Suggestion for a new "exotic" cruise

[MSBerliner]

Each year I read the cruise catalog and find it very interesting, but it's nearly always about the same old thing. Here's an idea for those who really enjoy cruising and to very interesting places: an American Pacific Cruise.

The cruise would begin in San Diego, CA the cruise north along the west coast to Victoria, British Columbia. After a day there it would proceed to Skagway, Alaska. After another day it would sail to Seward or Anchorage, Alaska. After about two days there it would sail south to Hawaii. We'd spend at least two days visiting Hawaii then sail back to San Diego.

I estimate the trip would take about 18 days. This would certainly be an excellent time for those who really enjoy cruising and for those who can afford the time. In our experience the overwhelming majority of cruisers are retirees and those retirees have cruised several times, and likely with the same cruise ship company.

Holland America, are you paying attention?

[cruz chic]

I'd be way more interested in doing a cruise from the east coast of Canada to Iceland and Greenland then back to Canada. I'm still in the workforce so it would be tricky to plan around my deadlines.

[lazey1]

Each year I read the cruise catalog and find it very interesting, but it's nearly always about the same old thing. Here's an idea for those who really enjoy cruising and to very interesting places: an American Pacific Cruise.

The cruise would begin in San Diego, CA the cruise north along the west coast to Victoria, British Columbia. After a day there it would proceed to Skagway, Alaska. After another day it would sail to Seward or Anchorage, Alaska. After about two days there it would sail south to Hawaii. We'd spend at least two days visiting Hawaii then sail back to San Diego.

I estimate the trip would take about 18 days. This would certainly be an excellent time for those who really enjoy cruising and for those who can afford the time. In our experience the overwhelming majority of cruisers are retirees and those retirees have cruised several times, and likely with the same cruise ship company.

Holland America, are you paying attention?

 

Sounds great but you would need at least 4 days and preferrably 6 days for Hawaii. Why not make it a 30 day cruise stopping in Santa Barbara, Ca., San Francisco, Ca. and Astoria, Oregon before Victoria B.C. Also making a stop in Sitka before heading south to Hawaii.

[lazey1]

I'd be way more interested in doing a cruise from the east coast of Canada to Iceland and Greenland then back to Canada. I'm still in the workforce so it would be tricky to plan around my deadlines.

 

Check out the Voyage of the Vikings which HAL does every summer.

[cruz chic]

Check out the Voyage of the Vikings which HAL does every summer.

 

Is that a round trip from Canada? Last time I looked it started in Europe and ended in NY. Has it changed? When I've mentioned this itinerary to hal they said the same thing. It not the same thing at all.

[InTheWASide]

Each year I read the cruise catalog and find it very interesting, but it's nearly always about the same old thing. Here's an idea for those who really enjoy cruising and to very interesting places: an American Pacific Cruise.

The cruise would begin in San Diego, CA the cruise north along the west coast to Victoria, British Columbia. After a day there it would proceed to Skagway, Alaska. After another day it would sail to Seward or Anchorage, Alaska. After about two days there it would sail south to Hawaii. We'd spend at least two days visiting Hawaii then sail back to San Diego.

I estimate the trip would take about 18 days. This would certainly be an excellent time for those who really enjoy cruising and for those who can afford the time. In our experience the overwhelming majority of cruisers are retirees and those retirees have cruised several times, and likely with the same cruise ship company.

Holland America, are you paying attention?

 

Could be pretty cool, but it would be long and as it would likely only be feasible at the start or end of the AK season it would still be very cold. The Pacific can still be rather... "moody" let's say... in April and in october

[SilvertoGold]

Sounds great but you would need at least 4 days and preferrably 6 days for Hawaii. Why not make it a 30 day cruise stopping in Santa Barbara, Ca., San Francisco, Ca. and Astoria, Oregon before Victoria B.C. Also making a stop in Sitka before heading south to Hawaii.

 

YES!!!!! Sign us up!

These are ALL fantastic ports. I would add Glacier Bay and Port Angeles, a hidden gem of a place, Catalina Island and San Francisco.

[SilvertoGold]

Is that a round trip from Canada? Last time I looked it started in Europe and ended in NY. Has it changed? When I've mentioned this itinerary to hal they said the same thing. It not the same thing at all.

 

Eurodam does Europe to NY in August.

The Voyage of the Vikings does the round-trip Boston to Boston.

[SilvertoGold]

I would really like to see HAL do more Japan. Right now it only does Japan on the way from Asia on a repo cruise to Vancouver.

 

There are so many outstanding ports in Japan and HAL could do a number of Collectors cruises, with Korea and Taiwan thrown in for variety.

[boulders]

I'd be way more interested in doing a cruise from the east coast of Canada to Iceland and Greenland then back to Canada. I'm still in the workforce so it would be tricky to plan around my deadlines.

 

Have a look at Quark Expeditions. They don't have this exact cruise this year, but they come closest of the cruises I've looked at. Last year they had one that was closer, but it was one way, not roundtrip.

[Sue from Canada]

Is that a round trip from Canada? Last time I looked it started in Europe and ended in NY. Has it changed? When I've mentioned this itinerary to hal they said the same thing. It not the same thing at all.

 

Not round trip from Cda. How about Quebec City -- Charlottetown -- St. John's (NFLD) -- Greenland -- Iceland -- Halifax -- Boston:)

[Folk Singer]

I'd be way more interested in doing a cruise from the east coast of Canada to Iceland and Greenland then back to Canada. I'm still in the workforce so it would be tricky to plan around my deadlines.

