruise we didn't take!:D

[Guest maddycat]

One more comment - I just checked my RC account on line and they gave us 20 credits for the cruise we didn't take!:D

 

But you did pay for the cruise. You're entitled to the 20 credits.

 

I think that the most important thing to take from your experience is that you never know when travel insurance will come in handy. So many people don't buy insurance because they rationalize that they are young and healthy and therefore won't need it. Your case shows that your expenses were due to a family emergency and not illness. If you had travel insurance it would have paid for everything.

Edited June 28, 2014 by maddycat

[cruisnseas]

Thank you cruisnseas for quoting and finding it in the passenger contract.

 

I guess what I was getting at, being generally suspicious by nature and also working for a government agency that levies fines (and knowing how much paperwork is involved to levy such fines)

 

I believe that Royal Caribbean is collecting and keeping the $300 p/p fine from the passenger before they even leave the cruise, and before the fine is levied by CBP. CBP does grant exemptions to the fine in cases of family emergencies, personal medical and for other reasons.

 

I have absolutely no evidence of this, but according to the contract, they also could (and should) bill the passenger when an actual fine is levied. The fine would not be collected by the CBP pier agent.

 

As I said, just curious about the whole issue. Thank you for your input. :)

 

While I get where you are coming from, it is highly unlikely anyone would pay the fine if Royal billed them for it. So they charge it to the captive card on file.

 

For what it is worth, in my previously held position there, I saw them waive it many times (refunded the fee) when they were advised they would not be charged the penalty by CBP.

[Coralc]

While I get where you are coming from, it is highly unlikely anyone would pay the fine if Royal billed them for it. So they charge it to the captive card on file.

 

For what it is worth, in my previously held position there, I saw them waive it many times (refunded the fee) when they were advised they would not be charged the penalty by CBP.

 

Thanks. (I understood why they collect it onboard ;)) That would have been my follow up question as to whether the cruise line ever refunded it after collecting it from passengers if no fine was assessed. :)

 

After paying out, I am one that would follow up to see if the cruise line had actually been fined. Thank you for relating your experiences.

[betsyl]

But you did pay for the cruise. You're entitled to the 20 credits.

 

I think that the most important thing to take from your experience is that you never know when travel insurance will come in handy. So many people don't buy insurance because they rationalize that they are young and healthy and therefore won't need it. Your case shows that your expenses were due to a family emergency and not illness. If you had travel insurance it would have paid for everything.

 

We always get insurance. We've paid hundreds of dollars for insurance. But we mainly get it in case we need to cancel. We booked so late that that coverage was not offered. I thought about getting evacuation insurance but decided to blow it off. Wouldn't have helped us anyway.