 

 

leaving from Halifax as a Port would be cool.

[Sue from Canada]

leaving from Halifax as a Port would be cool.

 

You would like that seeing you're just a stones throw from Halifax :D

[igraf]

I would love to see the laws changed so that we could have one-way trips from California to Hawaii without having to waste a day going to/starting from a foreign port. The round-trips to Hawaii are too long for working people and have too many sea days (versus Hawaii days) to make it worthwhile.

 

igraf

 

 

 

 

...The cruise would begin in San Diego, CA the cruise north along the west coast to Victoria, British Columbia. After a day there it would proceed to Skagway, Alaska. After another day it would sail to Seward or Anchorage, Alaska. After about two days there it would sail south to Hawaii. We'd spend at least two days visiting Hawaii then sail back to San Diego....

[serendipity1499]

Sounds great but you would need at least 4 days and preferrably 6 days for Hawaii. Why not make it a 30 day cruise stopping in Santa Barbara, Ca., San Francisco, Ca. and Astoria, Oregon before Victoria B.C. Also making a stop in Sitka before heading south to Hawaii.

 

This itinerary can't be done as it's against the U.S. Passenger Service Act: Psgrs would not be permitted to disembark in any U.S. city prior to going to a distant foreign port..The OP's itinerary would not be possible either as Canada & BC is not considered a distant foreign port..

 

The Passenger Service Act was passed in the 1886 to protect U.S. shipping..

This act not only applies to ships but to Airlines as well.. We had several flights which stopped in another U.S. City other than the Embarkation Point City before continuing to Europe..DTT/JFK to Brussels..We could embark Psgrs in both cities but never could permit a passenger who boarded in DTT to get off the aircraft in JFK..We would have been subject to a hefty fine...

 

Also a columnist by the name of Alan Walker explains the difference in both the Jones Act & the Passenger Service Acts in a 1999 column of Sealetter Cruise. Mag..

 

http://www.sealetter.com/Oct-99/alancol.html

 

Another good explanation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passenger_Vessel_Services_Act_of_1886

 

 

The only reason it's against the Passenger Service Act is that it is same ship that is embarking the OP in one U.S. City & disembarking him in another U.S. City. even for a visit...

 

 

 

Edited October 21, 2014 by serendipity1499

[Krazy Kruizers]

I would like to see HAL bring back the 21 day PanAmerican cruises. We did 3 of them and loved them.

[1of4]

I'd be way more interested in doing a cruise from the east coast of Canada to Iceland and Greenland then back to Canada. I'm still in the workforce so it would be tricky to plan around my deadlines.

 

I am with you!! I would do that in a heartbeat! The ships already do the route but only as repositioning or the 30 day VOV that leaves from Boston and returns to Boston and I, like you, don't have 30 days to spend at this point.

 

The demand seems to be there as the VOV is a popular cruise so one from Montreal would be fantastic. I was just looking yesterday at Princess who has one leaving London (I think, can't remember exactly) on July 12 that ends up in New York as part of their world cruise.

 

The issue with Alaska and Hawaii, as I see it, is two distinct seasons and not complimentary. Summer in Alaska and summer in Hawaii??

[Folk Singer]

You would like that seeing you're just a stones throw from Halifax :D

 

 

We could spend more time on board.:):):):) Less on Air Fares.:eek:

[rafinmd]

How about having VOV start in Boston, pick up additional passengers in Halifax, and end in Montreal or Quebec?

 

Roy

[cruz chic]

Have a look at Quark Expeditions. They don't have this exact cruise this year, but they come closest of the cruises I've looked at. Last year they had one that was closer, but it was one way, not roundtrip.

 

Thank you.

[1of4]

How about having VOV start in Boston, pick up additional passengers in Halifax, and end in Montreal or Quebec?

 

Roy

 

Perfect! I have always wanted to travel the same route as my grandparents when they arrived in Montreal from Scotland. I figured it couldn't be done.

 

Bon Voyage and thanks for the suggestion. :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

How about having VOV start in Boston, pick up additional passengers in Halifax, and end in Montreal or Quebec?

 

Roy

 

 

How about having the VOV start in New York? It's 2 flights to get to Boston and only 1 to NY.

[RuthC]

This itinerary can't be done as it's against the U.S. Passenger Service Act: Psgrs would not be permitted to disembark in any U.S. city prior to going to a distant foreign port..The OP's itinerary would not be possible either as Canada & BC is not considered a distant foreign port..

I'm not reading it that way at all.

 

Both proposed itineraries start and end in San Diego, and have stops in Canada. The PVSA requires that cruises that begin and end in the same US port visit a "near" foreign port. Any of the proposed ports in Canada fulfill that requirement.

[cruz chic]

How about having VOV start in Boston, pick up additional passengers in Halifax, and end in Montreal or Quebec?

 

Roy

 

Love it! You're hired! Have a great cruise.

[kakalina]

I would love to see the laws changed so that we could have one-way trips from California to Hawaii without having to waste a day going to/starting from a foreign port. The round-trips to Hawaii are too long for working people and have too many sea days (versus Hawaii days) to make it worthwhile.

 

igraf

 

I want this so we can go to Hawaii find a nice resort stay for a week or two then leisurely cruise back. :D

That would be perfect for us. DH doesn't fly. :( If it requires a change to shipping law then perhaps it is time to do that.

Edited October 21, 2014 by kakalina